[quote]Lonnie123 wrote:
Make sure not to mix up your Minerals with Percocet… Although you will get a damn good nights sleep[/quote]
Lol, I do manage to get some very deep sleep, but it only lasts for a little while before I jump up from the pain. Last night was actually when the Nerve Block wore off, and lemme tell you it was probably the worst feelings I’ve ever experienced. As I’ve been pretty much confined to a recliner in our living room, Cat’s been sleeping on the couch right next to me so she can take care of whatever I need. Last night, despite realizing that she doesn’t mind, I genuinely felt so bad for her having to see me like this. 4 am, practically incapacitated in pain, I was hunched in my chair, almost in tears, knowing that nothing I could do would alleviate what I was feeling.
I’ll be seeing the surgeon to get a recheck and I believe a few stitches out on Wednesday, so I’ll probably get a lot more info about how everything actually went during the procedure and how bad things really look. My brother has spoken to the Physician’s Assistant who was involved in the surgery (who’s also a patient as well as a good friend of his), and while he admits that a few things in my training will have to change, he seems fairly optimistic about my overall rehab. He also informed me that the pain would lessen throughout the week, which is great because I’ve got tickets to see KISS and Motley Crue this coming Saturday, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna miss the concert
ugh,… just had Cat take the wrappings off of my shoulder (serious lot of gauze and tape!), and while I had a hunch what I’d find, I didn’t expect to actually see as much dried blood in the gauze as I did. Still got some obvious stitches poking out from under the tape covering the scope entry points. What seems funny though, and I do understand the reasoning, is the surgeons large signature written in sharpie on my left shoulder. Not that he was so proud of his work, but the Anesthesiologist signed his initials on the side of my neck where they attached a pain pump as well. Feel like such a piece of meat -lol.
Get well soon. It’s sobering to see you in hospital garb, when just in early June you were competing. I have taken much from your posts, not just about the training and contest prep, but about life, and training like we do is truly a marathon.
This morning, I met with the orthopedic surgeon who scoped my shoulder last Friday. As I was getting the few stitches removed, these were the high points of our discussion:
-I probably tore the labrum years ago, but the other muscles were strong enough to keep things in place.
-The labrum wasn’t the big issue, but the cartilage is seriously a mess, and I had a large ‘flap’ which is what was most likely getting caught on the back end, causing extreme pain
-Had to work away a lot of the cartilage which wasn’t adhering to the bone, until they got to a level that seemed solid. Hoping the body can scar over the area and reinforce it
-Probably gonna have arthritis in my 50’s, but most people deal with that
-May need shoulder replacement in my 70’s, but don’t not live my life out of fear of that, also, there may be better alternatives by then
-Lot of the damage most likely due to sheering forces. These are really an issue with heavy free weights as the muscles ‘find the groove’ during the movement. This is great for muscle growth, bad for joints.
-My natural tendency to be a strong presser is what really wore out the joint.
-Use of machines, where you are in a fixed line of movement will lessen the stress on the joint
The conversation led me to realize a few things. First, as I’ve mentioned before, my early on approach of chasing weights, under the false impression that strength=size, not only didn’t give me the size I wanted, but it beat me joints down pretty badly, something I am just seeing the effects from now.
The training methods I adopted in my mid 30’s, where I became very very analytical in my exercise sequencing, and even basic selection, is much more beneficial in terms of physique as well as joint health and longevity.
I will be starting my physical therapy tomorrow, and should be in the sling for about a month (gonna err on the side of less time so that the muscles don’t slacken too much). My plan is to return to the gym next week, arm in sling, and try to engage in some degree of leg training that doesn’t create too much strain in terms of balancing my entire body during the movements.
The doctor was kind enough to get me some photos from inside my shoulder capsule, so once I get around to scanning them in, I’ll share all the creepy details
Not sure if anyone’s curious about what Physical Therapy 6 days post surgery looks like, but for me, it’s a lot of ice and muscle stim, followed by some massage, then a lot of having the therapist move my arms through different planes of movement with very limited ROMS (This will increase slightly each week), then a little movement on my part to increase synovial fluid in the injured area, and finally, more ice and muscle stim.
