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I turned my
attention to asking Julie if it were the same with strength competition. Was the
injury rate high? Were there as many inherent dangers involved with training
with this goal in mind. Again Julie's response was far more positive. In terms
of her experience, with safe and effective training the risk of injury was low,
and probably lower than most other sports. She agreed that dangerous training
methods, drugs, or just the male element in general, would probably result in
far more injury. Although they both believed that Peters injuries were simply
caused by consistent wear and tear and not specifically any un safe training
practices.
So they were still
prepared to push on through the potential dangers and torments of months of hard
dieting and training.
I probed further
into their diet. They seemed pretty rock steady in their beliefs. It was almost
too simple. Nothing fancy. You need good quality proteins. Use protein drinks.
Eat turkey breast. Keep your fat intake as low as humanly possible. And begin
CV. Slowly, week by week, judge your progress and drop your carbs. Keep going at
a rate of weight loss that will bring you in on target. Its as simple as that.
Both of them use meal replacement powders and proteins, and the occasional
creatine supplement. Peter talked openly about the use of drugs in competitive
bodybuilding.
We agreed on many
aspects of this. The ANB athletes work hard. Probably just as, if not harder,
than any drug using athlete and come in in great condition - they focus more on
condition than size. The sport is unfortunately more and more focussed on size
and freakiness when it comes to other bodybuilding federations. This is pushing
more and more people and athletes into using more and more quantities and
varieties of dangerous chemicals. We agreed that this was probably not the
healthiest way forward for a sport, but the way forward it was going.
Outside of the
interview, in candid talks, with another number of professional bodybuilders I
gleamed some very interesting information. There were many competitors that were
competing that supposedly have never touched an anabolic and many of these guys
enthuse that they believe these athletes claims. I actually am convinced that
this is quite true. Especially when you speak to people who are open about their
drug use that can honestly say that they believe their competitor stood by their
side is as natural as they come. Very interesting. I also spoke with numerous
young athletes that were taking ephedrine, blood doping, T3 Thyroid hormone,
growth hormone, diuretics, amphetamine, cocaine and numerous other drugs in
preparation for shows. This is quite an eye opener. Especially when you realise
these guys are no more than nineteen years old. Is it passion that drives them
to these levels. Is it safe or normal for this to be happening? I think these
are massive subjects that are outside of the scope of this article. But this
type of thing does go on, and seems quite the norm in the circles of people
involved in the sport at a competitive level.
Returning to Peter I
asked him what makes a great competitive bodybuilder. What do you need? The
answer was simple. Good genetics. Julie agreed. If you don't have the genetics
to compete then you are not going to be a very good competitive bodybuilder.
They were quick to make the vast distinction between a great physique and a
competitive bodybuilding physique. As the difference is huge. Anyone can train
to have a great lean and heavily muscled strong body. Not everyone can win a
bodybuilding show unless they have the correct shape, bone structure, muscle
belly length etc. This is the point they were trying to make to me. That the
classic V-shape is a must. Wide shoulders, a thin waist. Long muscle bellies
etc. Without these, then actually turning upto a show, no matter how many
steroids you have been taking for a year, and you wont win a show. I figured
that perhaps then, I didn't have a chance, but I was still inspired to join in
and give it a go. Nothing that had been said so far had put me off.
So focussing on
these two in particular and not in general, I wanted to find out what type of
training they performed to get in great shape. As sated Julie performed CV
everyday for competition dieting. Peter also performed daily CV. Sometimes two
to three times per day. This is very popular in terms of people like John
Hodgson.
Both Julie and Peter
train with weights about four times per week, splitting their body parts up.
Each body part receives about 16 - 20 sets on various exercises. The exercises
are different from workout to workout. There is no set routine. Upon being
questioned about this - both replied that anybody would be bored out of their
skull if their workout remained the same for more than one session. And so the
two train very instinctively. The aim is to lift heavy - as heavy as possible.
There are lots of drop sets, negatives and strip sets. There is very little rest
between sets. Thus making training sessions fast and brutal. This is what they
believe causes muscle growth. I asked them how they judged their progress. It
was simple. If you can lift 200kg one year and 215kg next year on an exercise
then you have made progress - although there is no day to day recorded log.
After a brief discussion they both agreed this may have been a good idea and
something they will incorporate into their training in the future. Many people
would say that this style much resembled their own training and yet produces
little to no results. Julie and Peter both agreed that it does depend on the
person. Each person needs to find what works for them. They believe that the
higher volume/holistic approach they follow works well for the natural
mesomorph, yet a much lower volume and frequency probably really does work for
the natural hard gainer with small bones and limited recovery.
So I asked the pair
what advise they could give me if I was to compete this year. What must I do?
What am I letting myself in for and how exactly do I prepare for a show?
First of all they
both said Id need support. Support from friends and family. Explain to them
exactly what I am doing and why before I even try. If you have negative people
in your life bringing you down then you simply find that the struggle becomes
ten times harder. Either get their support or ask them to stay out of your
business. They both agreed that family members were the hardest ones to win
over. They can be very unhelpful and don't understand. very often it is just
ignorance. The more support that you can muster - the easier it will be.
Surround yourself by positive successful people.
They both said that
finding one person you trusted and respected is a must. Find someone who has
competed and won. Someone who will look at your physique critically, week by
week and give accurate feedback. Just having this person there - that you know
will be judging you weekly is enough sometimes to make you stick to your diet or
training. It is also a huge help if things are going off track, slow or
generally plain wrong. Adjustments should be made on a weekly level. Both Peter
and Julie check themselves on the scales for progress. This is all Peter
generally goes off. Julie actually measures body fat levels also. They both
agreed that you need some form of measurement to see if things are actually
going according to plan. If things are working. If you are loosing your
prescribed amount of fat each week then you stick by your guns and keep going at
that level and pace. If not - you adjust. If too much you can come back a shade
or two.
Don't expect it to
be easy. Even for Julie who seems a light year away from Peter with her positive
outlook on the approach to diet and exercise - still don't expect it to be easy.
It is hard. It is a struggle and it does take effort. Sometimes you will be
dedicating your entire life to this one thing. And that can be too much for some
people. Too much for a lot of relationships. A lot of relationships have ended
because of bodybuilding competitions. Go in prepared and well educated.
Sort out your diet.
Start to clean up your act. Eat healthy above all else. Buy quality products
that are going to make things easier - such as meal replacements and protein
drinks. These will become more than essential. Find ones you like before you
even begin to think about competing.
You will have to
dedicate yourself to eating multiple times per day - 6 - 8 is the norm. Get to
like Turkey. Turkey will become the staple of your diet. Get to like water. You
are going to be drinking gallons and gallons of the plain wet stuff.
Finally - go in to
it all with a good plan. Give yourself plenty of time. Know which show you wish
to compete in. Register. Write it on the calendar. Count back enough weeks to
prepare based upon how much fat you have on your physique and get into the mind
set that you will settle for nothing but the best from yourself. Prepare for
your mind to play tricks on yourself and for you to think things about yourself
you haven't thought before. Whether they be bad or good. Keep your eye on the
goal and focus on what you want to achieve. This is the way to prepare for a
bodybuilding show successfully.
I was grossly
impressed with the entire conversation. It had been a long and informative day
in Liverpool. Meeting Peter and Julie was an absolute pleasure and they both
shone through as great characters with a funny and serious attitude to the
sport. If every bodybuilder were like this then I would have to encourage the
whole world to get up off their fat lazy ass and join in the crazy intense fun.
I know now that I am going to. After all, have you just read what I have been
missing out on all of this time!
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