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| After months of preparation, brutal training and diet deprivation, my competitions for 2002 are now history. Unfortunately, just like last year, I do not have any good news to report. This year was even more disappointing than last year because, despite my best efforts, I was not able to hit peak condition and my contest placings reflected my subpar condition onstage. Last year, I struggled to reach top shape after being forced to take five months off from training following the surgery I had to reattach my bicep tendon after rupturing it in October of 2000. I really had my work cut out for me in 2001 as I had to regain muscle tissue that I lost while simultaneously losing all the bodyfat I had accumulated during my extended time off. When contest time arrived in November of last year, I was flat while still holding water. Smooth and small, the two worst conditions a bodybuilder can have for competition. I placed way out of the money at the Natural Olympia contest and didn't even return for the finals the next day. One week later, I entered the NPC Natural Mid-States in Rockford, Illinois and placed 2nd in the heavyweight class. I had successfully regained the muscle fullness that I lacked in the Natural Olympia one week earlier but I was still too soft and "watery" to win my class. However, I felt that I made a good comeback in only one week and I was hopeful for much better placings the following year. That brings us up to date to 2002. I began training for this year's competitions in December of 2001. After a three week layoff, I resumed my training at 212 pounds and was anxious to regain the size I once had before injuring my bicep in 2000. Forgetting that I was now at a more advanced age, I launched into my typical off-season bulking up diet. For me, this generally means eating between 4500-5000 calories per day and training heavy. I've done this before in the past on a regular basis and this practice always allowed me to pack on the mass after the bulking up phase was completed. By mid-March of 2002, I realized that my metabolism at 39 years of age wasn't what it used to be when I was 29, 33 or even 35. It was much slower now and gaining weight was absolutely no problem. I was shocked to discover that my weight had balloned up to a way-too-bulky 245 pounds in less than three months. My plan for 2002 was to compete in the NPC Team Universe. I decided to begin my diet immediately so I would have the time I needed to get properly cut up. I was now training with Joe Silzer who was also planning on entering the TU as a middleweight. After two months of dieting, I realized that I had made a big mistake by getting so heavy and it would take a monumental effort on my part to get ripped by early August in time for the Team Universe. I wisely decided to pass on the biggest drug-tested event in the NPC until I was really prepared to compete with the best. It was a good thing that I did because I was soon hit with a series of injuries that seriously interrupted my training. I incurred a strained left rotator cuff shortly before straining ligaments in my lower back while deadlifting. The rotator cuff injury almost put a complete stop to my chest and shoulder workouts and the lower back injury made my leg and back workouts very light weight and ineffective. I set my sights on some competitions in the fall provided I could overcome all these obstacles. I ate a maintainance diet (one that would prevent any further weight gain but was not low enough in calories to lose weight just yet) for a couple months before starting my diet in mid-July. Thanks to my chiropractor, Dr. Timothy Radcliffe, I was able to gradually heal my injuries and begin training like a real bodybuilder again in August and September. It was an incredibly long and frustrating recovery process and it made this year one of the hardest I have ever endured due to these seemingly never-ending injuries. As my diet continued, I made the decision to compete as a light-heavyweight for the first time in eight years. With almost three months of practically no training during the period of my injuries, I reasoned that my muscle mass would be much less than normal so it would be wise to just go for conditioning and come in as hard and full as possible. I planned on entering the NPC Natural Mid-States again and then compete in the Natural Mr. Universe the following week in Los Angeles. I figured I would easily win the overall at the Natural Mid-States if I competed as a ripped light heavyweight. As for the Natural Universe, I didn't know how much of an impact the loss of muscle mass would have on my placing. I guess I would have to see who my competition was when I got there and then see what happens. Enough talk about the preparation. Here is what happened at the competitions I entered in 2002. NPC Natural Mid-States This year's event was even bigger than the 2001 competition. I weighed in at the class limit, 198 1/4 pounds. I checked out the rest of the competition as we all lined up to register and get our numbers and I thought I would win my class easily. I didn't see anyone who looked that big or impressive. There were nine competitors in the light heavyweight division and the head judge, Chuck Sanow, moved one of the competitors next to me for the comparisons during the mandatory poses. After going thru the comparisons once, Chuck instructed me and this competitor to step off to the side, a sure indication that I was going to place first or second.
After talking to some people following the pre-judging, the feedback I got indicated that I was bigger with better shape than the rest of the class but the other guy may have been harder. I had my girlfriend take photos with my digital camera but she didn't get the other guy in all the photos so it was difficult for me to tell. However, I know how important hardness is in bodybuilding competitions so I feared that I would take second if I was not the hardest guy onstage. My fears were realized by the evening show. The way everything seemed to be going, I was fully expecting to place second in my class by the time the night show came around. This would be a massive disappointment to me. In the weeks leading up to this contest, I honestly thought the Natural Mid-States would be my night. My goal to myself was to win all four trophies, my weight class and the overall as well as the best poser and best abs trophies. Now, it was looking like I was not even going to win my class.
