In the fall of 2010, I discovered Skip LaCour's amazing book, Thinking Big, which contained powerful information on goal setting in a workbook style. For the first time, I set bodybuilding and fitness related goals for exactly what I wanted to achieve in the next year and in the years to come. My one-year goals read like this:
- Get off-season weight up to 140#, hard & dense. (I was able to get my off-season weight up to an athletic 144#).
- Place in the top 3 at the 2012 Team Universe (I placed 7th in 2012. That was quite an accomplishment considering I made the switch from the Bodybuilding division to Physique where there were 18 Physique competitors in my class verses much lower numbers for the Bodybuilding Class).
- Place in the top 5 at the Master's Nationals (I placed 5th in 2012 as you will read! Felt great to realize I accomplished this goal!)
- Improve quad sweep and leg density (my legs in general were much improved in 2012. I could definitely see the results all my hard work & effort had made! I am so very proud of my rear shots as seen in the competition photos I have included in this post. I believe my back, hams & gluts were one of, if not the most muscular, of my class. I had many others compliment me on this shot as well).
- Increase my bicep size. (I had countless people comment on my biceps throughout the year and saw improvements with my own eyes as well.)
- Increase calve size (I have seen visible improvements in my calves, especially from the front and am proud of my calves, although just like everything, they are a constant work in progress!)
After realizing the power of goal setting & discovering Skip LaCour's outstanding e-books and seminar series, I knew I need more of this type of information. I found that Skip LaCour was hosting a "Bulking & Cutting Challenge" at Bodybuilding.com and was curious what other information I would learn from this "Challenge" so I signed up!
I learned many great lessons in bodybuilding and life from the "Challenge" which I will discuss in a future post. One of the most powerful tools I learned was that of an on-line journal. Skip encouraged us to start an on-line journal at bodybuilding.com to record our daily progress to better help us reach our goals. I started my journal! My journal was one of the best parts of my journey because I was able to share my competition experiences in it with my friends & fellow competitors in the "Challenge". It also made sure I was following through with everything I needed to do to reach my goals. The following is a documentation of my experience at the Team Universe as recorded in my on-line journal.
Thursday - Last Cardio Session - Oh my goodness, I leave tomorrow!
Exhausted last night so went to bed early. For once I wasn't
starving & the bed felt so good to lay down. My legs particularly
felt exhausted. It was kind of strange as I lay there, I could feel the
fibers twitching in in my legs. I liked to think to myself that it was the
small bit of extra carbs that I had that day that were settling into my leg
muscles, filling them out & expanding, recovering as I relaxed. I
really think it was!Funny how it was one of those nights where I felt so exhausted, & my body felt so tired, almost too tired to sleep. I woke up several times during the night, as usual, to hit the bathroom, but fell back asleep fairly quickly.
I woke up this morning feeling really hungry. I couldn't wait to get to my food! I had planned to pose this morning. I wanted to video my posing session for my own benefit so that I could compare the video to the posing session I shot just prior to Team Universe. In reviewing the this morning's video, I can tell that I am a good deal leaner now than before the Team U.
As I ate breakfast, I checked email. I had a positive email from my trainer, reinforcing how proud I should be of my Team U showing. I really needed that boost. The comment I received yesterday from the Team U judge regarding my suit & a few other things had me a bit down & weighed on me a good deal yesterday. In reality, I think it was just the fact that it was the last day of depletion and I was very tired so my mindset was less than positive. After my trainer's email, I was ready to roll again! There is only one pro card awarded in each Physique height class at Masters Nationals, but who says that pro card isn't mine!
I will earn my pro card at THIS YEAR's Masters Nationals by being motivated, dedicated, determined, maintaining a positive, can-do attitude, constantly pushing my limits outside my comfort zone into the zone of muscle growth. I am GIFTED! I am a CHAMPION & A CHAMPION MASS MACHINE!
Shooting the video of my posing really helped in many ways. First of all, it reinforced that I am ON! Second, it reinforced that I can do my posing anywhere, anytime, any place! It also helped me see areas that I need to work on with my posing. It was a hard posing session.
After the posing, it was on to the last cardio session. I remember this session before Team U. I thought it would feel good, but my body was so taxed from the posing I could hardly get my heart rate up. That was the case again, but this time I didn't let it get to me. I backed down the resistance as needed to get my heart rate up, knowing the intent of this session is not ass kicking weight loss, etc. It is just to keep my metabolism rolling, get the blood flow to the muscles, etc.
I have definitely pushed my limits with cardio this competition season. I have been twelves 40-45 min sessions a week. The most cardio I ever recall doing was maybe 7 days a week, 45 minutes. Never, never twice a day at this duration. It has been a challenge. A mental & physical challenge but I have won.
I checked my weight this morning just to see what I was at. I was down to 125# which is as low as I ever get when I compete in the Bodybuilding division. The thought was for Physique was that I would not have to get as lean, but that hasn't been the case. I started my contest prep at 144#. Wow - almost 20# down on my small frame is a lot!
I worked a half-day at work today. Working half the day helps me keep my schedule & save some vacation time. The competition has cost me a lot of cash and also a good deal time off work for travel. I have plenty of vacation time, so no worries, but would like to save some for other events as well.
