Bodybuilding Journey Fall 2015 Part IV

#BeastMom Laura Dennie was up first. She took a trophy home at Mike Davies's NPC Ohio State show on September 26th. A couple weeks later she showed again in Figure at the NPC Northern Ohio in Lakewood. I was amazed at how much she improved from show to show. You can customize your physique so much in two weeks.

My struggle was getting my quads to pop, or "drying them out." I had lean, mean muscle everywhere else but it wasn't showing as well in my legs.

 When I hit this pose, Mike Davies would say "MONEY!" 

Is that a shelf, or my upper pecs?

A couple of things in Arnold's Bodybuilding guide that I embraced from jump was his advice to have a photoshoot the Sunday before my show, and to pose......a lot! Now a modeling portfolio is being built.

My goal was to show people if their desire was strong enough, they could accomplish whatever they chose. I wanted to show them that I was committed to the cause. I live healthy eating, healthy thinking, and hard work. I gave them a reason to follow my lead. I was showing them directly and indirectly how to win. I used the hatred and fugaziness shown toward me as fuel. It was exciting, and I did it all my way.

After my very first spray tan. It's showtime!

I can't believe I am admitting this but one of the best things about getting spray tanned the night before a show is the relaxation and requirement to go commando up until it starts. So much freedom in that:-)

 If you are not smiling the morning of your competition then you are a loser! You have put in all the hard work. Early mornings and late evenings in the gym. Disciplined meal plan with major restrictions the last week. Money spent, rules followed, preparation done. The day has come. SMILE!

There are more than a thousand reasons to do a bodybuilding competition. Some do it for confidence, others do it for the challenge, and many more do it for the competition. Everyone has their reason to pose onstage almost completely naked for others to judge them. I have much respect for the sport of bodybuilding and those that laid down the foundation for it. One thing I will never do is inject steroids into my body, nor will I coach an athlete that does. It's just not that serious!

This here is a pose that Davies taught me a few days before the show. Boom!

 The results of my 1st Bodybuilding competition at NOBA Fall Classic: 3rd place Novice, 1st place Heavyweight, lost overall battle to a lightweight.

The results of Rafa's 1st Bikini competition at NOBA Fall Classic: 1st place Bikini Novice, 1st place Bikini Tall, lost overall battle to a shorty.

So much success for first timers. The blueprint is working. I've become a competitive bodybuilder and a competitive coach at the same time. Rafaela deserved every ounce of her success. She put in all the effort it required to be 1st place. We rocked the show. We learned a lot. We had fun. And we were hungrier than we had every been......for SUCCESS and for FOOD! Time to eat.

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Bodybuilding Journey Fall 2015 Part III

I knew I had my work cut out for me, but one thing I wasn't going to leave to question was my work ethic. I committed to training, and training hard. As a matter of fact, training became more important than my business and the service I provided others. There was nothing more important. I had committed to being on stage in front of hundreds of people wearing tiny underwear......I was not going to fumble the ball on this one.

I knew posing was important. I did not know that the person coaching your posing was more important.  I went to posing workshops, and even drove to Dayton one time to work with a coach. I also referred my battle buddy to a female coach that I barely knew. Lucky for me, Rafaela, the tall, gorgeous Brazilian Bikini competitor put herself in a position to be coached by someone I've respected since I started training. Every trainer worth their weight in Columbus has heard of Mike Davies. He's coached at a high level for a long time. His reputation precedes him. Even when I was new to the training game in Columbus I knew that Mike was someone I needed to know. Because of Rafaela, I got the chance.

I soaked up every bit of knowledge that I could. It's like learning from a kung fu master. When you're around wisdom you talk less and listen more. There was no point in me talking about what I knew. My body showed that. Now was a time for me to get drilled and coached on how to get better.

And he assured me that I was on the right path, in my coaching and my own training. MORE CONFIRMATION that my blueprint was working. I earned the respect of a fitness legend.

It was coming! But I wasn't quite there yet. I needed to get my body Turnt Up. 

My commitment to a bodybuilding lifestyle was at an all time high.....literally....when I went to Beaver Creek, Colorado for Todd Durkin's Mastermind Retreat. This was a perfect time to pick the brains of World Class fitness professionals. To gain ideas to build and sustain million dollar health and fitness businesses. I had the opportunity to do that. And I also received confirmation from them that I was on the right path. I used all my free time in high altitude to train. I went from training twice a day to three times. My eating wasn't at it's best but that was ok. I was working hard.....and breathing some damn good air.

My mentor Todd Durkin is an expert at getting people FIRED UP! 

Then it's back to reality!

 The mission was on! The energy was creating and attracting fit, healthy, lean physiques.

 And I felt good about taking topless high-speed selfies in the gym. Coordination, balance, strength, desire.....I got it all baby!

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