Countdown to 1st Contest

Training Bodybuilding
21

Engerland66- It was actually a pretty well equipped gym. My buddy old me that it’s the first place Gaspari trained when he was younger, so it had some sentimental value to him (?! -lol)

Today really sucked, I was so looking foward to a high-intake day, but ended up with some sort of stomach virus or something. Long story short, I had some Oatmeal at 6:30 am (which didn’t even have the consideration to stay in me -lol), and then nothing until a couple of minutes ago (almost 12 hours later), a small protein bar. I kinda shivered and slept all day except for a few excursions to take my pups out (carrying a bag for myself as well - don’t laugh, I actually needed it a couple of times). Hoping that today doesn’t really mess things up, and that tomorrow I can at least go back on track. I always laughed when some pro BBer whined about getting food poisoning or something, but damn, it’s a humbling expereince!

S

22

You should try to do the side tricep pose holding your fingers with hands facing each other.

23

[quote]MEYMZ wrote:
You should try to do the side tricep pose holding your fingers with hands facing each other.[/quote]

I actually find I can squeeze the hell out of my straight arm a lot better if I apply resistence to it at the forearm. Maybe it’s my lack of posing experience, but I’m sure a lot of subtleties will change over the next few months. I know the pic doesn’t show it well, but Rich showed me to turn the torso mor towards the judges, so that the opposite shoulder actually is visable, further giving the illusion of a smaller waist (twisted), and by pointing the front foot slightly inward, adding to the effect (so cool! who woulda thought of these things?! -lol)

On the update note, I actually managed to keep some food down today, not enough to hit my BMR, but close to 2000 cals, which isn’t horrible when you consider that yesterday’s numbers were closer to 200 (had a poptart in the middle of the night).
I also receieved two suggestions on my concerns about going so low with calories on my ‘low’ days so far out.

1- Brian Whitacre suggested that I may be too low overall, and by staying at a higher intake now, will give me more wiggleroom to adjust if things aren’t going the way I need them to be (which is along the lines of what I was thinking, namely, eliminating the ‘low’ days of 2000 cals, and just having mostly ‘moderate’ at 2400 with 2 ‘high’ days at 2800).

2- Derek Charlebois suggested having my ‘moderate’ numbers everyday, as it’s already about 1000 cals below my initial maintenance figure. My only concern here would be how quickly my metabolism would adjust. WOuld two HIIT sessions a week, coupled with 5 BBing weight sessions be enough to prevent a slowdown… (feel free to chime in folks)

S

24

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
MEYMZ wrote:
You should try to do the side tricep pose holding your fingers with hands facing each other.

I actually find I can squeeze the hell out of my straight arm a lot better if I apply resistence to it at the forearm. Maybe it’s my lack of posing experience, but I’m sure a lot of subtleties will change over the next few months. I know the pic doesn’t show it well, but Rich showed me to turn the torso mor towards the judges, so that the opposite shoulder actually is visable, further giving the illusion of a smaller waist (twisted), and by pointing the front foot slightly inward, adding to the effect (so cool! who woulda thought of these things?! -lol)

On the update note, I actually managed to keep some food down today, not enough to hit my BMR, but close to 2000 cals, which isn’t horrible when you consider that yesterday’s numbers were closer to 200 (had a poptart in the middle of the night).
I also receieved two suggestions on my concerns about going so low with calories on my ‘low’ days so far out.

1- Brian Whitacre suggested that I may be too low overall, and by staying at a higher intake now, will give me more wiggleroom to adjust if things aren’t going the way I need them to be (which is along the lines of what I was thinking, namely, eliminating the ‘low’ days of 2000 cals, and just having mostly ‘moderate’ at 2400 with 2 ‘high’ days at 2800).

2- Derek Charlebois suggested having my ‘moderate’ numbers everyday, as it’s already about 1000 cals below my initial maintenance figure. My only concern here would be how quickly my metabolism would adjust. WOuld two HIIT sessions a week, coupled with 5 BBing weight sessions be enough to prevent a slowdown… (feel free to chime in folks)

S
[/quote]

I think you’re a little far away from the show to lower the calories that much. HIIT needs some carbs to prevent muscle breakdown, but then I see these experts telling you that 2800 is ok.

