(Mighty) Stu Yellin, WNBF Pro Updates n Q&A

[kravi]

[quote]timmcbride00 wrote:

[quote]kravi wrote:

[quote]timmcbride00 wrote:
You’ll grow up real fast and become an adult when the baby comes…trust me. : )

Congratulations![/quote]

I didn’t. I just got new playmates I have 3 kids, my wife has 4

–Me[/quote]

Ha, ha, good point, well you grow up on some levels (having to provide for other people), but stay a kid on other levels, i.e. playing with toys, romping around![/quote]

Just trying to keep it light. There is enough pressure on oneself when the first kid is on its way, you don’t need other people saying “oh, your life is gonna change, the pressure, the horror, the blah blah blah”.

It can be scary, but it is easier than you’d think. Because outside of the birth (granted, that is a big one) everything else happens gradually, so you adjust with it.

And as an aside, if you aren’t enraptured by your baby the first three or four months, that is pretty normal. I only really start liking (though I always love) them when they start interacting with me. Usually by 3 or 4 months in if my mind isn’t too blurred.

–Me

[cyruseven75]

CHEERS STU!!!

hope you are well! My girl is all systems go @ one week out! pop over and at least look at the thread. pretty freaky—not cutting salt, no water depletion (only day of sipping), no fat burners, no diuretics other than certain veggies, is still at 2500cal daily and getting leaner, cardio is very limited. she is smashing many bb myths w/ SCIENCE.

every body is different but some of the stuff i hear and read and see is crazy — a few folks i know on tilapia and aspargus, fat burners, water expel, + twice a day cardio 2hrs -wacky.

[The_Mighty_Stu]

[quote]criature wrote:
Hey Stu, how u doing man?

After a long time doing high volume trainin with low frequency (bodypart trained once a week) i guess im a little bit desapointed with my results, i train for about 4,5 years and im willing to try something new, im here just to ask for a little help of yours, i need a sugestion, i just dont know where to begin, wich split , if im going to train till failure, the volume, exercises, rep range…
Im thinking about DC training or PHAT by layne norton, im lost my brother, could you help me?
[/quote]

Well, I’ll tell ya that something that made a big impact on my own training (once I progressed into the intermediate stage I guess), was to alter my training frequency. Like you, I started out doing the whole ‘hit each bodypart damn hard once a week’ approach. Unfortunately, I later found that so long as I was being smart about issues outside the gym (diet, rest and recovery), I would train with greater frequency, and continue to make progress.

I don’t know how long your sessions currently are, but so long as you’re not spending 3+ hours a day in the gym, I’d focus on seeing how your body deals with hitting each bodypart more often.

What does your current split look like? Is your ‘regular’ life (work, school etc) flexible enough to allow more days per week for training? I personally am currently using a 4 day split. Some weeks I get to the gym every day. Other weeks I may get there 4-5x. Of course my goal is to always get there as often as I can, but sometimes you need to just be realistic about all aspects of your life fitting together.

S

[The_Mighty_Stu]

[quote]kravi wrote:

[quote]timmcbride00 wrote:

[quote]kravi wrote:

[quote]timmcbride00 wrote:
You’ll grow up real fast and become an adult when the baby comes…trust me. : )

Congratulations![/quote]

I didn’t. I just got new playmates I have 3 kids, my wife has 4

–Me[/quote]

Ha, ha, good point, well you grow up on some levels (having to provide for other people), but stay a kid on other levels, i.e. playing with toys, romping around![/quote]

Just trying to keep it light. There is enough pressure on oneself when the first kid is on its way, you don’t need other people saying “oh, your life is gonna change, the pressure, the horror, the blah blah blah”.

It can be scary, but it is easier than you’d think. Because outside of the birth (granted, that is a big one) everything else happens gradually, so you adjust with it.

And as an aside, if you aren’t enraptured by your baby the first three or four months, that is pretty normal. I only really start liking (though I always love) them when they start interacting with me. Usually by 3 or 4 months in if my mind isn’t too blurred.

–Me[/quote]

Lol, well, with all the ‘responsibilities’ in my life, I’ve always managed to do whatever has been necessary. I got my first dog while I was still in college, taking classes full time, working part time, steady girlfriend, on 2 intramural hockey teams, on the executive board of my fraternity, while also drawing a weekly comic strip for the college paper… things had to get done, and so they did. The dog thing I believe really grounded me early on, and as silly as it sounds, I always joked that I’d probably be a good father because I understood the responsibility caring for an animal comes with.

