2015 Contest Prep Memories

Omaha saw another NPC Duel of Champions yesterday and without a doubt, one of the most well run shows out there. Pro, national and local judges were on hand so it was a good mixture on the panel. Many sponsors on hand and Dexter Jackson guest posed. My co-worker worked his ass off and made improvements and won his class. So it was a good day.

But it also made me think of my own prep in 2015.

                                                          "FUCK IT!, WHY NOT"

Around two years ago, I competed in the Duel of Champions. It was a show I really decided to do on a whim. I was sleeping on my couch (couldn't afford a bed), looking at the ceiling in January of 2015 and said "Fuck It, I'll do the June show."

In retrospect, I should have thought that out a bit more. I had to go from shit to great in around 20 weeks.

So....with June looming, I shifted my ass into high gear.

Where I started at in January of 2015

My schedule at the time was not what you call fun.....
10:30 pm: Get off work, rush to gym to get cardio in for up to an hour before

5 am or so: Get up and do fasted cardio

11am: Go and train

2pm-1:30 pm: Work

I'd fit in eating while on the job (another reason why I'm not a reporter. I can be muscular, not have people comment on my body and eat at meal intervals, barring a breaking news situation).

Kept this schedule up and then......BAM! Shift change and then worked a morning show.

So the changes? Well, no more fasted cardio. That shit went out the door because I had to get work at 3am and I didn't want to get another gym membership.

So with this turn in events....I went from

3am-7am: Work on morning show

7am-around 8:00: Take lunch break and do cardio after eating zero carbs. Oftentimes the stepmill

8:00 am: Get back to newsroom and start to work on midday show

12:00 pm: Midday show goes on

12:30: Go home, eat and nap

2:30 pm: Get up and train

5:00 shower, eat and back in bed.


Kept that schedule for a couple weeks, but was tasked with booth producing another show. So that put another dent in things a bit, but nothing I couldn't manage.


All this happened around March after sweeps, so besides the goofy face and nappy head, this is how I was looking.....

Getting a little cut

I kept that schedule up until June.

The week of the show, I took a couple days off to finish prep.

                                                             ISSUES DURING PREP

I like to live alone. The thought of a roommate actually makes me want to hurl. I like my space, I like silence most times. So I had that, but it came with a cost. 

It was many a time I had to rob Peter to pay Paul....still do today sometimes. Shift payments down to other paydays, go into overdraft....but in January, I committed. Quitting was not an option. If some shit didn't get paid, guess what? It didn't get fucking paid. 

So obviously prep is a huge undertaking and food is not cheap. I had people help me out. Among them, Tim Rexius, my part time employer, Jeff McCray, my friends Dan, Mike and Kenneth. They also kept my head on straight during the process. Which wasn't easy. 

I just didn't have the finances or tools others had at their disposal, but I didn't let that deter me. And let's face it....I wasn't lean enough even though I tried my damndest.

                       

Show day in 2015

Most muscular in 2015

I did what I could with what I had and pushed the envelope. I didn't have much of a life during the show and didnt have one after. Prep pretty much depleted any funds I had, but I kept going. 

                                                            Chicago Wings of Strength

I wanted to stop, but again...I had to keep going. Had to try and avenge my shitty showing in Omaha. 

I shouldn't have. I looked about the same and the effort didn't reflect in the result. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret it, but I should have dropped out.

The following are from NPC Chicago Tim Gardner Extravaganza.

                             

                                                                     AFTERMATH 

I was happy prep was over...but I faced a little bit of mild depression where I essentially ate my feelings. The only person who's feeling fine and dandy after a show is the winner. And if a second place person is happy, good for them, but their competitiveness is not at it's highest potential. I really didn't want to talk about the show after. Because the shit kinda stung. But as with all things....you move on and I got my shit together and got back to training.


                                   COMMIT TO THE SUFFERING TO GET THE GLORY

I look at things differently than most, and it's due to my bodybuilding. If I bitched, I immediately reminded myself is that I chose to compete. No one else did.

I look at my professional life, and sure...it's not all sunshine and rainbows. I have issues with things, but I keep going. Bodybuilding has taught me you will have good days and bad days, but how you respond is completely up to you. I'm not going to have good newscasts everyday, but rather than bemoan, I let it go. the show is in the stratosphere and I move on.

I say all that to say this...commit to the hurt. Because you won't get to where you are going without pain. Sorry to tell you if your parents or friends told you different, but they suck for not telling you the truth.

And most importantly, never be a quitter, but know when shit is not going to work and move forward. Just re-direct your focus.