2013 NB Men's Physique Prep

[RandyMadsen]

September 15th
- 174.2 lbs
Diet: "Flexible" summarized: 1-2+ veggies per day... 1-2+ fruits per day... 12-15g fiber per 1000kcal intake per day(or more for some ppl), and hit your macros that are geared towards your physique/performance goals. 80-90% foods you'd consider nutritious/whole... 10-20% whatever else that fits.
~3200 cals: 180g P/450-550g C/ 65g F, 40-60g Fibre.
No cardio
36197

[RandyMadsen]

Oct 1
tightened up my diet frame work. Set cals at 3k: 1g Protein/lb, 15% cals to fats, and the rest to carbs (with a fibre target around 50g).
No Cardio
36201

[RandyMadsen]

Oct 4
reduced calories a little, been eating 3000 cals/day, 175g protein, like 470g carbs, 50g fats, and 50g fibre - since monday (was higher fats and carbs before) and lost 3 lbs oooops haha. I'm going to add some cals via fat (would normally be to carbs) bc it gives me more flexibility with my food choices.. I eat a lot of cereal and almond milk, even that fat adds up quite fast.

no cardio

175 this am.
36202

[RandyMadsen]

Legs from Oct 5

4 wks out, 175 lbs - and dropping.

3025 cals/day.
175g protein
525g carbs (50g to fibre)
50g fats

0 cardio
36203

[RandyMadsen]

Oct 6
36204

[RandyMadsen]

Oct 7
~175 lbs today

Trained: Chest/Delts/Arms
Low Inc Smith Machine - 4x10
Cable Flyes - 4x10
SS DB Lateral Raises - 4x15
w/ Rear Delt Flyes on Reverse Pec Deck - 4x12
SS Hammer Curls - 3x10
w/ Tricep Rope Pushdowns - 3x12
SS Overhand BB Curls - 3x10
w/ Overhead Tricep Rope Ext - 3x12
*still no cardio
36205

[RandyMadsen]

Oct 11 - 3 weeks out
Down to 173 lbs on the button this morning.

Trained: Chest/Delts/Arms
Low Inc Smith Machine - 4x10
Cable Flyes - 4x10
SS DB Lateral Raises - 4x15
w/ Rear Delt Flyes on Reverse Pec Deck - 4x12
SS Hammer Curls - 3x10
w/ Tricep Rope Pushdowns - 3x12
SS Overhand BB Curls - 3x10
w/ Overhead Tricep Rope Ext - 3x12
*still no cardio

Diet Method: Flexible (IIFYM but sensible)
Ate:
2975 cals
174g Protein
480g Carbs (50g fiber) (160g sugar)
41g Fats
4000mg sodium
36206

[RandyMadsen]

Post Thanksgiving Weekend:

So it was Thanksgiving weekend, and I took advantage. I ate as much as I wanted, which I estimate put me up around 5000 cals that day. 2000 cals more than I needed haha, so based on the approach I use I can get daily avg cals back down to where it should be (3000) if I can burn 2000 calories yesterday and today - which I would do as a result of any 1 day of overeating.
So, few cardio sessions and eat a little less than usual today will get me back to the 3000/day avg mark.

Weighted 175 lbs this morning, up 2 lbs from pre-thanksgiving massacre actually.

Trained: Chest/Delts/Arms
Low Inc Reverse Banded Barbell Press - 4x8
1-Arm pec deck flyes - 4x10
SS DB Lateral Raises - 4x15
w/ Rear Delt Flyes on Reverse Pec Deck - 4x12
SS Hammer Curls - 3x10
w/ Tricep Rope Pushdowns - 3x12
SS Overhand BB Curls - 3x10
w/ Overhead Tricep Rope Ext - 3x12

Will eat:
155g Protein (.9g/lb cutting cals where I can)
400g carbs (30g fibre)
30g fats
2500 cals :(

back up to 2900 tomorrow though
36207

[RandyMadsen]

So today I said I was going to cut cals to tighten up more. Well I took pictures and compared them to 1 week ago, and to where I want to be an I don't think I'm going to decrease cals like I said.
My true morning weight this morning was 172.7 lbs.

