jschott65’s BodyBlog

I decided to start this blog when people started asking me over and over about competing in figure.  I guess it would help if I shared my story with you from the beginning of my figure competing up until the present.  What I can tell you first off is that it most definately is a sport of patience.  Melissa Frabbielle said that to me once.  She was right!  I decided to compete 6 months to the day following a double cervical fusion.  It was to be my first show.  I gave myself an agressive goal because I needed to get back into shape following my surgery, but I had heard about figure and decided this was the right time for me to try it.  You see, I worked in a large health club where I was exposed to other competitors and serious bodybuilders.  We were a very small community.  You all know what I mean.  Anyway, since I already carried a ton of muscle, all I really needed to do was cut up and get lean.  I went from 21% body fat and 122# to 12% body fat and 118# in 7 weeks.  I was absolutely shredded, but my legs hadn’t come in, so I was not balanced top to bottom.  My posing instruction was someone who had competed a few times.  She did me absolutely no favors.  In the end, I took second in my first show because my posing was horrible.  The judges all told me I should have won, but that I should be careful not to add any more muscle.  They also said I should lose the striations in my delts.  So I was on a mission to give the judges what they wanted.  I competed one more time that year, 2004, and took a second and a third, qualifying me for Nationals.  In 2005 I competed 6 times.  I won overall at the Novice Michigan kicking off the year.  I then took second at the Natural Ohio and took home 2-5′ trophies!  That was cool, but it gave me a sense of confidence for which I was unprepared, both emotionally and physically.  I did the Pittsburgh show the next month and looked horrible.  I was so embarassed.  I competed again in July and took 2 second places again.  I was getting close, but there was always something missing with me.  The first season I felt as though I was a machine, and the next  year I felt like I was climbing uphill all the way.  I knew I had the physique for this sport, but I was having trouble with the diet.  I would do really well and then blow it 1-2x/week.  I was forever taking second place!  My posing was spot-on by the 2007 season, but I still was not lean enough.  My hair looked great, my make-up, color, posing, suits, symetry, full muscle bellies, etc…everything looked great, I was just coming in too fat!  I hate the word fat, but if you’re not 8-10&, then you look fat onstage.  It’s a fact!  Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself.  I was also not prepared for the wicked competition in the Michigan/Ohio circuit, where I’m from.  Damn!!!!  That’s where a lot of Mike Davies’ girls compete and they’re in it to win.  He’s very good at what he does.  I’ve trained with him, but Columbus was 4 hrs. from Detroit and I didn’t do well with email consultations.  I swore I would do this on my own, even though I met with IFBB Figure Pro Melissa Frabbielle a couple of times.  She was great!  You should know that getting into this sport is not a hobby like golf.  It’s more than hitting the gym a few times a week.  This will be life-altering, all-encompassing, and obessive for you for at least 3-4 months prior to your first show.  You MUST have people to support you, or you will most likely fail.  If they don’t undestand who you have to give up, they’ll give you a hard time because people who don’t compete think we’re all freaks, period.  You’ll have to eat 5-7x/day, you’ll have to cook a lot of your own food, drink your shakes, do cardio until you want to pass out, lift weights until your blue in the face, and sleep 10 hrs./night.  You’ll also have to spend a TON of $$$ on supplements, food, tanning, color, entrance fees, travel and lodging, hair & make-up, and don’t forget the suits & heels!!!!   Oh wait, there’s more, you’ll have to pay someone to show you how to pose and how to diet, and also to do a physique assessment.  Don’t think you can just workout and you’ll get a winning bod.  It has to be very specific.  Meet with a local judge or IFBB Pro.  If you’re lucky enough to have a Nationally ranked figure girl in your area, pay her!  We know the little things that others don’t.  Everything matters!  Wow, I’m tired after saying all that.  If you happen to be in the Kansas City area, I am available for all of the above, including diet.  Thanks for visiting my blog!