Reemy’s BodyBlog

      After my disappointing showing at the Northern, my posing mentor encouraged me to participate in the Mr. Cincinnati show.  I was a little skeptical initially and just wanted to detox all this crap in my system.  I don’t want to see any BCAA’s, creatine, or sugary protein powders for a while.  Anyway, I figured that I might as well enter the contest since it was so close.  This one would be a little more difficult, because I had to enter open competition.

     Because of new developement in muscle, I thought that I was lean enough for the Northern.  I had more seperation in my chest, my obliques and serratus were at a new level, and I was five pounds heavier.  However, I was definitely not lean or vascular enough to compete for 1st place.  I had relied on my genetics a little too much.

     Last year, I started cardio 3 weeks out at 3 times a week.  This year, I started five weeks out at threee times a week.  Last year, I was probably 5-6% like 3 months out from the show, because of playing basketball and eating clean year round.  This year, I got up to about 8% from eating Chipotle 3x a week, and taking in much higher levels of protein.

     I got caught in coming in 5 lbs heavier instead of sticking to conditioning.  Definitely a mistake when you are competing in the NPC, where guys may have a little help.  As a natural, I have to come in that much sharper, especially for a Beverly show.  Hey, You live and learn!

     Not wanting to duplicate the previous effort, I hit the cardio everyday for 20-25 minutes of HIT. I managed to lean out quickly, and I started to see the vascularity that I was missing for the Northern.  In retrospect, I should have eaten more carbs.  I kept carbs between70 and 120 grams, but probably could have bumped it up between it up between 100 and 150.  I also should’ve monitored my fat, and even eaten a little more of it. I lost a little sweep in the legs, and maybe a teeny amount of muscle off the arms and shoulders, but I looked much better for this show.

      My waist was 29 3/4 for the Northern, but I got it down to 29 for the Cincy.  That little difference made my lats look that much wider and made my legs look better.  My abs were much sharper, and I didn’t have to strain to bring out hamstring definition.  My back was better by leaps and bounds, and I was going to need it.

     The morning of the show, I arrived at the weigh in at 8:55.  Five minutes to spare!  You know I always have to make things more difficult than it has to be.  It wouldn’t be as exciting if I got there an hour early. Sheeesh!

   As soon as I get to the pump up area, I see a guy that I was in the pose down with at the Northern. He is noticeably bigger.  We were in middleweight just a month ago, and now he’s going into light heavy!  He had more vascularity in his arms, but was not where he needed to be condition-wise for a Beverly show.  We headed to the competitor meeting and recieved the usual contest info.  I found the nearest wall and put my feet up to get the fluid out of the legs.  After a half hour of that, it was pre-judging time!

   Okay, first of all, there were way too many people for that little pump up room!  The bathroom had a toilet, but no urinal.  What kind of archaic crap is this?  Especially when you have a bunch of dudes that are carb depleted and can’t hold water.  I admit it, I had to blow it up a few times, and felt bad to hold some dudes up.  Can’t help it if I’m regular !! Some people got wise and peed in the shower.

    In the Novice, I was used to going first, but in the open you are going towards the end.  The hardest thing for me in these shows is to get the timing right.  You never know how fast that the judges will be calling the show.  This one moved fairly quick.  I thought that I had much more time that I really had.  I ended up eating some chicken and sweet potato maybe 35-40 minutes before we went on, which wasn’t a smart thing to do, but I figured we had way more time.  It may have made me hold a little water.  I did get a chance to take Muscle Synergy and Niacin this time.  I found out later that I hadn’t been taking enough Niacin! I had 100mg capsules.  I should have bought 500mg capsules.

     "Middleweights, pump up."  Aww shuck-ducky, the second show in a row I got caught of guard.  The first time, shame on you, and the second time, shame on me.  I pumped up a little, but didn’t really get a chance to pose.  "Competitors, line up."  Here we go!

 Reemy: {Damn, look at her bathing suit….er…..I mean time to go!  Damn, who is this white dude with the dreadlocks! His kegs are ridiculus.  Shoulders and abs look great too. Short bastard….LOL…Dreadlock dude won welterweight at the Northern a month ago and is probably going to be 1st or 2nd.  I don’t have the legs to hang the top two, but I hold my own with anybody in upper body.  I’m buying hamstrings in the off season!}

Dreadlock Dude:  Looking good.  Look at your chest! How did you get your chest so big?