Trained: Chest/Delts/Arms
Smith Machine Press - Interesting technique employed here, I did 1 set at each angle of the bench starting at the top, 6 sets down to flat - 6x8-10
Cable flyes - 4x10
SS DB Lateral Raises - 4x12-15
w/ Rear Delt Flyes on Reverse Pec Deck - 4x12-15
SS Tricep Rope Pushdowns - 3x12
w/ Wide BB Curls - 3x8
SS Overhead Tricep Rope Ext - 3x12
w/ Hammer Curls - 3x8-10

Will eat:
176g Protein
482g carbs (50ish g fibre)
31g fats
2925 cals
3200mg sodium

Sorry wasn't thinking about my legs in these pics since they'll be covered in board shorts.. I can post flexed legs pic to make up for it if I have to
36208

[steve_d]

Curious what your max weight got up to since nationals? Is the physique switch for fun or are you thinking of this as the direction your taking? I think you'd do well in either, but the problem with bodybuilding is that it'll take another 30+ pounds of pure muscle to start really challenging the top guys. Physique you just never know. the guy who won nationals this year looks a whole lot like you do.

[RandyMadsen]

Curious what your max weight got up to since nationals? Is the physique switch for fun or are you thinking of this as the direction your taking? I think you'd do well in either, but the problem with bodybuilding is that it'll take another 30+ pounds of pure muscle to start really challenging the top guys. Physique you just never know. the guy who won nationals this year looks a whole lot like you do.

Hey Steve! My max weight since nationals isn't a great representation of my actually gains haha - I went on a business conference trip and totally off my diet for 3 days. I stuffed my face and drank alcohol (which I never do), I bloofed up an extra 8 lbs (to 184!!!) and started to look soft. When I got back home I got back on my diet of course, and days later I was back down to 176 lean and hard.
My thoughts around this switch is that since my legs are a strong point, my focus should be on building my upper body - so my training and nutrition would actually be very much the same regardless of what category I compete in in the near future. A perk about MP is that I don't have to get absolutely shredded and worry if my glutes are in or not, so I don't have to diet as hard and risk flattening out. I do intend to be back in bodybuilding, but like you say it will take some serious mass to be nationally competitive in bodybuilding, where as if you put my physique next to Chris G's (he just won canadian nationals for MP) we are fairly similar which gives me hope for success!

[steve_d]

Right on... I'd probably have done MP had it existed when I was younger. Not that I am old - but its more of an attainable look for anyone. And probably a whole lot healthier than getting to absolute ridiculous shredded condition. I'd have to grow out my hair though lol...

Don't underestimate the power of smiling and stage presence! I wish I could make the trip to watch the NB show. From the seminar my wife was part of in Moncton last week, it looks like a whole lot of girls will be at the show as well. Seems as though the shows are gaining popularity in NB.

[RandyMadsen]

Right on... I'd probably have done MP had it existed when I was younger. Not that I am old - but its more of an attainable look for anyone. And probably a whole lot healthier than getting to absolute ridiculous shredded condition. I'd have to grow out my hair though lol...

Don't underestimate the power of smiling and stage presence! I wish I could make the trip to watch the NB show. From the seminar my wife was part of in Moncton last week, it looks like a whole lot of girls will be at the show as well. Seems as though the shows are gaining popularity in NB.

In New Brunswick the women's categories are growing fast. MP should be a good addition for NB to get more guys out

[Evolution31]

It's been very motivating watching this prep IRL...I'm excited for you brother, you should do very well in MP with dem Shredded Aesthetics ;)

[Ike]

Happy to wacth your log randy keep the good work

[RandyMadsen]

Thanks guys!
Today I weighed in at 172.4 lbs, scale ever so slowly moving down, which is ideal.

I trained back, it was a great one!

