I’m a little late. Had to travel and work a lot…
Congrats on second place. Too sad the judges sucked. Next time, big man!
I am very impressed with the progress you made compared to your last contest. I know how hard it is for a natural bodybuilder to put on another 2, 3, 4 pounds of muscle and how much determination it requires. You did a great job and, of course, you already have made us all proud! 
stu- care to discuss some of the differences between different natty organizations you have competed in or considered competing in. Things like variations of the rules and judging criteria and how you choose which shows to compete in.
^ X2
[quote]ParagonA wrote:
I’m a little late. Had to travel and work a lot…
Congrats on second place. Too sad the judges sucked. Next time, big man!
I am very impressed with the progress you made compared to your last contest. I know how hard it is for a natural bodybuilder to put on another 2, 3, 4 pounds of muscle and how much determination it requires. You did a great job and, of course, you already have made us all proud!
[/quote]
Thanks brother, I don’t think a lot of younger, or even just newer trainers realize just how much of a feat adding a couple of pounds of actual muscle in a year truly is, especially at this point in the game for me. Hopefully next time I’ll get a better shake from the judges.
My girlfriend pointed out that in all of my contests so far, despite all the real ‘battles’ I fought onstage with some seriously incredible competitors, this show presented, without a doubt, the weakest level of actual ‘competition’ I’ve had to face. Ironically, they’ve sort of cheapened the Title with this decision I’m NOT saying that I should have won the Overall or anything like that, but if the Bantamweight winner, or even the Lightweight winner won the Overall, it would have made more sense to anyone in the audience.
S
[quote]MiJuggernaut wrote:
stu- care to discuss some of the differences between different natty organizations you have competed in or considered competing in. Things like variations of the rules and judging criteria and how you choose which shows to compete in.[/quote]
Well, so far I’ve competed in the USBF and the INBF.
In USBF shows, the judge’s typically go through a series of ‘relaxed’ poses (front, side, rear, side and back to front) at the onset of the prejudging. This usually gives them a pretty good chance to ‘size up’ the competitors, and usually there will be some shuffling and rearranging onstage so that they can compare and contrast specific bodybuilder with each other. After the reshuffling, there may be a few more rotations of the ‘relaxed’ shots just to double check. At this point, the ‘mandatory’ poses will usually be asked for in the order of having the competitors rotate (1/4 turns) after competing the poses necessary for each angle.
For example, a typical USBF prejudging might play out like this:
-Competitors file out onstage
-Front relaxed
-1/4 turn into a left side relaxed
-1/4 turn into a rear relaxed
-1/4 turn back to front relaxed
-‘Competitor #1 please switch places with #6’
-‘Competitors #8 and 2 please switch places’
-‘Competitor #4 please stand between #2 and #5’
-Repeat 1/4 turns
-Front Double Biceps
-Front Lat Spread
-Abs and Thighs (another ‘Front’ shot)
-1/4 turn into left side relaxed
-Side Tricep
-Side Chest
-Side Serratus
-1/4 turn into rear relaxed
-Rear Double Bicep (‘spike a calf’)
-Rear Lat Spread (‘spike your other calf’)
-1/4 turn into right side relaxed
-Side tricep
-side chest
-side serratus
-1/4 turn front relaxed
-Hands on Hips Most Muscular
-Favorite Most Muscular
[at this point, there can be more reshuffling]
“thanks you gentlemen”
The INBF recently instituted a 3 round judging setup, where certain poses are specifically grouped into certain rounds, and others (like the serratus shot) have actually been eliminated. Also, something I noticed last Saturday, was that they now no longer ask for both side shots. They now specifically say ‘show us your FAVORITE side chest’, or ‘Side Tricep Shot of your choice’. So I’m sure more unbalanced competitors will love that (and I was worried about my lagging left arm -lol)
The new INBF 3 round judging system breaks down as:
ROUND 1 - SYMMETRY- Symmetry encompasses overall conditioning from top to
bottom.
