2010 Iron Man Blog

The NPC IRONMAN Figure took place last weekend in conjunction with the IRONMAN Pro. This year’s field was lacking in total competitors and the quality of the physiques were not what we’ve come to expect from this show. The winner receives a photo shoot with IRONMAN magazine and this is a tremendous opportunity for women to get published. Danielle Edmonds ended up victorious but she was not at her best. Last year she was runner-up to the eventual overall winner, Catherine Anderson, at the NPC USA. It could be because this show is very early in the year and a non-national qualifier as to why the numbers were down. If the show sticks around for another year, it is my hope that more women enter and they come in with better conditioning.

A new feature I am starting this year to display the photos is a slideshow. This is the first of many in 2008. Take a look at the competitors from this show here.

**Overall Winner
Danielle Edmonds

Figure Class A
1. Jennifer Kline
2. Shawna Kondo
3. Lisa Sandercock
4. Kathryn Payton
5. Debbie Bell
NP. Kelly Mac
NP. Kimberly McGarry
NP. Lilia Sandozequi

Figure Class B
1. Ana Tigre
2. Selma McPherson
3. Bernadette Marturano

Figure Class C
1. Danielle Edmonds**
2. Hanna Fox
3. Delinia Lewis
4. Kristie Tatum
5. Dore Madere

Figure Class D
1. Lisa Lynn-Calhoun

A big shout out to Tony Blinn who keeps www.IFBBPro.com fresh. Tony was kind enough to feature my photos on the IFBB Pro League web site and give visitors a closer look at the competitors. Check out the photos on ifbbpro.com compliments of liftstudios.com and bodybuilding.com.

Last Sunday, ten couples took the stage in hopes of becoming The 2008 Fittest Couple. The couples posed, flexed and performed a routine to showcase why they are worthy of the title. In the end only one couple would reign supreme at The Fit Expo’s annual contest. The first place couple would received $2,500 cash and a photo shoot with IRONMAN Magazine’s top photographer, Mike Neveux.

Judges for the competition were IRON MAN photographer MERV, former fitness-model Brenda Kelly and last year’s female half of the fittest couple winner. There were a number of worthy couples but in the end the routine of Dena Weiner and Rado Pagac put them in the winner’s circle. The two were beyond elated when their names were announced. Look for their photos in an upcoming issue of IRONMAN magazine.

Dena and Rado showing their strength and flexibility.

The winning couple got a leg up over their competition.

Placing in the top five at the Iron Man 2008 was one of the most honorable and for filling experiences of my life!  To add to the excitement of my placing was meeting all the wonderful people during the show in which I can proudly say that I have become great friends with.

I have been training actually all year since my first show with the NPC at the Iron Man last year. For I have competed in several shows during the year in which I had to continue to watch my nutrition and exercise pretty much non stop - though of course after each show I had my cheat days. 

My training has fluctuated through the year as I have learned different things from so many people. However if I could sum it up (which is quite hard to do) I would say that in the end I have learned for my body that high intensity intervals and heavy weights is the best way to achieve the best look for my body.

I rollerblade all over NYC streets as my transportation which is great for the glutes… though I stop two weeks before a show just in case of an accident also to make sure my legs are not puffy!

Nutrition for me is basically of the normal foods that one would eat to stay healthy. However again as I strongly believe that everyone’s body is different! For me, I have been on different food plans and tried different ways to achieve the ultimate figure for myself. In the long run I do know that what might seem ideal for someone else, or the “norm” of a bodybuilder, is not right for me.

As I was told, and quite true indeed, that I did appear a bit too skinny. This I know mainly had to do what I ate prior to the show! I know that because after the show when I do eat - that is when I should compete because my body fills out. It is trial and error, and following my gut instinct.

So even if I were to explain in detail what I ate, I feel that it would be inappropriate. For I do not want to write something that someone else might take as the right thing to do for them! To reiterate we are all the same in a sense, just have different body chemistry. And what might work for me will not work for someone else and visa-versa!

I hope that I can show this as I compete at the Arnold next week. Which is not much time, however being that I was a competitive gymnast and cheerleader at a young age, and continued to work out ever since, I have conditioned my body so that it actually does not take long for me to react and change!

I do take the supplements Gakic, Leukic, and two weeks before a show stopping Creakic (Creakic on cycles). But I never take the recommended dose. I take much less, I am only five feet and 104lbs so I don’t think it would be great if I did. I do love the product and find it works great with my body chemistry!

I adore BodySpace… it was the best site I have ever joined and I am proud to be part of it!! It is so amazing! The people here are great, kind, wonderful, gosh I could go on however I think I would run out of room! 