U/H Rows with Landmine Attachement - 4x8-10
Wide neutral grip pulldowns (I used an interest approach for this like Ive done for chest, the first 4 reps we're with my body straight up and down, the 2nd 4 reps we're leaning back a bit, and the last four reps was fairly low angled - this allowed my to flatten the strength curve to an extent and hit more of my back) - 3x8-10
Neutral Close grip chest support rows - 3x10-12

Today I will eat:
2875 cals
180g Protein
467g Carb (50ish g fiber)
29g Fats
Still no cardio

Here is a back pose from tonight that I'm working on. I don't want to appear overly muscular so I'm trying to not let anything really pop - just look thick and tapered. What do you guys think?
36210

[Delt King]

I'd love to have your metabolism lol. I'd turn into fatty mcnasty on 400grams of carb a day.
Looking great Randy.

[TT Eric]

Same here.

Eric

[IronRobi]

Good luck up there brother, I'll give you a little extra cheer from the balcony section lol

[RandyMadsen]

Delt King & TT Eric;
Thanks for following, but I'm going to have to politely call BS on the carbs being the problem :)
Unless you have some kind of disease.. If you get bloofy and fat, it's too much calories in general and/or estrogen is too high. Or possibly a short term reaction to inconsistent sodium levels.

[scottlove]

Legs from Oct 5

4 wks out, 175 lbs - and dropping.

3025 cals/day.
175g protein
525g carbs (50g to fibre)
50g fats

0 cardio
36203Excellent hamstrings

[steve_d]

Delt King & TT Eric;
Thanks for following, but I'm going to have to politely call BS on the carbs being the problem :)
Unless you have some kind of disease.. If you get bloofy and fat, it's too much calories in general and/or estrogen is too high. Or possibly a short term reaction to inconsistent sodium levels.

I'm with you here. Keto is great in its own way and so is low carbs.. But I can't believe many people who work and train hard would gain any amount of body fat eating under 3k calories a day consistently. 400 g carbs plus 400g prot and another 100 g fat is another story.

People will disagree with this I am sure though.

I can remember my first couple contest preps. I ate rice for about 80% of my calories. Cheese slices for about the rest lol. Got ripped and nothing to do with high metabolism

[TT Eric]

Well when I was in my 20s I was eating +5000cal a day no trouble, it was even insane how I could eat sometime.

But now in the 40s, it's not the same. Now I eat 300g of protein per day, about 100g of fat, so I have not a lot of space left for carbs 150-200g top, and I gain about 1-2lbs per month with that.

If I wanted to eat more carbs, I would either have to cut into the proteins or into the fats, which is a MUCH less healthier option for me. 150-200g of carbs per day is plenty enough for me to train hard and gain.

20s, 30s, 40s is not the same, the game change as you get older.

Eric

[RandyMadsen]

Well when I was in my 20s I was eating +5000cal a day no trouble, it was even insane how I could eat sometime.

But now in the 40s, it's not the same. Now I eat 300g of protein per day, about 100g of fat, so I have not a lot of space left for carbs 150-200g top, and I gain about 1-2lbs per month with that.

If I wanted to eat more carbs, I would either have to cut into the proteins or into the fats, which is a MUCH less healthier option for me. 150-200g of carbs per day is plenty enough for me to train hard and gain.

20s, 30s, 40s is not the same, the game change as you get older.

Eric
It's all about what works best for you at the end of the day. I will always suggested a low-moderate protein/high carb/low-moderate fat approach - all within the confines of the proper caloric intake.

[RandyMadsen]

I woke up at 171.3 lbs today. Close to 6% I believe, still looking to tighten up more.

This was my leg session from this afternoon. A little more volume than I've been doing lately.

leg extensions-4 sets 10 reps
seated leg curls-4 sets 6-12 reps
single leg press-4 sets 10 reps
hack squats-2 sets 10 reps
stiff-leg deadlifts-2 sets 8-10 reps
bodyweight walking lunges-20 reps per leg
decline crunches(pull from upper thigh, should feel like a sissy squat)-3 sets 10 reps

lightweights, constant tension, slow reps, feeling the legs through the movement and pumping as much blood as we can into the glutes/hams/quads

Putting 50 cals back in for today:

2925 cals
176g Protein
482g carbs (50ish g fibre)
31g fats

[RandyMadsen]

So I photo-documented my meals today. I've discussed this before but I use a Flexible Dieting approach, I've summarized the approach in a number of threads. Here is what today looked like for me, with all the numbers:

