Here's how I do it:

1. Consistency (choose a path and stick with it).
2. Do sports/exercises/activities you like, otherwise you will not be able to sustain them.
3. Learn all you can about your sport (try things and de-termine if they work for you).
4. Learn how to eat properly and how to prepare your meals.
5. Do not be impatient (tortoise & the hare). Move for-ward continuously, rather than being a flash in the pan. Small gains/improvements each year, in your eating habits and training equal success.
6. Get in tune with your body, it is an amazing feat of en-gineering that never lies. Lift heavy when you can, rest when you are tired, learn to train around injuries. Eat according to your specific goals at the time.
7. Do some form of activity each day.
8. Stay positive. Learn to enjoy the natural high of a good pump, or the feeling of accomplishment when you give your very best to a workout. When you feel like quit-ting, remember how good you felt in the past when you took it to the limit. Think of it this way, “I want this feeling, and I’ll push myself to get there.” Push a little longer, the pain/burn will pass. Don’t cut yourself short and quit before the set or sprint is really complete. I’m constantly motivated by the natural high and the re-sults I get. In fact, I believe that over the years, I’ve de-veloped my subconscious to where it will never let me stray off course. Again, it all boils down to consistency.
9. There are very few things in life that you have control over. For me, my diet and training are in my control. I can stay on track with them, no matter what life throws at me, good or bad.

Diet and training are really very simple. People overcomplicate them. It’s almost like they want to confuse you. Well, I am going to simplify things right now. Your body is incredibly adaptive, so NOTHING needs to be precise, like macro ratios, counting calories, when to eat and when not to eat, how much to train, how many sets, how many reps etc., etc., etc. (I hope you get my point.) I start to get dizzy reading some articles; it makes me feel like I know nothing at times. Well, the truth is that I have realized over the years, I do know a lot. So here’s what I have learned about diet, supplements, cardio, and training.

 
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been active. Besides running around like all kids do, I played soccer, practiced judo, and throughout the years when I came to America, took up running, which became addictive. I started having problems with my back and knees, so I turned to cycling. I’ve also trained in barre, yoga, and then a friend invited me to a kickboxing class. It was there where I first learned about bodybuilding. When I was shown photos of the bikini competitors, I thought “Oh yes, I want to look like that.” I was then introduced to a coach who taught me not only how to properly lift weights, which I knew nothing about, but also helped me with my nutrition and introduced me to Beverly International.

Being a natural ectomorph (tall, lean, long limbs with a facility to burn body fat and a hard time to put on muscle mass), I always thought I was too skinny. I tried to put on weight, but when I did gain, it went to all the wrong places and I ended up truly “skinny fat” (see my before photo). So, when bodybuilding came into my life, I jumped at the chance to get into shape and set a goal of stepping foot on stage in a bikini. (A challenging thought, but one that would ensure I must stay the course.) The first challenge was to ‘deconstruct’ my body by removing all the fat.

I’m an early riser who wakes up at 3:30 a.m. every morning to meditate and pray. At 5 a.m., I’m at the gym for fasted cardio. I go home, eat and go back to the gym for my weightlifting workout. I love it! No need to push me or remind me. Although at the beginning, I was weak in doing lunges (weak is an understatement as I couldn’t even do one) nor do a bodyweight squat properly, I enjoy pushing myself to be the best I can be. But hard work pays off and in 15 weeks, my body changed. It was far from what it ought or could be, but I didn’t hesitate to step on stage as it was my goal and I would gain experience. I was not scared like many predicted and didn’t get a rush either as I was told. I did what I focused on and came out a winner for reaching my goal. The icing on the cake was my placings of 3rd and 4th at my first SNBF show and three weeks later, I placed 5th in another. I am in love with the sport and am in it to stay.

I am still very new to this sport and know it will take time to get the body I need to step on to an NPC stage, but that is my future goal. I am now preparing for another SNBF show later in the year. I am not stepping on stage to take home a prize, although that would be nice, but to show my body improvements.

I am truly blessed, and at the age of 56, I want to show the world, which is so used to instant gratification, that all is attainable with discipline, perseverance and the right attitude. No, you do not need steroids to build muscle after a certain age. I am proof. So, what are you waiting for? Join me and take that leap of faith.