Lotta responsibilities, but a lot of rewards I’m thinking. Just like owning a puppy!

I don’t know about the enraptured part, but I’m sure no manner of preconceived image of what it’ll be like will fully fit the bill. Luckily things haven’t gotten crazy yet with Cat. Sure she’s a little whiny when “there’s nothing to eat” (there’s plenty to eat, but she’s definitely had a shift in her tastes), but I have no doubt things could be much worse

S

[The_Mighty_Stu]

[quote]cyruseven75 wrote:
CHEERS STU!!!

hope you are well! My girl is all systems go @ one week out! pop over and at least look at the thread. pretty freaky—not cutting salt, no water depletion (only day of sipping), no fat burners, no diuretics other than certain veggies, is still at 2500cal daily and getting leaner, cardio is very limited. she is smashing many bb myths w/ SCIENCE.

every body is different but some of the stuff i hear and read and see is crazy — a few folks i know on tilapia and aspargus, fat burners, water expel, + twice a day cardio 2hrs -wacky.[/quote]

Yeah, I’ve been popping over there checking the latest pics. Delts look like someone took a cheese grater to 'em -lol.

There’s a ton of bad advice out there, but even moreso, there are a lot of people that are scared to step outside the box and deviate from what they think they should be doing. Each year I competed, I felt a little bolder in pushing certain variables. Nothing makes you feel as good as taking a risk and having it pay off. Of course if you paint yourself into a corner, you won’t have the time to make adjustments if needed from a poor guess.

You and your girl have definitely been making the right calls. Best of luck to her!

S

[criature]

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:

[quote]criature wrote:
Hey Stu, how u doing man?

After a long time doing high volume trainin with low frequency (bodypart trained once a week) i guess im a little bit desapointed with my results, i train for about 4,5 years and im willing to try something new, im here just to ask for a little help of yours, i need a sugestion, i just dont know where to begin, wich split , if im going to train till failure, the volume, exercises, rep range…
Im thinking about DC training or PHAT by layne norton, im lost my brother, could you help me?
[/quote]

Well, I’ll tell ya that something that made a big impact on my own training (once I progressed into the intermediate stage I guess), was to alter my training frequency. Like you, I started out doing the whole ‘hit each bodypart damn hard once a week’ approach. Unfortunately, I later found that so long as I was being smart about issues outside the gym (diet, rest and recovery), I would train with greater frequency, and continue to make progress.

I don’t know how long your sessions currently are, but so long as you’re not spending 3+ hours a day in the gym, I’d focus on seeing how your body deals with hitting each bodypart more often.

What does your current split look like? Is your ‘regular’ life (work, school etc) flexible enough to allow more days per week for training? I personally am currently using a 4 day split. Some weeks I get to the gym every day. Other weeks I may get there 4-5x. Of course my goal is to always get there as often as I can, but sometimes you need to just be realistic about all aspects of your life fitting together.

S[/quote]
Stu, thanks alot my friend…
I just study actually so almost everyday is free to go training.
I tought about dogcrapp training because my lifting records are not soo good, and everyone who tried dc training loved it…Do you actually think its a good change? (low volume and high frequency)
Do you think only strong lifters are able to do this type of routine?

my actual routine is based on high volume, hitting chest,shoulder,back, quads and hams once a week and arms twice, keeping the main compounds and alternating between isolation exercises.

thanks again

[The_Mighty_Stu]

[quote]criature wrote:
Stu, thanks alot my friend…
I just study actually so almost everyday is free to go training.
I tought about dogcrapp training because my lifting records are not soo good, and everyone who tried dc training loved it…Do you actually think its a good change? (low volume and high frequency)
Do you think only strong lifters are able to do this type of routine?

my actual routine is based on high volume, hitting chest,shoulder,back, quads and hams once a week and arms twice, keeping the main compounds and alternating between isolation exercises.

thanks again[/quote]

Well, I will first stress that I’ve never personally tried DC training. I did experiment many years back with Mentzer’s very abbreviated routines (HIT), before adding a bit more volume, albeit still in an infrequent manner each week.

I certainly don’t think such programs are only designed for strong lifters, however, I do think that such programs only use one variable (strength) as a gauge of progress. IMO, there are other methods that are just as good, if not better, options.

You mention that your lifting records aren’t so good. Is that how you’re measuring your progress, or are you more concerned with how you look? Not that trying to get stronger is a bad thing, but I know I got caught up in what I call “Chasing numbers” for a while, and it didn’t really help my physique as I had hoped.

