27.11.13

Contest report and what I have been up to lately

I am very sorry for not my longer absence from this blog. I have been quite busy and just couldn't write a post. I actually did write it on my Facebook page but failed to copy+paste it here ;).

This is a copy of what I wrote on Facebook:
"My show is over (been for a while) and I finally get to write a short report about it.
First I have to say that the event was awesome. Great atmosphere and organization. There were some minor glitches but that just makes organizers human ;).

I competed in Classic Bodybuilding up to 175 cm category and placed 8th of 9 competitors. Other guys were just awesome.
I am not looking for excuses. I didn't expect to be in the finals and am glad I wasn't last but I still think I should have done better. I am not saying judging was not OK, I was not OK. I came on stage bloated although I looked just fine a couple of hours earlier.

I got really tired two hours prior to stepping on stage and I think that is when the bloating began.

I woke up at 3:40 AM and was wide awake. Tried to go back to sleep but I could not really fall asleep. I eventually got out of bed at 6 AM. Ate breakfast, had my morning coffee (mmmm coffeeeee) and woke up my wife to apply a new layer of tan. I then woke up my daughter. We picked up my fried on the way and hit the road. 1,2 h trip to Maribor where I dropped my daughter off at her auntie. Then off to the scene of the crime ;).
I weighed in at around 11 AM at 77,6 kg which is 0,9 kg more then last year.

I got on stage at around 6 PM. 12 h waiting got to me. I lack experience on how to maintain my form for a prolonged time. I guess cortisol was the culprit for me coming out bloated. I usually look bloated after stress or when I am tired.

OK.. enough of analyzing. I AM satisfied and AM mostly proud about the way I got in shape for this contest. Flexible dieting with no countless hours of cardio sessions (HIIT and an occasional MISS) and without using any drugs, water manipulation or diuretics.

I got to hang out with my friends from Natural Muscle Zone and had a great time."

Below are some pictures from the show.












I decided not to compete in 2014. We will see about 2015. My spirits are still high but I need more muscle to be more competitive.

What have I been up to lately:
I started playing rugby again and that has been keeping me quite busy/tired. After a four year break I couldn't keep my self away from the odd shaped ball and the grass and mud.

The feeling for the ball and the game is still there but my conditioning is very bad. I am physically fit but my cardio performance sucks. I guess if I did cardio for my contest prep I'd be in a great place for rugby now ;).

The added muscle really makes a difference on the pitch. I am stronger at defence and offence but am a bit slow on the pitch. It's not that I'm stiff but I have to teach my nervous system to react faster again. It will take some time but I'll get there eventually. Being 36 also plays a role here. My mind says go NOW but my body says.. not so fast mate ;).

It also keeps me out of the gym quite a lot. Regeneration time from a match or a hard training sessions takes for ages it would seem. That is why I decided to break my reverse dieting routine and increased my food intake a lot. I'm talking ~3300-4000 kcal per day. 3300 on off day, 4000 on training/match day in hopes that my regeneration times improve.
Another reason for this increase is due to the fact that I started loosing weight! I dropped from 77,6 to 76,7 kg even though I kept myself well hydrated. I managed to increase my weight without regaining too much fat. Some weight increase is due to more food in my digestive system and more water in my body but I am now maintaining a steady 79-80 kg range.

I'm on the far left.. with a mo ;).


On 30th November we play our last game for this year. Then it's gym time again. I will start 5-3-1 again and will try to do at least three 30 min running sessions per week. I will try to find a conditioning routine to get myself in proper playing form for next year.