ROUND 2 - OVERALL MASS - In this round bodybuilders will be judged on fat-free
muscle mass, not by overall conditioning. Athletes will execute four poses in
this round
ROUND 3 - MUSCULARITY/CONDITIONING - Athletes will be judged on conditioning by
executing a series of mandatory poses. Competitor must hit all the mandatory
poses in a timely manner.
The first round basically consisted of the 1/4 turns (relaxed poses).
The second round was only 4 poses, I think, intended to convey overall size (‘mass’)
The third round entailed more poses, typical ‘mandatories’, but not as many as I would expect in a USBF show, and again, I never had to show both sides with side chest or side tricep shots.
I don’t mind the new 3 round system, if anything, it does make a little less work for me. My only issue is that based on last Saturday’s contest, I don’t think the Judges actually read the criteria for judging -lol
(I’ll comment on the 2nd part of the question later, I actually have to go teach a class now!)
S
Incredible stuff, though I don’t think I have posted in the thread before, I have read it since it began and I have to say one of the most exciting threads on the whole of T-Nation.
As for the second place decision, crazy. I’m struggling to find any bodyparts from any of the other 3 that can even match ANY of yours, never mind the whole package. After your 5 week prep are you now considering another federation or are you sort of “committed” to this one, so to speak?
[quote]MiJuggernaut wrote:
and how you choose which shows to compete in.[/quote]
In choosing my 1st contest a few years back, I basically just googled around online until I found a listing of tested shows (I knew enough not to jump into an NPC show if I wanted to do well). The INBF was the only federation I initially knew of because I had been reading ‘Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness’ for a couple of years, and it’s basically the official magazine of the federation. The only show they had coming up that was in NY was in Buffalo, which is a good 5+ hour ride from where I live.
This was certainly more than I could ask of friends and family, come drive all day to watch me MAYBE not embarass myself in my first bodybuilding contest. There were other federations that I had never heard of at the time, USBF, OCB, NGA… tons of 'em (the aforementioned being the larger one around the East Coast). When I saw that the USBF had a show in NJ a few months away, and that it was much much closer than driving to Buffalo, I decided that would be it.
Luckily it was a hell of a great experience. Everything was run amazingly smoothly (something I would come to appreciate later on after doing other shows) by Kent Bierly, who was not just a promoter and judge, but a competitor. He had Pro Cards himself in several different federations. After the show, Kent and I would email a bit, always with encouraging words. He also put me in contact with the head judge from the show, who to this day I am still friends with, and appreciate the amazing encouragement he’s always shown me.
I’m sure competing in any federation will allow you to know and become known, but everyone in the USBF has always been amazingly friendly. When my brother did his first show last month (a USBF show), obviously I was backstage with him all day, and judges, competitors, even spectators all came over to say his to me (guess I’m “kind of a big deal” being a Pro and all -lol). It was just a great atmosphere all around.
My choice to compete in the INBF this year is primarily because due to their magazine coverage, it’s easily the most widespread and well known. This is the federation that feeds into the WNBF (their pro division), where guys like Cordova, Whitacre and Clarida all compete.
Suffice to say, it would mean a hell of a lot to me, and be a definite feather in my cap, to secure a pro qualification in one of their shows. So that’s really the factor in my choice of shows this year. I know the clock’s ticking, but this year I am throwing myself at the INBF a hard as I can, and hopefully things will eventually work in my favor.
S
So I continue to watch as my body normalizes itself and finally gives me some idea of where I am, 4+ weeks out of my next contest.
To run down and update:
5/21 - 175.0 lbs
5/23 - 182.6 lbs
5/24 - 180.0 lbs
5/25 - 179.6 lbs
5/26 - 179.0 lbs
For this past show, the America, I began my last week’s prep at about 178/179 lbs (I can’t recall exactly at the moment). So, now counting this week which is almost over, and not counting the next show’s ‘peak week’, I have 3 weeks to be in a better position to come in about 2 lbs tighter, which means going into my last week of prep weighing at the most 176 lbs. I’m banking on the elaborate binge this past weekend, coupled with the addition of the Indigo to ensure I reach that goal.