You can imagine my shock when I was announced in third place in my class! I was fully expecting to be called out for second but third was a real slap in the face. After checking out the score sheet after the contest was over, I discovered that my scores ranged from 2nd to 6th place. The inconsistent scores brought me down from second place to third. Check out the photos of the line-up. Can you imagine anyone placing me in sixth place??
In the end, it didn't really matter if I was second, third, fifth or sixth. I was entering this show to win the overall and anything less was a real let down. I was actually more disappointed in my condition than anything else. I had failed again to show up in peak condition and, after my subpar showings the year before, this was just as bad as losing. Congratulations to the winner of my class, first time competitor Derek Rapaduski. Derek showed up hard and in shape and the judges rewarded him for it with the first place trophy. Derek was also a real gentleman backstage and he showed a lot of enthusiasm and desire onstage. He was a classy competitor and I wish him all the best in future competitions. Congrats also to LeDon Griffin who won the lightweight class and the overall title of the Natural Mid-States Open. I didn't get a chance to check out LeDon's physique under the lights as I was too busy backstage getting ready to go onstage. From the photos, however, I can see that he was the hardest competitor competing that night (he won the best abs trophy) and he displayed a very thick set of pecs for a lightweight competitor. This guy could probably do some damage on the national level in the lightweight class.
As for me, I knew I needed to correct my hardness problem and fast. I had a much bigger competition only a week away and, judging by the results of this contest, I was far from ready. My brother Don suggested I get some outside advice to lose the water retention I was showing. Don is very knowledgable about the sport of bodybuilding and he is the ONLY one I know who is completely 100% honest with me. Others may know what they are talking about but they inevitably pull punches when assessing my physique for me. My brother is always, always brutally honest and I wouldn't have it any other way. At least I know I have one opinion that I can always count on. Don suggested I call Chris Aceto. Chris, as many in the bodybuilding world know, is one of the most sought after nutritionists in the business. He was the advisor to former pro champion Mike Francois and is currently helping out top professional champion Jay Cutler. I have read Chris's books and articles for years and he always impressed me with his common sense approach to bodybuilding as well as his extensive knowledge. I was lucky enough to meet Chris way back in 1994 at a contest in Memphis, Tennessee that I was guest posing at. Chris was very open to my questions that weekend and I have called him every so often over the years when I had a difficult problem that I needed an answer to. However, it had been years since I called him and I wasn't sure I even had the correct phone number for him. I decided to take a chance and call him on Sunday. To my surprise, Chris himself answered the phone. He was actually on his way out to catch a plane but he was kind enough to hear me out before he left. I told him my situation and Chris had an answer. He suggested that I gradually cycle down on my carbs as the contest approached. This was in stark contrast to the typical "carbing up" program followed by most bodybuilders in the week preceding a competition. After hanging up the phone, I went back to my diet journal and looked over my final week of preparation leading up to the Natural Mid-States. I was shocked to see how many carbs I had consumed during that last week. I ate approximately 290 grams of carbs on Monday through Wednesday, then up some more to 310 grams of carbs on Thursday followed by 350 grams of carbs on Friday. I had cut out my sodium and even my water in the final days before the contest but the high carb intake I was consuming was holding onto the water. Chris mentioned that whenever there is water retention, it is always the result of carb intake and not water intake. I was really psyched up now! I felt like I had the answer to my problem and I thought I might be able to pull off a miracle and win the Natural Universe only one week after being placed third in a local show. Wouldn't that be a sweet ending! Natural Mr. Universe I went back to my normal diet on Monday and then started cutting back on the carbs on Tuesday. My plan was to reduce my carbs down to 260 grams on Tuesday, 220 grams on Wednesday, 200 grams on Thursday and then all the way down to 175 grams on Friday and Saturday with my contest scheduled for Sunday. By Wednesday, I was disappointed with the results as I was still holding water. I decided to call Chris again and ask his opinion. He suggested I go all out and reduce the carbs even further. I decided to go down to 150 grams on Thursday and then hit rock bottom by going down to 100 grams of carbs on Friday and Saturday. It would be hell but it would be worth it if it worked. I was surprised that I was maintaining my fullness during this period of carb deprivation. My vascularity was still prominent and I didn't seem to be getting flat (not yet, at least). The last couple of days were really tough. The only thing I was eating was protein such as chicken, turkey and steak along with fiberous vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus and lettuce. Umm, umm, good. The hardest day was definitely Saturday. My girlfriend and I flew into California in the morning and my energy was starting to go down after several days of lowering my carbs. We trained at Gold's Gym Venice in the afternoon since Chris suggested that I do a light workout to burn more glycogen. When we got back to the hotel room, I could see that I was still holding water!! To say I was disappointed would be an understatement! After all this work, the damn water was still there. I decided to drive to another hotel that had a spa and take in a sauna. I sat in the 110 degree temperature for 30 minutes in a drastic attempt to sweat out some more of this dreaded water. The lowpoint was definitely when I got out of the sauna and felt like I was going to collapse. I had only consumed 4 cups of water all day. My girlfriend was drinking water and I asked her if I could just take a sip. I never thought water could look so good. I actually didn't even drink any of the water, I just swished it around in my mouth and then spit it out. I arrived at the pre-judging the next morning knowing that I was still not in the condition that I needed to be. My weight was about the same as it was the week before and I was definitely in harder condition than the water-logged look I had at the Natural Mid-States but it was still not enough. I knew my main competition and the favorite to win the contest was Ron Williams from Utah. Ron had won either the Natural Universe or Natural Olympia (or both) the last three years and he had continued his winning ways by taking the Natural Olympia the week before in Phoenix, Arizona in three divisions, no less! He won the Masters, the Men's Open and the Professional divisions. The night before, he had also won the Masters division of the MuscleMania. There were five competitors entered in the pro division this year. Ron was one of them along with Lacy Weston, a good natural bodybuilder who had also competed in the Natural Olympia last weekend and took third in the pro division. There was a new guy who I had never seen before, Tony Wisniewski. Tony was very thick and full. He looked a little blocky but he definitely had some impressive mass for a natural bodybuilder. The other competitor was from Greece and, although he had some nice symmetry and definition, he looked a little undersized in this group.
