Commanding My Body

[Commander]

Night show

Night show meeting at 5:30, that goes well. I am still looking tight and feeling good. Night show starts at 6:30 and I go out for my routine around 7:15. The competitor who went out immediately before me had his CD not function in the DJ’s equipment. I am thinking “Oh great, is this going to happen to me?” So before I go out, I am triple checking with the DJ, “Are you sure it is going to play?” Luckily it did, the routine went fairly smoothly. They had us on a smaller riser on the stage which cramped my intended movement a bit (my wife told me later that some of the clearly more seasoned competitors ditched the stage and went where they wanted, now I know for the future). Also the DJ started fading out my music at 60 seconds! I was told they would not cut out until 70 seconds. My routine was 68 seconds, so I finished my routine, but to music that was fading into silence, lol.
Naturally, I pumped up a bit for my routine, but I was really looking forward to seeing the top 5 in each class. The guy running everything backstage started posting the top 5 right around 6:30, but he stopped when he got to Novice Men’s Tall, I had to laugh, he only had the Novice Tall and the Men’s Open left to post up on his list, and he stopped. The suspense was killing me, I just wanted to make the top 5.
I wanted to watch some other guys and see if I could see my family, plus I did not want to sit backstage because I would just keep checking the board. I snuck into the back of the auditorium and had the pleasure of watching some routines. I worked out great because then my wife got up to use the bathroom, I surprised her when I followed her out (she didn’t see me in the dark but I could recognize her coming up the aisle). She was proud of me and it felt good to finally see her as I had not seen her since leaving my house at 9:30 am.

[Commander]

Awards

Novice Men’s Tall

After chatting with my wife and a few friends that also ended coming out, I made me way backstage. The list was finally posted and I made the top 5 for Novice Men’s Tall. And honestly, I missed my number for the top 5 on the Men’s Open. But I was happy, at least I made the top 5 in the Novice Men’s Tall, it was only 10 minutes or so later that I rechecked the board and realized I made the top 5 for the Open Tall class as well.
Can I let you in on a secret? I am the dorky type and I started comparing the lists, I noticed that I was the ONLY competitor from the Novice Tall that made the Open Tall. I started to think, “Did I win Novice?” I was getting pretty excited even though I had to convince myself that anything can happen and maybe I did not understand how it works. And that I should be happy whatever place I take.
I probably did not go out for the Novice Tall Awards until close to 9:00pm. I am pumped and really excited for this. The way it worked at this show, was the brought out the top 5 (in no particular order) and they have a pose off/free pose for about 20 seconds. Then we filed off stage and they announce 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and finally first. I was pretty confident that I would not be fifth, but still, with each name, I am backstage thinking, “Not me, not me!”
They call three places and there is just me and one other guy backstage. They call his name for second place and I could hear my friends and family (who were in the 2nd row!) go crazy because I am the only one left! It felt so awesome.

All the hard work paid off and I won Novice Men’s Tall!

[Commander]

Men’s Open Tall

Now I head backstage and I had a few minutes before the Men’s Open Tall went out for the awards. I pump up a bit more and wait. Finally, were up. The five of us are waiting to go on stage and one of the guys says “Let’s have fun up there!” And we did, it was probably my favorite part of the night. Because it was the Open, they seemed to let the pose off go longer. I did my best poses and really had a blast and we filed off stage.
I honestly would have been happy with fifth place in this class. They were great physiques in my opinion, I was just happy to be there with them. Well, they call out 5th and it wasn’t me, then 4th and 3rd. I seriously could not believe it. It was the EXACT opposite of the Novice Class. As I mentioned above, having seen the list and done some logical thinking, it appeared that I was the Novice Tall winner before I heard it announced. But with the Open class, I had no idea where I would place and did not expect to do so well.
I shook hands with the gentleman beside while we waited to hear who was second. They announced my name and my friends and family went nuts again. It was awesome. The gentleman who won the Open Tall class went on to win the Overall. I have no shame losing to him, he had a phenomenal physique and he truly deserved and earned his victory.

Final Results

1st Place – Novice Men’s Tall

2nd Place – Open Men’s Tall (losing to the Overall Champion)

[Commander]

Post Show

After eating various simple carbs/sugars all day, I had no cravings. I just wanted water! On the way home I drank almost 1 gallon of water in 30 minutes. And my body just sucked it all up. By the time I went to bed, I had finished 5 quarts in less than 90 minutes!
I continued to really push the water on Sunday and I ate large quantities of my rice pudding (brown rice, whole milk, cinnamon and raisins). Not much junk, less than a 1 cup of mint chocolate chip ice cream was all the dessert I had. I guess I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. Not really any junky carbs either. I am boring in that respect.
I feel like I got hit by a train! Everything is sore. My glutes are killing me just from flexing on the contest day. I only pumped up my upper body so I expected it to be somewhat sore, but I guess I just flexed my glutes so often and so hard that they are just brutalized still two days later.
I will be training today, but just to get the blood moving. I feel like taking the day off, but I know my body and taking the day off will just leave me stiff and sore again tomorrow where as light training will start to get my body ready for more serious sessions later this week.
Weight is up to 173 today. I am continuing to try to really hydrate.

