Tag motivation

Vision Boards and Vision Boxes

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visionboard1A few years back I started both a vision board and a vision box to help me visualize what I wanted to accomplish in my life. While the vision board was limited to a couple of images of female competitors who had the physique I wanted to attain, the vision box held (and still does) clippings of the house I wanted, vacations I wanted to take, and other coveted elements. I have yet to acquire the home and the vacations I wanted, but I have been able to travel as a result of competitions and other fitness events, and I reached my goal of having an enviable physique despite getting older with each passing year.

I now firmly believe in the power of vision boards and vision boxes because they enable one to truly envision what they want. Goals and dreams become tangible when they are focused on with intention. There is a great deal of power in putting your intentions out to the universe and empowering yourself to make the movements and changes which absolutely can manifest in reality. You should frequently look at the items you collect and harvest the belief that they can all come true. Great things happen to those who put their energies towards moving towards goals, no matter how lofty they may be.

Why I MUST Go To The Gym

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Me at GymI move at a frenetic pace every single day, switching gears constantly and trying to pack as much as I can into each day. My determination, organization and just plain stubbornness usually ensure that every single item on my to-do list gets done, and that certainly includes my intense workout regimen. I work out six days per week, usually twice per day, and find it downright challenging to fit it all in while also attending to my career, family, and personal responsibilities. So why not just abandon the crazy gym schedule? Not a chance!

When I go to the gym, I have a perfect opportunity to recharge my body. I push myself to train harder and heavier with each day, and I love getting to that point where I may question whether I have the energy or strength to complete the entire routine (I always do though). The time I spend in the gym is my personal time, ME time, and allows me to take care of myself without worrying about anyone or anything else in my life during that small pocket of time. It’s like putting the oxygen mask on myself to ensure that I will be able to help others. My daily workouts keep me on a consistent schedule and provide structure to my day.

Another wonderful benefit of training as hard as I do is that I get to beat the aging process. I can honestly say that I am in better shape now than ever before. One of the joke statements I often make is that I am aging like a fine wine. What amazes and inspires me is the fact that there are a number of people in the fitness industry who are doing the very same thing. The population may be aging, but the newer crop of people over 40 who have embraced clean eating and resistance training looks better than ever and enjoys better vitality and health than the over 40 crowd from previous decades. It can be quite a guessing game to accurately determine someone’s age by looks alone these days!

NPC And IFBB Men’s Physique Division

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IanWhen the NPC established the Men’s Physique Division for male competitors in its bodybuilding events back in 2011, it fueled an impressive interest in competing among men who were in great shape but not big enough to compete in the bodybuilding division. Suddenly a division popped up which did not demand the extreme muscularity that characterizes Men’s Bodybuilding. But what are judges looking for in the Men’s Physique Division? They want to see men who are fit and who display great shape, muscularity, conditioning and symmetry. Overall proportion trumps massive muscle bellies here, but keep in mind that Men’s Physique competitors have a decent level of muscularity.

Men’s Physique competitors are split up into different classes on the basis of height instead of weight. Local and regional events will usually have an Open division (all ages), Masters 35+, and at times a Masters 45+ division. At the national level, only a couple of contests feature a Masters Division, forcing many older competitors to compete against those much younger in the Open Divisions. IFBB Men’s Physique Pros compete in one class regardless of height or age.

Attire for Men’s Physique competitors consists of board shorts which sadly cover the majority of the quadriceps and the hamstrings. Competitors compete barefoot.

During judging, each competitor is expected to walk to the center of the stage individually and perform front and back poses for the judges. Once each competitor has had a chance to hit his poses, judges will call out competitors to the center of the stage for comparisons.