The posing answer was really well, you seem to be advised and I’m sure you’ll do well on the show regarding that part.

I wish you good look on your prep. Funny thing is that I have a show exactly 1 year after yours (Mr. Mexico Jr.).

25

[quote]MEYMZ wrote:
I think you’re a little far away from the show to lower the calories that much. HIIT needs some carbs to prevent muscle breakdown, but then I see these experts telling you that 2800 is ok.

The posing answer was really well, you seem to be advised and I’m sure you’ll do well on the show regarding that part.

I wish you good look on your prep. Funny thing is that I have a show exactly 1 year after yours (Mr. Mexico Jr.). [/quote]

THe only reason I’m trying to really start off quickly, and maybe slow things down if I have to is that I know how badly my body responds to cardio. I tend to drop a lot of lbm when I really do considerable amounts, so I’ll have to be very agressive dietwise. I am getting carbs though, usually around 150g a day, which seems to be enough to keep me full, able to train, and apparently sparing muscle. As things progress, I may throw in the occassional high day, calorically, and carb-wise, but as Derek put it in a recent email,… cycling intake during the week, or just doing the moderate amount everyday all balances out by the end of the week number wise.

I am realizing though that my BMR must have lowered a bit, so I’ll probably refigure that next week, and see how far below maintenance I currently am. INitially, it was 3400 (I think), so when I lowered my intake to 2800 for a few months, things tightened quite well. Now, 2400 a day is certainly a sizable defecit from the original calculation, but again, better diet strictly now, than freak out with the cardio later on.

Most folks I know who get ready for a show never go out, simply to control their food intake (I know, I brought my cooler to a super bowl party! -lol), but I had to eat out last night, and was able to get 1/2 a grilled chicken, with no sauces, and 3 sides of brocoli/cauliflower. I figure since I’ve been treating all my lettuce/brocoli/greens as not counting in my figures, all I had to worry about was the chicken, which even though it probably didn’t destroy my days numbers, I doubt I came in at 2400 (I was at 1900 before said meal, then had a Metabolic Drive shake, 2 scoops, prebed).

On the posing front, I think I picked a song, and was figuring out sections of it to splice together so it’s under 90 seconds (a piece from the Ironman movie soundtrack). I also watched a few posing routines on youtube this morning, hoping to get a better idea of transitioning from one pose to another. On a scrap of paper I started listing which poses I feel are my stronger ones, seeing how to arrange them, maybe doing all the front shots in a row, then turn to hit the side shots, then back etc… I know I’ve still got a lot of time, but not being the most graceful guy on the planet, I think all the practice I can get, the better. Also, working on holding my quarter turns, which Gaspari said can pretty much win you the show if they’re tight enough. It’s a surprising lot of work flexing everything at once, looking relaxed, and smiling through it all! -lol

S

26

Stu, you have to video tape this when you do it and post it up. I feel it’s like a TV show now, haha.

27


Lol, glad some folks are getting entertainment value out of this! So,… I’ve been watching a lot of videos on youtube of natty guys posing, and working on my 1/4 turns, which even though I thought I understood, I got some helpful pointers tonight from some dude at my gym who has actually done pretty well in a bunch of NPC shows (actually saw his pics on the MD online contest coverage section a little while back).

So to recap,… the show is approximately 10, or 11 weeks away (may 2nd). My average daily intake has been around 2400-2500 cals, with ~300g protein, and 150g carbs (I’m not counting all the lettuce and brocoli I’ve been filling myself with though). I’ll probably keep an occassional ‘high day’, as well as the rare ‘low’ day if I’m just doing nothing on some Sunday, just to keep my metabolism guessing.