I tend to think that a lot of people overthink their training programs. As long as they’re doing any decently planned out program with intensity, and enough frequency to take advantage of their body’s recovery ability, then the real issue will usually be more nutrition oriented.

Hope that gives you some things to consider.

Time for me to crash out brother. Been a long week, and I gotta drive to Jersey in the morning to judge the INBF Northeast American!

S

[criature]

Stu, i have no words to thank you for you time brother…
Probably gonna change working each bp in seven days to each 5 days and lower volume and measure my lifting records on a logbook, think that will be a good change, good luck on this INBF event!

[The_Mighty_Stu]

So as I like to give little peaks ‘behind the scenes’ if you will when I can, I thought this would be interesting to competitors, or anyone just curious how contests are judged.

The way Wnbf/Inbf shows are done, there are multiple ‘rounds’, where the focus is on a specific portion of what is agreed constitutes a complete physique. In each of these rounds, you assess the competitors, doing your best to judge them in an order solely from that round’s criteria.

-For Bodybuilding, the rounds are: Symmetry and Muscularity/Conditioning.
-For Figure, and Bikini, the rounds are: Symmetry, Muscle Tone, and Presentation/Beauty/Stage Walk.

In all instances of two competitors being tied, you go with their Symmetry score as the deciding factor.

Now as a typical human being (complete with flaws and all), it’s natural to look all the competitors in the lineup over and quickly assume that a specific athlete will come out on top. Of course the round system, as well as the unbalanced nature of some athletes physiques as well as their stage presentation, can result in a very different outcome.

In one of the female divisions, my initial assumption as everyone walked out on stage was that one particular girl would most likely take 1st. However, as the rounds broke down, and we focused on the specified criteria of each round, she ended up getting 2, 2, 3 in each round (this is based solely on MY score sheet as a judge). A different competitor had a much more uneven set of scores in the three rounds; 1st in symmetry, 4th in muscle tone, and 2nd in presentation (or something like that). Of course these two sets of scores ended up in a tie, and going with the Symmetry round as the tie breaker, the girl with a much more uneven set of scores edged out the girl who upon very first glance, most people would peg as the eventual winner.

Now, this is me recounting SOLELY my own score sheets. There was a very large amount of competitors, and to be honest I don’t recall which girl got the eventual nod (soooo many women in bikinis! -lol)

As a competitor, as well as a judge, I found myself pondering the entire scoring system. I certainly agree with the focus on different traits of a complete physique. Of course in an instance like this, it’s definitely something to consider I suppose. I guess until someone comes up with something better, at least the current approach forces each judge to truly justify their decisions.

All in all, I love sitting at the judges’ table, and am always honored to be asked to do so. Sitting alongside former and current greats that I respect and admire is just an awesome experience.

S

[The_Mighty_Stu]

Almost time again for the INBF Hercules Super Pro Qualifier. Started over 25 years ago, it’s the oldest drug tested show in the Country, and always has an amazing turn out of quality competitors. I was asked to judge the show again this year, and am always honored to be a part of the prestigious show where so many top Wnbf Pros first won their cards.

For anyone in the vicinity even slightly wondering what type of physiques show up at these natural shows, and possibly even how they might fare if they took the competitive plunge themselves, this is the one to come see!

S

[flch95]

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:

-For Bodybuilding, the rounds are: Symmetry and Muscularity/Conditioning.
-For Figure, and Bikini, the rounds are: Symmetry, Muscle Tone, and Presentation/Beauty/Stage Walk.[/quote]
Is there a difference between “muscularity/conditioning” and “muscle tone”?

[kravi]

[quote]flch95 wrote:

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:

-For Bodybuilding, the rounds are: Symmetry and Muscularity/Conditioning.
-For Figure, and Bikini, the rounds are: Symmetry, Muscle Tone, and Presentation/Beauty/Stage Walk.[/quote]
Is there a difference between “muscularity/conditioning” and “muscle tone”?[/quote]

Yeah, one is for guys, one is for girls

–Me

[Lonnie123]

Muscularity = how big are you muscles

Conditioning = how low is your body fat so we can see those big muscles

[cyruseven75]

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
So as I like to give little peaks ‘behind the scenes’ if you will when I can, I thought this would be interesting to competitors, or anyone just curious how contests are judged.

The way Wnbf/Inbf shows are done, there are multiple ‘rounds’, where the focus is on a specific portion of what is agreed constitutes a complete physique. In each of these rounds, you assess the competitors, doing your best to judge them in an order solely from that round’s criteria.

