Men's Physique: GX's road to the 2012 BC's (and beyond)

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Regardless of what your specific endeavor is in all of this (bodybuilding or other physique divisions, Strongman, Olympic lifting, mainstream athletic sports, etc.), while you may be very good at what you do and you have come a long way, do you want to become complacent? Even with making progressive strides in your chosen field, there is room for an improvement from outside sources that will help you in your main chosen passion.

Now, I realize what that may sound like, being vague and ambiguous, and all, with me being a bodybuilder… but, no, I am not talking about what you would find in a bottle or a syringe. Instead, I am talking about your own gusto and ability… with a dose of quizzical interest. What I am talking about is cross training.

Not CrossFit, unless that is what you want to move into. If that is the case, go right ahead.

I am talking about finding a second (or third, even) physical activity, one that will require you to use your body and mind in a different way, ask something different of your body, put you in a different (yet, same) mindset, and overall, just make you more of a beast than you already have become.

It is beyond obvious what my combination has been and will be: bodybuilding/weight lifting and martial arts. And honestly, it does not stop there (because of contest prep, some other activities cannot happen at this time). After this contest season is over, I intend to return to some strongman training and power lifting. Bodybuilding will still be in the mix, but those three training protocols all require something different from the individual. Results are hugely different, but for me, they all have the same thing in common: I get better. That is all that matters to me.

So, whoever you are, there is no reason for you to be stymied by being burned out on a singular track of development. Take your pick of things… it will be good for your body, AND your mind (after all, an unhealthy mind will eventually give way to an unhealthy body). Do not just choose arbitrarily though… have some method to your madness, so to speak. I know exactly why I chose bodybuilding as a complement to my martial arts, and why both benefit from each other, therefore making both better, which equals me being better. And a really good, and unlikely example, would be my wife. In her teen years up into her mid twenties, she rode horses. Equestrian arts never would have come to mind, would it? But riding the horses took a lot of work; it is not just sitting up there and riding along. There is a LOT that goes into that, and it can be taxing on the body. But in training and riding horses, that provided the base for her to transition effortlessly into power lifting (which later saw her transition into bodybuilding).

Think about what you want to do, want to accomplish, want to achieve. If nothing in particular comes to mind, this is okay; you can always just go with what interests you, and over the course of time, you can make that connection with yourself and your secondary involvement, and discover how it is helping you and the primary.

Always want more. Always be more. Know you are more. Do more. Give more. More people then benefit from what you are, and with luck, the good influence spreads.

Some awesome posts Brandon. Welcome to the board. I can see that your background and knowledge will be invaluable to the board.

All the best in your prep...will follow your progress and look forward to watching you you up there with the final product!!

Couldn't agree more Brandon.If more people adopted that outlook we wouldn't have so many people that drop out with the passage of time.

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Originally Posted by cog

Couldn't agree more Brandon.If more people adopted that outlook we wouldn't have so many people that drop out with the passage of time.

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I do not understand people sometimes, cog. But I hope in my blogs (this is the copy and paste of today's entry) that what I have within, I can use to influence others for their own betterment. And if I have reached even just one person, and affected change, then I have done what I set out to do. I will be posting my blog entries here. As of lately, just one a day... but sometimes two a day.

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Originally Posted by razorsedge

Some awesome posts Brandon. Welcome to the board. I can see that your background and knowledge will be invaluable to the board.

All the best in your prep...will follow your progress and look forward to watching you you up there with the final product!!

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Thank you! I have been around for a few years here and there... I stay pretty low key, although Dawn is reversing this slowly but surely.

I have always gone the way of the dragon from Chinese mythology... Dragons only appear when someone is ready (read:able) to see them, or sometimes, randomly at will. I liked that approach, personally. Anyway, I do hope that I will be of some use here. :)

April 4, 2012

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Let us say that you want to get into your car and drive to a destination 500 miles away from your home. You have never been there before, and you only really have a vague idea of how to get there. Do you just get into the car and go, hoping and trusting that you will get to that end point?

Well, yes, you could do that. Or you could get some directions on how to get there. That would be the better, and more practical solution (granted, everyone is not trying to look like the guy in the picture above, but just hear me out on this).

