Reflection - the past weekend

Travelling to Colchester on the eve of my first competition in 22 years, I kept trying to visualise myself on stage and then all the doubting questions came flooding in, "am I lean enough" "will I get my water manipulation correct" and so on, luckily Sean who was my driver, bag carrier, confidant and sponsor all rolled in one, made a quick stop at to Neale Cranwell's gym Krunch for Neale to give me the once over.

Neale was instrumental in prepping me for this show, he's a great guy and a very experienced competitor, of course all I had to do leading up to this important weekend for the last 3 months was 6am Cardio, work, lifting my heart out in the gym, followed by more cardio, followed by posing practice and eating all the right foods to maintain muscle and lose body fat!

It was thumbs up from Neale who hinted I may be good enough to win the whole show! Feeling elated Sean and I continued our journey to Colchester and arrived at the Hotel for steak, potato and eggs as my last meal and a glass of white wine to act as a natural diuretic because I had stopped taking water by 6pm that night to tighten up even more. 

I couldn't sleep all night thinking about the show the next morning, I felt really tired but the mood changed when I checked my condition in the bathroom mirror, I was bang on the money and all nerves had fled back over the Severn Bridge to Cardiff. I felt confident about everything as I casually checked in with officials, handed over the music to the DJ and then just relaxed until about an hour before my class was due on stage. 

The setting was indeed Herculean, stage lighting, back drop all perfect and some amazing trophies too. 

I wasn't really taken seriously or noticed by anyone until I began to change from track suit to trunks, then I felt the presence of many fixed eyes and murmurings, I then knew I had brought my best to Colchester's Scott Hercs Olympia and my confidence grew by the minute. I didn't pump up like so many were, frantically lifting dumbbells and pulling stretch bands from one corner to the next, I just flexed and flexed, that's what I had painfully practiced night after night for the past 3 moths and inturn my body began to respond and my body got tighter and tighter. 

Sean applied the tan and then we "over 50's" were ushered to to the stage entrance! I could hear the crowd, see the lights and the atmosphere was building but I felt no nerves at all after all these years, I was home again!

As we stepped on stage the crowd went wild as we presented our selves as best we could and then I noticed all seven judges looking at me which could mean I was good or really bad! Comparisons made we asked to leave the stage and come back one at a time to perform to music, I knew my music and routine were unique, I just hoped the crowd and the judges would agree.

Move after move flowed, the noise of the crowd increased and flashes of photography pinging every where. When I had finished many were on there feet applauding and I even saw a couple of judges sneaking the odd photo or two. I had a chance!

There was another good Italian who had brought over a large contingent with him but they were cheering me, it must have deflated the poor man. 3rd was called and the Englisman graciously accepted his award. And in Second place, the Italian competitor was called, I knew I had won, it was amazing! 

As I was leaving the stage to thunderous applause, Scott Hercs turned to me and told me my physique and routine were incredible, I was taken a back.

Joyously I put my track suit on and from there on in I was mobbed by well wishes and new fans,I was on top of the world, I was the over 50's champion. 

Then I realised I had the small matter of the overall to contend with. the over all means all men's class winners going head to head on stage for the Title of Mr Hercules Olympia.

A couple of hours later we all lined up back stage ready to go to war! I happened to be first in the line up of around Seven other champions and as we took the entrance to the stage the crowd went berserk. I even noticed the Italian team cheering for me, 3 of us were to called to compare physiques, I new the other guys were bigger than me but I also knew I was able to present myself better than them.

We were asked to line back up and then the winner was announced, they called my name, from there on in it was all a blurr, photos, hugs and kisses of adoration and much much more. It took ages for Sean and I to leave the venue because we were stopped on every corner by well wishers. 

I can't actually remember much after that and the journey home back to Cardiff was one of the happiest and easiest ones I have ever made. Special thanks to my Sponsor Sean Brown who tirelessly worked to make my weekend a comfortable one.

And so as champion of my first comp I head toward my goal to be over 50's Mr Wales on May 10th and qualify for the British champions.

Thank you to all of you you that have lifted me with your comments and encouragement, you really have made a difference and remember "Train With Purpose".

Supplement and Training update.

January's prep for the Nabba Wales in May I would say is easily on track, training has never been tougher especially the 6am power walks in this awful weather; when my alarm rings at 5.30am I can't say I'm overjoyed by the thought but my motivation is visualising myself on stage in front of friends and family, no way am I going to be mediocre, I have to win!
I'm currently training 5 days out 7 in the gym, with legs being hit twice a week and 6 days of morning cardio and with just over 2 weeks into my diet changes are already occurring, I'm also half way through my posing routine before fatigue sets in during the evening practice.
I was asked recently why I take supplements, my answer is simple, "which of the following produces the quickest gains in performance or body composition
1. Training
2. Diet
3. Supplements
4. Or all of the above work equally well
Answer - supplements! Training and diet can take weeks or months for things like performance or body composition to change, supplements on the other hand can show an instant benefit to performance therefore actually speeding up bodily changes. Take caffeine as an example, taken before training acts as a stimulant therefore allowing you to perform at a greater level of intensity instantly which in turn improves performance which then leads on to bodily changes sooner. See my logic?

Anyway with around 16 weeks to go a lot can happen, staying focused on the goal ahead is selfish I know but I have great support from a great team, my wife Julie, advice coaches Neale Cranwell and Dave Nelson, animal training partners Sean Brown and Sean Mathews, great training facilities at Peak Physique gym,  mind blowing Music mixed by Niko Algieri and fantastic sponsors in Muscle Finesse, Browns Office supplies and Iconx Clothing, all in all one hell of a team, I absolutely have zero excuses not to win, speak to you soon.....TRAIN WITH PURPOSE!

Target Weight Hit!

Silly me, my scales were way out and unbeknown to me I had already hit and exceeded my target weight and I'm still fairly lean. I think the really heavy training we are doing is burning those extra calories of fat and the muscles are growing with the increase of food and in particular protein.
I still have a way to go before my diet starts so things are well ahead of schedule with regards muscle growth and strength.
Competition prep is always at the forefront of my mind and visualising how I'm going to look seems to spur me on each week, I visualise the line up, my presentation, picking up the winners trophy, the crowd chanting my name and so on, sounds arrogant I know but I'm not competing for the fun of it or the camaraderie, I'm in it to win it!