Reemy: Shit, look at your legs! I don’t have the legs to hang with you guys yet.

Dreadlock Dude:  You got good legs bro.

Reemy: Thanks, Good Luck!

Dreadlock Dude:  Thanks

     I hit the stage more composed this time, because this wasn’t the Northern and I wasn’t too pressed.  The Northern was my Olympia, and I screwed up big time. I’m not going to be nervous for this one.

     It seemed like we held the front relaxed pose for at least 3-4 minutes!  Not quite sure how long it was, but it was much longer than at the Northern.   This about broke me down, as i didn’t sip my Gatorade before going on stage.  Numbers 56, 35, 40,45,94, please stand on that line to the left.  Okay, this is a little different. Two guys that finished first in their classes in the Northern are with me.  This is the top five.  The remaining seven guys did their thing.  Numbers 56, 35,40,45,94, find an X.  Showtime! My awareness is growing with each show.  Here are some of the thoughts that raced through my head:

Front Double Biceps:  I’m gonna rock this.  This is my signature pose.  Not many up here is hangin’ with me in arms.  Tighten the serratus and obliques! Another area I excelled in because not many people give it any attention.  It really surprised me.

Best Side Chest: Hit the right side!  Hit the right side! Obliques looke the best from that side.  Only one other person is hangin’ with me on this pose and he took second here, but finished first in the open at the Northern.

Best Most Muscular:  Another chance to showcase my chest and arms.  Chest up! Quads tight!

Back Double Biceps:  Damn, I didn;t lean back far enough.  Flex the hamstrings!  Damn, couldn’t feel my calves.

 Abs and Thigh:  I’m really proud of my abs lately and am confident in this shot. Get those arms back tight!

Side Tricep:  Arms close to the side! Flex those calves!

 Front Lat: Pinch the obliques! Keep your hands at your waist and keep a nice space between the arms.

     Two chicken, potato, amd broccoli meals later………..it was back for the night show! I wasn’t going to get caught this time. I gave myself ample time to pump and oil up. I’m watching guys swallow four  to seven 500mg Niacin pills. Shit, I wasn’t even close.  I immediately threw six 100mg capsules in my mouth. Another competitor told me to chew it up, because it will get into your bloodstream quicker.  I put my legs up on the wall.  Ten minutes later:

 Reemy: Dude, why are my ears burning?  Are your ears burning?

Lightweight competitor: Yeah my ears are burning too?

Reemy:  Did you get that stuff hot stuff on me?  (we were laying next to each other with our legs up.  Him and his buddy were putting on some menthol type stuff to draw out extra water.)

Lightweight competitor: Naw, maybe it’s from you.

 Grainy Dorina Yates Dude:  That’s the niacin working.  You’re very sensitive to it because you don’t take it often.

 Reemy: Thanks.

Grainy Dorian Yates Dude was Lightweight Competitor’s gym buddy.  He had everything down to a science. I learned a lot form him by being nosey, of course. They were eating sweet potato baby food , and claimed that it is assimilated quicker; interesting.

“Middleweights, line up.”  Here we go again.  Lets get this over with.  I’m heading straight to Dewey’s Pizza!

When we hit the stage, Dreadlock Dude is in front of me again.  He looks even better now than  he did earlier at the pre-judging.  He’s like 2%because you can see eveerything!  He has the coveted striations in the booty! He’ll win first.  Once again…..Back to the LAB!.LOL…

Dreadlock Dude walks out, and jaws drop in the crowd.  He is PEELED!  He hits a few biceps shots, and contorts his legs in some crazy ways, and the crowd roars.  Decent routine.

Announcer:  Next up, Hailling form World’s Gym/Mercy HealthPlex……..#94

      I’m not going to lie, I did get a little nervous.  If I come out of the thinker pose and into the rotating arrow, it would be on point.   I found a good spot on stage and got into the thinker pose.  I posed to Janet Jackson’s “Rythm Nation”. If you don’t know, it has a countdown at the beginning of the song. The countdown was my cue. Guess what?  I MISSED my freakin’ cue because the speakers were in front of us, and the music was low at first.  The speakers were behind us at the Northern, and I could hear everything. What a difference!!

     I had to come out of the thinker pose a little faster than planned.  I felt a little unstable on the rotating arrow pose. I had to slow it down and focus more.  I made sure to hold the chest poses though, and the front double biceps because those are my strong poses. 

