The Chronicles of “B”

Just wanted to update everyone on my first week of prep for my upcoming contest.  I have had a perfect week! Not even so much as one little crumb of anything other then what I had planned to eat.  The workouts were all done on time and with intensity and I’m pretty damn proud of myself.  LOL!!  Usually I have a little hic up somewhere along the way but not this week.  No way baby!!  I an determined that this will be my best showing ever!!  I want to win the Masters and taking home that Novice trophy would be nice as well. 

I gave a guy a spot at the gym yesterday which is something I never do when I’m working out but this guy is a competeing powerlifter and all round nice guy so I did it.  Later I was talking to him and told him I was in awe of how much weight he lifts. (He had just completed 15 seated "Good Mornings" with 225 on his back in perfect form!) I told him I thought I would stick to bodybuilding cause I could never lift those kinds of pounds.  He commented to me though that he thought bodybuilding was much harder because of the discipline involved…especially with the diet.  He told me he could never do what I do because he just loved to eat to much.  That made me even more proud of the fact that I had not cheated the entire week.

Worked out with Susan twice this week and although we kind of both did our own thing in the gym it is nice to have a companion there and know that we have each others back if needed.  Plus having Susan around alway makes me accountable and makes me work even harder.  The one thing I enjoy about our gym sessions together is when it’s over and we’re cooling down and stretching on the mats…This is an awesome time for me.  We just chill there on the mats and yack about our bodybuilding plans.  I could just talk bodybuilding with Susan for hours.  Sometimes we just lie there and feel the burn of our just completed ass busting workout.  Neither of us will say anything…we just sort of meditate and sometimes I swear I can feel my muscles responding….growing…getting bigger just lying there and it’s all pretty damn glorious!  LOL

Tomorrow starts a new week and marks 5 weeks to contest time.  The biggest contest of my life!!  If I can put together 5 more weeks like the one I just had I should be in pretty good shape.  "I think I can, I think I can…..I KNOW I can!" 

Six weeks!!  That’s not a very long time to get ready for a big stage but that’s the task I’ve taken on and I’m very determined to do well.  I have all my ducks in a row and I’m leaving nothing to chance.  I’ve purchased all my supplements…enough to take me up to contest day.  I’m doing some different things supplement wise.  I’m still using the standard Optimum Whey protein but for my first shake of the day and my pre workout and afternoon drink I’m mixing in some Soy protein.  Everything I’ve read about it seems to favor it’s use although I’ve been reluctant in the past to use soy.  It’s suppose to promote lean muscle and boost NO so we shall see what happens.  Also I’ve been taking Casein protein before bed and I’m using CytoGainer protein mixed with a little Casein for my post workout shake.  I’m taking Optimum Aminos at each meal (8) as well as 4 UniLivers. (dessicated liver)  I’m still using MuscleTech’s Luekic pre-workout and well as NaNo Vapor.  I’m also taking a creatine tablet twice daily.  I’m trying a new product to aid in fat loss that is suppose to be the next great thing…Mytotropin by Gaspari.  I’ll keep you all informed on how it works and write a review on it after the contest.   

As far as my workouts I’ll be lifting heavy and often for the next 4 weeks.  Six days and as heavy and intense as I can stand.  My split looks like this:

Monday…..Chest, triceps

Tuesday….Legs and abs

Wednesday morning…..Back and biceps.  Evening…..Chest

Thursday…..Legs and abs

Friday…..Shoulders and traps

Saturday…..rest

Sunday…..legs and abs

I do cardio every morning in the form of an hour of walking mixed with periods of running and 3 nights a week I run sprints and jump rope. 

The last 2 weeks before showtime I will switch to a routine of supersets with lighter weights to finish sculpting my physique.  I’ll mostly be going for the pump during those 2 weeks as I dumped the carbs to dail in my cuts. 

So that’s my plan in a nutshell.  I’ve got it laid out and written down and I WILL NOT DEVIATE from my plan!  Stay tuned!!

Ok Saturday has come and gone….I finished fourth…..that sucks…..time to move on!  I have another contest in August and I’m earmarking this one as my own personal Olympia.  I’m gonna do everything I can do to be perfect in my prep for this one.  The supplements are all bought and ready to go and I have my entire diet and exercise plan laid out.  I will be perfect on my diet…..count on it.  Whatever it takes to bring home the prize I’m gonna do.  Nothing is left to chance.  I am truly more focused then I have ever been in my entire life. 