The support and inspiration I have received from other people here has been quite incredible. I just wish I had enough time to get back to everyone. I am not the person that sits by the computer much, although I have found myself doing so for hours here conversing with everyone!! I love answering anyone’s questions hoping that they help - which I have been told they do. 

As a personal trainer and life coach I love what I do and could not imagine doing anything else. I thank God that I have been given the ability to help others. In reality isn’t that what we are all here for, is to help each other and find love and live a healthy life?!

I send many smiles to everyone in hoping they will help them smile… Smiles are contagious! As well as smiling and laughing helps lead a healthier life!  I want to thank Bodybuilding.com and everyone that works here… you are all so very awesome!

I am looking forward to continuing my relationship with all of you guys and the members, and getting you all to keep SMILING! 

Debbie Bell
http://contest.bodybuilding.com/bio/3739/
Change Your Body - Change your life!!!
I live and breath by that and always - always keep smiling

I just got back from the Fit Expo in Los Angeles and WOW I had a blast!

I got to meet many of my friends from MySpace that live in California and that was great that they took the time to come by and see me at the EFX Nutrition booth. I got to spend some time with my sweet friend over at Bodybuilding.com, Jamie Eason.

Me and BodySpace Member Charla!

If you have never met her, you need to! She is one of the prettiest models in the business and has the best personality you could ever imagine, her beauty is much more than skin deep! I got to spend some time with bodybuilding legend Flex Wheeler and he is a super sweet guy too. Flex is responsible for me coming on board with EFX Nutrition and now I get to work with Flex and that is awesome!

Me and Texas State NPC Chairman Lee Thompson!

I saw many of my friends from the NPC in Texas at the Expo as well and they all came by to wish me well, I feel like I am part of the family already! I also got to see my good friend Dave Palumbo who I met at the Arnold 2 years ago. He just finished an article on me and it will be coming out in the very next Muscular Development Magazine. Thank you Dave:>)!!!

Me and Ms. Fitness Olympia Adela Garcia!

I was also interviewed by Iron Man Magazine and I will be coming out in a future issue with them too. Overall the LA Fit Expo was a great success and I look forward to next year’s show!

peace,

**BB**

Looking to examine the actual scorecards from the Iron Man Pro judging panel?

Well, look no further!  Here they are…

Click for larger version.

Click for larger version.

I don’t pretend to understand scoring, but if you do - well, then, here ya go!  LOL

I have now left Phil Heaths seminar and walked into Jay Cutler. Here is what he has to say:

He said he takes small steps and makes small goals to become the best in bodybuilding.

Being the best requires 7-10 meals per day. He takes in 300gm of protein, 1000 gms of carbs and gets around 7500 cals per day.
When dieting he flucuates his carbs, 400 one day, 300 on another, 500 the next etc.

He does no cardio at the moment, he doesnt like it. He doesnt want to come in any bigger, he just wants to come in better shape. He will be working on shoulder width, leg size and back detail.

He says his food is disgusting. Eating 20 egg whites and two yolks for breakfast is the hardest. This is what he finds is the hardest part of bodybuilding. He hasnt eaten for taste for 16 years but would love to eat bacon and eggs for a change.

His oldest brother is 20 years older than him and its his brothers who are his role models. They brought him up.

He sleeps a lot. His wife doesnt take him to the movies any more, as soon as the lights are dimmed, its lights out for him.

His main focus was to win 3 Mr. Olympias so he’s not focusing on competing after this year.

For water depleation, he will measure his water two weeks prior. He tapers from 4 gallons to 3, to two, until he is only sipping water the day before the show.

Chris Aceto was his nutritionist but isnt using anyone this year.

Besides bodybuilding his interests are football, basketball, reading mystery novels and cars.

He never turns down anyone who asks questions whilst he is training. He remembers a bodybuilder telling him to move when he was younger in the gym wanting to ask a question.

He wants to be remembered as a great ambassader of bodybuilding, not just the 11th Mr. Olympia.

When he goes to an event, within the contract is the timed schedule and transport to the nearest best gym. He has trained at some gyms that have cement filled milk jugs.

Im in Phil Heaths seminar. This is what he is saying.

"I know that I had to give up basketball when sometimes I would try to dribble the ball between my legs and it would always hit my calfs."

He dieted mainly on tuna on his first show. He used to eat oats straight out of the tub, no water, nothing.
The day before his first show he had to sleep in his car because his friends were having a party upstairs (on college campus)and he couldnt sleep. He had to use his cell phone as his wake up alarm, but more of his friends kept calling to wish him good luck in his show, thus he didnt have any sleep. He said that due to this he looked bad but ended up winning the show.

