[quote]mom-in-MD wrote:
It’s been very interesting following along with this! You are a ‘Pro’ in my book! [/quote]
Lol, thanks. Technially, I won my Masters-Pro card last year, so now I guess I’m gunning for the Open card. I guess I could walk around telling everyone I’m a Masters-pro, but I’d much rather be able to just say ‘pro’
Hopefully with the shows I’ve lined up, everything will just come together perfectly in one of 'em,… still, you never know who else will show up (lost last time to a WNBF Pro in a USBF contest! -lol). Just gotta bring my A-game and let the chips fall where they may.
[quote]pumped340 wrote:
This seems to be going much more smoothly for you this time around Stu, congrats. Are you feeling pretty good throughout the day at this point or has the workload/low calories gotten to you?[/quote]
Considering what I’m putting my body though,… yeah, I am feeling pretty good. Even on the Low days, I’m just sort of so mentally locked down, that it doesn’t even bother me at this point. Something interesting is that on my high days (~300g carbs), even though my muscles look full, I’m actually a bit more sluggish than on the low days because my body isn’t used to processing that many carbs.
now…some advice from my wife, change your profile pic to one of these when she saw you profile pic she said it looked photo-shopped lol, so i showed her your pics here. But, now that she said it, your face does look a different color lol so i can see why people might think that. Good thing everyone here knows you
REK- I’ve heard that before. I was a bit hesitant to really glob on the Pro-Tan on my face -lol. I’ll try to subdue my natural sense of self preservation with the Dream Tan this time out
LTL- Thanks bro, but there’s still work to be done! Can’t relax yet,… Need to know that I did everything I could possibly have done come game day. It’s the only way, even if you don’t win, that you can hold your head high and be proud.
Wish I would have found this earlier but I’m in Big Stu! Looking really good man, just 22 days out. Gotta feel great being able to see the finish line. Come in clutch these last few weeks and you’ll do great
The cuts are coming in nicely on your quads. There’s a definite improvement week to week in the last two series of pics. Great work. Looking good overall.
Where would you approximate your BF in these last pics if you wouldn’t mind guessing?
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
…there’s still work to be done! Can’t relax yet,… Need to know that I did everything I could possibly have done come game day. It’s the only way, even if you don’t win, that you can hold your head high and be proud. [/quote]
I love it Stu. Go get 'em.
“The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking.” Mia Hamm
Thanks BULLETPROOF, I know my quads will be the last parts to really cut up, and even though I’m already seeing changes today, compared to the 3 days ago when I took the last set of shots, I’m still sporting much improved leg thickness over last year, which is what I was really hoping for.
Oh geez, I don’t know if I can guess,… I mean, so many people state their bodyfat levels and are sooooooo off the mark (I know, I know, everyone who works out claims to be under 10% -lol). All I know is that tonight, a few different people commented on the fibers and veins showing in my delts,… that’s a good enough indicator of my conditioning for me. Seriously though, it’s all about what you see in the mirror, the judges don’t measure your arms, nor do they start taking skin folds,… so while anyone who knows nothing about training, and asks me what bf% I’m at will get some standard answer (always 4%, because supposedly less than that is dead!), I know it’s a bogus response.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
REK- I’ve heard that before. I was a bit hesitant to really glob on the Pro-Tan on my face -lol. I’ll try to subdue my natural sense of self preservation with the Dream Tan this time out
[/quote]
I’ve noticed a lot of the pics of BBers on stage look photoshopped in pictures and I figured it was the stage lighting in contrast to the curtains is confusing to thee eye and makes the scene look unnatural.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Thanks BULLETPROOF, I know my quads will be the last parts to really cut up, and even though I’m already seeing changes today, compared to the 3 days ago when I took the last set of shots, I’m still sporting much improved leg thickness over last year, which is what I was really hoping for.
Oh geez, I don’t know if I can guess,… I mean, so many people state their bodyfat levels and are sooooooo off the mark (I know, I know, everyone who works out claims to be under 10% -lol). All I know is that tonight, a few different people commented on the fibers and veins showing in my delts,… that’s a good enough indicator of my conditioning for me. Seriously though, it’s all about what you see in the mirror, the judges don’t measure your arms, nor do they start taking skin folds,… so while anyone who knows nothing about training, and asks me what bf% I’m at will get some standard answer (always 4%, because supposedly less than that is dead!), I know it’s a bogus response.
S[/quote]
Right on! Thanks for the response Stu. I’d say you’re closer to 4.5%
OKay, we’re 3 weeks out, and I’ve begun counting down the actual days left in my journal. Looking at these pics, the cuts in the quads appear to be deepening with regularity (good! -lol), and if you can see closely, there are a few fibers, and even some veins appearing in my back (creepy?).
I’m still pushing for my waist to tighten more (a problem area last time too), but overall, so long as things keep moving, I won’t whine. I’m certain that if I don’t nail the first show, the one two weeks later will be dead on (which is the show I did last time, so that would be sweet if I did well there).
Weight-wise, I’ve begun noticing a difference in the scale numbers depending on how much fiber I have in me (ie. How many lbs of veggies I put down the night before!). My weight yesterday was 180.0 lbs, which is more than a few days earlier (179), but realizing the ‘swoosh’ effect of fat loss (see earlier replies in this thread), I’m sure I’ll drop down later in the week.
I knew I was going to weigh more overall this time out, so it’s just a matter of keeping the nose to the grind stone, and counting on the fake tan to really accent the grooves and ridges (the lighting in our gym locker room is horrible, but I want to keep the same locale each week in the pics).
Just back from a 2.5 week dream vacation in Indonesia and this is the first thread I check
Looking great, Stu! Your back poses are great. The ones from your posing routine are very nice! I wish I had your rear delts!
Things come together very well. No comes the most exciting phase of the prep: the last 3 weeks. This includes tanning, water manipulation and going from ripped to shredded-beyond-believe!
You are a ‘Pro’ in my book! [/quote]
