NA blues

[BuffD]

Well I'm home. Can't say I had a good experience at all. I was definately in my best shape but it didn't matter as I was out of the top 16. There is really alot I can say here but I don't want to come off as a bitter competitor. All I know is what others told me and that was that I should of been higher. No I top 5 wasn't in the cards but I was alot closer to it than my placing was. I had 2 IFBB Pros a magazine photographer, and several National competitors tell me so. The thing that really confuses me is the judges. I talked to 2 after the show to find out what I need to do to improve my placing. I figured I'd hear that I was too small and needed more muscle (which is how I feel). BUT I was told I need better conditioning, bigger calves and I have to work on my quad seperation?? I know my quads were more seperated than most on stage including top 5 guys. Just confusing. So my offseason will begin next week. This week I'm enjoying food and getting back to working out. I plan on making a SERIOUS impression on the judges at the 2009 Jr Nats. I'll decide what to do from there. Here are my quads on sunday after pigging out severely on friday night and saturday.

 

[phatkid77]

if i looked like that, it would be hard to take ANY advice....you look great D....keep poundin

phats

 

[pesty4077]

Keep your head up D, you were up against a very competive show. You did say the one thing that is important, you were at your best. Keep training hard and making the good improvements you have been. Best of luck on your future shows.

 

[TooPowerful4u]

Politics blow. This REALLY makes me want to reconsider Nationals. I dont feel like bustin my ass and spendin all that money to fly out, eat, and stay in a hotel only to not make the cut no matter how good i look.......

 

[b-boy]

Politics blow. This REALLY makes me want to reconsider Nationals. I dont feel like bustin my ass and spendin all that money to fly out, eat, and stay in a hotel only to not make the cut no matter how good i look.......

toopoo you even think of dropping out and im coming to your house to put my foot in your ass bro! Just keep grinding and handle your business bro!


darin I don't know what to tell you bro, the most obvious thing to me was you need more muscle, I thought you looked good against your call out but against the top 5 you def. did not carry enough muscle on your frame! and your arm size really really stood out to me especially in the front double bicep pose, You need to increase your arm size!
damn i envy your quad seperation though they always display deep deep cuts between the muscle's.
I think a good offseason with phil is going to do you very very good my friend!!

when i was reading the play by play at muscular development dave palumbo also said you need more conditioning which kinda confused me, cause i thought your conditioning was really really good also.

 

[aeliop]

How is this for a contrast

Politics blow. This REALLY makes me want to reconsider Nationals. I dont feel like bustin my ass and spendin all that money to fly out, eat, and stay in a hotel only to not make the cut no matter how good i look.......

You're post is in direct contrast to you're signature quote.

Accept NO limitations as a limitation! IF YOU THINK SOMETHING - YOU BELIEVE IN IT...
If you think you will fail - you certainly will....
you are letting your mind set limitations for you - so simply DON'T TAKE IT...
You can do anything if you put your mind in right state.
SKY IS THE LIMIT!

-Milos Sarcev

MAN UP AND GO COMPETE OR TAKE THAT SIGNATURE QUOTE OFF AND REPLACE IT IT WITH SOMETHING MORE APPROPRIATE.

There are alot of us out here that could only get into Nationals with a ticket we would do anything just to get out of are district.

 

[Sassy]

If my vote would count, I'm say you were #1!

Good job...

 

[TooPowerful4u]

The post caught me in a mood this AM. Im not pullin off. Im gonna win my state show then hit Nats hard. Lets grab a top 10 hopefully first time out lol is that aiming too high at the biggest national show of the year?

 

[b-boy]

hey mitch (the mass) i see you lurking at the bottom of the page...LOL

your doing nationals also right?? lightheavy?? O YEA handle your business young gun

 

[TooPowerful4u]

hey mitch (the mass) i see you lurking at the bottom of the page...LOL

your doing nationals also right?? lightheavy?? O YEA handle your business young gun

I might make light heavy

 

[BLACKCAT]

The one thing that gets me a bit steamed after hearing this is how on earth do the judges really remember every competitor? Well, and I don't mean this as a slam to anyone that judges, but I don't see how it's possible. With that being said, unless you were in the top 5 or you stuck out, its going to be very hard to for them to remember each person and exactly where they needed to improve. Unless they had some huge list of notes with each competitor number and then what they were judged on, how do they remember? Now everyone knows what was just typed does not happen. So if you ask a judge what needs to be worked on and they don't remember you, how do they answer that? Of course they are not going to say "I'm sorry I don't remember you" because then it indicates that they are not doing their job to the best they could have. I don't think any judge would ever want to give the impression they are not paying attention. I just think instead of this they just give some generic answer that applys to most competitors such as "well you needed to be harder" or " your legs need to be more seperated". If at that point you drop your sweats and reveal very deep cuts and striations in your legs, what happens now? Most likely the judge is not going to change their tune. I just know how confusing it must be for both the athlete and judge when all you want to do is get some answers and then the group of people you put trust into to judge the merits of your phyisque can't tell you what you need to work on. I emailed a judge regarding what I needed to work on and was told I was a bit tall for my class. I was the shortest one in my class. I pretty much stopped reading after that point. What can you do? Just keep on doing what you are doing Darin as I think your physique speaks volumes even if a group of people sitting in front of you don't think so. Just my opinion on the matter and it's not intended to flame anyone that judges as I know their are good ones but sometimes it just seems they are few and far between.

