Pro Masters Contest at 64

Training Over 35 Lifter
281

Monday, September 3, 2007 - Labor (Labour) Day in the US

Weight: 146.6 pounds. Contest Goal: 150.0 pounds

With only five days until the 2007 NGA Pro Am World Cup in Atlanta, I worked extra hard in the gym this morning. My training partner was at his lake house for the weekend while I went to the gym on Saturday and today for a round of circuit training. For the legs exercises in the circuit, I flexed my quads and hamstrings.

I ended the session with a moderate tread mill walk. I’m hungry for food and to do well on Saturday. Several friends from Georgia and Alabama are coming to the contest. I’m looking forward to a fun competition and a fun post-contest fete.

282

Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - Four Days Until the 2007 NGA Pro Am World Cup in Atlanta

Weight: 147.0 lbs. - 66.82 kgs.

My training partner and I continued circuit training as I close in to my contest date a few days from now. He did the legs and calves exercises while I flexed those muscles. After our four circuits, I did a moderate tread mill walk and practiced posing, holding my poses for five seconds without shaking. I am feeling good, but a little weak. I am looking forward to the carb load on Thursday and Friday. I’m pumped about this contest.

283

Wednesday, September 5, 2007. Three Days Until the 2007 NGA ProAm World Cup in Atlanta

Weight: 146.2 (Post Workout: 145.0)

I am ready! We completed our final circuit training session (at least I did) today in preparation for my Master Pro contest on Saturday. Tomorrow I will practice posing and flexing, that’s all.

On Friday, I will travel from Birmingham, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia, about a 2 1/2 hour drive, to check in and attend a 6:00 PM athlete’s meeting. I am upbeat, pumped, hungry and excited about this contest. Tomorrow I will begin a two-day carb load to fill out my muscle bellies. I am hard, lean and vascular. It will only get better.

284

Thursday, September 6, 2007 - Check In Tomorrow for the 2007 NGA Pro Am World Cup in Atlanta

Weight: 145.2 - On Target for My Carb Load

I’m ready. This morning, I practiced my posing at home, then I did a full-body shave and exfoliation to prepare for my first of two professional spray tan applications this evening. I will have the second coat applied Friday morning before I leave for Atlanta. I will apply one coat of Dream Tan II at the venue on Saturday before I step onto the stage.

I believe I am in the best condition of my life for this show. I worked very hard to come in this way. It’s my first Master Pro show and I want to represent!

The actual name of my portion of the 2007 NGA Pro Am World Cup is the 1st Annual Superman PRO Grand Master’s Classic Championship. It’s a Master Pro 50+ age class competition. At 64, I will probably be the oldest athlete in the class. I am counting on conditioning to help me overcome any age difference.

285

Friday, September 7, 2007 - Check in Today for the 2007 NGA Pro Am World Cup in Atlanta

Weight: 146.8

Well, this is it. This morning, I prepared brown rice and talapia for my pre-contest meals. I also have some rice cakes for snacks. I will shower off the “dust” from my first spray tan and have the second coat applied this morning. I will shower again in the morning and then apply a coat of Dream Tan II just before prejudging.

I will practice posing and go over my individual routine a few times before I leave Birmingham for the two and-a-half hour drive to Atlanta. The competitors meeting and drug test is at 6 PM at the host hotel.

I have done the best I can to prepare for this contest. I believe I am in the best shape of my life for this show. I will do everything I can to step onto the stage tomorrow with my best package. Then, it’s up to the judges. I’m very excited about this show and feel I have paid close attention to the minute details of contest preparation. I’m ready.

As I enter my first Master Pro competition, I want to thank you for your interest, support and encouragement. It’s been a fun ride for me and I hope you have found my log to be of some interest.

Scott “Old Navy” Hults

286

i am enjoying this ride as well! you are a true inspiration, old navy!!!

287

[quote]lil_azn wrote:
i am enjoying this ride as well! you are a true inspiration, old navy!!! [/quote]

Thanks, lil_azn. Hang on Lady, there’s more to come.