As for myself, I was still not hard enough to win or even place in the top three. I was harder than the week before, especially when I posed, but I had flattened out a little from all the last minute tactics I had attempted in the days preceding the show. As a result, I looked slightly flat and soft when we came out for the initial line-up. Ron Williams always looks his best in this position as he looks hard as a rock. Lacy also looked impressive just standing relaxed. He had hardened up considerably since the previous week from what everyone was saying. Tony, despite his lack of shape and symmetry, was still full and hard so he was also immediately placed in the top three. When the judges compared me to the competitor from Greece and told everyone else to step back to the side, I knew I wasn't being compared for first place. It was devastating to be compared for last place when I had won this same contest years ago. It was especially disappointing after working so hard this last week to pull it all together.
In the end, Lacy Weston pulled off an upset and beat perennial favorite Ron Williams. Lacy had a hellava night that evening as he won the Masters division, the Men's Open overall (plus a special plaque for being the most ripped competitor), and finally the Pro Division. He copped 3 huge trophies plus all the medals and plaques, not to mention $1500 in cash for winning the professional division. Tony Wisniewski took third place. After the pre-judging, I was extremely depressed. I was actually considering retiring from competition. I had worked so hard this year to overcome all my injuries and had dieted down from the fat 245 pounds I was at earlier in the year and it still didn't mean anything in the end.
However, by the time the evening show was completed and I was awarded my fourth place trophy, my attitude had changed from one of depression to one of anger and redemption! After looking at the photos, I KNOW that I can be a winner again, I just need to return to the kind of condition that I have displayed in the past. The competition is definitely tougher now and it's not going to be easy but I know that if I do things differently, then next year WILL be a different story. My plan for 2003 is to stay leaner as I get bigger. I will not compete for a full 12 months so I will have lots of time to make the improvements that I need to make. I still believe that I can get much bigger although everyone keeps telling me that I don't need to get bigger, just harder. However, look at the examples of the two pros who made the biggest impact at the last two Mr. Olympias, Jay Cutler and Gunter Schlierkamp. Cutler was plenty big when he placed eighth in the 2000 Mr. Olympia and I'm sure everyone was telling him he doesn't need to get bigger, just come in harder. Jay, instead, went back to work and added pounds of quality muscle as well as coming in harder than ever and he almost won the title in 2001!
The same thing with Gunter. He weighed around 290 pounds at the 2001 Olympia, definitely the biggest man in the show. I'm sure the advice he recieved after that contest was to just come in harder, not bigger. After all, Gunter has a somewhat wide waist and more size would probably just add to his waist size and ruin his V-taper. Instead, Gunter went back to the gym and added more size and competed a year later at 300 pounds! The added muscle to his upper pecs, upper back and delts made him look fuller and more impressive and his symmetry actually improved because his waist looked smaller compared to his wider shoulders and bigger chest. He also competed in rock hard condition. As a result, Gunter stole the show and actually got a standing ovation from the loving crowd. Three weeks later, Gunter did the impossible and beat five time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman at the GNC Show of Strength. I plan on following the same game plan. I know that I don't need to get bigger but I realize that more quality muscle
mass means a higher metabolism. That means it should be easier
to get leaner next year if I have more to work with. I will stay
lean all year as I slowly add some quality muscle. My goal is
compete at the next Natural Olympia weighing 205 pounds and be
hard as a rock. I know I can do it. Immediately after this competition
was over, I vowed that I would never compete again unless I am
100% ready. Next year, I will be ready! |
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