Is Competition Worth it?

I ask myself this question every year after a show is over and the judges have told me the same thing. "You have to get bigger".  I differ with that repertoire only because I personally feel women need to look like women in bodybuilding. If not then an audience is looking at an androgenous enhanced female with hardened features. Is that aeshetically appealing? 

When I first started in bodybuilding twenty years ago, women did not look like they do on stage today. The look was feminine and sculpted not massive, ripped and shredded. So, where is bodybuilding going with women and where does this leave competitors who do not want to leave the feminine side of bodybuilding. The good news is NPC introduced the Physique Division this year into the USA Championships. Yes, physique is suppose to be a softer version of bodybuilding. Yet, the USA Physique Division winner did not look like a scaled down version of a bodybuilder. She looked like a bodybuilder who crossed over and didn't drop enough muscle. Therefore, it looks like NPC is still going for the size in physique as well. It will be interesting to see the division outcome when it comes to the state level in 2012.

Again I ask is it worth it to compete? Yes, because one can lean down in preparation for more muscle development through training. A lean body takes back the weight in muscle development through training, it is the ongoing sculpting that takes time to achieve in development. This concept is the most important in bodybuilding as it gives the competitor their own signature look.

Two pictures I put into this blog, the LA Class 2011 and the USA 1992. The old body tan  made us look light golden under the stage lights in 1992. 
Happy Training.

LA Classic 2011



USA 1992

High Intensity Legs/Glutes/ Hamstrings

Today the intensity was heightened for legs with pyramids, high reps, and super sets. We had five competitors so for maximum performance we broke off into groups of two and three.

Group of 4 super sets:  tempo here was go go go go, rest 30 sec go go go go rest 30 sec. till all 4 sets were completed with each one pyramided to the competitors strength.

Sitting knee extensions x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Sitting knee extensions focus on tear drops x 25x 4 sets pyramid up
Lying hamstring curls x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Standing glute kick backs x 25 x 4 sets pyramid up
Total 400 reps

Group of two super sets pyramided up in weight. Tempo was go go rest 30 sec go go rest 30 sec.

Incline leg press x 10 x 5 pyramided up ending with 4 plates each side.
Seated leg press x 10 x 5 the whole stack 350 through all 4 sets.
Total reps 100

Ultimate squats:  no super sets, pyramided, deep to the floor.


Free weight squats 15 x 4 sets  #95, #115, #135 reps counted if butt hit marker off floor.

Since we had groups of two and three I didn't have the other three competitors routine to blog.

A great conditioning training session  my legs were numb when I left but felt so good. Always, I down my amino acids then a protein drink after training.

Happy Training!

Training Goals 2012

Competitive bodybuilding is a challenge, that I love and endure to keep my shape along with physical and mental health. When the show is over and life slows, I meet with my trainer to review pictures, and look at what needs to be improved with nutrition and training for the following year. It is a process of building and shaping the body with science till the final stage day when I am able to express the artistic poses.



I've been training and competing in competitive bodybuilding for 20 years. My first shows were with NANBA, then I continued to compete in NPC shows. Lately, women's bodybuilding is changing across the spectrum; the judges look for the growth and development along with symmetry and presentation, but I see more competitors coming in that are not dieted.  The irony is getting beat by girls who are bigger and not well dieted. I am quite happy with my size as my goal is not to obtain a pro card. I do quite a bit of fashion modeling involving photography for newspaper ads, catalogs and general media. I am a business owner working as a family nurse practitioner, in all I have a big plate with little corners.

Looking at 2012, Craig and I have decided to continue training for bodybuilding with improvement in width of lats and a little more of a outer sweep to the quads.  Also, the focus will be on the upper part of my glutes for more devlopment. It took a long time to build the lower glute now the upper needs more rounding. Upcoming shows I am looking to repeat the LA Classic in July 2012. Overall, we win when we accomplish our goals in developing the body.
Happy Training Days

NPC LA Class 2011 Pictures. Prejudging/Night Show.

Leg Day in Hell

May 13, 2011

I think the title says it all. The hour was set for high intensity legs no air conditioning. The downside is contest prep is always more intense than winter training. I am 10 weeks out of LA Classic Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Show. I will be competing in Women's Division Heavy Weight Bodybuilding. This year NPC has changed some divisions adding bikini and physique so my plans are to compete in physique after this year.

In these exercises super sets mean one exercise then go to next exercise for sets of 4 and high intensity is just that no rest till trainer decides to call it.

Warm up leg extensions super set with leg curls x 4.

Leg extensions 40#, 60#, 80#, 100# x 10 reps

Leg curls 40#, 60#, 80#, 100# x 10 reps

High wide stance leg press super set with front squats

Leg press 2 plates 15 x 4 sets

Front squats using the Smith machine with 2 -25# plates 15 x 3 sets (feet forward approx 12" and knees stay closed) Sitting to chair height.

Regular squat with wide stance legs forward sitting as low as possible 2- 25# plates 10 x 2 sets

2 min rest rest water

Leg curls super set with glute kickbacks

Leg curls 40#, 60#, 80#, 100# 4 sets of 10

Glute kickbacks 90#, 120#, 140# 160# 4 sets of 10

Leg extensions super set with seated hamstring curls

Leg extensions 80#, 100# 100# 100# 4 sets of 10

Seated hamstring curls 70#, 90#, 120#, 140# 4 sets of 10

The air conditioning was off to make me work harder and fatigue out the muscles. A very wicked sick session with only one rest period during the hour.