Nutrition

I keep my nutrition simple by using just one or two kinds of carbs, protein and fats. I’ve learned what types of food that my body responds positively to, and stick with them. For example, I’ve always loved sweet potatoes and respond well to them. Brown rice works okay during the off season, but when it comes close to competition, I remove it because it causes bloating. My proteins of choice are fish and protein shakes. During this off-season, I’m adding Mass Maker Ultra and UMP to gain quality muscle (especially important for an ectomorph like me). But when it comes close to competition, I keep things simple by limiting my protein to fish only. Yes, it means I have fish for breakfast, but it’s only temporary, right? For fat, I eat avocado and use olive oil. Water is also crucial. I am now able to drink one gallon, but the ideal would be more: a work in progress.

Growing up with a mom that wanted me to help her in the kitchen, I learned to use spices, which helps the taste buds especially when you eat fish five times a day.
I prepare each meal differently.

To give you an idea, here are the 5 pre-contest meals I currently eat:

Meal 1: 4oz Tilapia baked in the oven using Mrs. Dash with baked sweet potato.

Meal 2: 4oz baked cod in lemon, ginger and basil with baked sweet potato.

Meal 3: 4oz fresh seared tuna. I combine in a bowl, salt, coriander, paprika and cayenne pepper then sprinkle the mixture on the tuna that I subsequently press all sides on a plate of black pepper. I eat it with a spinach salad made with tomatoes, red onions and black pepper dressed with ¹⁄₂ tbsp olive oil and rice vinegar.

Meal 4: Corvina (4oz) is a great fish for ceviche. I marinate the raw fish for a whole day or two (the longer you marinate the fish, the firmer the meat) in fresh pressed lime juice, with red onions that I salt and then wash to remove the bitterness, jalapeno peppers and black pepper. When ready to serve, I top it with tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro with spinach salad (see meal 3) on the side.

Meal 5: Salmon baked with garlic and herbes de Provence spice.

 
Although we’re experiencing the coronavirus Covid-19 crisis, I am blessed to have a gym that I can work out in. As of now, my competition has not been canceled, but only time will tell. Canceled or not, I will stay the course and continue to train and eat right. So, until next time, y’all stay safe and healthy.

I have always exercised in one form or another.

When I was younger, raising kids, and building a practice, I was limited to quick trips to the gym or a workout in the basement. Once my children were grown and my practice was more established, I had more time to devote to my fitness and became really involved in endurance sports. My first 5K led to a half marathon, which led to a full marathon and before I knew it, I had completed over 60 full marathons, including one in every state. I finished a hundred mile run from Key Largo to Key West.

I became interested in triathlons and worked my way up to a full Ironman. Training at that point consisted of 100-mile bike rides in the morning, 2-mile swims in the Detroit River in the evening, and running as often as I could. I snuck in some cross-training with weights a couple times a week, but for the most part my exercise was aerobic in nature.

That all changed when my wife, Sandy, convinced me to attend a bodybuilding show with her. She had undergone a recent transformation, losing over 40 lbs with weight training and macro-focused dieting. Her gym was sponsoring the show and I reluctantly agreed to go. I was inspired by the dedication and commitment of the athletes that competed. I told my wife “next spring we are going to be on that stage”.

As a runner, my philosophy regarding nutrition was that I could eat and drink whatever I wanted, and I would just run it off. My weight was good, but I didn’t always look or feel the greatest, and as I got older my blood work was not so great. My cholesterol was climbing, and my blood sugar was bouncing around. I knew some disciplined eating would be good for me. I hired a coach, who gave me some starting macros. Because I was still running and cycling while I was training for my first show, my macros were pretty generous. I ran four marathons while I was training for my first show, so I was really putting my coach to the test. But with a solid nutrition plan and supplementation with Beverly products I was able to drop from 162 lbs to 147 lbs and still maintain lean muscle mass. The 2019 ANBF 3D Fit show went well for me. At the age of 55, I took first in four of the six divisions I competed in, and earned a pro card from the ANBF in Classic Physique and in Master’s Physique.

I had been using UMP for years and recommending it to my patients and training clients. However, when I started competitive bodybuilding, I researched the rest of the Beverly products line by reading prior issues of “No Nonsense” and I even made a few phone calls to the Beverly Advisor Team with questions. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them for advice, they are very helpful and knowledgeable with sports nutrition.

Biggest Challenges

I love weight training and natural bodybuilding, but I’m not ready to give up endurance sports. When my calories start dropping during show prep, it can be difficult to have enough carbohydrates to fuel a long run. Timing is critical, so I try to consume most of my carbs pre- and immediately post workout so that they are a source of fuel and glycogen replenishment. If you are going to consume any high-glycemic carbs it is important to do it during this window. At any other time try to consume low glycemic carbs so your insulin is not spiking later in the day. I also try to take most of my supplements around this window. I feel like my body is like a sponge during and after exercise and much more likely to absorb macro and micronutrients.