For the most part, Jess (My very, VERY awesome PT, and one of the few folks my brother trusts to work on me) was glad to see practically no pain during the movements, and we were easily able to reach 90 degrees with my arm while laying on my back. At this stage though, what we’re doing is going to be very limited as we restore motion and strength to the area.
Next week, I’ll settle into a schedule that will have me in Therapy 3x a week, and in the gym (all lower body work) 3x a week as well. No direct bicep for a while, but at some point, I believe we’ll be able to incorporate SOME upper body exercises.
For now, just doing my best to address my meds and supps, and keep my head focused on the long term goal.
G’day Stu, I’m a week out from my first show & it’s been a long grind on the diet road from 23% bodyfat in January to around 6.5% as of now … Am excited by my progress and to compete but also really looking forward to the next 12 months of adding some quality size so I can return to this same comp in a year’s time and compete in the same class but at or near the top of the allowable weight (I’ll be on stage at around 76kg and potentially against guys up to 87kg) … Do you have any pearls of wisdom for getting the most out of that initial few weeks after the show ?
I’ve mapped out some plans for diet and training but would really like to hear from an experienced hand like yourself (and any others who’ve had similar experiences)
[quote]Ghost_Panther wrote:
G’day Stu, I’m a week out from my first show & it’s been a long grind on the diet road from 23% bodyfat in January to around 6.5% as of now … Am excited by my progress and to compete but also really looking forward to the next 12 months of adding some quality size so I can return to this same comp in a year’s time and compete in the same class but at or near the top of the allowable weight (I’ll be on stage at around 76kg and potentially against guys up to 87kg) … Do you have any pearls of wisdom for getting the most out of that initial few weeks after the show ?
I’ve mapped out some plans for diet and training but would really like to hear from an experienced hand like yourself (and any others who’ve had similar experiences)
cheers Stu. [/quote]
Hey, Hey! Congrats on getting onstage! Definitely one of the most empowering experiences you can undertake. Nothing gives you a seriously, objective view of just how much progress you’ve made as much as stripping down the bodyfat, and finally seeing what’s underneath; no inflated measurements, no ‘magic’ photos with perfect lighting and shadows.
I’ve always been guilty of planning my postcontest approach well before the contest date myself. It’s just the endless cycle; when you’re ripped, you want to add size, when you’re big, you wanna rip up.
As far as ‘pearls of wisdom’, this is what I can throw your way:
-Enjoy your weekend. You’ve earned it, and unless you’ve scheduled a photoshoot, you can only do so much ‘damage’ in 24-48 hours.
-I like to lock my diet down come Monday. Usually I’ll refer back to what my diet looked like 2-3 weeks out from the show, and follow it for a week or two.
-If I do “cheat”, I limit it to once a day, and only on the weekend.
-Ideally, you will work your #s back up, slowly, incrementally, over the next couple of months.
-Your sensitivity to sugar, sodium (depending on your prep), and especially alcohol (hellooooo no-tolerance -lol) will be skewed quite a bit by the end of your prep, so go easy.
-Don’t just drop cardio completely. A lot of people do this, forgetting that their body has grown accustomed to a certain amount of calories expended each week. As such, even if your diet is perfect, your #s may suddenly be off.
-Contests are won in the offseason. Have a plan of what you need to work on.
These are just off the top of my head (and typed with one hand!) Hopefully you’re enjoying the competition. I did a similar thing to what you’re envisioning. My first show, I placed 3rd in the open (winning overall novice and masters). The following year I competed in the same show, nabbing the open overall. That’s a whole year focused on improving. Nothing feels as good as seeing your plans pan out like you hoped.
[quote]Ghost_Panther wrote:
G’day Stu, I’m a week out from my first show & it’s been a long grind on the diet road from 23% bodyfat in January to around 6.5% as of now … Am excited by my progress and to compete but also really looking forward to the next 12 months of adding some quality size so I can return to this same comp in a year’s time and compete in the same class but at or near the top of the allowable weight (I’ll be on stage at around 76kg and potentially against guys up to 87kg) … Do you have any pearls of wisdom for getting the most out of that initial few weeks after the show ?
