Tag fitness

That Ever Elusive Pro Card

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(Original post can be found at
http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-life-inspiration-and-dedication/8988-that-ever-elusive-pro-card.html)

There have been many occasions in which I have heard a freshly nationally ranked NPC competitor declare that he or she will hit the national stage and easily snap up an IFBB Pro Card. While I applaud the competitor’s enthusiasm and drive, I cannot help but snicker to myself when I hear such a statement. Honestly, if it were THAT easy to earn a Pro Card, there would be Pros populating the country in droves. Alas, there is only a finite number of Pro Cards to be given out each year, and the competition for them is fierce to say the least.

I will often see competitors who have made such a declaration months later who are shocked that they have not yet achieved Pro status. They mention being stunned, frustrated and dejected, and often will state that they are considering leaving the sport altogether. Let me tell you something: I stepped on the national stage FOURTEEN TIMES before I earned my Pro Card. There certainly were times that I was discouraged, and there were moments during which I had pondered the possibility of walking away from the sport. Yet I kept getting back on the stage, improving my game each time and proving to myself that I was strong enough to overcome the roadblocks that kept Pro status at bay. Thankfully, all of my dedication and stubbornness finally paid off, but it was a long and arduous journey.

I think it is very important to bear in mind how competitive national NPC bodybuilding contests are. There are over 100 national qualifying NPC local contests across the nation each year, with some events in large metropolitan areas bringing in more than 100 competitors in each of the most popular divisions (men’s physique, figure and bikini). Since only the top five competitors in these divisions are given national qualification, such contests can be brutally competitive. These nationally qualified competitors then hit the national stage, usually competing against an average of thirty other competitors (there were a record 72 competitors in one men’s physique class in 2011) who are considered the best in the nation. So what makes you think you can easily snap up a Pro Card? You may prove me wrong, but it is foolish to boast that you will easily get one from your first foray into a national NPC contest.

By no means am I trying to discourage anyone from competing. What I hope to do is to encourage competitors to be realistic yet unrelenting in their pursuit of personal excellence as they reach for Pro status. It is always a good idea to talk to the judges after a contest to obtain valuable feedback. It is also important to look at your contest photos, especially the comparison photos. If there are changes which need to be made, make them before you hit the stage again. Most importantly, do NOT get discouraged. Good things come to those who persevere!

Discussion Of Booty Blast Video Superset #4

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In this superset we will target the gluteal region from multiple angles and positions in order to create a rounder, fuller look. When you perform one legged side lying presses, don’t worry about doing a very heavy weight. Instead, focus on using proper form, driving your heel into the plate and squeezing the glute as you press the plate up. You should feel an intense stretch in the back of the leg and in the glute during this move.

When you perform plie dumbbell squats, stand with feet very wide apart and toes pointed slightly outward. As you crouch into the squat, avoid leaning forward and instead sit into the movement, almost like you are trying to sit in a chair. When you come up from the squat, only come up part of the way and then immediately go into the next repetition.

The last exercise in this superset is barbell good mornings. Start by standing with the barbell on your shoulders and feet close together. Bend at the waist but keep your back straight as you move, stopping when your upper body is parallel with the floor. Maintain back alignment as you return to standing position.

Discussion Of Booty Blast Video Superset #3

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This superset has two very challenging moves which will improve balance and coordination and which will blast your glutes. The first exercise is one-legged dumbbell deadlifts which can be performed with either one or two dumbbells (I prefer using two dumbbells). Holding dumbbells, you will bend at the waist while lifting one leg straight back and keeping your other leg straight but with a soft knee. The next move is one-legged cable kickbacks in which you will kick one leg straight behind you while squeezing the glute and keeping the rest of the body stationary.

Discussion Of Booty Blast Video Superset #2

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There are a number of guidelines for this superset combination which will maximize gluteal muscle recruitment, so I am listing them here.

Butt Blaster: When you move the footplate back during extension of your leg, push with your HEEL instead of your toes.

Prone Leg Curl: The key to making this move effective is to use a weight that challenges you but does not force you to lift your body off the bench or arch your back. The only body parts which should be moving during this exercise are your legs as you bend your knees to bring the cushion towards your glutes. As you do this, squeeze your glutes to emphasize the movement.