In terms of the Indigo, I started it yesterday, which while it was my ‘Low’ carb day, I still focused on some peri-workout ingestion, and for the msot part, didn’t really feel very hungry all day. Also, and this may just be my body still acting kind of screwy, I felt pretty warm all day. While this is certainly a nice alternative from the frigid skin temperatures I was experiencing constantly leading into the 5/21 contest, I’m not sure what, if any, rationale for it is.
Just gonna keep pushing hard, and keeping my fingers crossed.
S
Hey Stu. Any behind the scenes typ pics you can through up? Like you backstage pumping up or whatever? That stuff is cool to see too.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Thanks brother, I don’t think a lot of younger, or even just newer trainers realize just how much of a feat adding a couple of pounds of actual muscle in a year truly is, especially at this point in the game for me. Hopefully next time I’ll get a better shake from the judges.
My girlfriend pointed out that in all of my contests so far, despite all the real ‘battles’ I fought onstage with some seriously incredible competitors, this show presented, without a doubt, the weakest level of actual ‘competition’ I’ve had to face. Ironically, they’ve sort of cheapened the Title with this decision I’m NOT saying that I should have won the Overall or anything like that, but if the Bantamweight winner, or even the Lightweight winner won the Overall, it would have made more sense to anyone in the audience.
S[/quote]
First of all: adding a couple of pounds of real, clean muscle, not blubber is a great, a fantastic achievement for such an experienced bodybuilder like you. Heck, there have been many years out of the last 21 where I lost muscle or at least couldn’t gain any new lean body mass. I am truly impressed and fully believe that we will see the Mighty Stu improve for many more years to come!
About the contest decision: it’s hard to swallow. I know that feeling and whenever that happened to me, I switched back and forth between telling myself that it wouldn’t really matter, that I do all I do for myself only, that results by means of placings do not matter and that bitter feeling of just having been betrayed.
Not that I am the best example for being relaxed over such things, but from what I have learnd in the past I can say, that taking the anger and the disappointment and turning it into massive motivation for the next contest is probably the best way to handle the situation.
Keep us posted!
PA
[quote]enrac wrote:
Ah, makes sense. Another question, when you struck a pose, you pivoted left to right, I’m guessing the seating layout of the judges was such that you had to do this (the other folks on stage didn’t seem to be doing that)?[/quote]
Usually the Judges table has 7-9 judges seated there, with either the head judge, or just a moderator in the middle, so you’ve really got a very wide ‘audience’ that you need to impress. The trick is to rotate ‘slightly’ without looking like an idiot, but very subtly ensuring that everyone gets a chance to marvel at your awesomeness 
S
[quote]DJS wrote:
Hey Stu. Any behind the scenes typ pics you can through up? Like you backstage pumping up or whatever? That stuff is cool to see too. [/quote]
Well, I know one of the show’s photographers was following me the entire time I was backstage, so maybe we’ll see those pics pop up somewhere, and I know my buddy Scott has a great shot of me after stuffing my face post show, looking bloated as hell, but still sporting abs and oblique striations in a restaurant -lol. I’ll try to get that one for ya.
In the meantime, here’s a shot from the day before. I was still pounding water nonstop, and we had already put one coat of pro-tan on my paler than pale hide. Again, not too shabby looking considering I could barely flex my abs from all the water (I looked much MUCH drier on Saturday!)
S
Oh yeah,… 178.0 lbs today. So if I put myself where I was before this past show, I’m 3 weeks ahead in terms of how I ended up looking (which admittedly was my best showing to date).
Can’t let up one bit… While the America turned out to be a joke in terms of the level of competition, I’ve been to past years’ versions of the June show I’m doing, and it is probably one of the toughest natty shows I’ve ever seen, usually with the lighter classes (bantams, light and middles) having the most dangerous competitors.
Gotta raise my game like never before.
(This is why I had to try the Indigo 3G, I can’t afford to risk not getting every possible advantage!)
S
You looked really good. I can’t help but wondering if the second place had something to do with stuff other than the way you looked. You were sweating pretty good up there, and it looked like you were working hard. If a judge did bother to come back-stage to comment on your tan…Just wondering if maybe this little stuff cost you first. It wasn’t because somebody on stage looked better.
Job well done…have enjoyed this thread a ton.