He loves sweets so he makes sure that he doesnt have them in the house.

His competitive career has been focused on each day as he cannot predict the next. He told his step son who plays games four hours a day to dedicate this amount of time to his school. He was having trouble with certain subjects so once applied he passed his exams. Phil does the same, dedicates time to his weaknesses to become a winner

Over the past couple of years he has realized that if he wanted something that he hadnt had before, he had to do something he didnt do before, thus he began to eat clean throughout the offseason.

His biggest challenges were to be honest with himself. He shot picks of himself in his bedroom to be objective with himself on a consistant basis.

His is an internet junkie when it comes to learning about nutrition, training, anatomy etc so he knows that he is more educated than everyone else and keeps improving.

He said that everyone trains hard, diets hard but Phils focuses more on consistancy. He doesnt want to get to the end of the year and know that he missed a meal, supplement, workout or cardio session.

He writes all of his articles that are seen published in FLEX magazine.

He did an hour and half of cardio this morning and 30 mins of weights

He said he is going to come in bigger and fuller in the back and chest for the Arnold. He will continue to keep his sodium very low, carbs will remain low.

Just got back to the host hotel from the 2008 Iron Man that was held at the LA Convention Center.

We got so much content, but with teh lack of sleep, i can only give you a preview of what to expect tomorrow and in the next few days.

Here is a preview from Kris Gethin (our Editor-In-Chief):

The finals proved to be quite a shock for most, as the athletes were jumbled up as much as a lottery from the earlier prejudging. Most notable was the switch of placing between Silvio from top three into fourth. Silvio was obviously quite emotional with the decision as he seemed to be very upset backstage with reigning Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler comforting him. I couldn’t complain too much with any of the final decisions, and in all, the judges did a very well, getting the crowds approval on most occasions. Here is a preview of what is to come:

1st Phil Heath
The dictionary’s new word for bodybuilding has to be changed to Phil Heath.  Just when we thought he couldn’t look any better, his added tan and oil only accentuated this awesome physique which soon will be hard to find spoils. His once overpowering arms were treated like a B rated movie due to the fact that his now massive legs take over the new blockbuster role at the box office. I see a new direction in bodybuilding with Phil, and that future looks very, very bright.

> View all pics here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008im_pics.htm.

2nd Gustavo Badell
Posing to what seemed to be a tribute to his new sponsors ,Weider, Gustavo brought the house down to his adoring fans with the jingles of Puerto Rican as his backdrop. Looking notably tighter this evening, his symmetry looked better as his condition improved to display zipper like oblique’s.   Always paying attention to detail such as tan, hair, posing and presentation, Gustavo is a true professional on stage which all adds up to his continued run of podium finishes.

> View all pics here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008im_pics.htm.

3rd Mo El Massouwi
Mo had the best placing to date and I am sure he will improve on this, but as far as condition goes I couldn’t see much at fault. His back will reap the awards of added thickness, especially when compared to someone who wants to expose such small flaws. I personally would’ve given this placing to Silvio but I have no problem seeing Mo represent the great country of New Zealand at the Olympia.

> View all pics here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008im_pics.htm.

The full top ten will be posted tomorrow.

We shot over 8 hours of video that will be added to teh site over the next few days.

Full scorecards will be avalable soon.

The NPC Figure contest webcast video will be ready in the next 24 hours.

Thousands more photos coming in the next 48 hours also.

The video of Wolf and THe Goat will be coming soon!

WW

Looking for contest photos?  Where are the full results?

All of these and more are awaiting you on our complete 2008 Iron Man Pro main coverage page.  Don’t miss it!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008im.htm

1) Phil Heath
2) Gustavo Badell
3) Moe El Moussawi
4) Silvio Samuel
5) Johnnie O. Jackson

Congrats to everyone!

1st - Phil Heath
2nd - Gustavo Badell
3rd - Mo El Mosuai
4th - Silvio Samuel
5th - Johnnie Jackson

10 th place - King Kamali.
9th Troy Alves
8th Toney Freeman
7th Eddie Abbew
6th Desmond Miller

In no particular order:

1. Eddie Abbew
2. Troy Alves
3. Gustavo Badell
4. Mo El Mosuai
5. Toney Freeman
6. Phil Heath
7. Johnnie Jackson
8. King Kamali
9. Desmond Miller
10. Silvio Samuel

Hey guys,
A bunch of new information is up. We’ve got pics from backstage at the finals right here from Ron Avidan, along with pics and results from the NPC finals here.