Today I have a pedicure & manicure scheduled for after work. Every detail must be in tip-top shape for the competition. No angle will be left untouched! No loose ends.... or posing suits will be found!!
What DAILY DISCIPLINES did I do EXCEPTIONALLY well at this morning?
1) wake up with positive thought in my head & positive self-image. Wasn't there 100% from the time I stepped out of bed but evolved there.
2) Thank God every day for my life, health, strength, give all glory to Him. Without Him I am nothing. I realize this 100% & give thanks for everything he has given me, setting me up for success, and watching over me, giving me friends, my trainer, & a support system.
3) keep focused on my goals - I'll get that pro card!
4) maintain positive, can-do attitude.
5) do something to help/inspire someone else every day
What DAILY DISCIPLINES will I continue to improve & focus on today?
1) healing & overall well being with my pedi/mani & relaxation at home & visualization of my win & thoughts of the fun & experience of the journey I am having & will have
2) continue to have a positive self-image & thoughts. I am & should be proud of myself. Remember the accomplishment in competing at the Masters Nationals, a goal set watching the show last year. Now, I will make that goal a reality
What DAILY DISCIPLINES will I need to IMPROVE UPON today?
1) I am going 10 for 10, although there is always a higher level
During this journey, no matter what, I want to continue to enjoy it, document it, journal it, share it & make the most of this opportunity & journey
It is evening now & I feel on schedule. I have that first coat of tan on, and I am feeling kind of sticky & wearing black, yep, I'm getting ready!
The pedicure was great. The calve massage that goes with it is heavenly on extremely tired calves - just unreal. I felt very sleepy in the afternoon after the pedicure. I think I was just winding down getting ready to rest. I got home & the first thing on my mind was to get that suit hemmed up. It shouldn't be a big deal, but it is. I sent photos to my trainer of the suit on me after I altered it & also photos of me in an old suit that fits awesome. I wanted to see which suit she thought I should go with. It was a real pain to go through all that hassle, but at least now I will feel confident in whatever suit we select.
My husband put my first coat of tan on. Nice to kind of share the load -haha! The tanning can be such a pain. My friend, Cyndi who is going with me to the show will get the honors of all the other coats.
My bags are pretty much packed & food ready to roll. I practiced posing one last time. Posing & suits are the biggest thing on my mind which seems odd. My physique I am not worried about because I know it is & will be on track. I just follow my plan to dial it in just like at Team U. This time, I will be better. Tighter, tanner, better fitting suit, better posing......better!
I am excited right now & not stressed. So nice to be home with the show only a few hours away from home, weighing in tomorrow, then on stage the next day verses driving to New Jersey for a Thurs weight in & not competing until Sat. Then again, there are pros & cons. The longer the journey the better!
1 John 3:18 Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
Here are some of the great comments I received in my journal from some of the other competitors in the "Challenge", we call ourselves Mass Machines as Skip LaCour has a nutrition supplement line that we support called Mass Machine Nutrition. Thanks so much to everyone who supported me on my journey. It meant so much.
Awesome post above henderJb keep on keeping on , You have such a great attitude its contagious!!
-Pphelps
GO GET IT HenderJB!!
You've put in the work, the hours, you've felt the pain, and the pressure. This is the easy part now. Go out and enjoy your moment!!
MASS MACHINE NATION!!
-Lex
That away to go!!! Good luck on contest day and keep us posted.
-BillNYC
Thursday - One Day Until Show Time!
Exciting turn of events last night with the competition suit. A new look will
be evolving. Let me just say I feel another win coming on:
The photo above was from my 2008 Pittsburgh Championships overall win in bodybuilding. It hangs over my basement door & I have stared at it the last few months during evening cardio sessions. Now, it almost has irony & even more meaning. More to come on that later.
Lets pull off a win in Pittsburgh again; this time in Physique at the Masters Nationals! I feel it... I feel good vibes! I feel a win coming on!
Pittsburgh Masters Nationals - My Journey - Part I
I took my computer with me to the show, but did not have Internet
service in the room & had little time between competition to do
much. But, after prejudging, I opened Microsoft word & began typing my thoughts from the morning so I could paste them into my journal later on. Here's a start on what I wrote with from my room after prejudging. I will be adding more & documenting my entire trip throughout the week. Its important to reflect on this journey.There were more worries in my mind the day before competition and competition morning at this show than there was at the Team Universe. Why? Well because I always plan things so well. I had planned out this look of the turquoise suit with the gold stones, ordered stage make-up in turquoise and blue, planned my hair color with the red with blond highlights to go with the suit & color schemes I had in my head.
I asked for comments from the Team Universe judges and for immediate improvement the comment was made to get a new suit as the suit I wore at Team Universe was ill fitting. I had tried a new designer this year, and although the suit was gorgeous it did not fit well. Wed evening before Master’s Nationals I made adjustments to the suit to get it to fit as well as I could. I took photos of me in it, then I also put on an old suit, one from 2008 that I wore when I won the Bodybuilding Middleweight class and Overall title at the Pittsburgh Bodybuilding Championships. The 2008 suit fit perfect. I sent photos to my trainer of me in both suits & she suggested I go with the 2008 suit.