This is a NGA Pro Qualifier so it is mega important to do well.  I’ll be entering the Mens Novice and Mens Masters 50+.  It would be awesome to take home a Mens Masters Title but truth be known I’m truly training for both.  I don’t train for second place.

Watched "Pumping Iron" today which is what I do sometimes to motivate myself.  I either do that or watch Rocky!  It’s something about watching the intensity on Arnolds face when he’s working out that always fires me up!  I also caught something he said today that truly inspired me.  He talked about focus and how when you’re training nothing else matters.  Everything should revolve around your training and you have no time for anything else.  Arnolds father died while he was training for a contest and he actually refused to go home or even talk to anyone else about it.  He was so focused on the task ahead that nothing…not even death could break his concentration.  That to me is amazing.  He also said that true Champions are able to push thru the pain no matter what and also rans are never able to do it.  So sore ab and all I’m gonna have laser like focus for the next six weeks and God willing I will never finish 4th ever again. 

You know that old saying about best laid plans and all that mice and men crapola???  Well my best laid plan went a little aray Saturday.  I had a few problems and finished 4th.  I think all the guys in my class were very close and that seemed to be the concenus of the audience as well.  Each one of us had our strong points and no one person really dominated.  I was disappointed to finish fourth but I was still able to take a lot of positives from the show.  The judges were very kind in their assesment of me when I spoke to them after the show.  They said I showed a lot of potential but that it was tough when you’re competing against guys 20 to 30 years younger then you.  

I wanted to see if I could run with the kids and I actually feel I held my own against them.  Like I said I was able to take a lot of positives from the show.  One positive was the fact that last year when this show was taking place I weighed 250 lbs.  This year I weighed 180lbs!  That’s a 70 pound loss in one year and I’ll gladly take that. 

I might have done a little better if I had been able to hit my poses a little harder. I popped an ab just a couple days before the contest and it was very painful to pose.  That really hurt me I feel.  But I;m not making excuses….**** happens right?  We just have to deal with it.

Sooooo on to August 15th and the next show….an NGA event in Boardman Ohio.  I gonna take it to another gear and get even more shredded for this show.  Finishing fourth has made me even more determined to never finish that low ever again.  I didn’t like the feeling and I don’t plan to repeat it. 

I’ll write a little more about the show later as we had a great time there.  I just know some people were wondering so I thought I’d post a quick update.  Thanks everyone who stopped by to give me a word of encouragement.  It is soooo appreciated.    

Well Saturday is the big day.  I will be in Ann Arbor Michigan for my second contest and I fully expect another first place trophy.  This time though instead of the Masters I’m gunning for first overall.  I know, I know that’s big talk but I have also walked the walk.  I am a lot leaner then I was for my last contest and ten times harder!  Striations are a poppin as each day of low carb hell goes by.  I’m sodium loading right now and Wednesday I will begin to sodium deplete so I expect to come in cut to the bone.  I’ll slowly start carbing up on Saturday morning and hope that I’m peaking by the time of the morning pre-judge.  I’ve practiced my routine till I’m seeing it in my sleep so I know I got that down as well as all my manditories and quarter turns.  I am soooooooo ready to go I can hardly stand it. 

Susan won’t be competing on Saturday but being the awesome friend and training partner that she is she will be right there with me backstage helping with the application of the tan and reminding me to, "Tuck my tummy and keep those abs tight, turn your chest toward the judges, roll that shoulder back" and other important instructions.  I would be lost without her help.  If I could only give one good piece of advice to anyone looking to compete it would be to find someone like Susan to support you backstage.  You’ll be glad you did. 

Anyway that’s about all for me.  I’m like crazy busy getting everything ready for Saturday so I may not be on much more but I’ll do my best to keep you all updated.  If anyone happens to be in Michigan on Saturday stop by and check it out.  If you’ve never been to a show before you should make the effort cause it is well worth the little bit of money it cost to see one.  Hope you all have a great week!

I read a short article in Ironman Magazine last night about Ronnie Coleman.  The article spoke of Ronnie still wanting to compete even though his Mr Olympia days are most likely behind him.  Seems the consenus is against him competing again most citing the reason as not wanting him to tarnish his image as one of the greatest if not the greatest bodybuilding Champion of all time.  But it seems Ronnie, being the great champion that he is, still has a burning desire to compete and says that as long as he can still get up on stage and the desire is there he’s gonna do it.