-For Bodybuilding, the rounds are: Symmetry and Muscularity/Conditioning.
-For Figure, and Bikini, the rounds are: Symmetry, Muscle Tone, and Presentation/Beauty/Stage Walk.

In all instances of two competitors being tied, you go with their Symmetry score as the deciding factor.

Now as a typical human being (complete with flaws and all), it’s natural to look all the competitors in the lineup over and quickly assume that a specific athlete will come out on top. Of course the round system, as well as the unbalanced nature of some athletes physiques as well as their stage presentation, can result in a very different outcome.

In one of the female divisions, my initial assumption as everyone walked out on stage was that one particular girl would most likely take 1st. However, as the rounds broke down, and we focused on the specified criteria of each round, she ended up getting 2, 2, 3 in each round (this is based solely on MY score sheet as a judge). A different competitor had a much more uneven set of scores in the three rounds; 1st in symmetry, 4th in muscle tone, and 2nd in presentation (or something like that). Of course these two sets of scores ended up in a tie, and going with the Symmetry round as the tie breaker, the girl with a much more uneven set of scores edged out the girl who upon very first glance, most people would peg as the eventual winner.

Now, this is me recounting SOLELY my own score sheets. There was a very large amount of competitors, and to be honest I don’t recall which girl got the eventual nod (soooo many women in bikinis! -lol)

As a competitor, as well as a judge, I found myself pondering the entire scoring system. I certainly agree with the focus on different traits of a complete physique. Of course in an instance like this, it’s definitely something to consider I suppose. I guess until someone comes up with something better, at least the current approach forces each judge to truly justify their decisions.

All in all, I love sitting at the judges’ table, and am always honored to be asked to do so. Sitting alongside former and current greats that I respect and admire is just an awesome experience.

S[/quote]

really cool insight…stu perhaps you can break this down for me.

if the variable is 5 judges.

1 - 5
2 - 11
3 - ???

does this mean all 5 judges has the first listed 1st, yes?
2 - all 2nd place nods and a 3rd …

bad at the maths, help me understand.

also, i’ve seen a few judges whom i don’t quite know how they came to be judges…is there a typical criteria/resume one needs to be a judge?

also thank you for your help and support in the past, the experience was awesome, all her but i get my thrills from helping guide, advise, etc…me dieted down…i feel like a fucking Kenyan, so i will not be competing anytime too soon.

sidebar - feeding someone back to back snickers bars as they pump up in front of other girls about to go out on stage is priceless!!!

[xXSeraphimXx]

Stu, seeing as you have participated and judged contests I was wondering how hernias are seen. Are points deducted? Do you take it into consideration at all?

[The_Mighty_Stu]

[quote]xXSeraphimXx wrote:
Stu, seeing as you have participated and judged contests I was wondering how hernias are seen. Are points deducted? Do you take it into consideration at all?[/quote]

I assume that like myself, most judges realize that medically related issues (obvious hernias, scars, c-sections etc) are not something that is the result of training, or dietary decisions. So I like to think they are pretty much glossed over by any honest person, at least at the amateur level.

At the highest Pro level, and I’ve always stressed this, when you’ve got the best of the best, the judging comes down to “who has the least weaknesses”. Now, sometimes a weakness may be nothing more than your genetic structure, other times, it may be something that was completely out of your control, but nonetheless has an effect on your overall visual presentation.

At the end of the day, bodybuilding and figure contests are all about your visual appearance, and we can only affect so much of that, no matter how smart and driven we may be.

S

[The_Mighty_Stu]

Is there a difference between “muscularity/conditioning” and “muscle tone”?

[quote]Lonnie123 wrote:
Muscularity = how big are you muscles

Conditioning = how low is your body fat so we can see those big muscles[/quote]

I really think it’s just a matter of phrasing in terms of not fostering an overly muscular goal for the figure categories.

As for bodybuilders, the round is always going to be an assessment of the combination of size, as well as bodyfat levels. Some judges will always lean to one direction or the other though.

S

[The_Mighty_Stu]

[quote]cyruseven75 wrote:
really cool insight…stu perhaps you can break this down for me.

if the variable is 5 judges.

