The Next Leg of the Journey

May 28, 2012 Memorial Day Weekend & There's No Place I'd Rather Be
It is now 6 weeks out from Team Universe, and time for a visit to my trainer to go through posing and work on presentation because it doesn't do any good to have the "package" but not be able to showcase it to your best!

The drive was only a few hours away, but I thought it best to drive up the night before, get a good night rest and be ready to start fresh with posing on Monday morning. Besides, its all about enjoying the journey & I don't want to miss a beat!

I am participating in Skip LaCour's Mass Machine Bulking & Cutting Challenge, and we have weekly homework assignments and progress photos due Monday mornings before 8 AM. I made sure to get my photos taken and my assignment complete and emailed out before I left for my trip on Sunday, but I wanted to expand on the homework assignment, which was on goal setting. Previously, I had purchased Thinking Big, which includes a chapter on goals setting, so I already had some goals set but with my switch to Physique, those goals now needed updating! So, I took my 3 must have books with me and after I arrived at my hotel & got settled, it was the perfect time to work further on my goals and the development of my "dream life".

After I finished my 10 year goals, it was time to hit the hay! Set the alarm for 5:30 to hit morning cardio in the hotel before hitting the road for my posing session. This was a good jump start to my morning & a good way to get the muscles loosened up & my mind prepared for the flexing and the day ahead!

After that, it was shower, pack up & hit the road! I knew I had up to a 3 hour posing session ahead so I planned to arrive to the studio early and eat my meal in the parking lot while I waited for the studio to open, but was just a hair behind & had to get the meal in while driving! I arrived at the "studio" with a few minutes to spare, so I decided to do a quick Video To Start The Day! Can't you just see the excitement in my eyes!

When I saw the blue Corvette rolling up, I knew my trainer arrived! Lisa told me there was another Physique Competitor, Toni, coming so we would be posing together. She would also be competing at the Team Universe. This worked out great. Toni was a former Figure competitor transitioning to Physique so the poses were quite different for her. On the other hand, I am a bodybuilder transitioning to Physique, so the poses are different for me as well but from a different light. We also had different Physiques, each with our own assets. She had amazing leg size, which she attributed to training with her boyfriend, IFBB pro Jose Raymond.

We had a great posing session, learning the poses that look best on each of our physiques. In Physique Competition, there is a lot more variety in posing, so finding the pose that looks best on you is all that much more challenging & important. One thing that I was glad Lisa reminded me is that some of the judges call poses different names. For instance, I am using to hearing a head judge call out "Front Double Bicep". Lisa informed me that some of the head judges are calling this pose "Front Overhead Pose" which would have really thrown me for a loop if I would have heard this called-out and not been warned. The smallest things can mean so much, which is why I made this drive!

After a great posing session and discussions on contest prep, there was just one more thing I needed before hitting the road - a photo!

The studio was closing at noon, and it was time for me to move on to the next leg of the journey. I had previously located a Gold's Gym in Dundalk, MD just a few miles away and in the direction I was headed home. I called the day before to check their hours and I was in luck, they were open until 4PM which gave me plenty of time to get in a great workout!

The gym didn't look like much from the outside, but was actually very nice inside! Its always great to visit different gyms. As I started my calve workout, I really enjoyed the variety of calve equipment & the different feel I was getting.

Then I moved on to shoulders and finally to my second cardio session for the day, 30 minutes on the stepmill. Then it was time to shower, & hit the road home!

All in all, my trip went great and so did my travels. That is except for the excitement I had when I had to wait in line at a toll plaza on I-95, right before the tunnel, and the Jeep began to overheat & the the check-engine light came on. Son of a brick! And the worst part - its meal time & this is the one-hour post workout window! I can't miss this meal! What am I to do, lets get through the toll plaza & into the tunnel, no other option. Thankfully when I began to move, the Jeep cooled off quickly. Seems my water was low & as long as I was moving I was fine! A little worry in the back of my head all the way home, but no worries, God can part water so He can put water in my Jeep too to get me through until I get home!

Growing up, my brother always got to be the driver & navigator during our family vacations. It has taken some getting used to traveling alone & being self-dependent but fear will only limit you and the only way to overcome it is to walk through it.