 

[gooey]

I felt...

Well I'm home. Can't say I had a good experience at all. I was definately in my best shape but it didn't matter as I was out of the top 16. There is really alot I can say here but I don't want to come off as a bitter competitor. All I know is what others told me and that was that I should of been higher. No I top 5 wasn't in the cards but I was alot closer to it than my placing was. I had 2 IFBB Pros a magazine photographer, and several National competitors tell me so. The thing that really confuses me is the judges. I talked to 2 after the show to find out what I need to do to improve my placing. I figured I'd hear that I was too small and needed more muscle (which is how I feel). BUT I was told I need better conditioning, bigger calves and I have to work on my quad seperation?? I know my quads were more seperated than most on stage including top 5 guys. Just confusing. So my offseason will begin next week. This week I'm enjoying food and getting back to working out. I plan on making a SERIOUS impression on the judges at the 2009 Jr Nats. I'll decide what to do from there. Here are my quads on sunday after pigging out severely on friday night and saturday.

A little upset bout my placings at collegiate nationals in 2003 and I may feel the same as you after nationals in a few months... My honest critique... more muscle and u def have to be tighter from the backside. You have a great build and just need to add... get feedback, and none that r blown smoke up ur ass... I want to hear where I suck and what I need... not how great I am and how fantastic I look. Now you have to ask yourself "Is that all you got?" now you have a chip on your shoulder. "What are u willing to do about it." Let the tissue recruitment begin

Goo

 

[BuffD]

toopoo you even think of dropping out and im coming to your house to put my foot in your ass bro! Just keep grinding and handle your business bro!


darin I don't know what to tell you bro, the most obvious thing to me was you need more muscle, I thought you looked good against your call out but against the top 5 you def. did not carry enough muscle on your frame! and your arm size really really stood out to me especially in the front double bicep pose, You need to increase your arm size!
damn i envy your quad seperation though they always display deep deep cuts between the muscle's.
I think a good offseason with phil is going to do you very very good my friend!!

when i was reading the play by play at muscular development dave palumbo also said you need more conditioning which kinda confused me, cause i thought your conditioning was really really good also.

See the needing more muscle comment I fully accept. I know I need more size. I was pretty damn hard though even from the back. Jim Rockell when I asked him said he didn't have his notes on the heavies so he didn't comment. I was cool with that. I don't expect them to remember everyone. The guy that did give me comments I don't get. He obviously had no idea who I was. It's annoying but next year I won't give them the chance to not know me. I'll be on stage 10-15lbs heavier and even tighter!

TooPoo here is the double edge sword. I agree it's annoying to spend all that money and not be noticed. BUT if you pull out and don't do it they will never know you. Just keep showing up and plugging away. Be sure to talk to the judges after the show then at least in some way you stick in their heads the next time you are up there. They are human and can't remember everyone. If you are just truly awesome you will get your call.

 

[TooPowerful4u]

I might make light heavy

lol jk

 

[Alex A]

Darrin,
As a competitor bro, i hear ya..you had damn good condition. no glaring weaknesses at all, very solid prep bro.

But nothing just popped out(no offense). The lineup was stacked and in the big shows, you have to blow people away to make a statement and get noticed. I feel for you and all i can say is, use this as motivation.

Two years in a row at the USA i was first in the lineup and was standing all the way down at the end of the stage. One year, they kept me down there, the next year, they moved me right to the center because i stood out so much.

Have a productive off season. Email the judges. Post a link to MD where your pics are located that way they can critique you by looking at you. I did this last year and got good feedback from Peter Potter and some of the judges that judged me.

 

[TooPowerful4u]

this thread is really disheartening....i dunno what "pops' outta me? nothing? that mean im screwed?

 

[b-boy]

this thread is really disheartening....i dunno what "pops' outta me? nothing? that mean im screwed?

BRO, stop worrying about it, I got my ass handed to me at nationals in 2006 in miami(1 got 15th out of 35 competitors) and i was all sad walking around with my head down and charles dixon laughed at me, told me i had a sick physique and he got a very low low placing his first time at nationals, he said its part of the game. toopoo nationals is a different ballgame bro, just come in your best and let the cards fall where they may and no matter weather you place
2nd or last use it as a learning experience and welcome to the crazy game of national level bodybuilding. do nationals and if you don't place well, then hit the north americans next year, but keep showing them judges your face and your improvements!

 

[oldfella]

this thread is really disheartening....i dunno what "pops' outta me? nothing? that mean im screwed?[/QUOTE]

Well.....................yep!!!!

 

[Alex A]

If you look at the top 5 guys something really stands out about each one..

Not to put down the show, but the nationals are even tougher.. All the top guys in the nation coming out for pro cards in each class.. If your in a lineup of 25plus guys, you better stand out or you will get left out.

 

[BuffD]

Alex hit the nail on the head. You gotta WOW the judges. You need to walk out there and have them all put their eyes on you. To do that you gotta have it all and it all has to be great. Last year killed me. I hardly trained due to injuries so really for me I won this battle as I know I was at my best. Ofcourse I wish I looked like I did sunday afternoon cuz I was about 7lbs heavier and dry to the bone and full as full can be. BUT at least I learned something for next time. This offseason will be good and I'll be on stage at the 09 Jr Nats. We'll see how things go from there. Thanks everyone for the positive words and the feedback. I never want anyone to bullshit me cuz that's not going to help at all.