                 From there, I went into a rear double biceps then to a three quarter bicep shot.  The crowd approval felt great.  My confidence improved and I started to feel more comfortable. I stuck my left leg forward and hit a front lat spread, but I took my time and rotated slightly left to right.  All of sudden, the music went off, but I wasn’t done.  With my music off, I finished with the crab most muscular.  All my vascularity came out and the crowd roared.  It was such a great feeling. 

After my routine, they called back out the Top 5.  This was so different than the Northern.  I think that they were still judging at the evening show, which was different for me.  Why else would you do your posing routine before the awards? Here come the announcements:

Announcer:  Fifth Place is #35

Reemy: {Good, I did better than fifth this time}

Announcer: Fourth place is #40

Reemy: {Uh oh, I might be making some noise!}

Announcer: Third place is #94

Reemy: {Wow, this is awesome.  This is the highest placing I’ve gotten to date.  Wait till I get my legs up!}

Announcer:  Second place #56

Reemy: {I was a little shocked that he was second, coming off a middleweight win at the Northern, but Dreadlock Dude was shredded}

Announcer: First place is #45 

Reemy: {He deserved it@ He was so dry, and his thigh sweep and hamstrings were dominant. Well, back to the LAB……………..LOL}

     I congratulated the winner, who went on to win the overall title, grabbed my trophy and got to steppin’.  I met the crew outside, and it was nice to finally see people that I know.  It wasn’t actually the friendliest environment, and I realized how small the scene is in Cincy.  Multiple winners came from the same gym, and there were a lot of cliques.  There was a lot of arrogance. Oh well, I’m just the new kid on the block though. Thet’re goingot start recognizing me very soon.

March 14th was finally here.  The culmination of a years worth of training and experimentation would lead up to this day. All the heavy deadlifts, squats, and presses for one day, this day.

 I survived getting sick earlier in the week, because I was dumb enough not to bring a jacket and hat with me to the Arnold Classic. (Note to self: Even if it is 70 degress during the day in March, it is bound to be chilly at night!  Always bring a jacket, especially when you are depleted!)  That was one of the many lesson that I learned recently.

After enduring that at the begining of the week,  I was able to finally drop 6lbs of water to make it under the 176 weight limit.   For once in my life, I had everything packed and seemed to be prepared for the task at hand. I even put on 2 coats of  BRONZER this time.  It actually turned out well and gave me some nice color. Next time I put on more coats…..

 Anyway, I hop in the car and head to pre-judging. On the way, I realize that I forgot my backstage pass and had to turn around and head back home.  No sweat, I still have plenty of time. I stop to get some gas and this happens:

Random guy:  "Radiator or Hose" ( I opened the hood and it looks like its a hose, but who knows what other damage there is.)

Reemy:  "Huh??"

Random guy points to the ground.  Dex-Cool is all over the ground.

Reemy: "Oh no, this is bad.  Not today, not now. I live close. I think I can make it home"

I hop back in the hooptie and try to stay calm.  The sky is blue, the grass is green…….. deep breaths. Stress is a bad thing, especially when you’re supposed to be peaking physically. I make it halfway to the crib, while thinking up a strategy to get to Kentucky. I finally manage to get a hold of someone to drive me to the show, but my car is steaming and the Check Engine light is on, so I have to pull over.  I let the car cool down a little and manage to make it the rest of the way home.

My ride comes a little bit later and we haul ass down to Kentucky.  I managed to get to the Show at 10:30am. Pre-Judging started at 10:15, and boy were they moving.  I immediately find the promoter.  She rushed me into the back, gave me my number, and took my music CD. Soon as I get to the changing area, I hear, "middleweights, can start pumping up"

I’m scrambling to get my trunks on, while downing potassium and creatine. Unfortunately it was just too late in the game for that.  I should’ve done that a half hour earlier but forgot because I did the driving to KY.   I managed to get two circuits of shoulders, biceps, and chest, which was not enough of a pump up.  Then I immediately broke out the PAM and started spraying! Luckily, I  got another competitor from a different weight class to get my back. "Middleweights, line up," echoed through the pump up room.  Showtime!! We hit the stage and at this point I can’t believe that I might actually pull this off.