I wake up every day and have just have a protein shake (w/ cinnamon) then not much else for a few hours, so I call this Meal 1.5:
Oats w/ cinnamon (cinnamon fanatic, for good reason) and calorie free caramel syrup, apple, yogurt, plus the protein shake that preceded this.. 39P/51C/3F, 8 fibre - 396 cals

Meal 2: Bagel w/ turkey/lettuce/Dijon mustard/fat free mayo + salad w/ zesty Italian vinaigrette.
31P/65 C/6F, 5 fibre - 464 cals
The bagel is an Everything Bagel from Tim's, because I'm not feeling the "food prep" thing

Meal 3: quick I'm in a hurry?! Oats/protein/cinnamon and blueberry syrup.. and out the door!
28P/31C/4F, 4 fibre - 250 cals

Meal 4: fried turkey/potato/broc with salad and dressing + a banana while I cooked
36P/72C/5F, 9 fibre - 458 cals

Meal 5: now the fun begins! Two mega bowls of low-fat cereal in almond milk 9P/150C/8F, 15 Fibre - 713 cals

Meal 5.5: DEM CARBS, apple+gummy worms and low cal waffles/zero fat cool whip/caramel syrup!
8P/89C/3F, 8 fibre - 421 cals
I basically just sit around and eat all night FYI

Meal 6: Last one! Protein oatmeal pancakes w/ strawberries and low sugar syrup.
23P/33C/2F, 5 fibre - 227 cals

Today's totals:
173P/490C/30F, 53 fibre - 2918 cals
36212

[RandyMadsen]

Woke up 171.4 lbs

Trained Back/Bi's:

Lat pulldowns (I used an interesting approach for this like I've done for chest, the first 4 reps we're with my body straight up and down, the 2nd 4 reps we're leaning back a bit, and the last four reps was fairly low angled - this allowed my to flatten the strength curve to an extent and hit more of my back) - 3x8-10
Seated Underhand cable rows - 3x8
Chest Supported T-Bar Rows - 3x10
SS: Wide Grip BB Curls - 3x8
w/ Hammer Curls - 3x10

Will eat the same macros I have been.
No cardio.

[RandyMadsen]

I did 15mins of cardio the last 2 days, and yesterday I dropped my cals from 2925/day to 2875/day.

This morning I woke up looking my best in the morning so far. I usually don't like how I look in the morning, somehow I'm flat despite eating near 500g the day before.. 60% of which is consumed within hours of bedtime.

Today I woke up at 170.8 lbs. Hard, dry, and full.

Trained: Chest/Delts/Tri's
Various Incline DB Press - Interesting technique employed here, I did 1 set at each angle of the bench starting at the top, 6 sets down to flat - 6x8-10
Cable flyes, again varying angles - 4x10
SS DB Lateral Raises - 4x12-15
w/ Rear Delt Flyes on Reverse Pec Deck - 4x12-15
Overhead Tricep Rope Ext - 3x12

Will eat:
174g Protein
486g carbs (50ish g fibre)
28g fats
2875 cals
2200mg sodium

Today I started taking an Omega 3 supplement called Nutra-Sea. 1 tsp everyday get's me my EFA's necessary to stay healthy at sub 30g fat, at a low bodyfat. It's not ideal, and I look forward to getting my fats back up after the show.

Tonight's pic is following the Chest/Shoulders portion. I wanted to see what it would look like without an arm pump; I feel it's a less aggressive look which is to my advantage I think.
36226
36227

[RandyMadsen]

Today I woke up at 169.2 lbs! Changes are happening so fast now.

Trained: Back/Bi's
Lat Pull downs, varying angles throughout the set - 4x12
Underhand BB Rows - 4x8-10
Close grip cable rows - 3x10
Assisted Pull Ups - 2x12

Will eat:
163g Protein
478g carbs (60ish g fibre)
29g fats
2805 cals
3100mg sodium

I did my posing without the compression shorts to see if that was binding skin up. It looks like they were.
36229

[TT Eric]

Looking great man!