Sunday, September 9th & Monday, September 10, 2007

2007 NGA Pro Am World Cup - 1st Annual Grand Masters 50+ Pro Classic

Saturday, September 8th

Results: Third Place - Contest Photos:

http://bodybuildingsenior.com/photos2007.htm

The competition was held at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. It was a very good venue in which to compete. The auditorium was large and the stage was very well lit, with a good sound system. It was a big show, with 105 superb men and women amateur and pro athletes. The support back stage was excellent. There were large dressing rooms, a huge pump up area, and plenty of water and bananas. The facilitators were friendly and organized.

The show did run long. The athletes showed up at 9 AM for a meeting. The show started a few minutes after 10 AM and my class was the last one out at Prejudging and we walked onto the stage at 2:15 PM. The night show started a little after 7 PM and ended at 1:30 AM. Fortunately, the promoter reversed the order and my Grand Masters Pro Class went on as the sixth group and we finished by 8:30 PM.

I really enjoyed my first Master Pro competition. I have been looking forward to this event since I won my NGA Master Pro card at this same show in 2006. There were four of us on stage and the winner was no surprise. He is 10-year NGA Pro, who met the age requirement and stepped over to the Master Pro circuit at this show.

He was big, hard, lean and cut and deserved the victory. Second place went to a 59 year-old veteran, who was competing in his 92nd contest in eight years. I placed Third, and Fourth place went to a 50 year-old athlete who won his NGA Master Pro card earlier this year.

I had a great time doing my 90-second posing routine and the large audience was very appreciative. I bring this up because of something that occurred after the show. Andrew Bostinto, the President of the NGA was in the audience. I am scheduled to judge a new NGA show next Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee. Itâ¿¿s the NGA Music City Night of Champions.

After watching my routine, Andy asked if I would be his Guest Poser in addition to judging his show next week. I said, “Sure. I would enjoy doing that.” So, I will judge during prejudging and the first part of the evening show. I will slip back stage just before the intermission and do a quick prep to come on stage right after intermission and do a couple of my routines for the audience.

Then, I will return to the judges table for the rest of the show. It will be my third Guest Poser appearance this year.

This week, after two weeks of circuit training, I resume heavy lifting, except for my legs. I will have to go easy on the legs this week because of my Guest Posing appearance. While I won’t be 100% contest ready on Saturday, I don’t want to show up with flat quads and hamstrings, so I will do some extensions, leg curls, flexing and calve raises. but nothing too heavy.

My next contest is in eight weeks, the 2007 FAME North American and US Nationals Pro Masters Championships in Miami, Florida on November 3rd. I will compete in the Men’s Masters Pro 55+ class.

288

Excellent accomplishment, Scott. For you first Pro meet, you did excellent. Congratulations.

289

yahoo old navy!

290

thanks Stew and Lil_azn. By the way, Lady, your Avatar Rocks! You are awesome.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Weight: 146.0

Today, my training partner and I began The Griffin - High Intensity Power Training Plan

The Griffin (Greek, Persian, “lion-eagle”) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head, with upstanding ear-tufts, and wings of an eagle: as the lion was considered the “King of the Beasts” and the eagle the “King of the Air,” the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.

Weight training is two-days on, one-day off, one-day on, one-day off - repeat. On off days, do cardio.

Week One - Go to positive failure on all sets and rest 90-seconds between sets.

Day One - Chest, Deltoids & Triceps

Incline Dumbbell Press - 4 x 9 - 55 pound dumbbells
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press - 3 x 9 - 60 pound dumbbells
Dips - 3 x 15

Lateral Raises - 4 x 9 - 20 pound dumbbells
Bent Over Lateral Raises - 3 x 9 - 50 pound dumbbells
Dumbbell Flyes - 3 x 15 - 40 pound dumbbells

Close Grip Bench Press - 2 x 9 - 100 pounds
Triceps Press Downs - 2 x 9 - 70 pounds
Decline Barbell Skull Crushers - 2 x 15 - 70 pounds

Incline Bench Crunches - 4 x 25
Tread Mill Session - 20 minutes

This was a Fun session.