I hated to ditch the new suit I had spent so much money on, but what was most important was to provide the best package on stage at the Master’s Nationals. I had bought special turquoise and gold make-up to go with the new suit. The old suit I would be wearing was dark navy with clear stones & the new make-up wouldn’t work either. There was no time to order new stage make-up, and trying to create a stage look with my Mary Kay is challenging. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to create the look I felt comfortable and confident with, one that would stand-out and catch the judge’s attention if things between physiques were so tight that it came down to the finest details. Every little bit counts & presentation can mean so much.
Another thought that was on my mind was that I had dropped nearly another 4 pounds since Team Universe. I could tell my glutes were a lot leaner now, but would the new hardness & additional weight loss be too lean for what the judges were looking for in Physique?
My friend Cyndi, who went with me last year to watch the Master’s Nationals would be going with me to the show to help and provide tanning services & support. Thanks so much Cyndi! The drive to Pittsburgh went very smooth, but just minutes before we arrived at our hotel, a bad rain and wind storm broke loose.
Here's my friend, driver, & tanning service Cyndi in the parking garage, getting ready to cross over to the motel lobby in the rain - what's a girl to do! If you remember Cyndi, she competed in Pittsburgh in May in Physique & I was along for the support. Now she's returning the favor - teamwork!
When Cyndi and I arrived in the room, it was awesome! Our window overlooked the lobby which provided great entertainment & ambiance too! Note the bed sheets on the chairs which the motel courteously put out in preparation for the bodybuilders so the tanning products wouldn't stain the furniture.
Thank God Cyndi's cooler had a handle & we were able to put my cooler on top of hers & wheel it in from the parking garage to the motel in the rain instead of having to carry it. My cooler was heavy duty metal and loaded with food! I had to opt for this cooler because when I went to back my standard cooler was M.I.A. My cooler was also loaded with all meals for Thursday through Sunday because I wasn't exactly sure when I would be headed back home. At most pro qualifying shows there is a mandatory photo shoot for the pro card winners, and that would likely be Sunday morning requiring me to stay until then if the pro card spot was indeed mine. Of course, I had to plan for the best!
The first order of business was going to the competitor check-in. There things went very smooth, and as I finished registering, there were photographers set up to take photos. They do that at some of the larger shows. I wasn’t really prepared since my make-up didn’t feel fresh, I wasn’t all the way “dry” yet, and my tan had only just begun, but I rolled with some photos regardless. I was wearing some jean shorts with metal studs & a metal studded belt. The photographers like the shorts & wanted me to leave them on for the shoot. The shoot was fun & encouraging, and always nice to be treated like someone special and hear encouraging words about your physique. At the same time, one of the photographers mentioned to the other that I might not be quite lean enough for Physique. The other photographer disagreed. They both agreed I would do great! I tried to dismiss the about leaness from my thoughts, as I knew I was definitely lean enough, maybe not all the way dried out yet, but lean for sure! Am I holding water??.... Can’t let that mess with my psyche… Thought dismissed
Thursday morning, I tried my first make-up look, trying to use some of my new eye colors. I thought it looked great.
However, after Cyndi & I arrived at the room, I put on the navy suit, and the eye colors clashed – too much green! First order of business was to make sure I got all my meals in on time, watch my water regulation, and make sure I got all my tanning coats on so all the bases were covered. If that got done in time, then I would work on the make-up & creating that perfect look. My physique HAS to be first!
We were able to apply all the coats of tan, this time trying to get a bit darker than at Team Universe. Finally about 8PM, the tanning process was complete & Cyndi & I were able to focus on make-up. Thanks to Cyndi’s help, we were able to create a look that I felt comfortable with. It is quite challenging to create a dark eye make-up without looking like you have a black eye & making it stand out on stage! Here's a photo with the different make-up used on the right & left eyes, trying to decide the best application & look that best matched the suit. Getting tired at this point, its 9PM.
We got in bed about 10:30 PM which is late considering I usually go to bed at 9PM, but we didn’t have to get up until 7PM since the competitors meeting didn’t start until 10 and the show at 11. That made it nice to not have to get up so early. As I did my make-up and got my hair poofed, I thought how it was such a process. I have to admit that it is so time consuming and feels so crazy, that I wonder at times if it is really worth it. Of course when you get off stage & you placed well, you know, it was when you were able to create the perfect package by paying attention to every detail.
As I went to bed, I wasn’t as relaxed as at the Team Universe. I wanted so much to be even better than at Team Universe, to show an improved package, and was putting a bit of pressure on myself. However, I had no trouble sleeping. I had a beautiful night sleep & awoke 10 minutes before my alarm went off at 7PM to start my contest prep before hitting the competitor’s meeting at 10PM. Yes, it would take nearly 3 hours to get my final coat of tan on, make-up and hair redone, get my meals in, run through my posing quickly for my own peace of mind & confidence & be ready for the meeting as scheduled with no stress because I had planned every step out. The previous night before going to bed, I wrote a time schedule of how I would do things the next morning, so there was no questions, just follow-through & confidence that all was going according to plan.