If you’ve ever been to a bodybuilding contest you will know that in every one there is that one guy that you just have to look at yourself and say, "What the hell was he thinking?"  You know the one that lacks any size or muscle definition what so ever, doesn’t know how to pose, and just looks like he walked in off the street threw on a posing suit and walked onstage.  I myself have said several times that I would not ever step onstage if I thought I had even a slight chance of being that guy.  And, much to my shame, I have made fun of such people at contest I’ve observed.  As a matter of fact the last contest that I was in there was one guy there that I joked…must have lost a bet with someone and this was his punishment.  Again to my great shame.

Well as the author of the article I read pointed out you really have no idea what drives a person to get up on stage.  With Ronnie Coleman it’s the drive of being a champion that keeps him coming back for more but what about that one guy I mentioned earlier?  what posessed him to get up on stage when he so obviously should not be?

Well who knows?  Maybe he just dropped 100 lbs and is in the best shape of his life and wanted to show the world what he had acomplished.  Maybe he was a cancer survivor and this is his way of saying, I beat the odds!"  Maybe he just has a burning desire to be something more…to do one crazy thing that will make him feel good about himself.  Maybe he’s overcoming stage fright or is backwards and shy and wishes to burst forth from his shell.  Who really knows. 

I know that at 52 I never ever dreamed I would step onstage and yet here I am on the verge of doing it for the 2nd time and in a few short weeks after that I plan on entering a Pro Qualifier.  How crazy is that.  Maybe instead of making fun of these people we should encourage them.  God knows we could use more competitors onstage to help this sport we love continue to grow and thrive.

So the next time you’re at a contest and you see that one person please consider why they are there and maybe clap just a little louder.     

Well with less than 2 weeks till I step on stage I decided that I will be doing double cardio the rest of the way.  My BF% and weight are just about where I want them after cutting my carbs to the bare bones for the past 2 weeks but I’m afraid my workouts have suffered just a bit. Without my carbs for energy I just don’t have the strength to wokout with the intensity I’d like.  Plus I just plain likes me carbs!  LOL!   So I’ve decided to make sure to have some slow digesting carbs at each meal and just up my cardio. 

I’m already walking an hour every morning but now I’ll start running sprint intervals every evening.  I actually like my sprint intervals….I love what they do for my quads…gives them nice seperation and sweep. 

I don’t know if I mentioned it before but I have my posing routine down and feel really good about it.  I made sure to really highlight my strong areas which are my chest and shoulders and my back.  Plus I added a lot of variety as to pose selection instead of just doing the old boring maditories.  And I even added just a touch of theatrics at the end to play to the crowd and I hope to the judges.  Now I just wish June 27th would hurry the hell up and get here cause I am ready baby!!!!  LOL!

As I’ve stated many times in the past I consider myself a student of bodybuilding.  I am always doing research trying to find new and better ways to enhance my physique.  Well recently I’ve discovered what just may be the best training technique EVER! 

As most of you probably already know you don’t grow in the gym.  You do the groundwork for growth by breaking down your muscle fiber but the real growth takes place while we sleep….that’s when your muscles repair themselves and grow.  I’ve made it a point for quit sometime to make sure I get at least a full 7 hours of sleep each and every night and it has helped me tremendously in my training.

So, what does this have to do with anything and what is this awesome new training tool of which I speak??  Well the awesome new training tool is a little thing called a nap.  That’s right!  A nap!  For a little while now I’ve been laying down mid morning and I take about an hour nap right before my mid morning dose of protein and before my workout.  Since I’ve been doing this I’ve really had increased energy and intensity in my workouts and I feel I’ve made some substantial increases in muscle mass.  Plus it just feels damn good to lay down and snooze.  LOL!

Now that the sun is out and it’s getting warm I’ve been taking my nap in my lounger on my back deck and soaking up some sunshine.  Nothing feels better than napping in the early morning sun.  Not to mention that I’m getting a pretty nice tan for my upcomming shows.  BONUS!!  I wake up totally refreshed…slam some protein…wait a half hour and then blast off into the gym.  My workouts lately have reached new heights of intensity and I think the naps in the sun are the number one reason why.