My cardio has consisted of two sessions per week, of only 15 minutes on an eliptical, for HIIT sessions (alternating 2 min steady state, with 30 sec sprints). I am down ~4 lbs from the photos I took on the first day of my real diet, and even though I feel absolutely tiny, I think tonight’s progress pics don’t look too bad (my training partner concurs, and we’re putting a lot more faith in his opinion due to my diziness from hunger all the time -lol).

I figure in a few weeks, I’ll drop a bowl of oatmeal each day, then a few more weeks, and I’ll drop my PWO poptart… (boy I’ll miss that poptart!)

S

28

Good luck Stu. I’m always checking for updates on this thread. BTW, I can’t see the pic!!! O the torture!

29

It’s good to know how your body responds to cardio and diet modifications even before you do your first show. You seem to be going really well and know how to attack your contest prep wisely.

I wish you the best luck in the upcoming weeks and in the show!

30

I am no better of a poser than you, and you have been working with some talented people it sounds like, but I can’t help but feel like your front double bi and front lat spread poses just look kinda goofy. The way you kind of arch back… idk, just kind of creates some goofy angle, plus your facial expression haha.

Could just be the camera work. Everything else looks solid though man. I’m sure you’ll be lookin real good come showtime.

31

Hmnnn I can’t see t he image myself,… although I viewed it from two other computers earlier today. I didn’t do anything different posting this particular pic, so sorry to those who can’t appreciate it -lol

BugeishaAD- My training partner and I were already discussing the front bi, and front lat poses. I imagine that I’m so used to leaning backwards on the rear versions of the poses, that I don’t realize how far I’m tilted away from the front. Definitely need some time in front of a mirror reworking those two. and I think my side tri needs a little more torso twist… lotta work to do, but feeling good!

S

32

Currently trying to get as much info for the final week as I can, as it seems to be the real ‘make or break’ part of the prep. I get the impression that you can get your bodyfat really low, but then still have ‘thick skin’, or hold water, or whatever the multitude of problems may be… So far I’ve read Thibs’ “6 days to Shredded” article, and pulled advice witin other threads from Prisoner, and Dirty Gerdy (both of whom offer a different approach than Thibs’, albeit with very convincing reasons, so Im not really siding with either method).

I’ve also printed out some articles from Layne Norton, who has prepped lot of Natty guys for shows, and I do wonder if the fact that I won’t be ‘assisted’ will affect my water/carb manipulation at all. While there is a bunch of stuff online written about sodium levels, it’s something I am not going to play with.

True to Thibs’ writing, I have noticed times when I ‘accidentally’ carb loaded. Maybe a couple of days low carb, then had a an entire pie at night, only to wake up looking totally diesel. Which of course leads me to a question I posed to DG on his thread regarding single day, or multiple day carb ups.

Man there’s so much to know! At least by writing everything down I’ll be able to see what didn’t work after the fact, and learn from it

S

33

I figured this might be helpful, a run down of what my daily diet typically looks like at the moment (at THIS moment, I was eating differently a few weeks ago, and will adjust again in a few weeks)…

7am - 1/2 cup oats, 2 scoops low carb Met Drive Prot powder

9am - 17 slices Turkey Pepperoni (microwaved until crispy), topped with pieces of fat free cheese (3 slices total) + an EAS low carb Choc, Choc chip protein bar (the crispy kind that tastes like rice crispy treats)

11am - 1 can of sardines in oil + 1/2 cup oats with cinnemon

1pm - 2 scoops whey protein powder + 2 tbsp natural peanut butter

3pm - 1 cup cottage cheese and cinnemon

7pm - 2 Scoops whey protein powder + 1 pop - tart

8pm - 1 whole chicken breast + 2 slices fat free cheese + hugest bowl of lettuce I can force down (or occassionally a whole lot of broccoli)

10pm - 1 scoop low carb Metabolic Drive

The totals come out to:
Cals - 2470
Prot - 313g
Carbs -147g

(I haven’t been counting numbers from my sugarless gum, the occassional cup of coffee, or stuff like that)

I polish off a gallon of water each day, in addition to water with my breakfast, dinner, and a few cups of Arizona diet green tea (which I have an almost unhealthy addiction to lately)

When I train, I carry a water bottle filled with 5g Leucine, 15g BCAAs, and some crystal light powder.