Timing of workouts can also be a challenge. I need to put enough training days between a hard leg day in the gym and my long runs or speed days. Heavy leg days need to be avoided for about 5 days before a race.

Future Goals

Now that I completed my 50-states goal, I am going to try to run a full marathon on every continent, so races in South America, Africa and Antarctica are on the horizon. In between I want to focus on adding some muscle to my legs and shoulders (not an easy task for a runner in his fifties!) so I can better compete in the classic physique bodybuilding category as a pro.

Life’s Demands

My career is very demanding. I am a retail store manager for a large home improvement company. I work long hours and have to remain somewhat flexible as my schedule can and does often change. Passion for my job is an understatement. And it’s a good thing since much of my pay is tied directly to job performance. During this latest contest prep, a new element was thrown in the mix. Our company is continually looking for ways to give back to our community. Last fall we took on the challenge of completely remodeling a duplex which had been given to a homeless Army Veteran and his family. Although rewarding, I worked on Balancing Life’s Demands with Bringing my Best to Stage the project 12 hour days, 7 days per week for a month in order to complete it on time. This was smack dab in the middle of my contest preparation. I continued to make my lifts in the gym (before or after work) and keep my diet on point whether I was home or on the construction site.

Even more important than my job, is my family. My son plays football for Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. Of course I wanted to see him play, so I took several nine hour round trips to Iowa on Saturdays to watch his games. My daughter, a junior in high school, was cheering for Friday night football games and performing on a competitive cheer squad. I didn’t miss out on those either.

The point is I did not compromise the important things in life (being a good husband, parent, leader, co-worker, etc.) for bodybuilding, but I still stepped on stage looking my best. In the remainder of this article I’ll tell you how I got into bodybuilding and provide my training program, diet, and supplement program. This has helped me continue to make muscle gains while dropping body fat, as well as allowing me to stick to my diet while on the job site, traveling to my son’s games, and attending my daughter’s cheering events.

Why I started bodybuilding

I have always been an athlete, was a four letter athlete in high school, and even played a couple years of college football. I trained with weights throughout, but after my organized sports career was over and life stepped in, my lifting became an “on again, off again” (mainly off) proposition. One day in 2006, as my wife and I were getting ready in the bathroom she mentioned that I looked like I had put on a few pounds. That’s all it took. Off to the gym I went. I started with a typical three day per week program, much like how I had trained for athletics. Then I added a fourth day, and eventually a fifth. After a few years of steady training a friend suggested that I think about competing. I did some research and in 2010 I took the plunge into competition. I made a respectable showing, and then took 4 years off to live life. But, the itch returned. I decided to compete again in the OCB Midwest States in November of 2014. I was hoping to attain my natural pro card but the competition was of an extremely high caliber. I was still able to place fourth in the master’s class, and fifth in my open class.

Training, Cardio, Nutrition, and Supplements

Here is one of the best parts of my program – my training, nutrition, and Beverly supplement programs allowed me to step on stage having done NO cardio! That’s right, no cardio! To be honest with everything else I had going on, I don’t know if it would have been possible to do the kind of cardio I had always done for past contests.

In the training program below, almost all exercises were supersetted. This had a two-fold positive effect of cutting down my time in the gym while keeping my heart rate elevated and allowing me to burn more calories each workout.

Train 4 on 1 off, Repeat.

Core exercises are performed at the end of workouts on days 1, 2, and 3. On day 4, I performed a special superset designed to cut up my quads (which were lacking).

My Specialized Beverly International Supplement Stack

A specialized supplement stack of Beverly products helped me achieve and maintain balance in my life. UMP made it convenient to stay on track while road tripping to college games or locally for cheer. I felt better and had more energy, drive, focus, and improved health. Week after week I continued making muscle gains while dropping body fat. You read that right; I was building muscle and losing fat at the same time as a drug free athlete. When my day was done, ZMA 2000 helped me sleep like a rock. The Quadracarn/Muscularity combo helped me drop fat without cardio while Density helped me retain max muscle.

 
Why did I use Beverly? My trainer said that it was the only brand he would recommend. That got me researching their products, and after learning about Beverly’s quality and reputation, I decided to go all in. I am so glad I did. I truly believe my prep experience would have been a much different outcome if not for Beverly. Having prepped for contests with and without Beverly International supplements, I can say that with Beverly I gained more muscle, and had more energy and FOCUS.