Traveling during competition season, carrying all my meals, staying on schedule, and finding gyms. These are all challenges as well that can limit you if you if you steer clear from them due to fear of failure of not accomplishing your daily disciplines to meet your goals. Don't let fear limit you - know, you can & take advantage of every opportunity!

Until the next leg!

NPC Pittsburgh Bodybuilding Championships, May 5th 2012

Had a great trip to the NPC Pittsburgh Bodybuilding Championships this past weekend. I competed in this show for years before winning the overall in the women's bodybuilding class in 2008. Since then, I have encouraged many competitors in my gym to compete in this show as it is one of the largest shows within a few hours driving distance. It also hosts the top Olympia competitors as guest posers each year which makes it a great experience and opportunity to meet and talk to the best in the sport.

This year, my friend Cyndi Detwiler was competing in the  Physique Division. Ever since last year when she decided to compete in the show again this year, I had planned to attend & lend support. Long before it had crossed my mind to compete in Women's Physique this year at the Team Universe, Cyndi had decided to compete in the Physique class verses Bodybuilding class at the NPC Pittsburgh. It was the perfect opportunity for me to watch my first Physique show!

This trip would be a bit different from past trips because I would be in contest preparation for the Team Universe which will be held July 6th-7th. This meant I would need to pack all my meals, make sure I had a great workout between prejudging and the evening show, and keep everything on schedule. There was quite a bit of packing to do Saturday morning including a cooler filled with nearly 14 meals and supplements to last the two day trip. Clothes were the least of my worries, but I am finding out that the longer I am in this sport, the more of a lifestyle it becomes and the more "normal" it seems to travel fully prepared and be able to carry out everything as scheduled.

Saturday at noon, my friend Kathy & I hit the road on our girls trip! Cyndi was headed down separately with her family.

I am competing in Skip LaCour's Mass Machine Bulking & Cutting Challenge. Mass Machines have a signature pose called MASS MACHINEING. In the photo to the right, me & Kathy surround Cyndi MASS MACHINEING in front of the venue, the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh, PA.

Another friend from the gym, Ben Broy, was also competing in the show for the first time. He was traveling alone so I filled in as camera girl and tanning support.

After Ben & Cyndi had finished the morning prejudging, the show continued with fitness & figure but I couldn't keep focus because I was dying to hit the gym & get my workout in to make sure everything stayed on track! It takes a bit of discipline to hit the gym between prejudging and the evening show when everyone else is relaxing & enjoying the break. However, if there is one thing Skip LaCour has taught us in the Mass Machine Bulking & Cutting Challenge, it is the importance and benefits of carrying out your daily disciplines in reaching your goals. I have always been a very disciplined person & I know it pays off.

Last year, although I wasn't in competition season, I wanted to make sure to get my workout in between the morning & evening shows. No one else wanted to work out, so I went alone. I arrived at the gym about 3:30 and was informed that they close at 4:00. However, I was later told that an employee would be staying late at the gym, so & I could continue with my workout. I found out why the gym was staying open late when then Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler came walking in with his trainer Haney Rambod, followed by IFBB pro Kevin Levrone, and Seth Feroce. They were shooting a video and I had the opportunity to be working out and later watch when I had finished my workout. I had no camera, only my cell phone. I had
never taken a photo with my phone, but quickly learned how. I managed to get these two photos saved to my phone:

Later I was told by someone at the gym that they had watched a video on the Muscular Development website (Jay Cutler & Seth Feroce Blast Back with the Pro Creator) and I was in the background. I looked the video up & sure enough, there I was doing hanging leg raises in the background while  the IFBB pros did bar rows.

This year, I headed to the gym alone again. Its a neat gym, very nostalgic, and as I trained I felt very blessed to be in that gym, training, in a place where I know so many champions have trained and do train. As I trained, I noticed a gentleman who seemed to be giving a tour of the gym to some folks, showing them some of the classic photos on the wall, etc. I went about my ab training. As I began my arm workout and finished my first set of tricep pushdowns, the gentleman walked over, grabbed my wrist, and as I took off my headphones said in a serious tone, "don't break anything".  I wasn't training extra hard, just training like I always do with intensity. It was nice to know that just training like the person I am gets noticed, and I thanked him jokingly for the concern.

