Pro/Am Contests Blog

Lonnie "the swami" Teper stopped by Ron "yogi" Avidan’s house and the broke down this weekend’s NPC Jr. California. If you’re in the California area stop by the Swami’s big show. I will be in Chicago for the NPC Jr. Nationals and won’t be able to make this event.

I won the B class at the Jr Cal’s and I took home a 3rd in master’s.  Yeah!!

Lonnie’s show is such a great show…..and this year it was the biggest, yet.  Competition was tougher, but the girls back stage were all friendly and helpful.  It was a positive feeling throughout the whole show.

I can see I still need to put on some serious muscle before I set my sights too high.  This will be hard due to the fact that I’ve been diagnosed with a sports hernia.  I’m supposed to stop lifting and training completely… uhmmm… I can’t do that…

I want to plan the rest of the season, but I guess that will come after I talk to my doctor.

Peace and love!

Hello my friends.  I am now [a few] days out from Team Universe.  My diet and training are in full swing!!! I have been working very hard in the gym to try and bring up some bodyparts in a very short amount of time. Quad sweep and my thickness in my back. Some people have been a big help. Thank you Eryk Bui for the tip. Only a couple of changes in my diet have occured. Protein supplement and the amount of carbs.

The Protein supplement I now take religiously is ProCore from the makers of Kemistry. Now I have no more upset stomach and not have to worry about the bloated feeling with most protein powders. Since I am lactose intolerant, this product is the best and the results Iam getting are great. It taste good too.

Some people have asked why would I compete in a show so close to the Team Universe. I am looking to come into the Jr. Cal about 90% to practice on my posing, mandatories, quarter turns etc… then hit the Team Universe 110% in 3 weeks after the Jr.Cal.

My training is consisting of a lot of heavy deadlifts, barbell rows and seated rows for my back to gain thickness and a lot of close footed leg presses and hack squats to help with the sweep on the quads.

I have posted some pictures in the May 2007 section on my profile I will update the pics each week up till the Jr.Cal and The Team Universe.

Thank you very much for everyone’s support and good luck to everyone in their upcoming shows!!  Stay Focused on the Task Ahead!!

2007 NPC Jr. Cal Overall Winner, Kiyoshi Moody
Photo By Ralph Dehann

Coming into this show [the Jr. Cal], I was not certain if I was going to be able to compete because of a lower back injury. I overcame that and even though it was hurting while I was on stage, I sucked it up!!!  The Result?

I won the Open Light Heavy Class and the Overall!!  This gives me the momentum going into the Team Universe!!  With 20 days left including today. Have I stopped training? No Leaving right now to go train. This is going to be a war and I’m going to be ready!!!

This year’s Junior California NPC Competition may have set a record for more moment to moment fun than any other show so far this year! It started out at a great place, the Sexson Auditorium on the campus of Pasadena City College and set against a beautiful sunny summer day in Southern California. A record for this show, 97 competitors came from as far as Alaska and Brazil to show their stuff at what has become a big stop on the show schedule.

The first competitor to set the whole show on it’s way to first and foremost in fun was Ultra Grand Master, Charlie Hamilton. Unlikey to soon be making his way into the IFBB, Charlie however showed the heart and soul of getting out and getting going despite age and size.

Next along the way was a drop dead fun and laugh routine by 40+ Masters athlete, Steve Rivera. Posing to “Popeye The Sailor Man”, Stevie just brought the whole house down. And it earned him the best posing award for the night which was more than deserved. He actually did that routine last year at Muscle Beach Venice and also was a big crowd favorite and also won that best posing award. I have actually known Stevie for 5 years, he is a great trainer in Orange County CA and has helped a lot of people in his career.

Then we come to Leonidas himself, king of Sparta! Actually he is middle weight competitor Lorenza Reynaga who hears the chant “Leonidas” every time he hits the stage now with the success of the movie “300″.

Then we had these two guys!

Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler guest posed to an on their feet crowd, and then was joined by IFBB Pro Derrick Farnsworth who gives up close to 100 pounds to Jay, as they pushed and shoved their way across the stage.