In 2010, I met Travis Wallis. My goal in working with Travis was to advance from the local stages to larger regional contests. One of the first things he did was introduce me to Beverly International supplements. He explained that we work extremely hard in the gym and watch everything we eat, but when it comes to supplements, most bodybuilders just fall into the trap of taking the “supplement of the month” or whatever has the most advertising behind it. They have no idea what they are paying for, and in many cases, more is spent on the marketing of the supplement than on its ingredients.

Since 2010 I have competed in no less than 3 shows each year and the most was 5 in one year. That was a little much, but boy did I have fun. I was now having good success in many of the larger regional shows. One of my competitive highlights was winning the Masters class at the 2013 Europa in Dallas. During this period I traveled to almost every area of the country to compete and since I was doing well at this level, I decided to try the national stage. Whew, the national shows are huge! There might be over 1,000 competitors in the show, and guess what? EVERYONE is in shape. I finished 7th at last year’s North America, but the truth is, although my conditioning was great, I just wasn’t quite big enough for bodybuilding on the national level. But, I wasn’t through.

Late last year, Travis took a new job and was unable to work with me for 2016, but I found Mitch Staats to take his place. I had met Mitch when he won his IFBB pro card at the North America and what really sealed the deal was that he was totally a family guy like me. During the off season, I kept my calories high, but my diet was absolutely clean. I started my competition diet for the Team Universe in mid-February, 20 weeks out from the show. It was a long prep, but it allowed me to eat more and I was rarely hungry. I trained harder than ever. A new wrinkle that Mitch added was to eat carbs only around training. As you’ll see in my Supplement Schedule, I took nearly 50 Mass Amino Acids and Ultra 40 liver tabs each day. It made a visible difference, I could see my body becoming bigger and fuller while my conditioning improved.

At the Team Universe I competed in both Bodybuilding and the new Classic Physique division. I felt good about entering the “Classic” division because the emphasis was not so much on size, but on aesthetics and conditioning. I have had a dream of being an IFBB pro ever since reading Muscle & Fitness as a kid. Frank Zane was my all-time favorite and I think he still best represents the ultimate “classic physique.” Well that dream never went away, it was always in my heart but I never shared it because I felt it was so out of reach. At Team Universe on July 2nd of this year, I placed 3rd in the light heavyweight bodybuilding class. I was really happy with this result. It was my highest placing yet in a national level contest. But, then I changed out of my posing suit in to the spandex shorts required for Classic Physique. I took the stage and won my class! I had achieved my dream - I also earned IFBB pro status at 54 years old.

Presentation

For many years I felt very uncomfortable on stage, but lately I have learned to love it. I still don’t consider myself a good poser, but I’m getting better. I watch old videos of Bob Paris and Charles Clairmonte and marvel at how fluid their posing is. Practice is vital. There are times during prejudging when you might have to hit each mandatory on stage without a break for 5 minutes or more while judges are comparing you with the other competitors. I have been on stage with guys who were big and peeled but during comparisons they just quit, bending over with hands on knees breathing like they just ran a marathon. If you need help with your posing seek out a professional who understands stage presentation and can effectively communicate the process to you. This year I worked with posing coach, IFBB Pro Angela Coleman, and it made a huge difference for the Team Universe.

On A Personal Note

We now live in Venice, Florida most of the year, but also spend time in our hometown of St. Louis, as well as travel all over the country for work. As I travel, I have been in a lot of gyms. I like those that are privately owned more than the big chains. Regardless of where I am training there are always people who are trying to improve themselves. Almost everyone is helping and encouraging one other. However, you’ll also find a few know-it-alls, and there always seems to be as many gurus and coaches as there are competitors. There are also blogs, videos, and social media with (mis)information in our face constantly. Let’s face it. None of this stuff is proprietary. We should share what we know, and if we can help just one person get over a sticking point or stay with it when they feel like quitting, it is worth it.

Here’s one bit of advice that I know is true. Don’t over complicate things or make them harder than they are. If you eat clean year round, train consistently using basic movements with barbells/dumbbells, and focus on high quality supplements that actually have science behind them like Beverly’s products, you will improve no matter what your age. I’m 54 and I believe I am my best ever, and more importantly I am still improving.

Editor’s Note: Joe is starting an educational entity called “Mature Muscle” that will provide good, accurate, and useful information to anyone who works out – from the beginner who wants to improve his/her fitness level to the seasoned competitor. By the time you read this you should be able to find it on the web at www.MatureMuscleCollective.com, on Facebook at Mature Muscle Collective, and Instagram at Mature_Muscle_; besides some great information, you’ll also find Beverly supplements and fitness apparel on the site.