Stay tuned.... more to come
John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Pittsburgh Masters Nationals - My Journey - Part II - Prejudging!
I woke up at 6:50, just 10 minutes before the alarm was scheduled
to go off. First order of business was to get that first meal in, then
it was put that final coat of tan on, then begin the make-up application
and hair process. I have to say after spending 30 minutes just putting
on eye make-up, the thought crossed my mind.........what the hell am I
doing? Is all this glam worth it? This seems so shallow. But..... I
continued on the process knowing in the end, the total package really
makes a difference.Finally, 2-1/2 hours later, I was ready & we snapped a few photos in the room just before I headed out to the competitor's meeting. This would also be Cyndi's training session on using my camera. It took us several tries to get things right & she took some photos with her phone as well to send to the Winchester team back home who was wondering how things were going.
Taking these photos was also a good chance for me to check my physique in the mirror to make sure I was on target - I still felt I had some filling out to do but there were a few meals left before prejudging. The photos also helped me get my mindset & in the zone for the stage posing ahead.
They would also be interesting because I had taken similar photos prior to Team U in the room. As I mentioned, I had dropped a few pounds, had a different suit & make-up, wonder how the comparison photos from Team U compare? Here they are:
Well it was off to the competitor's meeting! At the competitor's meeting I could tell what a well run show it would be. Gary Udit, the show promoter made a heart felt thank you speech to the competitors and let us know that whatever we needed, just let them know & they were there to help. The show expediter took more than ample time to explain everything & ask the competitors repeatedly if they had questions & a lot of questions were asked. I could really tell the difference in this show, and that the competitors were appreciated & respected, and the respect & appreciation from me to the promoter & expediting team was returned 100% The expediter said they had a goal this year, that was, nobody misses there class! Apparently, they had had issues in the past with competitors not being back stage when their name was called to go on stage & they missed their class. I can't even imagine that happening. All that prep for nothing because you missed your class & there was no show for you. If you miss your class, its over, no second chance. What else do I remember from the competitor's meeting? It was freezing cold! They assured us the room would warm up once the bodies got in there....we all hoped to goodness it would!
At the competitor's meeting, we were informed that once we entered the backstage area, we were in for good. There was no leaving. The backstage area was great. It was a very large open room where you could see everything & hear everything going on so there was no confusion with where they were in the line-up/show order so you couldn't hardly miss your class. Also, the expediters lined you up way ahead of time & put you in holding to make sure you couldn't miss your class.
I tried to keep to myself backstage before prejudging, just focusing on my task, how I would present myself, going through my routine & doing some light pumping up with bands as show time got closer. Also making sure to get oiled up well ahead of time. Jan Tana, the tanning/oil service, was very available backstage & right next to where the line-up was held to go on stage which again made things easy & relaxing so you didn't have to worry about missing out on anything or your calling.
At the competitor's meeting, we were told there would be no 60 second individual routine for the judges unless things were really close & the judges needed to see the routines to be able to make a decision. This meant my chance to shine was limited even more to just quarter turns and mandatory poses.
Honestly, backstage was very intimidating in that the competitors around me seemed so large. That had a lot do to with the fact that the women's bodybuilders were the only other class backstage besides my Physique Class. Here's the overall winners of the women's bodybuilding class, you'll see what I mean about their size:
Pittsburgh Masters Nationals - My Journey - Part IIB - Prejudging!
This is a continuation of yesterday's journal where I discussed my contest experience leading up to the point that I got on stage.
The prejudging started at 11PM, and the first division up was women's bodybuilding over 35, then women's bodybuilding over 45, women's bodybuilding over 50 (yes over 50 that's awesome!), then my class Physique began. The show started on time & the expediters were calling the classes to get into a hold up line up at a rapid pace as things progressed.
The backstage area was set up great! Many times at contests, you are separated into multiple dressing rooms to pump up, tan, and prep as there is no single space available to have everything in one room. The expediter who lines you up to go on stage is often in a different area than you which makes it more difficult and nerve racking to make sure you are in the right place at the right time. The Masters Nationals backstage area was one large open room where the expediter, tanning/oil service, and pump up area were all located in the same area making it very easy to be at the right place at the right time & make sure you didn't miss your call to go on stage.
Since the show was running fast, I didn't waste time getting oil, and getting a start on my pump. They had several small mirrors backstage, they mirrors like you can hang on the back of a door. I find that these mirrors are horrible & I should stay away from them. Seriously, they always make me feel like I look small & smooth. I used to think it was just me, but then I heard another competitor saying the same thing.... they are like circus mirrors! So I used the mirror just to check my suit adjustment & ran through my routine & posing backstage without any mirror to keep my mental game where it needed to be. Besides, there would be no mirrors on stage & it was really too late to make any adjustments to physique at this point.