I’ve mapped out some plans for diet and training but would really like to hear from an experienced hand like yourself (and any others who’ve had similar experiences)
cheers Stu. [/quote]
Hey, Hey! Congrats on getting onstage! Definitely one of the most empowering experiences you can undertake. Nothing gives you a seriously, objective view of just how much progress you’ve made as much as stripping down the bodyfat, and finally seeing what’s underneath; no inflated measurements, no ‘magic’ photos with perfect lighting and shadows.
I’ve always been guilty of planning my postcontest approach well before the contest date myself. It’s just the endless cycle; when you’re ripped, you want to add size, when you’re big, you wanna rip up.
As far as ‘pearls of wisdom’, this is what I can throw your way:
-Enjoy your weekend. You’ve earned it, and unless you’ve scheduled a photoshoot, you can only do so much ‘damage’ in 24-48 hours.
-I like to lock my diet down come Monday. Usually I’ll refer back to what my diet looked like 2-3 weeks out from the show, and follow it for a week or two.
-If I do “cheat”, I limit it to once a day, and only on the weekend.
-Ideally, you will work your #s back up, slowly, incrementally, over the next couple of months.
-Your sensitivity to sugar, sodium (depending on your prep), and especially alcohol (hellooooo no-tolerance -lol) will be skewed quite a bit by the end of your prep, so go easy.
-Don’t just drop cardio completely. A lot of people do this, forgetting that their body has grown accustomed to a certain amount of calories expended each week. As such, even if your diet is perfect, your #s may suddenly be off.
-Contests are won in the offseason. Have a plan of what you need to work on.
These are just off the top of my head (and typed with one hand!) Hopefully you’re enjoying the competition. I did a similar thing to what you’re envisioning. My first show, I placed 3rd in the open (winning overall novice and masters). The following year I competed in the same show, nabbing the open overall. That’s a whole year focused on improving. Nothing feels as good as seeing your plans pan out like you hoped.
Let us know how the show turned out!
S[/quote]
Thankyou very much for the feedback Stu, I really appreciate it.
Interesting what you say about EASING into the rebound phase and something I didn’t really factor in until you mentioned it. It’s funny because I’m not excited about the post contest period in so far as treating myself to a whole lot of crap (because that’s never really been my go anyway)… infact if someone asked me the food / meal I’m most looking forward to after next weekend, it would simply be my having my oats / WPI / egg whites / blueberries at breakfast! or at least a bigger serving than I’ve been able to have during the pre-contest period.
Anyway, thanks again Stu for your words of wisdom … I’ll be sure give an update on how next saturday goes and post a pic or two. Best of luck on your road to recovery too mate.
Stu
I have been reading this thread since it was started. You have been tremendous in sharing your insights
I’m now 4 days away from my first contest in 12 years and 15 years since I competed the first time. I am roughly 4% body fat , down 21 lbs from my starting weight of 206 on June 4. I was roughly 12% bf at that time.
I compete this weekend then the following weekend on Oct 6.
I’ve been waiting a looooong time for this opportunity again, waiting through marriage, kids, new jobs, relocation (just life)
Lets see what happens!
Best of luck in your recovery. Take it from me - it’s a journey, not a sprint.
I too have been following your thread for a while, but just wanted to say that I’m delighted that the procedure went as well as can be expected, and that your prognoses is good!
What your doctor told you about free weights made me think. I work out at home, so I have no machines. Just a squat rack, barbells and dumbbells. Now I do it for fun and health, not to compete, but obviously want to look good naked. As I’m doing it for health, I can’t help but wonder what are ideal ways to minimize damage with free weights, as they are all I have, and I want to be lifting into my 90s…
Any suggestions (or feedback from your doc) would be appreciated.
[quote]ghost87 wrote:
Stu
I have been reading this thread since it was started. You have been tremendous in sharing your insights
I’m now 4 days away from my first contest in 12 years and 15 years since I competed the first time. I am roughly 4% body fat , down 21 lbs from my starting weight of 206 on June 4. I was roughly 12% bf at that time.
I compete this weekend then the following weekend on Oct 6.
I’ve been waiting a looooong time for this opportunity again, waiting through marriage, kids, new jobs, relocation (just life)
Lets see what happens!