So if you’re looking for a new way to get more out of your workouts…..before you search for the next great designer supplement just try taking a nap.  You’ll save a little money and you just might be pleasantly surprised.   

Well faithful (and not so faithful) readers.  I am 2 weeks out from my next contest in Ann Arbor Michigan and things could not be going any better.  Actually they are going so good it is almost scary!  LOL  I’m the leanest I’ve been since I was a teenager at 186 pounds as of this morning.  But it is by no means a skinny 186 pounds I am very hard and the cuts are very visable now.  It is the most awesome feeling ever.  I have seperation in my pecs big time and and the little muscle like the serratus are popping and making it look like I’m wearing an armor vest.

This is all very good since I’m competing in the Mens Open this time instead of Masters.  I know there will be younger and bigger guys there than me but I feel if I come in shredded to the bone and dominate them in the posing that I can actually overcome the size difference and win this damn contest.  I’ve been practicing the posing big time and feel like I can stand up to anyone in that department.  I have a very inventive and entertaining routine that I think will please the crowd and I hope the judges also. 

Being able to get in this kind of shape has given me extra enthusiasim to continue forward and see just how far I can take myself in this sport.  August 15th I will be competing in Youngstown OH in an NGA event and I’m earmarking this contest as my own personal Olympia. 

It is a Pro Qualifier and so I’ve decided to enter the Mens Open as well as the Men’s Masters.  I know this is very ambitious for what will be just my 3rd contest but I really feel that if I continue to improve at the rate I’ve been going I have an excellent chance.  I’ve lost 64lbs since January so why not feel that way.  I know I can do this. 

Anyway I will keep you all updated on my progress toward my own personal Olympia in pictures, video and blogs.  I hope you will all stick around and watch a crazy 52 year old former World Class couch potato acheive mediocrity in bodybuilding.  LOL 

One of my most favorite times are the times I get together with my training partner and dear friend Susan.  Not only do I enjoy how we push each other in the gym I really enjoy the off times when we can get together and just discuss the sport that we love.  It is so enjoyable to have a conversation with someone who just "Gets It" meaning she’s been there and done that and when we speak of the feelings we get from lifting we can actually feel that because we’ve both been there at one time or another. 

The other day after our workout we stopped for a cup of tea and as always the topic of conversation was bodybuilding.  I asked Susan what was her first exposure to bodybuilding.  She replied that a friend who was a bodybuilder introduced her to it and when she saw what kind of changes she could make to her physique she was hooked. 

She asked me the same question and I had to stop for a moment and think waaaaaaay back.  My very first exposure to bodybuilding, though I really didn’t know it was bodybuilding was the Charles Atlas Course that used to be in every comic I read as a kid.  I’m sure some of you remember the ad of the skinny guy getting the sand kicked in his face by the bully and having his girl stolen.  Of course the guy takes the Charles Atlas course, pumps up and comes back and kicks the bully’s ass. 

The first time I actually saw a bodybuilder was the great Dave Draper.  It was on an episode of the Beverly Hillbillys and Granny was gonna cure him of his barbells disease.  LOL!!  I remember thinking how awesome it would be to have a physique like that. 

The first time I really got the fever to build my body was after seeing a picture of Frank Zane on a magazine cover.  I was just blown away by how cut and how perfect he looked and I knew that was what I wanted to look like.  Unfortunately though I was too busy with other sports to really take bodybuilding seriously.  I mean lets be real bodybuilders don’t get signed to million dollar contracts like All Star Centerfielders. 

Looking back now though I really regret that decision.  Now that I’ve seen the changes I’ve made to my body at the age of 52 I’ve been thinking that maybe just maybe I had the genes all along to affect that kind of change.  Had I started as a young man who knows how far I may have developed my physique.  But alas that moment of clarity escaped me as a young man in search of fame and big money.

Now my goal is to be an evangilist for the older lifter.  I want to preach the word of the church of Iron to all those over 50 who might want to get into the sport but lack the knowledge or the direction.  I want to help blaze that trail and bring all those former couch potatos to the alter. 

I would love to see the the ranks of Mens Masters rise and maybe some glorious day even see the Masters class return to the Olympia!  Just think of the great old school bodybuilders on the stage once again competing with each other.  That would be so great.  Maybe some day….if I continue to work really hard…maybe I could even stand beside them.  Now that would be awesome.