Do you enjoy the guesswork that comes with going at it alone? That is the same as traveling down an interstate highway, coming to an off ramp that you are SUPPOSED to take, but have no real idea, and so you keep going straight instead, making a mistake. Or how about listening to misinformation (and believe me, there is a LOT of it. What you think might sound legitimate is actually the furthest thing from it. Case in point: Someone tells you creatine is a steroid. Need I say more?) Essentially, someone is giving you the wrong directions, and you will be lost.

Travel that road several times (or in the case of training and diet, over a period of time), and you know the way from experience. And yes, there are generally several different (albeit sometimes similar – some are really far removed from the conventional path) routes to take to get to the same place. It is good to get a feel for the different paths… find one that works for you, or maybe even combine several and make your own route (again, if that really works for you). Remember though, you did need some initial direction to start, and perhaps will need some as the journey progresses. The point is… the destination will clearly be in sight if you know how to get there. Do not let pride or ego stand in your way. If you say you want to look like this or that… like someone says that they want to leave their home and drive to Las Vegas… then get some direction and do it. There is no sense floundering around and wasting gas just spinning your wheels and driving around in circles.

Not all of us will lead you astray.

April 5, 2012

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Following somewhat closely on the heels of yesterday's entry is today's, focusing on actually following directions as opposed to making deviations or trying to take unapproved shortcuts. And the most obvious correlation in this is with your diet.

None of us are the same. I have often taken that for granted, expecting that if I am as hardline as I am for my results and what I want to accomplish, that anyone else who does this will be the same... and being perplexed when they proved themselves not to be. No one is me. I am not sure of the existence of anyone else who would turn down a cheat meal, wanting the satisfaction of unwavering discipline and first in class, overall, and a pro card instead of the temporary bliss and settling of mind that would come with the cheat meal. Yes, I am a strange one... I would rather stay hellbent on something that might not happen instead of feeling as if I compromised myself for something that could happen. BUT... that is just me. I speak only for me, and act only for me. Believe me, I would implement cheat meals for people if they can have them.

However, I hear all the time about people complaining about how the diet is not working, how they still feel fat (I know one girl in particular, who for all of her "being fat" is one of the better looking people heading into competition and will be... if she can get her head right), how they cannot help cheating, how... you get the idea. Or, someone will change something in the diet just because they do not like the way something else in it was laid out for them, or make a substitution for their own comfort, or... again, this can end up anywhere. But you see where I am going with this.

My question is: Why?

I look at it this way: I am going to be out on that stage in front of several hundred complete strangers, magazine photographers, friends and family who believe in me, and whomever else there may be. Competition in this arena is possibly the most personal and intimate one can experience, as you are truly exposing yourself for all to see, and be judged. The journey to the stage will show you and all those around you what you are made of, and there is no way to hide it at any point unless you go into seclusion for the duration. So... with the world watching (I just see it that way, whether it be true or not, now with the instant accessibility of the Internet and pictures being able to be sent via text message... any and all eyes can be on you at any given moment), why would I want to present anything less than my absolute best? There will be photo shoots to come. I have to be in front of the camera, and unless I planned to just lock those images away, which I do not intend to do, anyone and everyone will see them; excellence must be presented. But that will not happen if I carelessly indulge, giving way to whatever stresses may come. And we all have them. No one is immune. You do what you can to not give in to them, instead of just say "screw it", and have at it.

It is easier said than done for many, I know. I have a strict martial arts background to draw from, so it is not even a thought for me to stay true... I just do, with the goal in mind; nothing more. But for those who have a different background, there is only one thing I can say to you: OBEY. You know what you are supposed to do. You know how you are supposed to do it. You know why you are doing it. Therefore, just do it.

It is hard? Welcome to Life. Nothing is easy, unless you want it to be. Cardio... well, let me just be frank about it: Cardio sucks. But it is a necessity, end of story. DO IT. DO IT ALL. Ask yourself how badly do you want your results. If you say you really want them, but then bite down into a muffin or doughnut or a double cheeseburger (unless it is an authorized cheat), then you do not want it. You must be truthful in your belief and intent. Otherwise, you fail yourself.

And I propose that you try to live with that, rather than live with the alternative. If you think dealing with the diet is hard, try dealing with that!