Best of luck in your recovery. Take it from me - it’s a journey, not a sprint. [/quote]
That’s great that you’re able to return to something that you obviously love. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be dealing with the rigors or contest prep while also tending to kids, work, moving… heck, I moved this past Spring, while planning a wedding and prepping, and I was losing my mind. Throw kids into that mix and I can’t even fathom -lol.
It is indeed a long road, and sometimes it looks like a good one, while other times it’s quite a rocky terrain. This is certainly the worst injury I’ve had insofar as it actually required intensive surgery, and a pretty lengthy rehab, but it’s all part of the journey. If we didn’t enjoy it, even the rough patches, we wouldn’t do it. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but I certainly think it makes me a better, definitely tougher person for having done this.
I wish you the best in your upcoming show, and please let me know how things go after such a layoff. Part of me always regretted not competing sooner than I did, but I also realize that I probably wouldn’t have had the mental fortitude, not training and dietary knowledge to pull it off as well as I have at my ‘older’ stage of the game. I’m curious of your thoughts on the matter.
I too have been following your thread for a while, but just wanted to say that I’m delighted that the procedure went as well as can be expected, and that your prognoses is good!
What your doctor told you about free weights made me think. I work out at home, so I have no machines. Just a squat rack, barbells and dumbbells. Now I do it for fun and health, not to compete, but obviously want to look good naked. As I’m doing it for health, I can’t help but wonder what are ideal ways to minimize damage with free weights, as they are all I have, and I want to be lifting into my 90s…
Any suggestions (or feedback from your doc) would be appreciated.
–Me[/quote]
Well, first, you have to realize, and the surgeon stressed this quite a bit, is that the parts of your body that receive no blood flow, and do not have any real adaptive responses to weight bearing exercise (ie. muscle get larger, bones get denser etc), are what they are. My 39 year old Labrum in my 205 lb heavily muscle body is the same ol’ thing it was in my 20 year old 150 lb skinny fat body. It didn’t get stronger, it didn’t get denser, for all we know, it may have been structurally weaker than the the one in my 110 lb wife’s shoulder. Things like this are just luck of the draw.
Obviously in all my years competing, and a few before that point, I had a good handle on ‘putting all the pieces together’. I trained for hypertrophy, not trying to get as strong as I could. I focused on the ROMs that would stress muscles not joints. I dieted and supplemented in a way that would provide my body with nutrients to aid in recovery.
If I could pinpoint the biggest mistake (and I hate to call it that) I made over the years, it was in being susceptible to the standard gym advice of “just keep trying to get stronger, and you’ll get larger”. While this is a good goal at the onset of any training program (you need some variable to assess progress), I really didn’t look much larger when my bench was at 385 than when it was at 285. The only difference was that at that strength level my joints sometimes ached.
According to the surgeon (and this is a top sports ortho surgeon here): ‘The good thing about free weights, is the sheering force, which is great for muscle growth. Unfortunately the bad thing about free weights is the sheering force.’
I think for the most part that 99% of trainers don’t need to sweat this as an issue. Obviously I’ve subjected my joints to some serious brutality over the years, long before I stepped on a stage competitively. Do I think that I needed to reach the strength levels I did on my quest to becoming a Pro? Absolutely not. There are a few powerlifters at my gym, and they see me during my preps.
It’s been the topic of discussion that even though I’ve “only” incline benched 245 max during the last few years, I can (and have) very easily throw up 295 for 5 good slow reps as well. Strength is relative though, and many other lifters see me and assume they have to use their top weights. 245 though is a ‘workable’ weight for me. It provides enough stress that when I control every aspect of the movement, I can stimulate the muscles just as well as I could with 295.
Where I’m trying to go with this, is that I don’t think this is something you need to plan around. I have a fairly small bone structure (check out my wrists in any photo), and spent an easy 10-12 years lifting stupid heavy weights. Of course afterward I spent another 8 years being smart about my training and that’s when I actually started to look like a bodybuilder! If you’re smart, and keep things in perspective (easier said than done), I’m sure you’ll be just fine.
Thanks for the in depth and detailed response. May I summarize to make sure I got (more or less) what you shared?