Walking Dumbbell Lunge: This move is excellent for developing balance while also blasting the glutes. When you step forward, you should feel not only a stretch in the back of the leg moving forward, but also a squeeze in the glute of the other leg.

Discussion of Booty Blast Video Superset #1

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Here are some tips for each of the exercises in this superset to ensure good form and maximum gluteal muscle recruitment. When you perform jump squats, try to get as low as possible without straining your knees, then jump explosively into mid-air. When you land from the jump, you will immediately jump again. Also make sure to sit more into the movement, as this will hit more of the glute muscles. When you have completed your jump squats, you will go immediately into stiff-legged dumbbell deadlifts. Stand with feet close together and hold the dumbbells so that your palms face your body, then bend forward at the waist so that dumbbells are almost touching the floor. You should feel a good stretch in the back of the legs when you do this.

The trickiest move in this superset is the bench crossover jump. If you crouch somewhat during the movement, you will have better stability. Do NOT rest when your feet are at the top of the bench! In fact, when you plant one foot on the bench for your jump, that foot should already be lifting off the bench when your plant your other foot on the bench during your jump. This is an explosive and powerful move!

Discussion of Back Blast Video

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Yesterday I posted a video of a supersetted weightlifting routine for the back which hits all the major muscles of the back. Here are some tips on performing the exercises which will be especially helpful if you are new to weightlifting. If you are truly brand new to weightlifting, only do three supersets of each group, and keep the weight lifted light enough so that you can concentrate on your form. Move from one exercise directly to the next without resting, and pause for 30 to 60 seconds between supersets.

Wide Grip Pulldowns: Grab bar near the ends and make sure to pull it down to your chest while slightly squeezing your shoulder blades together. Keep your back straight and only lean back just enough so that your face clears the bar as it comes down. When the bar comes back up, get a full stretch before performing the next rep. Exhale as the bar comes down, then inhale as it comes up.

Bent Over Cable Parallel Grip Rows: Keep your back straight during this movement and maintain a bend in the knees. The only movement should occur in your arms as you pull the grip bar towards your belly while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Exhale as you pull bar towards you and inhale as it moves away from you.

Seated Close Grip, Reverse Grip Pulldowns: This exercise is very similar to wide grip pulldowns, but you will grab bar so that your palms face you and your hands are close together.

One-Arm-Dumbbell-RowsOne Arm Dumbbell Rows: If you feel off balance during this move, you can hold onto the back of a bench with your free hand or place your hand on a flat bench (as pictured here) for stability. Bend forward at the waist and hold a dumbbell with your arm extended towards the floor. Bend at the elbow as you exhale and bring the weight up to your torso.

Hyperextensions: Beginners should perform this move without any weight. When you extend your back into the movement, make sure not to come up too high.

Good Mornings: This is a great old-school move but also the trickiest for beginners. Start by standing with the barbell on your shoulders and feet close together. Bend at the waist but keep your back straight as you move, stopping when your upper body is parallel with the floor. Maintain back alignment as you return to standing position.

Training For Life

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Over the past few weeks I have heard a few competitors state that they plan to completely stop weight training for a few weeks because they are burnt out on prepping for competitions. While I agree that taking some time off can be a good thing, taking several weeks off seems like complete madness to me. Though I get a kick out of people who have this on-again, off-again attitude with respect to training, I am more disturbed than amused by such an attitude because it is in stark opposition to my attitude towards training.

My attitude towards training stems from the fact that I train for life, not for the stage per se. I increase the number of workouts before a big contest, but I never hang up my training hat for more than a couple of days at a time. Why? Because I truly love training, and I strive to remain consistent with my conditioning. I also ensure that I will be shoot ready whenever the need arises. I have had last minute calls to shoot and never have to worry that I will not be camera worthy.

It blows my mind how many people have asked me if I plan to stop training now that I have earned my IFBB Pro Card. I didn’t train hard to get my Pro Card just so I could let it all go to mush! If anything, I have even more reason to uphold the level of conditioning which has taken years for me to achieve. You won’t see me avoiding the gym or eating tons of bad foods, because I have every intention of honoring the status I have earned. It’s back to the gym for me!dumbbells