|
Hello
again, everyone! Wow, it's been awhile since I've written a Latest
News column so it's great to be back. My previous web designer
was no longer able to help me with my website so I had to search
for another web designer to contribute to the Natural Olympia
website. I have finally located someone and I have my fingers
crossed that everything will work out and I will be able to make
regular updates to the site every month or even sooner.
Here
we are in a new year already. 2002 is a year for me to redeem
myself after my very disappointing year last year. I worked hard
to come back from my long 5 month extended layoff after my bicep
tendon surgery in October of 2000. I thought I did a great job
of coming back and getting back into contest condition. Unfortunately,
a few last minute mistakes toward the end of my preparation resulted
in me completely missing my peak condition and I showed up onstage
both flat and smooth. It was one of my most disappointing conditions
ever but I learned from it. I am extremely confident that this
year will be a much better experience when I get onstage.
The
primary goal I have on my mind for 2002 is to compete again in
top condition. It has been a long road back since my bicep tendon
surgery in October of 2000 and I am really looking forward to
competing in my "normal" contest shape again. I still
cringe when I see the photos or videotape of how I looked in my
competitions last year because I know it is only a shadow of what
my physique is capable of looking like.
 |
|
|
 |
|
Brenda
Kelly & John Hansen
IRONMAN Magazine Photoshoot
|
After
my competitions were finished and I got over the physical stress
of what I put myself through to get back onstage, I traveled to
Southern California in early December to shoot with famed IRONMAN
Magazine photographer Mike Neveux. It has been 2 years since I
shot with Mike because of my injury last year. We did two days
of shooting and covered just about every bodypart along with some
physique shots. I stayed on my diet for an additional month after
my last contest which was held on November 10th. I think I was
actually leaner for the photo shoot than I was for my competition
but I couldn't wait to get off my diet. Six months of dieting
is a little bit too much, even for me!
Mike
is now shooting with a digital camera so the shoot went much faster
than last time. We did a variety of shots over the two days and
we concluded with a cover shot for IRONMAN Magazine. I posed with
fitness model and MuscleLink representative, Brenda Kelly and
Mike was really excited on how good the photos came out. I'm really
looking forward to making the cover sometime this year on IRONMAN!
Watch for it. 2002 looks to be an exciting year for me as a bodybuilder.
As I mentioned last year, my goal since coming back from my bicep
tendon rupture was not only to compete onstage again but to compete
and WIN against the best natural bodybuilders in the biggest natural
bodybuilding competitions. I was able to get back into contest
shape last year and get back onstage. Now, it's time to regain
my winning condition and compete against some of the best drug-free
bodybuilders in the world.
My
biggest challenge will no doubt come from the prestigious NPC
Team Universe on August 9th-10th in New York. I traveled to NYC
last August to check out this competition and I was very impressed
with the calibur of competitors. Skip LaCour (3 time winner) and
Jeff Willet (2 time winner) are two guys with great physiques
and they would give anyone a run for their money. I will obviously
be a complete underdog coming in so the pressure will be on them
and not me but I am really hoping to play the spoiler role this
year by coming in in my best condition ever.
After
gearing up for this big event, I will take some time off and then
regroup for a couple more big shows in the fall. After my criticism
of the Natural Olympia last year, I was contacted by ABA president
Denny Kakos who felt that I was out of line for taking them to
task for the lack of drug testing at the event. Denny said that
a couple of the athletes were, in fact, drug tested via urinealysis
at the conclusion of the Finals and one competitor from Hawaii
did fail the test. I was not aware of this when I wrote my report
after the event and I'm glad that SOME drug-testing did take place.
However, Denny had promised me that EVERY competitor would be
given a polygraph exam before the competition began and then ALL
the winners of the contest would be given a urinealysis test.
This, as we all know, is not what happened.
I
was also contacted by Wayne McDonald, the vice-president of the
ABA and this year's promoter of the Natural Olympia. Wayne expressed
to me his desire to improve the calibur and prestige of the event
and asked for my opinion on ways to improve this contest. I appreciated
Wayne's interest in my views and was even more impressed with
his willingness to make improvements. This year's Natural Olympia
will be held in Phoenix, Arizona on November 17th so there is
a good possibility that I will be returning to this event. After
my terrible appearance last year, it would feel good to step back
onstage in top shape again.
Also, the MuscleMania World competition will be held back in it's
old home of Redondo Beach, California on November 23rd. After
missing out on last year's big event, I would like to compete
again in this huge natural bodybuilding competition. If all goes
well, I'll be there.
I
also have several seminars and exhibitions lined up for this year.
You can check out my Appearances link for all the details but,
as of this early date, I will be in Michigan for a bodybuilding
seminar and posing exhibition on April 27th. I will also be conducting
another bodybuilding seminar on May 25th out here in Chicago.
Promoters and store owners wishing to have me come out for a seminar
or posing exhibition can contact me via email at John@NaturalOlympia.com
or you can call toll-free at 1-800-900-8648 (UNIV). Since I have
so many bodybuilding events lined up this year, I will be in hard
training and in great shape all year long.
My
column, Naturally Huge, continues with IRONMAN Magazine for the
third year. I have recently signed another contract with MuscleLink
and will be using all their excellent products again this year
as I prepare for my competitions. I'm also planning on contributing
more full-length articles to the magazine this year, especially
after my extensive photo shoot with Mike Neveux.
I
will be publishing some training and nutrition booklets this year
which will be available on my website. The VAST majority of the
emails I receive are questions concerning training and diet so
I know there is still a big need out there for bodybuilding info.
Keep checking back to the Products link on this website for the
lastest books that I will have available. I am also planning on
putting together a video on the Bodybuilding Seminar that I will
be conducting in Michigan in April so this should be a great learning
tool for anyone interested in making progress in bodybuilding.
Speaking
of more info, I am looking forward to some exciting changes with
this website in 2002. There will soon be monthly updates in the
Training Tips link and the Nutrition News (brand new for this
year) link. Keep checking back to NaturalOlympia.com if you are
looking for tips on improving your physique through better training
and nutrition. If these tips are not enough for you and you would
like to have a complete diet and training program written up for
you, please contact me via email and we can get started on developing
a personalized program immediately.
If
you live in the Chicago area, tune into AM 1530 on Friday mornings
from 10-11am. I will be offering training and nutrition tips on
the Kiki Vale show Entertainment Plus. I will also be taking calls
from time to time so give me a call on the show if you have any
questions about working out that you are dying to have answered.
That's
all for now, folks. Stayed tuned for all the latest bodybuilding
information you need to build your physique DRUG-FREE. I'll also
be keeping you updated on the big progress I plan on making this
year as I get ready to compete this summer. I promise you - THE
BEST IS YET TO COME!!!
|
