A Necessary Evil

Most bodybuilders hate cardiovascular training.  I am no exception to this generalization.  After 16 years of preparing for competitions, I have tried many different approaches to cardio.  In the early years I did 20 minutes of high intensity stepping on the stairmaster after my resistance training.  I then went through a period where I did the [...]

Self Accountability

I make the most substatial progress toward my goals when I write things down.  I posted a photo of my refrigerator here to illustrate an important point that many novice bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts may miss (or strategically avoid).  When I’m really determined to reach a goal related to building muscle and burning bodyfat, I [...]

Pre-contest Supplementation

This is a topic that can be very confusing-especially for beginning bodybuilders or folks who are just trying to get in shape.  There is a great deal of misinformation out there and there are hundreds if not thousands of irreputable supplement companies that will make false or unfounded claims about the effect a product will [...]

Pre-Contest Diet Approach

As I mentioned in a previous post, I realize I’m doing this backward and should have posted this stuff as I was approaching my competition, but I didn’t do that.  So here is what I did:  On January 1, 2008 I began cleaning my diet up.  By this I mean I cut out junk food [...]

Pre-Contest Training

Here is a shot taken a week before the show in the gym.  In the weeks leading up to the show here is what my training looked like:
6am  45 minutes cardio (15 stepper, 15 elliptical, 15 bike)
6:45am core training (abs)
7pm weight training followed by an additional 30 minutes of cardio
I did resistance training nearly every [...]

Ok, here’s another show picture that my wife snapped backstage after the show.  I had a painful cramp in my right quad when she took the photo, so I wasn’t squeezing it.  I’m anxiously awaiting the posting of the photos taken by the photographer at the show.  I thought they would be up on his [...]

Show Results

Well, the results are in.  I placed 2nd in the open heavyweight class at the 2008 Metrolina Show held in Salisbury NC on May 10, 2008.  I was fairly happy with the results, although I had some problems with water retention at pre-judging that left me a little off of my driest condition.  I weighed in [...]

Long Lost Blogger

Well, so much for keeping up a blog.  I may have been a bit too ambitious last summer when I told myself I would blog every day for eight months.  Clearly, it didn’t come close to happening.  The good news is I am two days away from competing in the Metrolina Bodybuilding Contest. See here [...]