Hope that answers some questions :slight_smile:

S

34

So I started trying to figure out some of my better poses, and how best to string them together into some sort of routine.

The music I’ll be using will come out to about 63-65 seconds (will get the final edit this week I hope), and I’ve listed about 12-13 different poses in an order that will essentially allow me to hit 2 or 3, then turn a bit, hit 2 or 3, then turn a bit etc…

I know I’m not going to be massive enough to just do the flex/grunt approach, nor am I graceful enough to actually do anything rmeotely dance-like, so I’m trying for a nice middle ground.

Hit a pose, sweep arms gracefully as I hit into the next, and so on. After I bounce my ideas off of my training partner, I’ll list the order up and and hopefully get some feedback.

Do you think it’s bad to repeat a few of the ‘better’ shots at the end even if I hit 'em early on in the routine? What about totally leaving out a few of the mandatory ones? I know you’re supposed to show your strengths and hide your weaknesses, so I’m guessing yes.

S

35

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
So I started trying to figure out some of my better poses, and how best to string them together into some sort of routine.

[/quote] How about a posing vid? Ok, you’re already getting advice from some pros, but it can’t hurt to hear the almighty internet-gurus’ opinions, right ? :slight_smile:

Remember, I’m 320 lbs at 1.5 percent bf in the off-season and an NPC judge… I also bench more than Andy Haman can bench, but with real plates! [quote]

The music I’ll be using will come out to about 63-65 seconds (will get the final edit this week I hope), and I’ve listed about 12-13 different poses in an order that will essentially allow me to hit 2 or 3, then turn a bit, hit 2 or 3, then turn a bit etc…

I know I’m not going to be massive about to just do the flex/grunt approach, not am I graceful enough to actually do anything rmeotely dance-like, so I’m trying for a nice middle ground. [/quote]

Shame. I was kind of looking forward to a Stu-The-Ballerina posing clip.
Er, wait, my dog hijacked the pc and… [quote]

Hit a pose, sweep arms gracefully as I hit into the next, and so on. After I bounce my ideas off of my training partner, I’ll list the order up and and hopefully get some feedback.

Do you think it’s bad to repeat a few of the ‘better’ shots at the end even if I hit 'em early on in the routine? What about totally leaving out a few of the mandatory ones? I know you’re supposed to show your strengths and hide your weaknesses, so I’m guessing yes.
[/quote]

Keep in mind that I have yet to compete… But: I’d say, instead of hitting the exact same pose multiple times, use slight variations of it so that the judges have no reason to complain about repetitive posing or something like that… [quote]
S
[/quote]

Good luck Stu, send the other guys running back to the men’s health title page…

36

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
So I started trying to figure out some of my better poses, and how best to string them together into some sort of routine.

The music I’ll be using will come out to about 63-65 seconds (will get the final edit this week I hope), and I’ve listed about 12-13 different poses in an order that will essentially allow me to hit 2 or 3, then turn a bit, hit 2 or 3, then turn a bit etc…

I know I’m not going to be massive about to just do the flex/grunt approach, not am I graceful enough to actually do anything rmeotely dance-like, so I’m trying for a nice middle ground.

Hit a pose, sweep arms gracefully as I hit into the next, and so on. After I bounce my ideas off of my training partner, I’ll list the order up and and hopefully get some feedback.

Do you think it’s bad to repeat a few of the ‘better’ shots at the end even if I hit 'em early on in the routine? What about totally leaving out a few of the mandatory ones? I know you’re supposed to show your strengths and hide your weaknesses, so I’m guessing yes.

S
[/quote]

yep show the strenghts and hide the weaknesses. I like the idea of throwing in mandatory shots with a nice transition. Watch a lot of professional routines and you will naturally pick up on transitions, at least I did.

My posing style consists of slow transitions with a pause at each pose for the photographers to take shots. I also like a lot of the old school classic poses that you don’t see too many bbers do today. Hold your poses that you know are strengths for longer amounts of time to fill out your routine.

