A question for everyone who competes here

[7_Deadly_Sins]

How long were you training before you did your first show? And, what were your first shows results?
If you could go back and re do it, would you wait longer to get more mass, or are you happy with the experience you got with doing it?

I was thinking of doing my first show next year..but after thinking about it, I'm not ready right now finically, or body wise either. I need alot more mass, I want to blow everyone away in the show I do.
Also, if I do the same and put out all the money for food, supplements, a trainer to help and I dont do as good as I could have if I waited a little longer, I'd be hurt a little and feel like a dumbass.

 

[b-boy]

personally i waited waaaayyy to long to do my first show, i got fourth in my class cause of conditioning! every judge told me I would have won the whole show if my conditioning would have been better and each judge told me I had national level muscle, I just need to display it with the proper conditioning. came back next year at the caveman classic (much more competitive show) and won the light heavy and overall!

 

[7_Deadly_Sins]

personally i waited waaaayyy to long to do my first show, i got fourth in my class cause of conditioning! every judge told me I would have won the whole show if my conditioning would have been better and each judge told me I had national level muscle, I just need to display it with the proper conditioning. came back next year at the caveman classic (much more competitive show) and won the light heavy and overall!

How long did you train for before the first one?
Looking for some uh..role modles I guess is the word for what I should do. lol
Brad, from what I've seen, when, not if you nail your conditioning 100% perfect..you'll have pro status.

 

[shawnkarbabacz]

I agree that you should wait till you think you can at least be competitive at whatever level show you plan to do, but just dont get in the mindset 'im STILL not big enough'. Its NEVER enough You dont strike me as the type to do this, but i know i have a few friends that might do ok, but they use the 'i wanna add more size' as an excuse to not go through the diet and contest prep. (again, i highly doubt this would be a problem for you though)

Personally, with the progress youve made already, i would say still give the show you were talking about a try next yr. The experience will change how you see things, and its SUPER motivating. Once you have the one under your belt, you can re-assess your goals, then maybe take the extra time to move up in the caliber of show you do.

Everybody wants to win their first show obviously, but no matter what happens, i can almost guarentee you wont REGRET doing it! Its waaaaaay to much fun!

 

[Lenny]

I did my first show when I was 18. How long did I train? I was a cross country runner and track athlete in high school. I worked out after every practice in the weight room. I was addicted to it, but my eating was not that good. I jump into a show my senior year summer and got 2nd in the light weight division.

After that, I went to college and kept training, but never competed. Just didn't have the nutrition down due to my college life. Never missed many days of training in college, just did not fuel the body correctly!

Graduated, got a job and kept training like a bodybuilder does. I got the itch to compete again, so got on my nutrition and competed in the middleweight division at the Caveman Classic (B-Boy, is it the same Caveman Classic...st louie - I did it in 2006 and 2007, so you did prolly before me)...got third or fourth? Again, nutrition was my downfall, I had the muscle. I competed the following year again as a middleweight and got 3rd, but was planning on getting engaged, so that was my focus at that time. I was using these competitions as goals in health and fitness.

Got married, spent a year growing together still living the bodybuilding lifestyle ...Now, training is going great, eating is going great, and now I am about to compete at the end of May.

So, all and all I have trained since high school which I was prolly over doing it because I never rested! But, been training consistly since 14, now I am 28. I just never had an offseason will I packed it on. Always had good muscle, just never totally conditioned it!

 

[Lenny]

Lenny,
trying to PM you bro. message box is full. -STEELE

Try now.

 

[lynx]

I trained for about 8-9 years before I did my first show.
I was always asked if I competed before I did. I had a judge come up to me in the gym and ask and when I told her no she said I needed to. I think I just didn't feel mentally ready.

 

[b-boy]

so got on my nutrition and competed in the middleweight division at the Caveman Classic (B-Boy, is it the same Caveman Classic...st louie - I did it in 2006 and 2007, so you did prolly before me)...got third or fourth? !

yes its actually arnold missouri isn't it? lester runs a great show and i won overall in 2005 i believe, Jbomb from this board also won an overall at that show, so that show has put out some pretty good quality guys including you!

 

[b-boy]

How long did you train for before the first one?
Looking for some uh..role modles I guess is the word for what I should do. lol
Brad, from what I've seen, when, not if you nail your conditioning 100% perfect..you'll have pro status.

I have lifted weights since I was about 13yrs old but didn't get serious about nutrition till about 1998 and competed in my first NPC show in 2004.