Don’t lift stupid heavy weights. If weights get heavier, great, but lower weights with better form stimulate at least as much and do less damage (and still get you stronger).
Genetics/luck/G-d’s whim has a lot to do with your chances of injuring something like your labrum.
Many thanks again for your detailed response!
BTW, where is our PT report? How are things coming? Any news from the doc about your prognosis?
[quote]kravi wrote:
Thanks for the in depth and detailed response. May I summarize to make sure I got (more or less) what you shared?
Don’t lift stupid heavy weights. If weights get heavier, great, but lower weights with better form stimulate at least as much and do less damage (and still get you stronger). [/quote]
Remember, there’s “heavy” and there’s “so-stupid-I’m-not-really-getting-anything-out-of-it-heavy” -lol. Lift heavy enough, with good form and some degree of MMC for progressive overload to occur, but keep your focus on your actual goal. If that’s building muscle, great. If it’s lifting weights, great. Don’t confuse the two.
I guess that’s pretty much it. Luck of the draw, just like your muscle shape, and skeletal structure. You have to play the hand you’ve been dealt, unfortunately, we don’t always know all of our ‘cards’ until something bad occurs and suddenly we get a good hard look at a crappy hand.
[quote]
Many thanks again for your detailed response!
BTW, where is our PT report? How are things coming? Any news from the doc about your prognosis?
–Me[/quote]
I started PT the Thursday after the surgery (6 days later). Since then I’ve been going 3x a week, engaging in activities that are meant to ensure full ROM at the end of the road. 2 of my weekly sessions are with Jessica, and the 3rd is with my brother (on weekends). Jessica always seems pleased with how my arm can be moved about without any pain. Earlier tonight, after a session, my brother Jeff declared that he believes that I should regain full movement no problem. This may not seem like a big deal, but many people who undergo shoulder surgeries never fully get back to where they were. Jeff really drilled this into my head beforehand, telling me that I may only have 90% movement no matter how ‘well’ the procedure goes, and I should be realistic about the outcome. Obviously I still have a lot to do in the months ahead, but it’s always good to hear your PT being optimistic.
My gym sessions 3-4x/week are basically an alternating of two workouts. Both are very limited in terms of exercises, as well as volume and intensity. At the beginning of last week, even though I was mentally amped to train, I just had nothing in the tank. I’m coming to terms with just how much trauma my body sustained during the operation. Jeff explained earlier that the amount of bruising and swelling in my front delt is still very pronounced, and that it’s the physical trauma of what was done that has essentially ‘shut down’ my compound muscles in the area (why I can’t raise my arm!)
The workouts have thus far been:
#1 Quads/Abs
-Extensions
-Leg Press
-Box Step Ups
-Low Decline Crunches (all with my sling on -lol)
#2 Hamstrings/Calves
-Seated Leg Curls
-Straight Calf Press on Sled
-Seated Calf Raises
Not very impressive, and the weights and amount of work is pitiful, but it’s nice to get some blood moving around. Having not trained shoulders since early July, and barely been able to do chest, squats, many bicep and tricep exercises since August, I’ve actually already lost a considerable amount of muscle. This is despite doing my best to eat well. I don’t intend to overeat and pack on the pudge, but I am eating quality foods, every few hours, getting slightly more than I need, and sticking adamantly to my usual supplements + extra creatine, glutamine and BCAAs every day as a little insurance. Just need to keep reminding myself that it will come back.
I received a little cheer-up in the form of an email from a WNBF Judge I’m friends with the other day telling me how a few years ago he had injured his back and had to take an entire year off. While he suffered quite a bit of depression during the time off, all his previous gains came back quicker, and at a much older age than I’m at, so it was certainly nice to hear.
Another nice little update is that my gym recently installed a large glass enclosure when you first walk in, housing trophies and photos of the top competitors who train there. Well wouldn’t ya know whose large framed image they put right up front so you see his smiling face (and huge guns) as you enter the place? The manager approached me before the summer about getting me in during one of my summer months off from work to train a few members who would sign up ahead of time (and pay more than a typical training session) as a special limited time thing. He pitched it as a “Train with WNBF Pro Stu Yellin - limited space available” type of deal -lol. Kinda cool considering that I never have time to physically train people anymore, only online coaching, so I guess in this case the more people recognize me, the better for everyone involved.