If you can try and slowly bring out some poses, IE lat spread flare it out slow…most muscular gradually bring it together and pop it at the end. You want to show off your physique, striations, size, shape, etc.

Keep in mind to have your mandatories DOWN! The routine is for fun and for you…the pre-judging is when your show is…

I would advise a slow song with some emotion for your first routine. Slower stuff is easier to pose too and if you screw up out there moving slow gives you time to gather your sits and you don’t look dumb. If its a fast pace song and you screw up you could look lost out there lol.

only go to the floor if your comfortable with the poses, but if you can it shows you actually planned out your routine. I get tired of seeing some guys go out there and hit a thousand most musculars with a lat spread and front double bi, then leave.

shoot being artsy with it is half the fun, just don’t try to hard lol

DG

37

[quote]Dirty Gerdy wrote:
yep show the strenghts and hide the weaknesses. I like the idea of throwing in mandatory shots with a nice transition. Watch a lot of professional routines and you will naturally pick up on transitions, at least I did.

My posing style consists of slow transitions with a pause at each pose for the photographers to take shots. I also like a lot of the old school classic poses that you don’t see too many bbers do today. Hold your poses that you know are strengths for longer amounts of time to fill out your routine.

If you can try and slowly bring out some poses, IE lat spread flare it out slow…most muscular gradually bring it together and pop it at the end. You want to show off your physique, striations, size, shape, etc.

Keep in mind to have your mandatories DOWN! The routine is for fun and for you…the pre-judging is when your show is…

I would advise a slow song with some emotion for your first routine. Slower stuff is easier to pose too and if you screw up out there moving slow gives you time to gather your sits and you don’t look dumb. If its a fast pace song and you screw up you could look lost out there lol.

only go to the floor if your comfortable with the poses, but if you can it shows you actually planned out your routine. I get tired of seeing some guys go out there and hit a thousand most musculars with a lat spread and front double bi, then leave.

shoot being artsy with it is half the fun, just don’t try to hard lol

DG[/quote]

The scariest part of BBing is having to actually find a song and then put together a routine. It freaks me out quite a bit lol.

38

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
The scariest part of BBing is having to actually find a song and then put together a routine. It freaks me out quite a bit lol.

[/quote]

You mean it freaks you out more than the fact that you’re standing on a stage, naked except for a speedo -most likely designed by mooshammer or some other paedophile/gay hybrid- in front of an audience comprised of mostly… Men who look at you with… Interest in their eyes…

Ugh.

I think I’m going to do a PL meet way before I’d even consider competing in bb :wink:

#Edited to draw a more gruesome picture.

39

Lol, my motivation to keep cutting has been the mantra “don’t be the fat guy in the speedo” -lol.

Hey DG, about how long would you hold each pose? Obviously a few seconds, but I’m trying to get a basic idea how many poses I should fit into a 60 second routine (I think I’ve got 15 or 16 now)

S

40


Snapped a few more pics tonight, obviously the posing will need work, and as much as I love my training partner like a brother, I think we need to work on him making sure he’s directly in front of me when he snaps the pics -lol

I must’ve eaten several lbs on lettuce today, and even though I weighed 186 last monday (and 185 later in the week), I was 185.5 this evening. I’m hoping I’m just all bloated and puffy from the water in the lettuce. As much as I am paying attention to most things in my diet, I’m not keeping count of all the lettuce, brocoli, celery and asparagus I’ve been filling myself with.

I’ve always been under the impression that greens work out costing you nothing in the final Net gain/lost numbers. We tried taking the pics in a different area of the gym, as I don’t how how happy the guys in the locker room were last week with us snapping away, but I think the flourescent lighting in the spinning room (can you find bike handles in any of the shots? THey’re right next to Waldo) was a hell of a lot worse.

10 Weeks to go, and I already have a horrible dream that the weight just doesn’t come down, and I just lose muscle and still look ‘fat’ onstage… I’m sure my perception’s going to get a lot worse as the weeks go on :slight_smile:

S