I used bands to pump, did some pushups, and practiced posing while nibbling on my pre-stage food. As I posed & pumped, the camera crew was circling around getting footage for the DVD that would be sold of the backstage pump-up. Another great amenity to the competitors was that if you hit a few poses for the camera backstage after exiting the stage, you got a free video from the show. There are several videos sold. One of prejudging, one of evening finals, and one of pump-up backstage. They are available for sale at: www.Repetrope.com
When practicing posing, I felt a bit shaky, & had to remind myself to calm down, this was no big deal, just walking out on stage doing what I have practiced. I think I felt shaky & unbalanced because I was trying to hit the poses so hard that it made balance hard. I reminded myself not to do this on stage. I also reminded myself of several posing notes I had made to myself after Team Universe which were: don't bend your knees so much during front relaxed & rear poses - think more figure/fitness not bodybuilding. Chest up, proud. Also, heels together in the rear relaxed pose. At Team U my heals were apart where the other girls were together & it made me look manly in comparison. Also, on the side relaxed, think chest up, head high, don't crunch. And on the side chest pose, get those arms up in line with the kicked out leg. Finally, on the bicep poses, keep those elbows high. I ran through these reminders in my head as I posed backstage.
When it was my time to go on stage, I was ready, mentally & physically & felt adequately pumped. I checked my suit one more time in the mirror, making sure it is high on the hips - that's a must, it has to be really high, higher than you feel is normal & not crooked! The expediter escorted us onto stage where we were lined up and the judges ran us through our quarter turns establishing the top five competitors.
They then divided us into two groups and lined us up on the diagonal lines at the rear of the stage. The top five competitors are then called back to the center of the stage for comparison poses.
As they began calling the top five to the stage, I was hoping to be in that group and indeed, I was one of the first called!
The judges began running us through mandatory poses and then switched the order of the competitors in the line-up. The judges usually switch who they believe to be the top competitor to the middle of the row of five and then they put the second and third place competitors adjacent for comparisons to the top dog. In this photo, note the winner of the class had been moved to the center with the runner ups on each side.
The photo above shows the first move, with the top competitor in green moved to the middle beside me. After the moves were complete, I was on the end of the row. Based on how early I was called to out to be part of the top five, I suspected I placed at least fourth, but hoped for third. I had the attention of two of the judges, which happened to be head judges, but there were many judges and several of the judges did not appear to be looking at me.
The judges ran us through mandatory poses & quarter turns a few times. I appreciated this because it seemed the judges were really doing a thorough assessment of the competitors as opposed to some shows where things are run so quickly you wonder how judging even occurred.
After the judges had seen all they needed to see from the top five, we were put back to the diagonal lines on each side of the stage
and the competitors who placed out of the top five were brought to the center stage for comparisons.
Pittsburgh Masters Nationals - My Journey - Part IIC - Prejudging Results!
This is a continuation of the my contest experience at Pittsburgh
Masters Nationals. See yesterdays journal entry for the previous part. Yesterday, I talked about the events that took place on the prejudging stage. As I exited the stage, I felt good about myself. I knew I had made the top 5 call-out and that was the first step! I walked off the stage behind what would be the class winner #53 in the emerald green suit. An IFBB pro whom I recognized grabbed her as soon as she walked off stage and said, "congratulations, you know you just won!". I overheard that & knew it had some credibility coming from the source.
We were told if we hit some poses for the camera, we would receive a free show video, so I gladly obliged as the class winner. I congratulated her & said something along the lines of, "wow, congratulations, I heard you won??!! and stated I heard the IFBB pro's remark regarding that. She indicated her husband was friends with the IFBB pro. She was very nice & seemed pretty quiet & shy in nature.
After hitting some poses backstage for the camera, I put my warm-up pants back on & went to find my friend, Cyndi, in the audience and watch the rest of the show. We watched the majority of the show. It was nice to have prejudging behind me & I felt the stress relief. Of course I still wanted to stay in great condition for the evening show so I continued to eat my scheduled meals, etc.
After the morning show was over, Cyndi & I headed back to the room to relax. Cyndi hopped in her bed & I grabbed the camera with the morning photos & uploaded them to the computer to see them on the big screen.
Cyndi & I analyzed how the judges moved the competitors around & I speculated on my placing. I originally thought I was 4th place, but after looking at how the judges moved us, I thought I could be as high as 2nd. I was pretty sure I wasn't first because I believed the credibility of the source who congratulated #53.
Regardless of what I thought, there was always that chance I would win & I would find myself competing for the Overall title! With that in mind, I put on a fresh coat of tan, fluffed my hair, and did a make-up check to make sure my best package was together.
We had a bit of time before evening finals, so I spent a bit of time journaling my experience from our arrival up until that point while it was fresh in my head. I knew I wanted to share my experience with others & intended to paste it into this journal once I had Internet access.
I also used this time to practice my evening posing routine in front of Cyndi a few times. This helped me gain confidence in my presentation & get into the zone again.
There was no competitor's meeting before the evening show because we were all veteran competitors & new what would be going on. In the evening show, which started at 6PM, Women's Physique was the first division on stage. This was great because it meant I would be finished early & would then get to go into the audience and watch the Women's Bodybuilders & enjoy the rest of the show! It was also a nice change from Team Universe where I went on stage at 10:30 at night & was so exhausted by that point.
Backstage prior to the evening finals, things went smooth again. Just like before prejudging, I made sure to get posing oil put on me by the tanning/oiling team backstage early enough to allow me to have time to pump up, go through my evening routine a few times, and snack on my pre-stage food before going on stage.