No pros in sight when I entered, but later as I walked into another room I noticed a camera man filming IFBB pros Evan Centopani and Seth Feroce. One of the Mass Machines in the Challenge spotted me in this video at Muscular Development of their training session that day & sent it my way. You see me in the background (can't miss me in red) starting about 5 minutes in & continuing through to the end. The photo below was taken later that evening when they guest posed at the show.

After I finished my workout and headed for my post-workout shake, I checked my phone and found the photo to the right in my inbox. Seems my friend, Kathy, who decided not to work out and stayed at the hotel was outside when she noticed IFBB pro Kai Greene sitting alone on a bench outside the motel. She didn't have her camera, but knew this was the perfect opportunity to get a photo and tease me as she knows Kai is one of my favorite IFBB pros. She asked Kai if it bothered him when people came up to him interrupting his quiet time alone. He said not really. She told him she had a friend that was a big fan & all she had was her cell phone and no one else was around to take the photo. He suggested they take a photo of themselves and with a couple of tries, viola!

Later, as Kai guest posed at the show, we caught up with him again where we took the photo to the left. He showed so much energy and seemed to be enjoying every moment of his guest posing appearance, and the crowd LOVED him!

If you have never seen Kai guest pose, you should, here's a few of his outstanding moves!

Wearing His Signature Mask

 
 Other awesome guest posers at the show included reigning Mr. Olympia, Phil Heath, IFBB pros Dexter Jackson, Branch Warren, Evan Centopani, Seth Feroce, and Steve Kuclo.

From Left to Right, Dexter Jackson, Branch Warren, Seth Feroce, Kai Greene, Evan Centopani, Steve Kuclo pull some up & coming stars to the stage

Reigning Mr Olympia Phil Heath

 Another highlight was getting to meet the ProCreator, creator of the FST-7 training program, Haney Rambod.

Cyndi placed fourth in her first competition as a Physique Competitor and I was very proud of her. Ben placed fifth in the Masters Over 35 Division in his first competition ever. Just setting foot on stage for the first time is a success in itself!

There ends another great weekend. Only 9 more weeks until it will be show time for me.

Team Universe Contest Prep Begins!

This date has been on my calendar for quite some time - the countdown to the beginning of my contest prep. I have been looking forward to this day for more reasons than one. First off, I am very excited about the package I will unveil this year! Second, I am looking forward to getting a few pounds off and being able to eat a bit less food! I have been taking in 3,300 calories for the past several months and working to get my weight up. My meals have always been all whole food with the exception of a post-workout shake making it quite a chore to both cook & eat. I am also more comfortable at a lower body weight; however, the goal this year was to gain muscle and get my body weight up to at least 140 lbs. I am beginning my contest prep at 144 pounds and feel I have gained a lot of muscle; however, some fat gain is to be expected with muscle gain. I'll be looking forward to my ultimate lean physique that we will be unveiling at this years Team Universe on July 6th & 7th!

The hardest part of beginning contest prep has been waiting on my competition plan to arrive from my trainer. I am a planner so I like to know exactly what to expect so I can get my grocery shopping done and get everything squared away ahead of time. Working with a trainer you don't always know what to expect & can't always plan ahead. The first phase of my contest prep arrived yesterday around noon. It was immediately time to kick it into high gear, see what I needed to get from the grocery store, what supplements I would need to order, & get food prepared for today & for this week. Starting a new plan is always challenging because you get so used to your previous meal plan that you know exactly how to cook things most efficiently and what you will need from the grocery store. You also have your meal plan embedded in your mind so you can quickly pack what you need take to work with you each day without the fear you will forget something. When you start a new plan, you have to rework your brain and rework your preparation process to some extent but it doesn't take long until you are up & running full speed again!

The first phase of my competition diet is really more of a clean-up phase with a moderate calorie reduction. Most people would consider my previous meal plan "clean" but it was clean/dirty in that I was able to eat some "normal" good tasting foods. For instance, my favorite meal on my off-season plan was a Mission Tortilla stuffed with black beans, rice, & lean burger. My new plan consists of very basic foods like chicken, rice, and veggies. I have found that it actually feels good to switch to these "very clean" foods and they are still actually quite tasty to me. The calories are still very high at this time. In fact they are higher than what I had eaten in my bulking phase in previous off-seasons. That just goes to show how efficiently you can get your metabolism to run after years of eating on a schedule, eating consistently and consistently good, and hard training.