After some quarter turns, they have all TWENTY of us waiting to be judged. First callout……..Number 56, number 62, number48, number 64, numer 54.  My head drops . I may not get in the first callout. Number 70…..That’s me! I might still be able to pull this thing out…

 "Side Chest"          I clasp my hands and pull back. I smile confidently. Nobody in this show is going to beat me in this pose! Not in this weight class.

"Front Double biceps"     This is my signature pose. I can do this.

"Rear double biceps"  This is where I fell off. Am I showing hamstrings? Flex the calves!  Crap, I didn’t lean back enough to bring out lower back striations.

"Back Lat spread"        Another screw up on my part.

"Ab and thigh"            Obliques were bangin, but I was holding water in my thighs.  No time to put on the Preparation H to draw out the water and tighten the  skin.

"You guys can step back,"  The second callout is up, then the third.  At this point, I am exhausted, and having a hard time keeping the ab vacuum. I look over to the other side of the stage. This dude over there is PHENOMINAL.  He is in Websters under the definition of ripped. He’s got #1 locked up. You could see everything in his legs. He was probably about 3%. Then I’m right next to a dude with Hanging Hams!  Damn, #2 is locked up.  In this show, great legs and decent upper body trumps great upper body and OK legs.

Reemy:  Who the F is that?

Dude with Hanging Hams:  That’s Chester.  He came down from Chicago. He was said he dieted down from 210 in the offseason.

Reemy:  Well, back to the Lab!

After the prejudging, I went to a resturant and got chicken, asparagus, and a baked potato. You know it’s a decent place when they don’t put the period behind the price. (Filet mignon - 35,  LOL) Two Hours later I had Laura’s lean and a sweet potato.

This time, I got back to the night show a half hour early. I got a chance to do everything that I hadn’t done in the morning took my niacin to flush the skin and put on Pre H on my abs and thighs.  I also took Muscle Synergy a half hour before hitting the stage. "Middleweights, Line up." Here we go again!

"Numbers 56, 62, 67, 64, 59 posedown"….. Numbers "52,55, 67, 61, 54" posedown……Whew,  I might still make the top five. Numbers 69……70..Damn, thats me… I just missed the to five. Looks like I won’t be doing my routine today.

After the posedown, a first time kid comes up to me…

First time kid: Dude, you got robbed. You should have gotten third.  Your symmetry is off the hook.

Reemy:  Thanks man, it is what is I guess. Back to the lab.

Another guy in my class: Yeah man, you should’ve placed higher.

Reemy: I’m content, I improved a lot over the last year and learned a lot. It’s nice to meet people that are into the same things that I am.

Other Guy: Yeah, that’s true.

Lessons learned..

1.  Always rent a room close to the venue if you can

2. Limit whey protein the week of the show, and rely on whole food as much as possible.  Milk derivitives can cause you to have a film underneath the skin, and obscure definition.

3. More Cardio.

4. Hit contest shape a week earlier.

5. Do use at least 3 or 4 coats of bronzer.

6. Pose, pose, pose.  And practice poses for a posedown should you get in one.

The Beverly International Northern Kentucky was awesome!  Competing in that contest was one of the best things that I have ever done. I met lots of cool people and learned a lot about nutrition and tons about my body.  It has given me some new direction both workout and life-wise

Being a first time competitor, I didn’t know what to expect.  I went to the Friday night weigh-in hoping I would make weight and that I wouldn’t fluctuate or hold water etc. I had never cut down before, and a week and half earlier my weight hit 175 because of water I was holding (The cut off was 176lbs). There is no way that I wanted to be in light-heavyweight. 

It was overwhelming seeing all these musclebound young guys,  superstar billy graham looking older dudes, fitness chicks with the tighest jeans on you’ve ever seen, and female bodybuilders all in one room. It’s funny, because all the dudes are measuring you up trying to see if you’re in their weight class or not.  I don’t know anyone there, so its just little old me. I’m just looking around trying to take it all in. There were some big guys there.  That whole hotel was overwhelmed with bodybuilders. They were coming out of all sorts of doors and getting out of elevators, walking around in flip flops with pro-tanned legs. I’m looking arm my little golden brown arms like "Damn, I’m definiteley too light, and I should ‘ve started tanning even earlier"

 It turns out that I missed the novice weigh-in so I was there with all the Open Competitors.  Luckily, they were able to slip me in after the Middleweight Open guys. I hopped up on the scale and weighed in at 168lbs shredded! I hopped back in the car and headed to a resturant at Newport On The Levee to meet some friends. I figured I might as well stop since I was all the waty in Kentucky and Newport was on the way home. I got home at ten and ate a Chicken, a sweet potato, and green beans. I practiced my individual routine a couple of times since I was STILL struggling with a couple of aspects of that (sheesh!!), and then went to bed At 12pm.  Next time I’ll get to bed alot earlier!