Since I’m essentially sidelined for a bit, gonna push my coaching gigs as best as I can. I figure I’ve got plenty of time to decide what my competitive plans are a year from now.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Earlier tonight, after a session, my brother Jeff declared that he believes that I should regain full movement no problem. This may not seem like a big deal, but many people who undergo shoulder surgeries never fully get back to where they were.
S[/quote]
I would certainly rather move my arms over the alternative. Thats awesome to hear though.
You may be able to take some comfort in the fact that almost EVERY person I look up to in the iron game has a story about being injured, and how it actually helped them in the long term because it made them smarter in some way. They learn how to do X better, or they learn how to stimulate Y differently and it results in new growth. Hell, look at Dave Tates list of injuries… He’s got more injuries than years most of us have been training and he is still a monster and performing at an elite level.
I almost NEVER hear “I got injured and that put me out of the game for good” … Take that for what its worth.
Not to mention that many, many people seem to be having great results with those Meadows “swings” … which are minimal ROM movements. Might be time to start incorporating those if you haven’t already.
[quote]Ghost_Panther wrote:
G’day Stu, I’m a week out from my first show & it’s been a long grind on the diet road from 23% bodyfat in January to around 6.5% as of now … Am excited by my progress and to compete but also really looking forward to the next 12 months of adding some quality size so I can return to this same comp in a year’s time and compete in the same class but at or near the top of the allowable weight (I’ll be on stage at around 76kg and potentially against guys up to 87kg) … Do you have any pearls of wisdom for getting the most out of that initial few weeks after the show ?
I’ve mapped out some plans for diet and training but would really like to hear from an experienced hand like yourself (and any others who’ve had similar experiences)
cheers Stu. [/quote]
Hey, Hey! Congrats on getting onstage! Definitely one of the most empowering experiences you can undertake. Nothing gives you a seriously, objective view of just how much progress you’ve made as much as stripping down the bodyfat, and finally seeing what’s underneath; no inflated measurements, no ‘magic’ photos with perfect lighting and shadows.
I’ve always been guilty of planning my postcontest approach well before the contest date myself. It’s just the endless cycle; when you’re ripped, you want to add size, when you’re big, you wanna rip up.
As far as ‘pearls of wisdom’, this is what I can throw your way:
-Enjoy your weekend. You’ve earned it, and unless you’ve scheduled a photoshoot, you can only do so much ‘damage’ in 24-48 hours.
-I like to lock my diet down come Monday. Usually I’ll refer back to what my diet looked like 2-3 weeks out from the show, and follow it for a week or two.
-If I do “cheat”, I limit it to once a day, and only on the weekend.
-Ideally, you will work your #s back up, slowly, incrementally, over the next couple of months.
-Your sensitivity to sugar, sodium (depending on your prep), and especially alcohol (hellooooo no-tolerance -lol) will be skewed quite a bit by the end of your prep, so go easy.
-Don’t just drop cardio completely. A lot of people do this, forgetting that their body has grown accustomed to a certain amount of calories expended each week. As such, even if your diet is perfect, your #s may suddenly be off.
-Contests are won in the offseason. Have a plan of what you need to work on.
These are just off the top of my head (and typed with one hand!) Hopefully you’re enjoying the competition. I did a similar thing to what you’re envisioning. My first show, I placed 3rd in the open (winning overall novice and masters). The following year I competed in the same show, nabbing the open overall. That’s a whole year focused on improving. Nothing feels as good as seeing your plans pan out like you hoped.
Let us know how the show turned out!