My training programs are always different with a different workout every day for the 4 week phase. This keeps me very interested in my training program which keeps my motivation levels high & keeps me performing at my best which is what is needed for muscle growth. One common theme always underlies my program and that is lift as heavy as possible with form that is good enough to activate the target muscle.

Road to Team Universe - Fork In the Road - My Journey Takes a New Direction!

Monday, April 2nd, two weeks out from the start date of my competition training program, I emailed my trainer to discuss the upcoming competition as I was eagerly planning my attack! I wanted to make sure we had everything set to start. I was almost out of Creatine & I wanted to make sure my competition program would include it before I placed the order for it. I will be using Mass Machine MM1000 creatine during my training program. When I asked the question of my trainer, she jokingly responded to my email, "You ready to roll? LOL Can't wait to see the results from your hard work!"

Of course I said yes, I am ready to roll!! We began some discussions about my path. My trainer, IFBB pro Lisa Aukland, asked me if I had considered competing in the Physique class? My response was, "When Physique first came out I thought it would be where I'd best fit in if I wanted to compete in National level non-tested shows like Nationals & USA, but when I decided to compete in Team Universe (a tested show), I hadn't really thought about it.

Lisa said I'm not trying to change your mind, just keep an open mind.At first, I have to admit, my mind was pretty closed which I now realize was lack of understanding, and there is probably a LOT of it out there. My curiosity was sparked. I hadn't really looked at Physique, maybe I should learn more about it, just keep an open mind but I really didn't think it was for me. I began to research and thought long & hard, but the more I researched, the more I realized that this is where I really want to be! It took me over a week to decide this, but now that I have made the decision I am 100 percent confident in it & more excited than ever!

What did I learn in my research that influenced my decision & why did I decide that this is where I want to be? I could hear Skip saying, you have to decide who you are, what you want, as he has given me this advice before about different aspects during the Bulking & Cutting Challenge. First of all, Joy Henderson is NOT one to take the easy way out & I wanted to make sure the decision to compete in Physique was NOT going to be an easy way out. So the question was who are these Physique Competitor's? Who are the pros? Who will I be competing with as a pro once I earn my pro card in Physique?

One look at these pro girls at the 2012 IFBB Desert Muscle Classic and 2012 St. Louis Pro and you will find that they ARE very serious buisness just like me!

What is the judging criteria for Physique? From the NPC rules:
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE DIVISION (HERIN REFERRED TO AS “WP”) HAS BEEN CREATED TO GIVE A PLATFORM FOR WOMEN WHO ENJOY WEIGHT TRAINING, COMPETING AND  CONTEST PREPERATION. COMPETITORS SHOULD DISPLAY A TONED, ATHLETIC PHYSIQUE SHOWCASING FEMININITY, MUSCLE TONE, BEAUTY/ FLOW OF PHYSIQUE.
JUDGING CRITERIA:  
WP WILL BE JUDGED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA :
 SYMMETRY, SHAPE, PROPORTION, MUSCLE TONE, POISE AND BEAUTY FLOW

If you look at my contest photos, you'll see that I've always been an artistic poser with a classic physique and I work hard on providing overall presentation. I have been told my strong points are symmetry, stage-presence, conditioning. Women's Physique IS who I am! 

Is this who I want to be?  After I turn pro, what is in my future? By the way, this isn't even a question I would have thought about asking myself before I read Skip La Cour's Thinking Big. In Physique I have a future! I CAN successfully compete as a pro Physique competitor and there are a large number of IFBB Physique shows each year.

So now, I have my path, a clear path and I PLAN, yes, I said PLAN, not hope, to earn my pro card at the 2012 Team Universe in the Women's Physique division. Why do I emphasize the word plan? Well get Skip La Cour's Manformation and find out for yourself!

Contest prep begins in 5 days!