I know you’ve done your tan the same way ever since you started competing, but I’d really give it some consideration to get spray tanned. It was real fast and easy and you know your color will be on point. Also with your girlfriend competing, she won’t want to be slapping the protan on you anyway
177.4 lbs this morning. I’m not sure if this is due entirely to my body resetting itself after last Saturday’s contest and post contest day binge, due to the Indigo 3G (I have been pissing quite a bit more than I would have expected considering I’m not drinking enough to really warrant it), or a combination of the two. I am however just pleased that at 4 weeks out of my next show, I weigh less than I did at 1 week out of my last one. Hopefully coming in 2-3 lbs tighter will make an impact.
The America’s promoter (Bob Bonham) sent me an email detailing the notes the Judges’ had written about me. Some make sense and I’ve heard before, others I don’t quite get, which makes me curious what was written about the guy who “beat” me.
“Stu- you lost by 1 point, the notes are in pencil so I’ll write them”
“legs need work” (and to think I brought them up this year - lol)
“great V-Taper”
“No glute/ham tie in”
“Great Front Poses”
“great abs, train heavy”
“do deep squats” (I do)
“fine seps and conditioning”
So figure into the comments what you will. Some I’ve heard (ie, my legs, which to be honest, while I was 6" shorter than the ‘winner’, I think I certainly held my own, especially in the lower quads, hams, and don’t even get me started on calves), other were nice to hear (my Taper, my abs), and then I wonder about the comments I usually get from judges, which are nowhere to be seen (thick back, delts, great calves and hams, huge arms).
Honestly though, I don’t know if it’s better or worse to lose by 1 point, especially when it doesn’t seem like a close call in the least. If I’m “missing” glute/ham tie ins, and the ‘winner’ is missing arms, lats, calves, shoulders…, you have to wonder about the validity of the show entirely. I doubt anyone who watches video or sees pics from the show would respect the title as much as they would past winners.
I have received a hell of a lot of comments, emails, and PMs on this and two other forums I posted the video on, all ranging from ‘you were robbed’ to ‘so I only need to train half my body to win the Mr America?!’, to ‘it was a little fuzzy, but just on mass and proportion you should have swept it’ (this was from a WNBF Pro actually). Realizing that the video might have been compressed a bit much to get the entire prejudging online (except for 2 secs where my brother fumbled the camera), I made a higher quality version, obviously having to cut it down a bit. Once I’m more in the middle of the stage, the better lighting really shows my conditioning to better effect. Certainly not bad when you think that I wasn’t expecting to look this good going into the show in the first place.
This issue with the Tan, and my ‘sheen’, I fully attribute to the poor organization of the backstage area (1 guys running everything, usually not in the back with the athletes). Usually I do the same 3 coats pro-tan (night before) and 1 coat dream tan (day of), and look pretty good, using a quick spritz of Pam cooking spray just before going onstage. As no one could really tell us how long we had, my girlfriend hit me with the Dreamtan as fast as she could, and then we didn’t have anytime to let it set in and dry a bit before using the Pam. This resulted in the Dreamtan being unable to air dry due to the oil in the cooking spray. Couple this with the hot backstage environment and pumping up for about 45 mins (again, no one could tell me how much time I had), I was sweating like a stuck pig for the next hour (watch how many times I wipe my eyes and brow in the original video). Believe me, before the Pam, I had several other competitors comment on how dark and good my actual color was (I was shocked myself, because it really just brought home how good my overall conditioning was that morning).
Also, something that makes me feel,… well, maybe a small bit better, is the fact that this show didn’t award a regular Pro card, instead, something relatively new called a ‘Rookie pro Card’ was issued. This basically means that you’re a probationary Pro who has a year’s time to place top 5 in a PRO SHOW. So picture this show’s “winner” standing toe to toe with guys like Cordova, Whitacre, Krol, Daniels…I would venture a guess that it wouldn’t present a good scenario for him (hell, it wouldn’t be a good scenario for me either! -lol). So even though had I won, I would have been able to call myself “Mr. America 2011”, I wouldn’t have won a real pro card in their federation from the event. Just some thoughts I guess…
S
S