1 - 5
2 - 11
3 - ???

does this mean all 5 judges has the first listed 1st, yes?
2 - all 2nd place nods and a 3rd …

bad at the maths, help me understand.

also, i’ve seen a few judges whom i don’t quite know how they came to be judges…is there a typical criteria/resume one needs to be a judge?

also thank you for your help and support in the past, the experience was awesome, all her but i get my thrills from helping guide, advise, etc…me dieted down…i feel like a fucking Kenyan, so i will not be competing anytime too soon.[/quote]

The #'s given, assuming they’re from the tallied column, convey the totals from both rounds (symmetry + muscularity) in a bodybuilding division. If there are 5 judges, and each judge gives a certain competitor “1” in each round (totaling “2”, and placing them squaring in 1st place), the total from all 5 judges can be no lower than 10 - should the promoter tally scores in a cumulative manner. If, by the notes you received, the #s are simply the addition of their actual placings, then yes, I believe you are reading them correctly and the “5” would mean all 1st place calls.

Whenever I, as a competitor, requested scores and notes from the judges at shows I’ve done (and I did this even when I won), I would always get a breakdown of what place each judge had me in, not some tally of added figures. This just makes sense I suppose, as explaining the scoring system, and making it seem like it’s just a numbers game, doesn’t really give much information.

As to how one becomes a judge, I can only speak to how we do it in the Wnbf. We make people “test-judge” 2 shows where your scores don’t count, and they’re compared to the final placings of each division. If you’re not even close to what the experienced judges are seeing, you may not get the nod to wear the Wnbf Judge name tag. I’ve sat on plenty of judging panels by now, and each individual at that long table (at Wnbf shows) has test judged, and is an active, or retired Pro. IMO you do not want someone judging you who not only has a good eye for the criteria, but also has been there themselves and understands what goes into the process.

I have been at a few shows as a spectator where I’m honestly baffled by the final placings. It can be an issue of just getting inexperienced judges, or even an issue with the promoter (who usually tallies the judges’ score sheets themself). And of course it can also be just a simple matter of judges who are unable to be objective evaluating athletes they have relationships (as a coach, or simply a friend) with. I can think of one non-Wnbf/Inbf show I attended where I honestly believe this was a big factor in the final placings.

sidebar - feeding someone back to back snickers bars as they pump up in front of other girls about to go out on stage is priceless!!!

Lol, yeah., I’ve not only gotten some weird looks myself backstage as I’m doing my thing before getting out there, but received a good number of emails the day after a contest from clients about how they’ve been in similar situations, only to then walk out and win their class.

S

[The_Mighty_Stu]

So yesterday, in my ‘real life’ as a teacher, I was sitting for a prolonged period, presumably with the horrible posture of one with too much grading to get through, and I got a nice little electrical jolt in my lower back. The muscles just seemed to seize up, and kept me in a nice amount of on and off pain throughout the day. When I popped over to PT after work, I was readjusted (only ‘slightly off’ this time), and after chatting focused in on my usual slumped on my couch, laptop on hand, way of spending my spare hours at home.

Maybe it’s the previous injury, maybe just age catching up (hitting 41 this coming week,… ugh), but I’ve always joked about how my little issues and injuries happened outside the gym. Now I have to be wary of my couch -lol.

Seriously though, it does make me step back and consider little things like keeping my body in somewhat contorted positions, no matter how comfy they may seem (I’ve been known to have my legs up over the couch back while reading a comic book just so my dog doesn’t have to move. Hopefully, combined with my attempts to further injury proof myself with plenty of stretching and core work, I’ll be able to maintain my current level of training, which I will admit has been pretty good lately. I won’t be predicting any return to contest levels or anything, but if everything stays where they should be, I’ll be quite happy powering on with my usual grit.

Got asked to judge the Garden State Classic in Jersey this Saturday (5/3), so if anyone’s around, stop by and say hey!

S

[LoRez]

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Seriously though, it does make me step back and consider little things like keeping my body in somewhat contorted positions, no matter how comfy they may seem (I’ve been known to have my legs up over the couch back while reading a comic book just so my dog doesn’t have to move.[/quote]

It’s funny, I’ve noticed the same things as my shoulders have been healing. It’s not the stuff in the gym that’s prolonged the healing process, but rather stuff like my posture at my desk, the way I sleep, and worst of all, the way my shoulders are rolled forward when driving. A long car ride leaves them sore for awhile.

But changing topics.

I tried those lat pulldowns as you described the other day, keeping elbows in front of a vertical torso and not bringing the bar too far down. That’s a pretty useful cue.

I also felt them in my chest, noticeable especially with the DOMS over the next couple days (e.g., like a pullover). Do you have any suggestions how to shift the emphasis back to the lats? Even if not, this is still something I can work with, so thanks for describing/sharing them.