2011 Thinking Big

After winning the middleweight class at the 2010 Team Universe and qualifying for the World's Championships, I realized that the next step for me was to make the improvements to my physique that would enable me to improve on my 2010 Team Universe middleweight win with an Overall win and obtain my pro card while earning another opportunity to compete at the World's Championships. I knew this would take time and hard work not to mention determination, dedication, and motivation to succeed like never before. I felt I needed to regroup, take the time I needed to make these improvements before stepping on stage again. With that in mind, I decided to take 2011 off from competition and I feel it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Why? Because this is when I began to really Think Big!

I worked for a year on my own and felt I was making good progress, but missed the motivation, inspiration, accountability, and support that a trainer provides. I recalled meeting IFBB pro Lisa Aukland at the 2010 Philadelphia Championships and how enthusiastic she was about me and the positive energy and feedback she provided. I contacted her through her website to inquire about personal training and thanked her for her feedback at the Philadelphia Championships while telling her of my success at the 2010 Team Universe. Her response was very positive and I keep it as reminder to me, "Yes, of course I remember you, you have a beautiful physique with loads of potential and I would love to help you win the 2012 Team Universe!"
So off our journey together began, and we have been working together ever since on our quest for this year's Team Universe win!

As my bodybuilding training experience evolves I have begun to realize the power of my mind. The mind controls the body and I knew that if I could strengthen my mind I could strengthen my body and reach my goals.  That is when I began to search on-line for books on this topic and came across Skip La Cour's book Thinking Big. When I read just the first paragraph with this statement, I knew this book was exactly what I needed, "I know from personal experience, as well as from experiences of other top bodybuilders, what human beings are capable of when we have the right mental attitude." - Skip La Cour, Thinking Big.  


The more I read in Thinking Big the more I wanted to read. It was truly outstanding and helped me work through the bodybuilding process by first helping me realize that all the hard work & effort I had been putting in over the past 10 years of bodybuilding where NOT obsessive, anal, or a waste of time or any of those other things a few select individuals had said to me in the past, instead, they were the sign of a champion! As Skip Lacour says in Thinking Big, I was taking on the challenge of being natural AND outstanding!

Thinking Big is set up as a workbook and helps you work through your bodybuilding process including determining your goals in bodybuilding and much more .... in life! Thinking Big helped me identify what I truly wanted to accomplish with my bodybuilding and my life and realize everything I was doing was done for a reason, for a purpose, to reach my goals. Thinking Big walked me through the goal setting process and how to formulate ways to turn my dreams to real life goals with steps to accomplish them. Having these goals reinforces all the hard work and effort I have been putting into my bodybuilding. I realize there is a reason for everything I do. It is paying and will continue pay off. It is worth while, and helping me accomplish my goals, not just short term, but long term. Thinking Big is a real tool to help you determine exactly where you are going in life and where you want to go, not just now, but in two-years, five-years, ten-years, and years to come. Knowing the purpose to your life and the steps to take to get there is extremely enlightening, motivating, and powerful, and there is so much more in Thinking Big that just this including techniques to take your workouts to a higher level and get the most out of them. Of course, I couldn't stop there, I had to order Thinking Big II as well and can't say enough about the value of these books. The workbook style really helps you get the most of it, and I see why Skip La Cour refers to his program as "Results University". If you want to make the most of yourself, your life, and your workouts, eliminate confusion about where you are going and how to get there and get there quicker,  I can't encourage you enough to invest in Thinking Big and Thinking Big II. Thanks so much Skip La Cour for your powerful tools and the difference they have made and are making in my life! We are going to see some major results in 2012 at the Team Universe!

2010 Climbing Back Up That Ladder!

In 2010 I hit the drawing board again and began researching new training philosophies. It was a whole new start for me since I hadn't designed my own training routines since 2006. I came across the FST-7 training principle which interested me very much & as I read about it it seemed to be exactly what I needed, so I put it to work hard!! That was really the key - hard work & dedication - that's what gets you results no matter what program you use.

I decided to try my hand at the 2010 Team Universe because this time I was bound & determined I would be ready! Once again I wanted a warm-up show, but what to do? I decided on the Tracey Greenwood Philadelphia Championships in P.A. since it was a few weeks ahead of the Team Universe and not too far away from home.

This time, one of my good girlfriends accompanied me & we had a ball! For her it was a whole new learning experience of how to apply competition tanning products & walking around with an "orange girl".