291

Congrats, you’re looking amazing as always! It’s hard to hold conditioning that long and you’ve done alot of shows this year. The fact that you come in looking better each time is AMAZING!

292

Thanks for noticing, Hot AZ…another great Avatar. Wow!

We all know conditioning is the toughest part of contest prep. I work really hard at it and almost (LOL) never cheat. 80% of what we are trying to accomplish is done with the diet and 20% in the gym. That’s the secret.

293

Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - Four Days Until the 2007 NGA Music City Night of Champions, Nashville, Tennessee

I am judging and will be the Guest Poser at this new NGA show in Nashville.

Weight: 147.0

Today, I trained solo, as my training partner had a early business meeting.

The Griffin - High Intensity Power Training Plan

The Griffin (Greek, Persian, “lion-eagle”) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head, with upstanding ear-tufts, and wings of an eagle: as the lion was considered the “King of the Beasts” and the eagle the “King of the Air,” the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.

Weight training is two-days on, one-day off, one-day on, one-day off - repeat. On off days, do cardio.

Week One - Go to positive failure on all sets and rest 90-seconds between sets.

Day Two - Back and Biceps

Pull Ups - 5 x 10 (wide, narrow and hammer grip)
Seated Cable Rows - 4 x 9 - 120 pounds
Lat Cable Pull Downs - 4 x 9 - 120 pounds
Rack Dead Lifts - 2 x 20 - 150 pounds

Dumb Bell Curls - 2 x 9 - 35 pounds
Incline Dumb Bell Curls - 2 x 9 - 30 pounds
Hammer Curls - 2 x 15 - 25 pounds

The Dead Lifts were the only exercise that left me breathless.

294

Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - Three Days Until the 2007 NGA Music City Night of Champions in Nashville, Tennessee.

I’m really looking forward to judging at this new show for the NGA and appearing on stage as the Guest Poser. I’ll do two routines after intermission.

Weight: 147.0

The Griffin - High Intensity Power Training Plan - Week One, Day Three

Today was a non-weight training day and we dedicated our time to abs, push ups and cardio

Hanging Leg Lifts - 4 x 25
Slant Board Crunches - 4 x 25
Machine Crunches - 4 x 25
Push Ups - 4 x 25

20 minutes of flat, moderate speed tread mill

I had fun doing 100 Leg Lifts, 200 crunches and 100 push ups. Sweet.

295

Thursday, September 13, 2007, Two Days Until the 2007 NGA Music City Night of Champions, Nashville, Tennessee

Contest Judge and Guest Poser

Weight: 148.0

I am treating this like I would any other contest. I took today off from weight training and instead flexed, stretched and posed. I did a full body shave and exfoliation this morning in preparation for the first of two professional spray tans I will get starting this evening.

I still have a little skin color left from the spray tan/Dream Tan II applications last weekend, so I will only do the two professional sprays and then apply a little posing oil just before I go on for my Guest Posing appearance. I will not apply Dream Tan II for this show.

I’m looking forward to contributing to this new National Gym Association (NGA) event. It’s the first NGA show in the state of Tennessee and the new NGA State Chairman for Tennessee, Marty Lotito, is promoting the contest. Marty is a Class Guy.

296

Friday and Saturday, September 14, 15 - 2007 NGA Music City Night of Champions, Nashville, Tennessee

I left Birmingham, Alabama for the three-hour drive to Nashville at noon on Friday. Other than tornado warnings and some rain, the trip was uneventful. I attended a judges meeting at 7:30 PM and then practiced my posing routine in my hotel room and watched some TV.

On Saturday, the judges met again at 9 AM and Prejudging started at 11:00. The Evening Show started at 6 PM and I made my Guest Posing appearance right after the intermission. I had fun doing my two routines and the audience seemed to enjoy them, too.