BTW, is it just me, or you really look like Chris Pontius (Jackass movies) ?

http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/chris-pontius-jackass-3d-los-angeles-premiere-0V19R8.jpg

Eric

[scottlove]

Looking great man!

BTW, is it just me, or you really look like Chris Pontius (Jackass movies) ?

http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/chris-pontius-jackass-3d-los-angeles-premiere-0V19R8.jpg

EricExcept he's wearing pants (I'm hoping).

[RandyMadsen]

Looking great man!

BTW, is it just me, or you really look like Chris Pontius (Jackass movies) ?

http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/chris-pontius-jackass-3d-los-angeles-premiere-0V19R8.jpg

Eric

haha, this would be the first time I've heard that one.
I used to get Matt Damon or Mark Wahlberg, mostly when I was younger though.

[RandyMadsen]

Today I woke up at 169.2 lbs again. Decided to make some changes for 1 week out.

Trained: Chest Delts and arms. Same one I've been doing actually.

Cut 200 cals today.
Will eat:
155g Protein
400g carbs (50ish g fibre)
29g fats
22500 cals
4000mg sodium

I expect this to harden me up quite a bit.

My carb deplete will be Sunday-Weds at 5pm, when I'll do my last workout and start carbing up intraworkout with some vitargo. I'm going down to 100g carbs for Sunday-Tuesday (allocating cals to total 90 grams fat and the rest to protein), and then 500g carbs weds night, 450 thursday, 400g friday.

Took my pics tonight in my shorts. Still have that lower back fat/water to go.

36232

[steve_d]

Great symmetry. Very important for physique - arguably more so than bodybuilding. I think you should do very well. Best thing you can do now is not stress anything, stay relaxed all week, don't worry about the minor details as they are just that - minor.

[TT Eric]

Very pleasant looking physique, I'm sure you'll do great! Awesome lower lats btw.

Eric

[RandyMadsen]

Woke up this morning at 167.8 lbs! You can tell the carb depletion is causing a drop in weight via less glycogen and water retained - plus I'm in a great cal deficit.

I actually really liked how I looked this morning though; much tighter but still full somehow - perhaps from the extra fats?

I will depleted Sun-Weds at 5pm, then start my carb load postworkout :)

[steve_d]

Woke up this morning at 167.8 lbs! You can tell the carb depletion is causing a drop in weight via less glycogen and water retained - plus I'm in a great cal deficit.

I actually really liked how I looked this morning though; much tighter but still full somehow - perhaps from the extra fats?

I will depleted Sun-Weds at 5pm, then start my carb load postworkout :)

I find being carb depleted you can still remain "full" looking for quite a while as long as you keep sodium and water in a good balance. It isn't until you start messing around with those electrolytes, or worse, diuretics, that you start looking flat. If you like the way you look at 167.8, I wouldn't aim to be much lower than 165 on stage. Any more than a few pounds of water loss, and you're only hurting your physique. Although, that's from a bodybuilding point of view. Shouldn't change much for physique IMO. Do everything as you would for bodybuilding. The only difference being how much you decide to pump up or not pump up the day of.

[RandyMadsen]

So today I woke up, day 2 of carb deplete, and actually really liked how I looked this morning. Not actually as flat as mornings after lots of carbs... could be the high fats or increased water I was drinking. But I was tighter, no doubt from the cal decrease and of course carbs.
Yesterday I didn't have a bowl movement, and I went to bed weighing 176.2 lbs
This morning it happened, thankfully, and I weighed in at 166.3 lbs!

No cardio today, trained legs:

Str8 leg BB deads - 4 sets
Hack Squats - 3 sets
Leg press - 3 sets

Carbs: ~100g
Protein: ~300g
Fats: ~70g
Water: 8L/day
Sodium: normal

Started feeling the carb deplete officially at 5pm today haha.

See pic below from tonight, after I got home from my leg workout. Lower back flap is going away very nicely!
36235

[Hosehead]

If I had your ****ing legs I'd never EVER put on a pair of beach shorts and step on stage. I'd wear posing briefs 24/7. No disrespect meant bro , but I don't get this men's physique shit at all. You have an amazing build and excellent genetics for bodybuilding. I'd continue on in that area if I were you. At any rate , I've enjoyed this thread and wish you luck in your show. The only thing I think could hurt you is your dense muscle and bodybuilding proportions. Your build screams for bodybuilding. Best of luck bro.