I placed second in the middleweight class and this was great! Why? Because I would go ask the judges what I could improve upon for the Team Universe I would be competing in during the next few weeks & this is where I heard lots of positive feedback & most importantly met my current trainer, IFBB pro Lisa Auckland who was one of the judges and had only great things to say about me and my physique.

Center in Photo

Right in Photo

Center in Photo

Center in Photo

I added these photos from the evening show because I think they really show how I was feeling - having a great time & enjoying the journey, proud of my hard work!

After the Show the Pizza Never Tasted So Good!

After the Tracey Greenwood Philadelphia Championships, I had a few weeks to make improvements to get ready for the Team Universe. My biggest question was should I drop weight? I was a middleweight weighing 128 for the Philadelphia Championships but the weight classes are different for Team Universe with a cut-off for the middleweight class at 125.5#. I had a choice of dropping another 3 pounds and coming in as a middleweight which is the class I had competed in before at the Team U or sticking where I was at 128 and going in on the low end of the heavyweight class. When I asked for the judges advice at Philadelphia on which way I should go (middle or heavyweight), I got mixed opinions. I made the choice to kick the cardio and the diet back into high gear and drop those extra pounds. I am certainly glad I did because I won the middleweight class and found myself standing on stage battling for the Overall and a chance at that coveted pro card! Not only that but all Team Universe weight class winners qualify for the World's Championships!

I have to say that right before I went on stage to compete for the Overall thoughts started going through my head like, what if I do turn pro? What am I going to do? Will I accept the pro card and compete as a pro? All these years & I am finally here? Now what? I can't imagine that I had never really thought this through in my head & I am glad that I have now thanks to Skip La Cour and his powerful book Thinking Big which has helped me think through the bodybuilding process even more & determine exactly what I want from my bodybuilding journey.

As it turned out, I did not win the Overall title and the 2010 Team Universe and turn pro; however, I what I did have was a whole new experience to add to my life journey & a chance to compete in the World Championships! The next thing to do was find out about the World's Championships! Where would it be held, how do I get registered, how will this all work? I knew it was in October, and it was July now, how do I hold my conditioning and come in even better at the World's Championships? These were all questions running through my head and having no trainer would have to work out for myself. I was so excited at this opportunity, but at the same time, I now had to revamp my plans for the off-season and relaxation and focus on my new goal - the World's Championships!

I began to develop my game plan and determine all the steps I needed to make everything a success beginning with the registration process and contacting the appropriate people at the NPC/IFBB. After another month on the competition program including a planned vacation altered by competition plans, I was informed in a letter from the NPC that the United States would not be sending a team to compete in the 2010 World's Championships due to government warnings against travel to Mexico City due to turmoil in the country.

But! Nothing was lost, all was to gain as this experience forced me to step up and think about things that I had not thought about before so that I can be more prepared in the future.

2010 Team Universe

Far Right

Far Left

Far Left

2009 Another Jr and Another Step Forward
After my 2008 win at the Jr USA and my Overall win at the 2008 Pittsburgh Championships I was looking for a new show to try. I didn't feel ready for the USA and I wasn't ready to try the Team Universe again as I was listening to negative comments from others questioning the credibility of the drug-testing of the Team Universe. I no longer fall prey to that way of thinking. See my 2010 competition blog.

Blond this Time - Far Right

I decided on the Jr. Nationals held at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL on June 19-20th 2009. This was a challenging year in my life and it was by far my best showing. I placed 4th in the middleweight class. I lacked confidence this year due to some of the challenges I was dealing with & I think it showed in my entire package and stage presence, so in 2009 I made the decision to regroup, go off on my own again verses having a personal trainer and see what I could do on my own. It was a good decision and one that resulted in personal growth and more change for the better. I needed that fourth place finish at the Jr. Nationals to give me another wake up call & force me into high gear again!

Unfortunately I don't have many photos from this year - seems as the film ran out in the camera at then end of the show & the roll with all the photos except the one above were left accidentally in the theatre booth! What a bummer...

The photo to the left was taken about 2 weeks out from the show. Man was I white! I remember being completely upset about how I looked not liking my conditioning. Looking back, it wasn't that bad except for Casper!