The expediter called us to get into the "holding" line-up about 20 minutes before we went on stage. I kept my pump-up bands with me in the holding line & continued to pump while waiting & grabbed some more bites of food. The girls in the line-up were very friendly & I chatted with them & found out some good information about resale of my posing suit! The class winner remained very quiet behind me in the line, unless I spoke to her then she was responded very friendly. Just quiet or nervous I believe. She told me she had just started competing this year.
Finally, it was time for us to hit the stage! It was freezing just before we went on stage & we all thought we would die! Before I went out, I just told myself to have fun, relax & put it down. I didn't see myself as the winner, so I felt a bit less pressure I believe. The calm that I felt really helped me deliver my presentation well I believe. This is my evening routine - thanks Cyndi for the great video!
After performing my routine, #53 the winner performed. When she came back, she said to me oh my goodness, you didn't look nervous at all. She seemed worried that she was nervous & I was not. She was trying to calm herself down & I believe nervous thinking I would win the show. Her support team back stage was telling her she needed to calm down & relax she said. I thought she was doing just fine, but couldn't help but wonder if maybe I did win??
As the judges called us all back to the stage after everyone had finished their routine. We anxiously waited for the judges to call out our placings. I must admit that I was very surprised when they called my name out first, as the 5th place spot. The lowest I honesty had predicted myself was 4th, but I'll take a top 5 finish at my first Master's Nationals!
After exiting the stage, we were directed to the camera again, for more post-show photos. We got to choose our favorite poses, & I think I impressed the camera man when I pulled out some unique poses verses the standard mandatories most girls were choosing. Then, I put my warm-up clothes back on, grabbed my last bite of pre-stage food (wasn't going to let that go to waste) and quickly ran to up the elevator to the room for a quick freshening up & change of clothes ready to watch the rest of the evening show!
Pittsburgh Masters Nationals - My Journey - Part III - The AfterParty!
This is a continuation of my contest experience at the Masters
Nationals which I have been documenting bit by bit of every day in my
journal from the time I arrived in Pitts, to the prejudging, to the
evening finals, and now after the finals!
As I said in the last "episode", I headed back to my room to freshen up immediately after the evening finals before heading back to the auditorium to meet Cyndi & watch the Women's Bodybuilding and other Women's events. While back at the room, the first thing I did was brew that cup of coffee that I had been wanting but couldn't have that day! I already had the coffee maker set up to brew with my own fresh coffee, my favorite blend from the local coffee shop back home. I also grabbed my next meal that I would normally eat on my contest diet & brought that down to the auditorium with me so I would have it while watching the show when I got hungry.
I felt a lot of relief that my portion of the show was over & I could now sit & relax while sipping my coffee watching the other competitors, chatting with Cyndi, and appreciating my own accomplishment. As I walked to where Cyndi was sitting, I passed by the Species nutrition booth where my favorite Species rep, Joel was standing by. He always remembers me at each show & we always chat. I love Species tanks & tops & shorts so I always stop by. As I walked by the booth, Joel caught me to congratulate me. He told me that I was about as “stripped down” as I could get & he liked it when the female competitors got that way and that I just needed to add a bit more muscle & I’d be set! I laughed & said easier said than done. He told me, “You’ll get you pro card here. It might take a year two, but you’ll get it here”. He said it with lots of confidence & I really believe he meant it & he & I both believe it. It WILL happen.
As we watched the female bodybuilders, I couldn't help but think how we had watched them last year at this same show & I had full intent to compete with them. At that time, I hadn't even thought of the Physique division & they didn't have it last year at Masters Nationals. As I watched the Women Bodybuilders, I knew that for this show, I was in the right place as a Physique competitor rather than a bodybuilder. The women were so large. I did take photos of the overall winners as I still do admire them & what they are able to achieve. I am always looking to build more muscle & still believe that I will never have too much & I am not afraid to train hard for fear of that occurring. Here is a photo of the Class Winners of the Women's Bodybuilding Division.
I would have been likely been in the light-heavyweight division. The class winner of the light-heavyweights won the overall:
After the women's bodybuilders had competed, it was on to the Figure division. I was getting a bit hungry so I decided to head to the microwave near the lobby to microwave that meal I brought down. When I got to the microwave, it was in use by a rather large competitor sitting outside the room in a chair. He graciously said he'd be done in a few & another bystander jokingly said something about me being able to take the superheavy & I thought I'd have some fun & agree. As the competitor took his food out of the microwave, he asked me, "What are you doing eating that stuff? Don't you have a bag of candy waiting around? Ohh.... you have another show"? I said no, just sticking to my schedule & I asked him what division he was competing in. He was Beau and he was a superheavy weight and super nice & I wished him luck. I see now that he didn't need it! He earned his pro card! Congrats Beau!
http://contests.npcnewsonline.com/co.../beau_baisden/
I returned to the auditorium with my meal, where Cyndi & finished watching the majority of the evening show. Cyndi hadn’t packed that much food & had been surviving on PB&J sandwiches & needed some real food so we had planned to head to the motel restaurant which was open until 11PM. I already had it in the back of my mind that I wanted my first cheat meal to be that awesome pizza back home. The same pizza I had for my cheat after Team Universe. It was so awesome! I wasn’t really hungry at the restaurant or concerned about food. I just wanted to unwind, relax with another cup of coffee & enjoy the journey, the conversation, the atmosphere with my friend. Cyndi loves cheeseburgers, and she had one here last year & knew they were good so she ordered one again.