[Commander]

Posing Backstage - lighting sucks, I looked better than this video shows

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pR6Wu9D9WE

Glutes/Hams - THIS video is what I looked like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zgix98gcoo

[Commander]

My 7 year old took this Sunday Morning.

Trophy on the left side of photo is 1st place Novice Tall
Trophy on the right side of photo is 2nd place Open Tall

To see bigger:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/command...in/photostream

[Commander]

Originally Posted by bigbear6708

looking good, man! you look completely different w/ the tan!!! (wishing I saw a beard though!!!)

Originally Posted by HardCory

Can't wait to hear the results; oh and I absolutely hate fake tan I would use it before wrestling shows and I'd feel all sticky.

Thanks guys! I hope you enjoy the write up!

Most of all thanks to my Lord and Savior.

Thanks:
http://youtu.be/nMDojMiNpWM

[Commander]

There are some GREAT photos at this website:
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/ViewandPurchasePhotos
Here is the event:

Pittsburgh Bodybuilding 4-21-2012 Figure through Men's 40

----

So you don't have to dig through all that, here are the ones with ME - I'm in the dark grey trunks (#28)

This is only through prejudging, there should be some from the night show and awards that are still being uploaded:

1471 – Rear Lat Spread – champion to the left
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...k8FC&lb=1&s=X3
1470 – Rear Lat Spread – tense guy to my right : )
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...F2xx&lb=1&s=X3
1467 (partial) – Glute – going into rear lat
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...s3Tt&lb=1&s=X3
1464 – Front Relaxed – champion to the left
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...NfH4&lb=1&s=X3
1438 – Thigh 2
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...ZxJK&lb=1&s=X3
1437 - Thigh
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...vb2L&lb=1&s=X3
1432 – Quad/Serratus
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...Pw77&lb=1&s=X3
1419 – Rear Lat Spread
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...PKZg&lb=1&s=X3
1407 – Left Side Tricep
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...Zdjx&lb=1&s=X3
1400 – Front Lat Spread
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...MQ5f&lb=1&s=X3
1394 (partial) – Front Double Bicep with Jackson
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...XJmk&lb=1&s=X3
1392 – Front Double Bicep
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...NJRB&lb=1&s=X3
1356 – Front Relaxed with Dolph Lundgreen (j/k)
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...HW9k&lb=1&s=X3
1352 – Right Side Relaxed
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...frDM&lb=1&s=X3
1335 – Left Side Relaxed
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...57n2&lb=1&s=X3

Here is the guy who beat me in the Open Tall and won the Overall:

Side Chest
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...78dc&lb=1&s=X3

Front Relaxed
http://hotshotsimages.smugmug.com/Vi...Gf7T&lb=1&s=X3

[bigbear6708]

great job! great write up! it was definately a close call w/ the guy who beat you in the open..you should feel proud (like I am sure you do!)

[Commander]

Originally Posted by bigbear6708

great job! great write up! it was definately a close call w/ the guy who beat you in the open..you should feel proud (like I am sure you do!)

Thanks Bigbear! My friends felt it was close too, but they are biased. : )

He was nearly as lean as me but had a SOLID 15 pounds on me. He truly deserved to be champion.

Now I know what I need to shoot for next time.

------

Yesterday

* Felt good to work with a barbell again, haven't touched one since Friday, April 13th.

I was still and sore starting this workout, still felt like I got hit be a train due to basically working out all day Saturday (pumping up & flexing) while being dehydrated. So I started really slow, but as I got into it, things felt great but I resisted the temptation to up the weight, better to get my body used to it first.

Squats with chains
200x5, many sets

superset with

OH Press
120x5, many sets

5 rounds:
a) Ring Dip BWx5
b) Ring Row BWx4 with isometric hold on last rep
c) OH Press 120x1
d) Vertical Jump

Last Night - snow on the ground, attempting to come up with a concentric focused inside routine (as something to do when I can't drag the tire)

5 or 6 rounds of:
a) Vertical Jump
b) Explosive Leg Extension 150x5
c) Maltese Cross Hold, 3 reps
d) Band Maltese Hold, 3 reps
e) OH Press and Hold, 2 x 6 seconds
f) Band Lat Hold, 3 reps

I threw in some curls here are there as well, it was fun.