Chi-Towns-Finest: Contest Prep 2010!

Chi_Towns_Finest 2010-10-03 03:16:34 UTC #1

What's up T-Nation! I'm six weeks out from my second contest and I'd like to get some feedback, below is a posing video.

For more info on my contest prep I'm keeping a very detailed blog that describes my diet and training: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew-Bora-Natural-Bodybuilder/140213389348675?ref=sgm

Thanks.

-AB

BONEZ217 2010-09-26 21:39:30 UTC #2

Second contest?

Chi_Towns_Finest 2010-09-26 21:47:04 UTC #3

Affirmative; my first was in May of 2009.

I kind of rushed in like a fool and tried to drop from 215-175 -- I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But now I'm here to claim the overall novice title, and step up in the open and hang with the vets.

waylanderxx 2010-09-26 22:02:46 UTC #4

Posing needs lots of work, especially the side chest and tri but you are looking good.

bking 2010-09-26 22:08:49 UTC #5

How tall are you? Im planning on doing a middleweight open in a few years. Good luck!!!

Chi_Towns_Finest 2010-09-26 22:16:58 UTC #6

@Waylander, thanks I'm working on it 5-10 minutes each day -- would you suggest more? I'm planning on driving an hour to the city to visit a gym owned by a judge and having him critique my posing for 30-45 minutes.

@bking, thanks I'm slightly over 5'10 -- looks like you're almost ready now!

bking 2010-09-26 22:53:59 UTC #7

Lol thanks im right at 5'8 maybe a lil shorter. I want to get up to about 185 at about 6 % bf then start my cut and dehydration and hopefully make weight.

Im not really good at judging physiques but the main thing I see is you need to bring up the calves and hamstrings. However your back look good. What weight are trying to come in at?

Chi_Towns_Finest 2010-09-26 22:52:55 UTC #8

Right on, I was near 6% a week ago when I weighed in at 185!

bking 2010-09-26 22:57:20 UTC #9

Haha thats hilarious man and good work. Hit me up with some pictures once the show is over because im curious about what to expect since ive never done a show before.

Chi_Towns_Finest 2010-09-26 23:01:24 UTC #10

Definitely I'll either post them here or start a new thread!

Cprimero 2010-09-27 01:50:45 UTC #11

x2 hamstrings and calves are a definite weakpoint. Generally/post contest you should go on a big bulk you need to add 20-30 pounds of muscle MINIMUM to fill out your frame.

Chi_Towns_Finest 2010-09-27 02:26:16 UTC #12

@Bking missed the second part of your original post -- I'm aiming to come in at 175. I hit my calves three times a week, it's going to take time and patience for them to fill out -- hamstrings and traps are another point I'm going to have to improve.

@Cprimero, I weigh 205 lbs. in the off-season. I don't gain the weight immediately, I imagine I'll be back at 195 relatively fast. At my height I may have to compete at light heavy if I want to reach the pro level, but at this point in time I can't imagine walking around at 225 during the off-season.

waylanderxx 2010-09-27 05:42:22 UTC #13

Does your gym have one of those aerobic areas with the hardwood floors and mirrors all the way around the room? Know what I'm talking about?

If so, I would just continue to go through all the mandatories after your workouts in there so you can get a good view from every angle on how you are presenting yourself. We all look awkward as fuck posing when you can't look in the mirror lol but 10 mins/day leading up to the show, as long as you are hitting the poses correctly, sounds good to be prepared. Keep it up.

Def a good idea to have that judge help you out.

Chi_Towns_Finest 2010-09-27 18:07:43 UTC #14

waylanderxx wrote:

Chi-Towns-Finest wrote:
@Waylander, thanks I'm working on it 5-10 minutes each day -- would you suggest more? I'm planning on driving an hour to the city to visit a gym owned by a judge and having him critique my posing for 30-45 minutes.

Does your gym have one of those aerobic areas with the hardwood floors and mirrors all the way around the room? Know what I'm talking about?

If so, I would just continue to go through all the mandatories after your workouts in there so you can get a good view from every angle on how you are presenting yourself. We all look awkward as fuck posing when you can't look in the mirror lol but 10 mins/day leading up to the show, as long as you are hitting the poses correctly, sounds good to be prepared. Keep it up.

Def a good idea to have that judge help you out.

I know what you're talking about, unfortunately my gym has no studio like that -- either of them for that matter!

The gym owned by a judge has a room just like that though, naturally, so I'll look forward to getting some of his insights.

bking 2010-09-27 20:28:36 UTC #15

Yeah you have the potential to go pro as a light heavy at your height and overall body structure. Im going to try to do it at a middle weight if I can. If I can't at least ill have teh hawt abbs!!! lol.

Personally if I were you I would skip the middleweight open that you want to do in the future and just get ready for a light heavy weight but it's all up to you!!! as long as you get there thats all that matters.

Chi_Towns_Finest 2010-09-27 22:34:27 UTC #16

Skip the show in November? Not for the world, I've got two dozen people coming to support me! And like I said, competing at light heavy is a future endeavor that is barely within my sight at this point. Although, I have to say, the thought of being 198 in contest is awe-inspiring -- I'll have to see what the future has in store.

bking 2010-09-27 23:39:55 UTC #17

No man I didn't mean skip this show but the middle weight open where you said you were going to hang with the vets or something after you claimed the overall novice title. Sorry if I misunderstood. Can you compete in a Novice and in an open at the same time? Im not to clear on how competitions work yet.

mch60360 2010-09-28 02:00:33 UTC #18

I think going to see the judge will improve you alot as well as using a mirror. It seems like you just don't quite make it all the way into optimal poses. Forward fists in fnt dbl bi takes away from your biceps as well as not pulling your elbows forward a bit to flare lats. Just some thoughts, I'm no pro.

cyruseven75 2010-09-29 05:08:37 UTC #19

good stuff as Way mentioned...side chest, bi should be back and pop your chest out, pose from the floor up, legs count big time in side chest, keep stomach tight.

in side tricep don't let your arm float free from the body, do space between body and arm is better, plus you can use the body t fatten out the arm even more.

be aware of hand position when hitting BDB getting hands toward the back will help peak, think of the bi as a sunset, don't let it set...if that makes sense.

your ribcage goes high in the middle, right into middle chest seemingly, not a criticism, just an observation.

good luck, pose every day...you are far leaner than me right and young...sky is the limit.

edit**** intention is to not sound coach like, you've done this before but always be learning, posing is like art, present the form in it's most flattering light.

The_Mighty_Stu 2010-09-29 15:36:58 UTC #20

I found that watching videos of other competitors is amazingly helpful. When I was getting ready for my first show, I found an entire prejudging video online and would practice posing along with the video. Over a year later, I actually ran into the guy from the video, and asked him if he was indeed so and so (his youtube account name).

When he admited he was, I told him the whole story how I learned to pose from watching his video. He thanked me, and then told me that I looked great and that he had me in first (he was one of the judges at the show where I won my pro card -lol)..... so everything worked out nicely

Also,.. you can see flaws that other competitors make in videos. When my girl video taped my first show, I would watch over and over comparing how I hit certain shots to how the two competitors to either side of me hit them.