The big win for the night went to light heavy weight, Kiyoshi Moody. Kiyoshi is on a well deserved streak of wins and it is obvious why. He just looks incredible! And for this show he is coming off a back injury that has kept him out of the gym for almost two weeks. Now for most people when they get ready for a show, you hear how they are dieting to cut and trim. Not Kiyoshi! Dieting for him means he has to start packing more food in. He has to start eating and eating and eating to get his weight up for a show!

And finally the really big winner for the night was Lonnie Teper…

A household name to most followers of bodybuilding, Lonnie has been around, forever! He has emceed hundreds of shows, an immensely popular writer and video reporter for Iron Man Magazine, and he is an encyclopedia of the sport. The Jr Cal is Lonnie’s show, he produces it, emcees it and lives it every year, all year. And this was his biggest show ever! And for those of you thinking about doing a show, think about this one. There is no one out there who is more considerate and interested in the people who hit the stage than Lonnie Teper!

We will have photos from the show up later on, so just keep checking back. And get out to a show, wherever you are. It’s a lot of fun! Thanks, see you at the next one!

Whew, this weekend is chock full of pro and amateur shows!  In addition to the IFBB Jan Tana Pro/NPC King Kamali Classic, there is also the Fitness America Pageant (FAP) Universe, NPC USA Wheelchair and Greater Gulf States Classic, and Lonnie Teper’s 2007 NPC Junior California.  To learn about the USA Wheelchair Championship, visit their official website.

BB.com writer, video show host, and BodySpace member Tamar will be working the BB.com booth at the FAP Universe, so if you’re in Miami this weekend, go up and say “Hi!”

Lonnie Teper’s 2007 NPC Junior California show tomorrow should be a great one, and we’ll have photos and contest coverage from our man in the field, SecondFocus.

For more information about the Jr. Cal, visit these pages:

http://www.npcjuniorcal.com/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2007npcjrcal.htm

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2007jrcal_info.htm

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2007npcjuniocal_info.htm

If you’re in the California area, Pasadena to be specific, mark your calendar for Saturday June 23 for the 2007 NPC Junior California. This show is promoted by IRONMAN Magazine’s premiere writer and the best bodybuilding emcee, Lonnie “The Swami” Teper. Bodybuilding.com along with 619 and Headblade will be title sponsors for this event. The event is already on course to have a record number enteries. Each year this show pulls in around a 1,000 fans and this year should be no different. The show is in its ninth year, starting back in 1999 and used to be called the California Collegiates. The show now goes by the NPC Junior California name with a collegiate division.

This is always a star studded event. The special guest poser will be the newly crowned Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler. You’ll also be able to meet industry stars such as Shawn Ray, Cathy LeFrancois, Pete Ciccone, Meriza Gonzalves, Timea Majorova, Ron Avidan and more.

Past Winners include Ray “Sting Ray” Arde, Masae Parker and Mary Joe Cooke all of which are now IFBB pros.

Location:
Sexson Auditorium
On the Campus of Pasadena City College

Show Times:
Prejudging - 11am
Finals - 6pm

Tickets:
• $15/ Prejudging
• $25/Finals ($20 for college students with valid ID)
• $35 Prejudging/Finals Combo

Divisions:(Open to all U.S. Residents)
• Open Men
• Novice Men
• Masters Men
• Teen
• Open Women
• Figure
• Masters Figure
• Collegiate
– Deadline to enter without late fee in Sat, June 16..but can sign up day of show.

Winners will be feature in IRONMAN Magazine’s Graphic Muscle Stars. All class winners to receive a one-year free subcription to IRON MAN Magazine, courtesy of Publisher John Balik.

Visit npcjuniorcal.com for complete information. Maps, pictures, results and more!!!

A few of Ron Avidan’s shots from last year…

Gunter in the crowd.

Gunter and Derek Farnsworth take the stage last year.

LT getting some luv from a MAX Muscle cover model.

The show will be photogaphed by the bodyspace pimp, Ian Sitren.