2012 Provincials - My Wife and I - East Coast Edition!

Being too ripped for figure is subjective. Figure is leaner then physique still. Physique is like everyone has been mentioning across many boards 'fat figure' or 'figure 8 weeks out'...Ange in my opinion is neither tooo ripped, nor not ripped enough. She looks perfect for figure.

I suppose I should post a morning pic of myself, lol...If you saw my abs in the morning you'd probbably start giving me the same advice as Ange...time to start carbing up now! And yeah, it is time to start thinking bigger on stage. although, honestly, I think we all have been thinking that from the moment we first pick up a weight. I have accomplished my bigger goal, AND my leaner goal. As mentioned in the start of the thread, one of my goals was to eliminate the word 'near' from 'near perfect conditioning' ...

Since I am in the lighter weight classes still, my goal is still on coming in bone dry. This has worked in the past, and I honestly feel a bodybuilder will look his best at his leanest, dryiest, no matter how much 'fullness' seems to be sacrificed. As long as you can get a good pump, you will appear full on stage. I am not concerned what the scale says anymore as I am sure making weight will only be a matter of cutting water at noon. If I am 170, great, if 178 even better... but I can guarantee you, no one will think I looked a pound less than 180 :)

1 week out! I sold my treadmill yesterday since I wasnt getting much use out of it with the ankle, so now we take turns on the elliptical.... WAY easier on the ankle! Did my last leg workout today too and felt like a pretty good one. I'll probably still get another day of leg extensions and what not. I honestly think that bodybuilders invented the myth about not training legs the last week or two because it holds water because they wanted a break from training hard the last week, lol. Not that it matters either way...no one is packing on mass this final week! Can't wait to get this week done though!

Last few days and feeling great!
My conditioning is even better than I ever could have imagined 8 months post baby #2. I actually think this is the best I have ever looked! Hard even for me to believe. My work is done and I have accomplished my goal. So hopefullly a restful week, hope it goes by fast though, the excitement is starting. I can't wait to get all tanned and prettied up! I am really looking forward to seeing some of the girls from Nationals 2010 and getting to know all the NS athletes and exec's.

Getting all salted up now...I wil post pic's at 3 days out (to compare to last prep). I am a little sad to see this prep end, As I always am...you get into such a routine it's takes time to return to "normal" - whatever that is. Hopefully I will be a few short months out from National's after next weekend...time will tell, it's out of my hands now...

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Originally Posted by steve_d

1 week out! I sold my treadmill yesterday since I wasnt getting much use out of it with the ankle, so now we take turns on the elliptical.... WAY easier on the ankle! Did my last leg workout today too and felt like a pretty good one. I'll probably still get another day of leg extensions and what not. I honestly think that bodybuilders invented the myth about not training legs the last week or two because it holds water because they wanted a break from training hard the last week, lol. Not that it matters either way...no one is packing on mass this final week! Can't wait to get this week done though!

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I hear yah Steve, if your still feeling strong then why not hit em like every other bodypart. And I would definitely rather be conditioned then full on stage. Can't look bad or out of place if your shredded but sure can if you big and bloated.

4 days to go! I just did a full body workout, (legs / back ) mostly just got a good pump on and squeezed out some good reps. I actually feel better now than I have in weeks. I have officially elminated the sciatic pain 100%. I can sit for long periods of time, I have full feeling in my foot, ankle, hamstrings. It's as if there was never anything there! The only reminence to the injury is a lingering pain in the ankle from walking funny for a month without feeling on a foot. However, with the sale of the treadmill, and a switch to the eliptical, I think the ankle is well on its way to being 100%. Taking a break from cardio will surely fix it up within I'd say a weeks time.

I've never felt motivated for the post show up until this past 2-3 days because up until then I really just wanted it to be all done to heal up. But I think what has happened is that I've healed up already - imagine when I am actually getting some nutrition in me again, lol... Easter was VERY hard on me this year. I think it really had to do with having a kid old enough to appreciate the easter bunny, as well as all things that easter involves. I just wanted to sit down and enjoy a little bit of the easter bunny cupcake cake we got for the little dude! Any other week other than 1 week out, and I would have had no problem with it - 1 week out was the only week I didn't have a 'carb-up' or cheat day. The guy was practically (and still is) running up to Ange and I asking us to eat a chocolate with him... "here mommy, can you eat this with me?"... or "these are daddies favorites, do you want to share it with me?"... The joys of pre-contest dieting :)

That said, I am having an EASY time with this last week (aside from the easter day). Avoiding bad foods is not difficult when you know what needs to be done the last week to tighten right up. I am drying out like crazy, and making weight is not going to be an issue. Carbing up, and likely only cutting water a few hours before weigh in and shouldn't be a problem. Assuming when the sodium is dropped I start peeing like a madman which is usually the case! Not looking forward to possible cramping issues on friday, but I deal with it all the time - I know what to expect and am ready for it. I am also as white as a ghost right now, and can't wait to get tanned up friday...Look like a real bodybuilder lol... I was tanning in the beds, but unfortunately a mistake from the girl at the counter had me in a bed longer than I should have been...she thought it was the mild bed when in fact it was one of the strongest ones. Burnt and basically just stopped tanning and let my skin peal and heal for the last couple weeks, lol. All is good now.

PS: you know what is fun? Cardio on a 110 inch screen playing Uncharted 3 in 3D...Man, I love the whole series of that game, but playing it in 3d...just wow! Mind you, normally I put the setting to hard or hardest, but this time I put VERY EASY... a lot easier to focus while bouncing around with a remote in hand!

Video games during cardio? I have NO sympathy for your "dietary restrictions" during Easter LOL

I play Madden 2005 on my old xbox, won the superbowl the day before the Maritime Bodies show lol. Thought it was a taste to things to come.

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Couple quick shots of the legs. Front shot was from wednesday, glute shot was from today. 2 more days!

:welldone

GREAT JOB !!! Looking ready to go !

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Originally Posted by steve_d

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Couple quick shots of the legs. Front shot was from wednesday, glute shot was from today. 2 more days!

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That's nice Steve, you must be satisfied!

Eric