This was the first ever NGA show in the State of Tennessee. Although it was a small show, all of the athletes were very competitive and all of us judges were NGA Pros. In order to launch drug-free competitions in Tennessee, the president of the NGA, Andy Bostinto, declared that this show be a Pro Qualifier, and three Pro Cards were awarded, one to the Open Men’s winner, one to the Open Women’s winner and one to the Overall Figure winner.

The contest ran smoothly, in a great venue, the TPAC - Tennessee Performing Arts Center, with a good stage, lighting and sound system. The dressing rooms were roomy and there was plenty of water and snacks for the competitors.

The show’s promoter, Marty Lotito, who is the NGA State Chairman for Tennessee, announced there will be two NGA shows a year in Tennessee, which will include a NGA Pro Show in 2008.

After the show, the promoter invited the competitors, their families and any ticket holders from the audience who cared to come, to an after-party at a local watering hole. Nice touch. The promoter paid for several pizzas for the hungry athletes.

I got up at 5:30 AM on Sunday, drove home to Birmingham and arrived in time for Church. My wife and I will enjoy a non-contest dinner together tonight.

297

Monday, September 17, 2007 - Seven weeks until my final pro show of the year

2007 FAME US Nationals - North American Championships, Miami, November 3rd,
Men’s Master Pro 55+ class

Weight: 148.0

The Griffin - High Intensity Power Training Plan

The Griffin (Greek, Persian, “lion-eagle”) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head, with upstanding ear-tufts, and wings of an eagle: as the lion was considered the “King of the Beasts” and the eagle the “King of the Air,” the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.

Week One - Since our training was limited last week due to my training partner’s illness and my contest prep, we restarted the plan today.

Day One - Chest, Deltoids & Triceps

Incline Dumbbell Press - 4 x 9 - 60 pound dumbbells
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press - 3 x 9 - 65 pound dumbbells
Dips - 3 x 15

Lateral Raises - 4 x 9 - 25 pound dumbbells
Bent Over Lateral Raises - 3 x 9 - 50 pound dumbbells
Dumbbell Flyes - 3 x 15 - 45 pound dumbbells

Close Grip Bench Press - 2 x 9 - 120 pounds
Triceps Press Downs - 2 x 9 - 75 pounds
Decline Barbell Skull Crushers - 2 x 15 - 70 pounds

Incline Bench Crunches - 2 x 25
Hanging Leg Lifts - 2 x 25

We increased the weight on each exercise from last week by five pounds. Sweet.

298

Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - Training for the 2007 FAME US Nationals and North American Championships, Miami, Florida, November 3rd.

Weight: 150.4

Today, I trained solo, as my training partner is still under the weather.

The Griffin - High Intensity Power Training Plan

The Griffin (Greek, Persian, “lion-eagle”) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head, with upstanding ear-tufts, and wings of an eagle: as the lion was considered the “King of the Beasts” and the eagle the “King of the Air,” the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.

Week One - Go to positive failure on all sets and rest 90-seconds between sets.

Day Two - Back and Biceps

Pull Ups - 5 x 10 (wide, narrow, biceps and hammer grip)
Seated Cable Rows - 4 x 9 - 125 pounds
Lat Cable Pull Downs - 4 x 9 - 130 pounds
Rack Dead Lifts - 2 x 20 - 160 pounds

Dumb Bell Curls - 2 x 9 - 40 pounds
Incline Dumb Bell Curls - 2 x 9 - 35 pounds
Hammer Curls - 2 x 15 - 25 pounds

I managed to increase my weight by 5 pounds on most sets. The Dead Lifts Killed.

299

Just out of interest - why do the deadlifts take you out more than some of the other exercises? Is it running low on breath over all those reps?

I’m impressed with your dip and pullup reps by the way!

300

Thanks for your question.

I try to dead lift more than my body weight. I do each rep slowly and fully. Sometimes I have a little trouble holding on to the bar with my grip. As you know, it’s a full-body exercise and takes more energy than it does working on a single body part, like biceps or lats. I’m usually spent after each set and it takes me a little longer to recover before I do the next set. I make it a point to finish the last rep with as much power as I used for the first rep.