Quote Originally Posted by steve_d View Post
doing more shows per year, particularly for a natural competitor might give them more experience on stage, but also gives them less off-season time. I think this is the most important thing a novice should know. It's too easy to get "addicted" to being on stage, and in the long run hinder your gains.

I for one have first hand experience with this. When first started out, all I wanted to do was compete. But it wasn't until I finally stopped competing for a bit that I put on some muscle.
Trust me, I've had the same experience!! But for the natural stream basically it's the Natural Ontarios, Natural Canadians and then IFBB Worlds. Rarely you get guys who can do 3 shows and go to the IFBB Worlds for their 3rd show and have the experience they need. Like I said there are exceptions and Worlds is a totally different game. It wouldn't hurt to have one other show to qualify for the Natural Ontarios. They could always do a qualifer to the natural Ontarios then the natural Ontarios and take the rest of the year off to grow and be ready for the Natural Canadians and Worlds.

If you want to compete at Worlds you have to compete in the same year you have qualified at the Natural Canadians. So as a natural competitor you have no choice but to do 2 shows if you want to go to Worlds. You can't wait and go the next year. CBBF selects a team, either you go that year or wait and have to requalify the next year again.

Enough said, it's just my opinion, I'm not looking for a debate here or anything. That's just how I feel about it. Just looking at this year's Natural Ontarios photos, I could definitely tell there were a lot of first time competitors. They wouldn't do well at the Canadians. There just seems to be such a big gap from the Natural Ontarios to the Canadians.