As I sat there sipping my coffee with a contented look on my face and in my heart, I wanted to enjoy the moment & remember it so I took the photo of Cyndi and then noticed the awesome view out our table side window & checked out the beauty of the lights. Another great chance for a photo. Note the ship right outside too.
I also wanted to remember the restaurant & lobby & how it all looked and felt.
As I said in the last "episode", I headed back to my room to freshen up immediately after the evening finals before heading back to the auditorium to meet Cyndi & watch the Women's Bodybuilding and other Women's events. While back at the room, the first thing I did was brew that cup of coffee that I had been wanting but couldn't have that day! I already had the coffee maker set up to brew with my own fresh coffee, my favorite blend from the local coffee shop back home. I also grabbed my next meal that I would normally eat on my contest diet & brought that down to the auditorium with me so I would have it while watching the show when I got hungry.
I felt a lot of relief that my portion of the show was over & I could now sit & relax while sipping my coffee watching the other competitors, chatting with Cyndi, and appreciating my own accomplishment. As I walked to where Cyndi was sitting, I passed by the Species nutrition booth where my favorite Species rep, Joel was standing by. He always remembers me at each show & we always chat. I love Species tanks & tops & shorts so I always stop by. As I walked by the booth, Joel caught me to congratulate me. He told me that I was about as “stripped down” as I could get & he liked it when the female competitors got that way and that I just needed to add a bit more muscle & I’d be set! I laughed & said easier said than done. He told me, “You’ll get you pro card here. It might take a year two, but you’ll get it here”. He said it with lots of confidence & I really believe he meant it & he & I both believe it. It WILL happen.
As we watched the female bodybuilders, I couldn't help but think how we had watched them last year at this same show & I had full intent to compete with them. At that time, I hadn't even thought of the Physique division & they didn't have it last year at Masters Nationals. As I watched the Women Bodybuilders, I knew that for this show, I was in the right place as a Physique competitor rather than a bodybuilder. The women were so large. I did take photos of the overall winners as I still do admire them & what they are able to achieve. I am always looking to build more muscle & still believe that I will never have too much & I am not afraid to train hard for fear of that occurring. Here is a photo of the Class Winners of the Women's Bodybuilding Division.
I would have been likely been in the light-heavyweight division. The class winner of the light-heavyweights won the overall:
After the women's bodybuilders had competed, it was on to the Figure division. I was getting a bit hungry so I decided to head to the microwave near the lobby to microwave that meal I brought down. When I got to the microwave, it was in use by a rather large competitor sitting outside the room in a chair. He graciously said he'd be done in a few & another bystander jokingly said something about me being able to take the superheavy & I thought I'd have some fun & agree. As the competitor took his food out of the microwave, he asked me, "What are you doing eating that stuff? Don't you have a bag of candy waiting around? Ohh.... you have another show"? I said no, just sticking to my schedule & I asked him what division he was competing in. He was Beau and he was a superheavy weight and super nice & I wished him luck. I see now that he didn't need it! He earned his pro card! Congrats Beau!
http://contests.npcnewsonline.com/co.../beau_baisden/
I returned to the auditorium with my meal, where Cyndi & finished watching the majority of the evening show. Cyndi hadn’t packed that much food & had been surviving on PB&J sandwiches & needed some real food so we had planned to head to the motel restaurant which was open until 11PM. I already had it in the back of my mind that I wanted my first cheat meal to be that awesome pizza back home. The same pizza I had for my cheat after Team Universe. It was so awesome! I wasn’t really hungry at the restaurant or concerned about food. I just wanted to unwind, relax with another cup of coffee & enjoy the journey, the conversation, the atmosphere with my friend. Cyndi loves cheeseburgers, and she had one here last year & knew they were good so she ordered one again.
As I sat there sipping my coffee with a contented look on my face and in my heart, I wanted to enjoy the moment & remember it so I took the photo of Cyndi and then noticed the awesome view out our table side window & checked out the beauty of the lights. Another great chance for a photo. Note the ship right outside too.
I also wanted to remember the restaurant & lobby & how it all looked and felt.
Pittsburgh Masters Nationals - My Journey - Part III - The AfterParty! Continued
This is a continuation of my contest experience at the Masters Nationals which I have been documenting bit by bit of every day in my journal from the time I arrived in Pitts, to the prejudging, to the evening finals, and now after the finals!
When I left off, Cyndi & I were sitting in the hotel restaurant, she was enjoying her cheeseburger, I was enjoying my coffee, and we chatted about the show, our entire weekend experience, my journey and our future journeys as competitors. Cyndi is now 42 and she has plans of giving it 100 percent the next few years & competing in the Masters National in Physique in the 45 & over division in three years. I am backing her 100% and it will be great to compete together!