Contest day I got up at 6 AM and immediately pounded a 8 oz sweet potato with a LITTLE Laura’s Lean grond beef that I cooked. Then I gathered all my stuff together and checked everthing.  Around 8 AM I wanted to take a meal with me but I was running behind.  I ended up having to eat a 7" pizza from Donatoes that I purchased the night before.  I had read Laynes thread on pre-contest preparation and took a few things from there that I thought might be pertinent.  He said that bodybuilders have benefited from eating a high fat, moderate protein and carb meal 2 hrs before pre-judging.  I mean, look at the guy. He obviously knows his stuff.

It was against my better judgement, considering my yeast problems (I figured my supps would control that and they did), and the fact that everybody is different. However, I needed something quick to eat.  When I got to KY, I stopped at a gas station to get M&M’s and a chocolate bar. I ran into a kid competing and he suggested frosting.  Next time I’ll make Beverly’s goo balls.  

I got to the competitors meeting and meet a guy competing in the Novice Lightweight. He was a good kid and it was his first contest as well.  We talked and watched all the intense looking bodybuilders.  After that, it was prejudging time.  I started eating M&M’s and boy were they GOOD.  I hadn’t eaten Candy in like 8 years. I’ve been a no sugar diet for like 2 years because of Candida overgrowth.  I also took sips of Gatorade per Layne’s "advices", and boy am I glad that I did.  I was the only one sipping on Gatorade before the pre-judging by the way.

When pump up time came, I met a guy,Vince Shiree, that gave me some great advice on pumping up and posing for the prejudging. It just so happens, that he won the Novice lightweight the year before and was competing in the open.  He is such a great guy. While pumping up, I got lots of complements from the older guys and a lot of looks from different competitors.  I was definitely one of the most conditioned guys there.

Time to hit the stage! Here we go!  I ended up in the first 9 to go out. There were 18 in the Middleweight Novice Class. There could’ve been more.  I know the kid that ate the frosting didn’t make weight so he and his friend ended up in Light Heavy (ouch!!).   We hit the stage, and the lightweights are warning us about the work we would have to put in.  I get out there, and go blank!  Feet straight instead of the v stance and arms too wide with my lats not flared and I was leaning back a little too much.  I was trying to emulate some of the bigger middle weights by putting my arms out instead of staying within my sphere. (Next time I come in heavier!!!I also should have carb loaded on Wednesday instead of Thursday morning.)  Straight Comedy, LOL!!!  Sadly I’m just now learning how to flare my lats out in a relaxed stance (wow) a week later. I should’ve spent much more time on my mandatories. You live and you learn!!  Despite all this comedy, I managed to get called out second. After our 5 to 10 minutes of posing they sent us behind stage and brought out the other 9.  WE waited for them to get done, and then they brought out all 18.  The top five got put to the side, and then they put us back in the lineup and we posed some more!  Luckily, I listened to Layne’s article and drank the gatorade. Guys around me were shaking, and legs were cramping. I felt fine, but just a little parched under those lights.

Afterwards, I hopped in the car to go home, and my  car breaks down halthway between Kentucky and where I live. I had to call the tow truck and I’m glad he was able to tow my car and get me home before 3pm to eat.  4:30 comes and my buddy drives back out to Kentucky.

As the eveninng show starts, I break out my gatorade and M&M’s.  We finally get told who made the top 5 and I’m in it.  So that means I got to get ready to do my individual rountine.  Only the top five were allowed because of the huge number of competitors and the limited amount of time. It’s time for the individuale routines! Here comes my cue, I have 4 counts to hit the rotating arrow and I nail it!  Everything else falls in line with the beat and I hit the drum at the begingining of each bar of the edited version of "Come Together" (Aerosmith,of course) that I prepared.  Soon as I shimmy me shoulders and then hit a rear double biceps, the crowd roars!!!  I got lots of props for the routine.  A lot of competitors, also told me I should’ve placed higher afterwards.  I was just happy I didn’t forget my routine!!