Thank you so much everyone for all of your very kind words and posts! I wanted to update sooner, just needed some time to decompress. We got back late Sunday after picking up the dogs, and yesterday was a much needed day of relaxing with my wife and pups, and hitting the gym for chest and back.
Now that I have some time, I thought I’d give a little more detailed run down of the contest day, post contest, some cheat meal info, and my future plans. This will be a long detailed run down of the day, feel free to skip ahead to the post show cheat meal pics lol.
As I posted earlier, waking up the morning was stressful. Typically after a high carb re-feed day I would hold some water, some to ensure I wasn’t holding water, I drank a ton of water all day, about 4.5 gallons total, all the way up until bed time. The night before the show I woke up around 4 to 5 times to pee. Upon waking in the morning, I was not as tight, or as full as I expected to be, I thought I looked better earlier in the week as I was still depleting. After talking with Stu, he said not to worry, and since I was drinking all the way up until I went to bed, I still had some water to get out. I woke up at 7, the show started at 11 and my pre-judging would be around 1 or so. After water loading all week, show day water intake is very minimal - a few sips with each feeding, and a sip here or there to quench thirst as needed. But, after drinking all week, the body still releases water Saturday, not yet catching on to the fact that you’re not drinking. So, he said just to keep peeing, take in minimal water and I should see myself getting tighter.
Meal 1 was pancakes with a little peanut butter on top, I respond well to the fats. Not all people do, some do better with straight carbs all day, but the fats fill me out nicely and definitely give me a harder look. I also noticed all during keto that while I was a little flat, I was always fairly vascular, so I wanted to be sure I got some fat in with each feeding.
I wound up spending most of the day with Mike Raganella (#80, first place in Bantams and overall show winner). Stu also coaches Mike, so we heard a lot about each other and finally had the chance to meet up. He won the bantams last year but not the overall, so I was glad to be able to pick his brain and have an experienced competitor to hang with. He’s an incredibly nice guy, and also had a ridiculous show day meal bag, consisting of every Reese’s product you could imagine which really came in handy.
After the competitor meeting we went to the pump-up room and set up our spots. I brought a camping chair I set up, laid down and kept my feet up as much as possible. Once the show started, I checked the mirror and was overall still not as tight or full as I knew I could be, or needed to be. Mike was also saying he was pretty hungry and was thinking about eating again, and after seeing his Reese’s spread on a rice cake, I dug in with him. Stu came by and said to do a light pump up after each feeding, so I did, and almost immediately I started looking fuller and harder. So, I took that as a cue that I needed to eat more (without over doing it), so I ate every hour instead of every 2 hours. Mostly rice cakes an Reese’s spread, or one pancake with some PB. As the pre-judging got closer, I stuck with rice cakes and some vanilla cupcake graham cracker goldfish.
Once the competitor meeting was done, it was time to put on the dream tan. Bantamweights were up earlier in the show, and it’s best to put on the dream tan at least an hour before. It definitely takes some trial/error to figure it out. Aside from the method of application, which is to dab it in a few spots, rub it in, then open-palm slap it to even it out. Even figuring how much pressure to slap it in is important, otherwise you’ll see hand prints. I initially wound up putting on too much, which Mike and Stu both pointed out. It’s thick, so too much will cover the lines and definition. Stu found some pieces of paper, wiped off a bunch, and showed Katie (my amazing wife) how to even it out. Eventually we found the groove and wound up wiping off a lot and evening it out, a thin layer is all that’s needed. The red/bronze #2 dream tan is the best, it even has some little gold glitters in it to add to stage shine. Katie was an absolute champ all day, my MVP. From ProTanning me to keeping me from freaking out, Dream Tan, cheering me on, it was awesome to have her there with me all day. I kept eating and pumping, getting ready for pre-judging. As pre-judging approached, we put on some Muscle Juice posing oil, Katie would spray some onto her hand and lightly pat it in.
The show was moving pretty quickly, and eventually someone came in and announced where they were in the show, Mike and I both realized we had about 15 minutes until pre judging. So, I ate my pre-stage meal of 1 TBSP vegetable glycerol, rice cake, 1 TBSP PB and 1 TBSP honey, with 1/2 teaspoon of salt on top, with about 2-3oz of water. That really did the trick, I started getting fuller and vascular very quickly. Some light pumping, and it was time to get on stage.
The Bantamweight class had 7 competitors total, it was a tight group and I was glad to get on stage with guys in my weight class, rather than stuck with the lightweights as I was in my first show. Right before the stage Stu reminded me to flex my legs always (and smile!), as with some poses, like abs-thigh, it’s easy to think about upper body and forget the legs. We walked on stage, I hit my front-relaxed, and off it went.
I felt confident up there having practiced posing so often, knowing I worked my ass off, and feeling more relaxed having been on stage before. We went through a round of quarter turns, some shuffling around, another round of quarter turns, more shuffling around, then a third round of quarter turns. Once the third round started, I knew it was going to be tight and every instant of every pose made a difference, had to bring my best.
We started the muscularity round, which I typically feel more confident with than quarter turns, only because it’s easier for me to feel locked in with a mandatory pose than it is with quarter turns. As you can see in the video, they did some shuffling, and eventually I got to the middle. Even though I knew that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m in the running for the top spot, it just felt freaking awesome to be called to the middle in a class of 7 after such a brutal prep. It was a big boost and helped me keep the fight going. Eventually they called the “victory pose” from the rear and none of us knew what to do, I guess it showed our age lol. We all figured it out eventually.
After pre-judging it felt so good to know I gave my best performance possible. Stu found us and showed us the pre-judging video, and I just couldn’t believe it. Even looking in the mirror before you go on stage, or looking down at yourself before going on stage, looks nothing like what you wind up looking like on stage. Being under the lights with the tan and the posing oil and such, really changes the look. I had no idea what I looked like until seeing the video on Stu’s phone, and especially as it was my first show where I was really in proper condition, I just couldn’t believe it.
After pre-judging I laid down with my feet up for a couple hours and just chatted with Katie, watched the pre-judging video a bunch of times. I kept the same eating routine, and when it was time to start the routines did a light touch up dream tan, followed the same food protocol. It was a blast to perform the routine, especially feeling more confident in my physique after watching the video.
Eventually they posted the top 5 for each class for the night show, and I saw that I placed in the top 5. Had another rice cake with the usual toppings, quick pump up and headed out for awards. They had us hit a couple quick poses, then announced the placements. I was very happy with my 2nd place finish, to have worked so hard for so long, knowing I came in strong, gave a solid showing and earned a top spot in one of the most competitive natural shows in the country in my first competitive season, just an incredible feeling. Mike and I congratulated each other, he was diced up and absolutely deserved the first place trophy. I got dressed quickly to be able to run out and watch him compete in the overall, while going up against 4 other very tough competitors, he took it. Watching it live, it was clear he was the winner. It was awesome to watch him take the overall, having hung with him all day, also knowing we’re both Stu’s guy’s.
It was such an incredible day, so much fun and very rewarding. After some high-fiving and hand shaking back stage with all the competitors, seeing Katie and my family, getting some great pics with Mike and Stu, it was time to eat.