The wheels in my head were already turning thinking about suit & hair colors for future years & routines. I laughed as I looked over at Cyndi and said, "Is it wrong to already have my suit and hair color picked out for the next show?!"
It was a bit after 10:30, but it seemed so much later & we were both worn out from the days events, so we decided to head to the room. On the way through the restaurant, we passed the bar where the head expediter from the show was seated & called me over to congratulate me on my placing! He is a great guy & I really appreciate his energetic personality, great way of handling the show, & how well he kept things running. I was thrilled to come say hello & thank him for all his help. As he congratulated me, I thanked him & mentioned something about talking to the judges. At that time, he said, well hey, these guys are judges & pointed a lady and gentlemen on each side of him.
A lot of the judges I know, but these two I did not. This was a great opportunity to meet them. I was hesitant to ask for comments because I they had been hard at it all day, were trying to relax, and I figured that was the last thing they wanted to do was give a critique. Much to my surprise, they pulled out papers from their back pockets, looked up my competitor number & gladly gave me their critiques: darken my tan and that my quads were squared off & it gave me a penciled down look so I needed to build roundness in my quads. They also said anytime you place in the top 5 at a national event, you are doing something right! At a different show, with different judges, you might have been that top spot. They asked me if I would be competing in the NPC North American being held at the same venue on Labor Day weekend and informed me that there, there were IFBB judges and from other countries as well, which always creates an interesting twist. Although it it tempting, the best thing for me to do right now is to add that extra size & improvements suggested by the judges & come back next year, so I will not be competing in the North American this year, but great idea for future!
The judges were extremely nice & we all chatted for 20 minutes or more about our passion for the sport and all things related. What a great experience! Before leaving, I thanked the judges again & gave them sincere appreciation for taking the time to talk to me and shook their hand. I couldn't help but give the expediter a hug too, once again, sincere appreciation & friendship & so nice to be part of a bodybuilding community. All of this put the cap on a wonderful evening!
Cyndi & I headed back to the room and once inside, I saw my trophy on the table and my make-up and hair still looked amazingly fresh. Lets take this opportunity to get a very "real", true to the moment photo before I take out the contacts, brush out the hair, pull off the false eye lashes, & wash this make-up off!
Like I told Cyndi, you know the saying you shoot for the stars, but if you miss, you still land in the clouds. That is how I feel, I shot for the pro card, and didn't quite hit, but still landed in the clouds, in the top five spot at my first Masters Nationals and my first year competing in Physique.
Any competitor would probably agree that it takes a while to wind down the night after a show. I always mill around the room, starting my packing, back and forth, back and forth. Then I realized more than 3 hours had passed since I ate while watching the show. I was beginning to get hungry, and a bit tired, so I grabbed my chicken & veggies which is my typical evening contest meal, heated it up, & chowed down. But I needed something else, just a little something, to put me to bed with a smile on my face. I had 2 leftover protein pancakes that I had been eating backstage & while not a "cheat", it sure was a cheat for me to be able to eat that! I heated them up & enjoyed & it was the perfect bit of carbs to put a smile on my face & put me to sleep happy.
But first, before bed, I need to read that evening scripture reading & thank God for the day. It was the perfect reading, and the perfect ending to a nearly perfect day (... the pro card would have made it perfect! but wait, no, its all in God's plan). So what was my scripture reading?
Proverbs 15:15 He who is of merry heart has a continual feast.
Nehemiah 8:10 The joy of the Lord is your strength.
Romans 14:17 The kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but righteousness and peace & joy in the Holy Spirit.
Now you tell me that God doesn't plan all these little things for me, right down to the scripture readings that are so fitting for my situation in so many cases.
Goodnight Pittsburgh, I'll be back
So they next day, on the drive home, I called my trainer to discuss the events, the plan for the upcoming year, and to say thanks to her for all her help. So what's the plan? More shoulder fullness & roundness, more quad roundness, and more overall fullness/size. Nice to have a game plan already & nice to know 100% what show(s) I'll have lined up for next year. Now, lets put that plan to fruition! For now though, my trainer encouraged me to relax a bit, enjoy the workouts, & give myself a mental & physical break before hitting it full speed again very soon.
What a way to end the week, finishing up this documentary of the Masters Nationals & being ready to move ahead with new goals, a new plan, & a refreshed feel with a sense of pride in my accomplishments & excitement for what is to come! Thank you Lord, for all my blessings.
Here are some of the great comments I received in my journal from some of the other competitors in the "Challenge". Thanks so much to everyone who supported me on my journey. It meant so much. Sharing my journey with you was one of the best parts of my experience!
-MzJ....Mass Machine
Hender!! LOVE< LOVE< LOVE the vid! You look so beautiful and graceful on stage...thanks for sharing that with us. Can't wait to see the rest.
-MzJules ... Mass Machine
Hey henderJb
Thanks for the video of your routine it was awesome you looked fantastic and on the happy birthday Video your arms!! WOW I’m working on getting my body like yours!! I have really enjoyed ready your posts on the contests
-Pphelps
Congratulations!!! You are in outstanding shape. Enjoy the journey.
-BillNYC