Note: These high intensity sessions are not to be done without a trainer or someone with an advanced training background.

Happy Training Days

A Beast Leg Day

April 10, 2010


Sunday was an unusual training day since we had Valerie in from out of town, the trainer decided to hit legs and turn up the intensity.

To start we went out and lunged the parking lot up and back x 1 approximately 100 feet.

Circuit 1

Seated Leg Extensions 40x15, 60x15, 80x15,100x15,120x10

Seated Calves 45# x 15 x 5

Anterior Tibialis 5# x 15 x 5

Circuit 2

Seated Leg Press 45# each side, each set added another 45# plate till a total of 4 plates. Feet kept together and low on sled. Sled lowered keeping knees together to bottom. 4 sets of 10 pause at bottom and press up.

Abd on reverse abd bench 4 sets of 15

Seated Calves 45# 4 sets of 15

Circuit 3

Front squats using the Smith machine. Feet and knees together placed approximately 1 1/2 feet forward from body. 25# each side to start x 10, 2 more 25# plates added x 2 sets x 10 each with last set 25# fast 25 reps. All sets except for last set was pause at bottom and press up. Total 4 sets.

Triceps 70# x 15 x 4sets.

Assisted pullups last exercise weight depended upon individual. First 3 sets x 15, 4th set x 10.

This leg routine left all of us exhausted, dizzy and nauseated. Valerie flew home probably wondering what she got herself into with this competitive Physiques Gym. You can find us on Facebook under Physiques Gym.

Happy Training Days!

Popeye Shoulders, Horse Hoof Shaped Calves

March 15, 2011


I find that female bodybuilders like to train other bodybuilders harder than the trainers. Why are we like that? I ask myself that question. I know that when I train a competitor I will make it very hard because that is the way I like to be trained. Last night, Tasha the light weight bodybuilder trained me on shoulders and calves. What an experience and a pounding, one to remember today. She put everything into the hour and I gave back everything I had to give. A hour of small circuits numbered by 3's with rest at end of circuit for 2 min.

Calves:

Calves circuit x 3

1) Seated Calf Raise 2 plates (45) each side x 100 spikes

Seated Calf Raise (2)25# = 140# x 10 spikes ---- (1) 25# off with 10 spikes-- last #25 off with 10 spikes ----2 plates (45#) with 15 spikes

2) Seated Calf Raise (1) 25# & (2) plates (45) x 5 spikes ---- (2) 25# plates with (2) 45# plates x 5 spikes.

Seated leg press calves 150# toes at bottom of sled x 15 straight, x 15 pigeon, x 15 ducks.

Anterior tibialis toe flips 10# each side. Toes pigon with fist between legs at top x 25.

3) Seated calf raise (2) 45# plates + (2) 25# plates = 140 x 10 spikes.

Seated leg press 150# straight x 15, pigeon x 15, ducks x 15.

Anterior tibialis toe flips 10# each side pigeon toes with fist in between legs x 25

Am I done yet? Calves are exploding!!!

Shoulders:

Warmup

10# db Side laterals x 10, front deltoid raises x 10, rear delts x 10 total of 30 reps---repeat with 15# db x 8 reps = 24 reps.

Reverse order #15 x 8 reps total 24 reps again sides, fronts, rears--- 10# x 10 reps = 30 reps total sides, fronts, rears.

Shoulder Circuits (3) with 2 minute rest between circuits.

1. Seated shoulder press #15 db up postion, right side down then left side down, then both down x 10 reps ( one rep = up, right, left, both) Repeat with 10# x 10 reps

Single cable front delt raises 5# brick x 10 each shoulder.

Rope pull bent over with rope through legs 70 x 15. Pulling rope between legs out to front bent over back arched.

2. Seated shoulder press 15# db x 8 reps same as above (up, right,left both) then 10#db x 10 reps same sequence

Single cable front delt raises 5# brick x 10 each shoulder.

Cable rope pull bent over between legs for front delts back arched 80# x 15.

3. Seated shoulder press 15# x 5 reps ( same sequence up, right, left both), then 10# db x 8 same sequence then 5#db x 10 same sequence.

Single arm cable raises front delts 5# x 10

Cable rope pull bent over between legs for front delts back arched 90 x 15.

Rear Delts

1. Seated rear delts 20# db x 10 reps, 15# x 10 reps.

Cable rope pull behind neck this one facing cable and bent over back arched grab rope with palms facing each other pull rope behind neck opening just slightly and elbows are out when pulling to back of neck. 80# x 10. You should feel this in the rear delts.

Standing shoulder bb press slow x 10 reps this really burns bad.

2) Seated rear delts db 25# x 10, 20# x 10, 15# x 10 reps

Cable rope pull behind neck as above 90# x 15

Standing shoulder bb press slow x 10 reps

3) Seated rear delts 30# x 10, 25#x 10, 20# x 10 15#x 10 reps.

Cable rope pull behind neck as above 100# x 15

Standing shoulder bb press slow x 10 reps.

At the end of this session, I had popeye shoulders and horse hoof calves and I felt really depleted. It is good to switch off between trainers in the gym as it hits the muscle with different intensity and focus.

Thanks Natasha Natural Pro Bodybuilder Light Weight. You killed me!

Happy Training Days.