[RandyMadsen]

Some say the only real difference between a pro Men's Physique competitor and a Pro Bodybuilder is a Noah's Arc full of HGH and Insulin haha..

[Hosehead]

From what I've seen the pro men's physique winners look like a pro bodybuilder from the 70's , so yeah , you are right lol.

[IronRobi]

If I had your ****ing legs I'd never EVER put on a pair of beach shorts and step on stage. I'd wear posing briefs 24/7. No disrespect meant bro , but I don't get this men's physique shit at all. You have an amazing build and excellent genetics for bodybuilding. I'd continue on in that area if I were you. At any rate , I've enjoyed this thread and wish you luck in your show. The only thing I think could hurt you is your dense muscle and bodybuilding proportions. Your build screams for bodybuilding. Best of luck bro.

I think somebody said it earlier either in this thread or another. Competition is getting fierce in bodybuilding, and I'll go so far as to say even more so in Atlantic. Since 2010 3 pro cards have gone to Atlantic Canada and 2 consecutive years the junior's were won by someone from Atlantic. He's got the legs and a great physique but will easily need another 30lbs to be competitive. 170lbs won't cut it. So in the meantime physique will give the diet and show experience so when he transitions back to bodybuilding he'll be more dialed in than ever.

I'm also not a fan of the whole board shorts movement taking place, but I definitely understand those that do it and I expect it to grow exponentially over the next few years.

[RandyMadsen]

I think somebody said it earlier either in this thread or another. Competition is getting fierce in bodybuilding, and I'll go so far as to say even more so in Atlantic. Since 2010 3 pro cards have gone to Atlantic Canada and 2 consecutive years the junior's were won by someone from Atlantic. He's got the legs and a great physique but will easily need another 30lbs to be competitive. 170lbs won't cut it. So in the meantime physique will give the diet and show experience so when he transitions back to bodybuilding he'll be more dialed in than ever.

I'm also not a fan of the whole board shorts movement taking place, but I definitely understand those that do it and I expect it to grow exponentially over the next few years.

Thanks IronRobi, this is my thoughts as well!

[RandyMadsen]

Starting my carb up tonight, intra workout!

[steve_d]

I think somebody said it earlier either in this thread or another. Competition is getting fierce in bodybuilding, and I'll go so far as to say even more so in Atlantic. Since 2010 3 pro cards have gone to Atlantic Canada and 2 consecutive years the junior's were won by someone from Atlantic. He's got the legs and a great physique but will easily need another 30lbs to be competitive. 170lbs won't cut it. So in the meantime physique will give the diet and show experience so when he transitions back to bodybuilding he'll be more dialed in than ever.

I'm also not a fan of the whole board shorts movement taking place, but I definitely understand those that do it and I expect it to grow exponentially over the next few years.

Correction, 4 pro cards in the men, and at least 7 girls that I can count!


Yes, 30 pounds to be competitive for a pro card, but that isn't always the be all end all for competitive bodybuilding. Personally I have no realistic shot at a pro card in bodybuilding, nor physique. And while I have the size more comparable to men's physique, I will continue to be a bodybuilder. No disrespect either way. It's all personal preference. I say go for it (ie physique), many years to switch back to BB if you want.

[IronRobi]

hahahaha shit I completely forgot about mike lynds and I sat here for 15 minutes after reading your post trying to figure out who I was missing

[RandyMadsen]

I woke up today at 168.2 lbs, but assume I'm a bit lower as I hadn't, and still haven't tonight, had a bowl movement since yesterday morning.
Today was the last stretch of the carb deplete, I went carbless til I trained chest/shoulders/tris tonight, intra workout - 2 scoops vitargo s2.

Today I will eat:
131 protein
490 carb
15 fat
37 fiber
5,000 mg sodium
2,610 cals
10L water

I'm still in a calorie deficit mind you, this is to continue to tighten up while the carbs do their work.

