Contest day pics

[VA MadDog]

Here are a few pics from yesterdays contest. I brought home a fouth place trophy in the Mens Masters Div. of the VA/DC NPC State show.

First and second went to two light weights about 5'2" tall but very ripped with great symetry. They deserved it. I think that I gave the 3rd place winner a run for his money, I'll have to wait for the judging results to come out to see if I got any 3rd place votes. 5th place went to a guy about my height but 30 lbs heavier - I beat him on conditioning.

The on stage pics got a little blurry due to distance and zoom, these are the best pics taken about 2 hours after pre-judging.

Goal for next year is to add another 10 lbs. Also need to figure out why my quads never got crisp and fix that. It was a long day. Started at 8:45 am and ended at 10:45pm. Over 90 competitors all together.

High on the consumption list today was a DQ Blizzard and a Brewsky - I'll go back to a clean diet in a day or two. I'm glad the contest is over, but I also feel good about having done it and not embarassing myself.

[VA MadDog]

Another contest day pic

[VA MadDog]

Pic 3

[4play]

looking cut bro, how did you like doing the shitloading phase.

[footballcat]

man looks great, cuts looking nice

[VA MadDog]

Pic 4

[VA MadDog]

Have to tell everyone that I enjoyed working with Skip for the final three weeks. I would recommend to anyone serious about doing your best to use Skip as a coach.

It was very helpful to have someone competent to bounce ideas and strategies off of and to get quality feedback and suggestions from. He helped me a lot with my posing, which is still not great, but a lot better than in past years. It took a whole bunch of emailed pics, but his suggestions were very helpful.

Thanks Skip! I'll send you all of the other pics we talked about tomorrow.

[Sachet]

You looked awesome the day of the event, so your competition must have been extremely high.
Congratulations!
Was that your first competition?

As far as posing goes, I would imagine that it's not a comfortable thingy for any guy to do initially.
Would a class such as tai chi {sp?} help with overcoming 'shyness'?

[jaywooly]

Look good bro.

[rippedchef]

Congrats-you looked great-also as I recall your natty??-So to compete at an NPC show w/o any AS and look as good as you do is one hell of an accomplishment!!

[Skip]

Originally posted by rippedchef
Congrats-you looked great-also as I recall your natty??-So to compete at an NPC show w/o any AS and look as good as you do is one hell of an accomplishment!!

I am glad that you pointed this out, RC. I said the same thing but it helps to hear it from someone else other than your prep guy, too.

I am not going to say much as I usually like to leave that to my clients. However, as these pics show damned good conditioning, in my humble opinion, we didn't hit it perfectly and I can't figure out if VA or myself, is more disappointed. We will be sifting through the pics and info this next week to see how things can be adjusted next time. It is probably water as he was obviously, crazy lean. VA has to deal with a very ripped and shredded upper body and it is very hard to have legs that are as conditioned as his upper body is.

My hat is off to you, VA. I appreciate the kind words and I enjoyed working with you just as much. I love to see guys in this sport that go against the norm - you know, have families, careers..... brains, etc.. lol Sometimes it seems the sport is short on that sort of thing.

Skip

[rippedchef]

Just keep the bodyweight under 225 1/4-no way I want to see this guy on stage in MY weight class-especially after a bulker and a cutter with Skips help!!!!!!!!!

[BLEED GREEN]

Awesome condition bro

[skwood]

Nice work bro!

[Saks]

Maddog Kick ass brother! I hope to see you back in the gym soon! Congrats on 4th place.

Natty Boy Saks

[T82]

WOW! You look great! Good job! :D

[bigshug]

GREAT JOB!!

Those pics really don't do this guy justice, folks!

[1bigmus]

great Job

[VA MadDog]

Thanks for all the kind words - it is cool to get positive comments from people who are actually into the sport and know a little bit about it.

I feel good about how things went and am ready to dig in again to add some size for next year. I could always have been better, but overall I had a good year and a smooth contest prep.

I'm lucky to have pretty good symmetry and relatively small joints/waist so I usually look like I weigh more than I do, in fact at least one of the guys in my class guessed that I was 20 lbs heavier than I was. I do need more size, however, and I plan to work on that as best as an old natty can...

[Sachet]

I think it's really cool how supportive these guys are too :D
It's rather refreshing to see your gracious responses considering how very difficult it is to remain 'natural' & obtain your physique.

You're a classy guy! :)

[bigshug]

You guys should've seen the trophy he got as well.....he's still ripped up even after the show - he hasn't gained 30 pounds like some of our board members are prone to do....LMAO

[VA MadDog]

Bigshug - I've actually only gained back 3 - 4 lbs from the contest day. And I did have some crap food in there too, A DQ Blizzard, about 4 bowls of ice cream, a beer, some wine with dinner, an extra portion of spaghetti, etc.

Guess that I was so starved for this stuff my body sucked it up but did not blow up. I also started a new workout routine which is more intensive and kicking my butt so I think that I'm burning up the extra calories. I'll probably be up to where I was before the pre-contest diet started in a week or two. Takes 9 weeks to drop it and 2 to put it back - doesn't seem fair!

Now compared to midweight this is nothing - mid didn't you put on like 25 lbs a day for a week? Must be about 250 by now - lol

At first I thought that the trophy was odd looking, but it's growing on me. It is intended to be a Greek God statue, Zeus I guess.. It is one of those Neils Anderson trophys so it is not cheap looking but it surely is different from the other ones I have.

[pudgy]

shredded. all your hard work is evident. congratulations on your mental toughness and consistent hard work.