S[/quote]
G’day Stu, well unfortunately I didn’t earn any silverware from my first competition on saturday but it was a fantastic experience and it’s fair to say I’m now hooked on this … don’t have many photos to show as yet (organising some from the professional photographer who was there on the day + my old man who snapped some as well) … Below is a link to the lineup in my category (WFF class 1 - over 179cm & up to 87kg) …
Think my conditioning was fairly reasonable but SIZE was my downfall … I was about 74kg on stage and the guy who came second (centre stage, tallest competitor with the bald head) was 90kg the day before the show and apparently had to water deplete like crazy to make weight …
excited to get back into it tomorrow, stripping back my training to the basic compound lifts hard and heavy 3-4 times per week and a nutrition plan to match … It’s all about adding size slow and steady for the best part of the next year before I’ll give a few shows a shot again this time next year …
[quote]Ghost_Panther wrote:
G’day Stu, I’m a week out from my first show & it’s been a long grind on the diet road from 23% bodyfat in January to around 6.5% as of now … Am excited by my progress and to compete but also really looking forward to the next 12 months of adding some quality size so I can return to this same comp in a year’s time and compete in the same class but at or near the top of the allowable weight (I’ll be on stage at around 76kg and potentially against guys up to 87kg) … Do you have any pearls of wisdom for getting the most out of that initial few weeks after the show ?
I’ve mapped out some plans for diet and training but would really like to hear from an experienced hand like yourself (and any others who’ve had similar experiences)
cheers Stu. [/quote]
Hey, Hey! Congrats on getting onstage! Definitely one of the most empowering experiences you can undertake. Nothing gives you a seriously, objective view of just how much progress you’ve made as much as stripping down the bodyfat, and finally seeing what’s underneath; no inflated measurements, no ‘magic’ photos with perfect lighting and shadows.
I’ve always been guilty of planning my postcontest approach well before the contest date myself. It’s just the endless cycle; when you’re ripped, you want to add size, when you’re big, you wanna rip up.
As far as ‘pearls of wisdom’, this is what I can throw your way:
-Enjoy your weekend. You’ve earned it, and unless you’ve scheduled a photoshoot, you can only do so much ‘damage’ in 24-48 hours.
-I like to lock my diet down come Monday. Usually I’ll refer back to what my diet looked like 2-3 weeks out from the show, and follow it for a week or two.
-If I do “cheat”, I limit it to once a day, and only on the weekend.
-Ideally, you will work your #s back up, slowly, incrementally, over the next couple of months.
-Your sensitivity to sugar, sodium (depending on your prep), and especially alcohol (hellooooo no-tolerance -lol) will be skewed quite a bit by the end of your prep, so go easy.
-Don’t just drop cardio completely. A lot of people do this, forgetting that their body has grown accustomed to a certain amount of calories expended each week. As such, even if your diet is perfect, your #s may suddenly be off.
-Contests are won in the offseason. Have a plan of what you need to work on.
These are just off the top of my head (and typed with one hand!) Hopefully you’re enjoying the competition. I did a similar thing to what you’re envisioning. My first show, I placed 3rd in the open (winning overall novice and masters). The following year I competed in the same show, nabbing the open overall. That’s a whole year focused on improving. Nothing feels as good as seeing your plans pan out like you hoped.
Let us know how the show turned out!
S[/quote]
G’day Stu, well unfortunately I didn’t earn any silverware from my first competition on saturday but it was a fantastic experience and it’s fair to say I’m now hooked on this … don’t have many photos to show as yet (organising some from the professional photographer who was there on the day + my old man who snapped some as well) … Below is a link to the lineup in my category (WFF class 1 - over 179cm & up to 87kg) …
Think my conditioning was fairly reasonable but SIZE was my downfall … I was about 74kg on stage and the guy who came second (centre stage, tallest competitor with the bald head) was 90kg the day before the show and apparently had to water deplete like crazy to make weight …
excited to get back into it tomorrow, stripping back my training to the basic compound lifts hard and heavy 3-4 times per week and a nutrition plan to match … It’s all about adding size slow and steady for the best part of the next year before I’ll give a few shows a shot again this time next year …
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just realised I didn’t even mention where I was in the above link - I’m the closest competitor in shot, on the far left (as you look at it)
The manager approached me before the summer about getting me in during one of my summer months off from work to train a few members who would sign up ahead of time (and pay more than a typical training session) as a special limited time thing. He pitched it as a “Train with WNBF Pro Stu Yellin - limited space available” type of deal -lol. Kinda cool considering that I never have time to physically train people anymore, only online coaching, so I guess in this case the more people recognize me, the better for everyone involved.