New supps specifically for filling up and drying out:
8g vitamin c
2 r-ala capsules with every carb meal
2g of creatine with every meal
20g of glutamine spread throughout the day

Post workout tonight. Carbs really hadn't kicked in to tbh, it was a short workout. Very full from water and sodium.
36239

[IronRobi]

He's probably still out eating, but congrats on the 2nd place.

I guess I don't understand the judging of this category yet. To me you were bigger and leaner than the guy who took 1st. Which is probably why you got 2nd?

My overall thoughts on the show were kind of disappointing. Record # of competitors with 138, but probably a record # who just completely missed their conditioning as well.

[RandyMadsen]

Weighed in saturday morning at 7am at 166.9 lbs
at 730 I had a Mcdonals Bacon Egg Cheese McMuffin and a hashbrown for the carb/fats/sodium

I wasn't quite filled out as I would have liked by 10 and was due on stage around 11 so I had some low sodium fat and carbs by way of nutella on rice cakes and a couple shots of honey
Made first call-out, right beside my business/training partner whom I helped prep and he helped me - i said we're taking 1 and 2 just not sure which will win (win win either way since we'll both get Nationals qualification and either of us can say, hey my guy won haha)
After prejudging I had to hang around bc I trained 3 girls who'd yet to go on so I snacked on rice cakes.
then at 2pm I had a chicken finger BLT and fries.
I weighed in after at 165.8, so I lost 1 lb but estimate I ate 2lbs of food, which SHOULD mean I lost 3 lbs of water - I pissed 3 times and was sweating a lot bc it was so hot in there. For some this would mean drink 3 lbs worth of water and replicate your morning food if you were happy with how you looked. 3 lbs of water just seems like too much though, so I drank half that and watched my body throughout. I did want to be just as dry but could even been fuller - problem is water is required for fullness so was a tricky situation.
I ended up consuming that 1.5 lbs of water, and snacked on low sodium carbs/fats until 1 hr before I expected to be on stage again, at which time I assessed my dryness and fullness and acted accordingly.
more low sodium fat and more low sodium carbs did the trick

In neither part of the shows was I as lean as I would normally like to be, but I felt it was necessary at this show so to avoid the judges who've seen me compete 4 times now as a bb'er even consider me as a Mens Physique competitor, and I think it worked.
I took second to my partner in crime (co-owner/trainer of our training outfit) who went on to take the overall. He has competed in the wbff before, and done some modelling shows so his men's physique stage presence was on a different level than mine. It's a win-win though because I helped him prep, our business gets the boost, and I qualify for Nationals after only being in a calorie deficit for 2-3 weeks, no cardio really :)
He went on to win the overall, it's also not bad coming 2nd to the overall winner. Happened to me last year this show but in men's bb middleweight haha
36245

[RandyMadsen]

This morning; 169 lbs 36246

[TT Eric]

Congrats Randy! BTW awesome legs, too bad you had to cover them!

Eric

[RandyMadsen]

haha, the leg compliments are almost haunting at this point..

[shortfatugly]

He's probably still out eating, but congrats on the 2nd place.

I guess I don't understand the judging of this category yet. To me you were bigger and leaner than the guy who took 1st. Which is probably why you got 2nd?

My overall thoughts on the show were kind of disappointing. Record # of competitors with 138, but probably a record # who just completely missed their conditioning as well.

I agree with your comments about RM being bigger and leaner. Apparently he is still too muscular/big to win the physique category. But too good to be anything other than second.

I wasn't at the show but the pictures of Johnny Doull show him to be nothing short of shredded and huge.

Was it that the winners were clear cut and the 2nd place on downwards were off? I think the results were: Johnny winning heavyweight, Mike GRay winning light heavy, Jay McDonald winning middle. and after that I have no idea.

Was it a good show?

edit: I think that I am hijacking this thread moving it in another topic. sorry about that.

[steve_d]

He's probably still out eating, but congrats on the 2nd place.

I guess I don't understand the judging of this category yet. To me you were bigger and leaner than the guy who took 1st. Which is probably why you got 2nd?

My overall thoughts on the show were kind of disappointing. Record # of competitors with 138, but probably a record # who just completely missed their conditioning as well.