 

[Lenny]

yes its actually arnold missouri isn't it? lester runs a great show and i won overall in 2005 i believe, Jbomb from this board also won an overall at that show, so that show has put out some pretty good quality guys including you!

Yes...it was Arnold, MO just outside of St. Louis. Lester does put on a great show, too bad it was never in the caves when I competed in it. Very tough competition that show brings! It has produced the likes of you, Jbomb, and others.

 

[7_Deadly_Sins]

I have lifted weights since I was about 13yrs old but didn't get serious about nutrition till about 1998 and competed in my first NPC show in 2004.

Ah cool.
I see you use to box..I did that in high school too..only back yard shit. Kinda miss it, but at the same time glad I quit.
Knowing what you do now, when would have you done your show? around 02? 00?

 

[b-boy]

Ah cool.
I see you use to box..I did that in high school too..only back yard shit. Kinda miss it, but at the same time glad I quit.
Knowing what you do now, when would have you done your show? around 02? 00?

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3940

post # 6 in that thread was from around 1992 i did a local gym show (not an NPC show just some local guys in the gym show) and I wish i would have jumped on stage back then but i was too chicken shit, as I thought I wasn't big enough yet

 

[7_Deadly_Sins]

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3940

post # 6 in that thread was from around 1992 i did a local gym show (not an NPC show just some local guys in the gym show) and I wish i would have jumped on stage back then but i was too chicken shit, as I thought I wasn't big enough yet

Holy shit Brad.
Your genetics are outstanding.
How old were you then? Not sure how old you are now..and what kind of poundages were you moving then? Very impressive.

 

[Mr Chicago]

I think the whole not big enough thing is whats holding me back from competing. Since I keep getting the question( Do you compete?) I might as well do it just for the sake of it. Who knows what could happen!

 

[b-boy]

Holy shit Brad.
Your genetics are outstanding.
How old were you then? Not sure how old you are now..and what kind of poundages were you moving then? Very impressive.

huh 22 or 23yrs old i believe. and I don't even remember what poundages i was moving then, i come from a big highschool football town in southern ohio and i was the strongest guy on our football team and i was a running back..LOL so strength was always my goal back.

 

[eclipse]

Just diet down and do it. I kept playing the not big enough game for like 8 years and ended up not competing til I was 27. I wish I had done it sooner. Once you get your feet wet, you can better guage your potential and come up with a plan for the future. Being in that condition is a great experience even if u decide to hold off on competing. Also, the growth is incredible after dieting down. I broke through a 2 year plateau after dieting. Just make sure you are in shape. Nothing is worse than being at the show and knowing you aren't in the same condition as everyone else. Good luck bro and enjoy yourself.

 

[Phidias]

I agree that you should wait till you think you can at least be competitive at whatever level show you plan to do, but just dont get in the mindset 'im STILL not big enough'. Its NEVER enough

That's so true!

Hadn't I had some good friends competing themselves and telling me I should step on stage, I'd probably have never entered a show yet...

I did my first one in 2006 after 7 years of training and won the overall (after beating a guy who turned IFBB pro the year after ).

 

[chris250]

I did my first show when I was 17 years old, and I only had about 10 months of training under me...I weighed in around 166lbs and won my class (teen, there was only a couple other kids in there with me)...I didnt know anything, and my conditioning was only ok...the next year, I competed again as a middleweight and weighed in around 173lbs, but looked way better, even though I only got 2nd in my state teen show...Im actully happy I competed so young, cause competing then was alot of fun

chris

 

[unoigo]

Well I did my first show last year after only training (BBing style) for about 4-5 months. I'm 6'1" and weighed in at 190. I was the best conditioned in my class by far but was completely outsized by all. I did end up finishing 3rd out of 6 though.

It was a small local show and I decided to do it as a strategic move. I figured it would give me some experience as to what the sport was about, contest prep, being on stage, etc. and figured it would be a good opportunity to help me decide if this was something I really wanted to commit to and do long term. The 2nd reason was that I want to take advantage of the rebound going into my first offseason. Needless to say, I'm hooked and the rebound workout well.....190 to 225 lns in four weeks post show.

 

[Dangkolo]

I waited 2 yrs. before I did my first show and got spanked! I was 6th out of seven and the only reason I got 6 place cause the guy below me just walked in off the streets, no tan, posing etc. 1yr. later I redeemed myself with a first and total 360 package. Would I change anything? No way! That's just how the ball bounces.............