Tim Martin’s BodyBlog

MuscularDevelopment.com has up to the minute contest coverage including extensive prejudging photos, so as the NPC USA’s were happening it was interesting to follow along this weekend.  First I am a fan of bodybuilding, and secondly I’m considering doing this show next year, really just to be able to say I did it as I have no expectations of even placing near the top ten.

The interesting thing about bodybuilding is that when you watch a contest or look at pictures, your opinion is really the only one that counts, not the judges.  How many of us have a favorite IFBB pro?  We may like Ronnie Coleman for his muscle sweep and insane body parts, Jay Cutler for his mass, conditioning, and symmetry, or Victor Martinez for his God given shape.  The same holds true for watching and competing in amateur shows.  I was proud of Jose Raymond for winning the middles, even though I think it was a very close class.  The lightheavies was disappointing, as Peter Putnam looks to be given a gift in that class.  In the heavies, I thought Brandon Curry clearly won the class with perfect symmetry, but was only awarded second place.

Watching questionable calls like these helps give me objectivity regarding my own competing.  I’ll be the first to admit that I have been given generous placings in a few contests, and have many shows where I absolutely thought I was robbed!  I guess the trick is to be able to look at the pictures, assess the competition and accurately criticize the athletes, and be comfortable in your own mind as to where YOU thought the placements should have been.  You may not get that first place trophy that you pictured during you hour long cardio sessions, but if you can say that you brought your best ever to the stage that day, that says a lot!

Well, the "offseason" has begun.  To many this means lower intensity in the gym, a vacation from cardio until next contest season, and relaxing the diet after a grueling pre-contest campaign.  I just finished reading Skip LaCour’s "Top Ten Secrets of the Drug Free Champions", and once again it feels like we’re on the same wavelength.  After seemingly increasing my musculature during my 28 week "diet" of 2007, I decided to employ the same successful strategies to my offseason program, albeit with some important adjustments.

In the gym my focus will be to always include those exercises that I feel are the most difficult, thereby the most beneficial.  Three key movements for me that I shied away from during contest prep were squats, deadlifts, and flat bench dumbell presses.  These will now be the anchors to those workouts.  In the past once the contest was over, so was my cardio.  This year I will continue with 30 minutes before breakfast Monday through Friday.  I feel great after I do it, built a cardio room complete with a bamboo floor in my house that I love to use, and realize that I have an average metabolism, so in order to stay lean it is a necessity for me.

The biggest focus of my offseason program will be to "diet" with as much discipline during this time period as before a show.  This means keeping daily caloric intake high, but with an emphasis on quality foods to build muscle.  I’ve always kept protein high year round, and that will stay the same at 350 grams over seven meals.  I’ll also eat 15 grams of good fats at every meal (almonds, flaxseed oil, and peanut oil).  This helped me last year to increase my testosterone levels, which had fallen to below accepted ranges, probably due to years of low fat dieting.  Lastly, I will consume 400-450 grams of complex carbohydrates (exept post workout [simple carbs]) spread evenly throughout the day.

After a contest, my motivation is always sky high to make the improvements I feel are needed to take me to the next level.  Right now I feel like I’m in an anabolic  window of opportunity, finally giving my body what it needs to put on muscle.  In the past week I’ve put on 10 lbs. and still feel very lean, so I’m very excited to see what this year has in store for me with my continued discovery about how my body works.

The Team Universe was last night, and I’m still numb from the results.  Coming out of Friday night prejudging I actually thought I won my class.  Of the thirteen heavyweights, I was in the first callout of six.  We were arranged numerically, so I was on the end.  After one rotation of the mandatories we were rearraged and I was put in the middle (between the top two in my opinion).  We then did a final rotation of poses before leaving the stage for the second group.  Several competitors congratulated me afterwards, so I felt confident about the way it went.

http://www.musculardevelopment.com/browse/index.php?mode=contest&eventcode=1134 posted photos immediately, and I honestly thought I won most of the mandatory poses!  I did have an anxious feeling all day Saturday, thinking something would go wrong.  Well, when I was announced fourth place I don’t think it registered immediately.  The class was very deep, so I don’t want to take anything away from the other guys, I just felt after reviewing the photos that I was definately first or second.

There were several other questionable calls on Saturday night in my opinion.  Women’s bodybuilding:  I was surprised the heavyweight won her class, let alone the overall.  Men’s welterweight didn’t go the way I thought.  Chris Faildo was the clear winner in that class, but after that it was strange.  Men’s lightheavyweight was another surprise, as I had Miguel Neil winning clearly from the photos.

As for me, I guess my marathon diet is over.  I have an empty feeling right now, but hopefully in a few days I’ll appreciate this year’s accomplishments, as well as knowing I brought my best ever shape to the show this weekend.