Physique (men and women), figure, bikini, are WAY more subjective than bodybuilding. You can't just have the ideal physique and mean you are going to win. stage presence is about 80% of it. That's why there is such an incredible spectrum of types of bodies that do well in those divisions. People always ask for advice on how to improve their body to suit the division. They place 2nd to someone a little less conditioned and they assume the next show to get less ripped. It's the biggest mistake I've seen over the years especially in figure. The girls just said, OH the judges go for "this" today, its so confusing, etc.

When in reality stage presence determines success most often. Hard to figure out, but once you do, its a powerful tool. At that point you don't need to worry much about improving bodyparts, etc, since the effort needed to put it to make the change in your physique would have been trumped 100 fold by putting the same effort into perfecting stage presence. Some people are born with it, some people can practice to get it, and some people will just never get to that point. Personally I would likely never have had what it takes to pull of the physique stage presence. I would say Randy would agree that was the reason for 1st vs. 2nd when the first place had more experience in that type of light. Both arguably had pro body types - but its not really the body that separates the placings.

[RandyMadsen]

Physique (men and women), figure, bikini, are WAY more subjective than bodybuilding. You can't just have the ideal physique and mean you are going to win. stage presence is about 80% of it. That's why there is such an incredible spectrum of types of bodies that do well in those divisions. People always ask for advice on how to improve their body to suit the division. They place 2nd to someone a little less conditioned and they assume the next show to get less ripped. It's the biggest mistake I've seen over the years especially in figure. The girls just said, OH the judges go for "this" today, its so confusing, etc.

When in reality stage presence determines success most often. Hard to figure out, but once you do, its a powerful tool. At that point you don't need to worry much about improving bodyparts, etc, since the effort needed to put it to make the change in your physique would have been trumped 100 fold by putting the same effort into perfecting stage presence. Some people are born with it, some people can practice to get it, and some people will just never get to that point. Personally I would likely never have had what it takes to pull of the physique stage presence. I would say Randy would agree that was the reason for 1st vs. 2nd when the first place had more experience in that type of light. Both arguably had pro body types - but its not really the body that separates the placings.
You're bang on here, Steve. Lucas was on another level with his stage presence. He's done modelling and the WBFF, so stage presence for men's physique was definitely his strength that day.

They posted the scores, Lucas had a 6 and I had an 11, third and fourth had 20's. This mean's two judges had me in third! Seeing the scores kind of bothered me because I wanted it to be closer, but the scores are only a reflection of what the NBPFA judges want, in a brand new category they have absolutely zero experience judging to my knowledge, and clearly didn't look at what is successful at the national level (see. Chris Gurunlian)... but I digress.

Lucas showed up drier and fuller at the night show, nailed his routine, and I'm happy for him and our training outfit.

[steve_d]

I've sometimes questioned how they get the scores they get. It's supposed to be 7 judges, cancel high and low. And mathematically, I suppose to get 11, you would have had 2 1st, 2 2nd, an 3 3rds. Or possibly something like 5x2nd, 2x3rd. But when you really start writing it out, it gets hard to figure out what the judges really ranked you guys unless you had the scores (by judge) in front of you. Sometimes its a lot easier to figure out. In this case its very hard since you said 3rd and 4th were in the 20s. This means their average rank was 4 or more, meaning even those guys would have multiple 5s or 6s. And if that is true, you go back and try to figure out who might have had you first and if anyone did, why was their 2nd places not consistent between the overall scores. And then sometimes the scores really don't add up and you have to wonder if they didn't cancel high low at all, or maybe a judge had a missing score, etc.

Moral of the story, if you had you're hands on the scores you were clearly 2nd and a LOT closer to first than you were to 3rd, so it doesn't even matter if 1 or more had you third, because for all we know, the first place guy might have had a 4th and the 5th place guys might have had a first! It really would be the only way to see the scores you saw. Again, it goes to show its not body types that win shows, its stage presence. Chris won nationals, but even though I wasn't there I bet it had nothing to do with his body. at least 3/4 of the guys on stage in physique have a good enough physique to win. only 1-2 guys have everything else perfected TO win.