Nice to see you on the board Brandon, you and dawn used to train at my home gym fitness world in surrey. The new physique division seems to be all about the shoulders, chest and abs. You should do very well, good luck

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Originally Posted by ubcpower

Nice to see you on the board Brandon, you and dawn used to train at my home gym fitness world in surrey. The new physique division seems to be all about the shoulders, chest and abs. You should do very well, good luck

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Thank you! I am excited to get the show on the road! If you are at the BC's, or even in Kelowna for the show there, come by and say 'Hi'.

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The Perfect Weapon Women's Self Defense Class

For anyone reading this, please spread the word regarding this class if you can.

I am starting a women's self defense class on April 16th. One thing that I absolutely cannot stand is the assault and abuse on women today, especially in supposedly loving relationships. The need today for a woman to know how to defend herself and keep herself safe is more important than ever. It is for this reason that I have searched the teachings and concepts of all that I have learned in the martial arts, and have combined it with basic personal survival skills that one needs to avoid, escape, or engage and conquer an aggressive encounter.

The idea of a self-defense "course" does not sit well with me. It is nigh impossible to expect someone who has taken 10-12 classes over a period of a few weeks to be able to functionally defend themselves, given the focus of most all self-defense classes today... which is purely on technique. There is a lot... and I do mean A LOT that goes into a physical altercation, that is overlooked in instruction today. Where my class will stand out from these is in several areas.

To begin with, while techniques for nullifying an attacker will most certainly be stressed and taught, a bigger part of my focus will be in developing key attributes... not so much to turn a woman into a fighter, but to make her be able to fight if she has to. This attribute development extends beyond just the physical as well, moving into the mental.

Next, where as other classes today have a preset curriculum to teach, or a general scope of techniques, what I offer comes from a traditional Shaolin (my major backgound) approach. During times long past, students of Shaolin first learned the basics of wushu, spending perhaps a year working on stances, footwork, basic hand techniques, and kicks. From there, the student moved into a proficiency, based on his ability, personality, and personal physical attributes. In this class, there is a basic curriculum to learn, setting the progression for where this class really shines: In time, I will see each student's strength and weakness, and then provide a further, streamlined offense/defense solution for that individual... meaning that no two students will be the same or follow the same formula, and each student, because of their carefully selected method, will be more comfortable with what they are doing. In short, their course of study is customized for them, which is NOT found in any self defense class or martial arts school at all.

Also, completely optional to the student, there will be traditional weapons training available, to make them more complete in the event of an aggressive situation. The reason for this is that not only does weapons training entail and teach a different movement (more to add to one's arsenal), but the training of traditional weapons can translate to the use of any item that she may have to grab in a defense situation. Among weapons taught are staff, Chinese broadsword, knife fighting (single and double blade), and more. A greater length in time in studying with me will introduce the student to more advanced weapon training, such as the wooden bench, and the two sword technique of Nito-Ryu (learning to use weapons of differing length and weight simultaneously; also covered in stick and dagger fighting). Again, this is not seen in any self defense class today, and all martial arts schools generally stick with the weapons contained within their style. If a student chooses to partake of this option, I will tell them where they will be able to obtain their weapons for a reasonable price, where they will be of good quality.

Finally, this class is ongoing, and not set for a determined length of time, 10 classes, 12 weeks, etc. Because of the way I teach (coming from the background that I do), I am able to work with anyone of any skill level at any time on anything, and not be thrown off of my train of thought for another person. So, while even though the student will be in a class setting, they still will be getting personal attention from me. Classes will be sold in four month lots though, at a fraction of the cost that other schools/programs cost.

Another benefit to this class:

Students receive, with their four paid months, six free one-on-one classes with me, by appointment, for one hour. These appointments can also be used to take the place of a missed class during the regular schedule.

This is essentially all of the information regarding the class. Again, if any of you are in the Surrey, or Metro Vancouver area and are interested, or have specific questions, please email me at absolutebest3@hotmail.com , or if you know of someone in the area who may be interested (or worse, have a need), please pass this information along.

Thank you.

Sounds very,very good Brandon.My wife no longer trains in the martial arts due to her health,but she did many different styles including weapons.She originally got the bug from her father,who was a very experienced jump trained commando in WWII.We practiced many times,she would demonstrate techniques to stop a man,she was very flexible.