I've been training for 25  years, and competing for twenty. My first ever competition was in 1998, and then I did a couple more here and there over the next couple years. I bought a gym in 2003 and took time off from competing, but continued to train. In 2009 I got back in the game. I competed in a natural show and ended up winning the novice class, bantamweight class and the overall and earned my IFPA pro card. Since then I’ve competed in numerous drug-free pro shows. My goal was always to be better than I was at my previous show. Although my condition was improved show after show, I still did not crack the top 5 in a pro show.

In January 2018, I decided to  compete in, what I thought would be my last show. I trained like it was my last…4 am fasted cardio, increased intensity every workout, near perfect diet, but something just wasn’t right. I turned to the internet for answers (cause we all know, if it’s on the internet, then it’s got to be true). That just shows my desperation. I’m the guy who is skeptical of just about anything published on the web.

However, in this case, I believe divine intervention may have been involved and lead me to Beverly International. I searched for “supplements”, “best supplements for competitive bodybuilding”, “best supplement brands”, etc. The results lead me to many different supplement company websites, but in my side bar, Beverly International products kept appearing… UMP, Muscle Provider, Mass Amino Acids, Ultra 40. I figured someone (the man upstairs) was trying to tell me to look into this company. I did some more research, then took a leap of faith and ordered that day. (The funny thing about that is I’m one of those people who puts items in my cart and they are still there 3-4 weeks later, it’s a running joke in our family.)

As I was browsing through the Beverly International website, I clicked on the BevSolutions link. The information here is priceless! I incorporated the “Bodybuilding Pre-Contest Dieting Program up to 185” and went all in with the supplement recommendations (UMP, Muscle Provider, Ultra 40, Mass Amino Acids, Glutamine Select, Lean Out, 7-Keto MuscLean, Quadracarn, Density, Muscularity, Creatine Select, Muscle Synergy).

I really didn’t know what to expect, or what results I could achieve in such a short period of time. Within the first week, I felt fuller, thicker and leaner, with more energy and endurance. I couldn’t believe the transformation that was taking place. In as little as 3 weeks, I knew that I was going to show up with my best physique ever! At 8 weeks out I emailed Beverly International and explained exactly what I was taking and asked for any suggestions as to what I should take coming down the home stretch. Almost immediately I received a reply with a couple of suggestions that I implemented and never looked back (or better).

I went into the competition in the best shape of my life and was honored to place 5th in the best pro class that I have ever been a part of. This was “supposed” to be my last show, but with the results that I achieved with Beverly International, it’s only the beginning! Every finish line is the beginning of a new race!

Posing

The key here is practice, practice, practice! I suggest that you practice your mandatory poses at least once/week starting the day you decide to enter a competition. At about 8 weeks out, I usually start holding each pose for 2-3 sets of 10 to 15 seconds, 3 days/week. Then each week I add 5 seconds to each pose and do 3-4 sets. I have even used posing in place of my morning cardio. Posing can make you or break you. I have seen many “backstage winners” place lower than someone who didn’t look as good but knew how to present their physique through posing.

Conclusion

The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to compete is to trust and believe in the process and more importantly, yourself! You will find that everyone has “the answer”, they all have their opinions, but you can’t worry about them or what you see on social media. So, if you need a push, find one person who has been there/done that and has the credentials to guide you on this amazing journey. There’s no doubt that a good, reliable training partner is beneficial, but you’re the only one who can hold yourself accountable; dedication is doing the things you don’t want to do, when you don’t want to do them. Remember that the only one who can tell you that you can’t is you, and you don’t have to listen.

A strong support system goes a long way. These are the ones who build you up and give you that reassurance when you need it the most (when you’re carb depleted!). I can’t thank my wife and daughter enough for all their love and support. And I also want to give a huge shout out to Chuck and the rest of my Diamond Athletic Club family in Pittsburgh, PA.

I’m blessed, and I thank God every day for everything that happens to me. It’s a blessing to be able to do what I love to do.

I was that guy - the one who followed the major bodybuilding shows like the Olympia and its competitors - the one who was always talking about doing a bodybuilding show “One Day”, but never did.

In college, my studies took up much of my time and working out became a lesser priority. After college, I caught the money fever and making money was my new objective. Working late hours and weekends was the norm. Bodybuilding took a further step back on the burner and any thoughts of competing were fast fading. This trend continued from age 21 to 37, so 16 years had passed and still no competition in sight. Then one day I learned that a long-time friend, who was the same age as me, had a heart attack at work and passed away on the spot. Two months after that event my father was hospitalized with cirrhosis of the liver (from years of drinking) and Hospice came to his home. He died in front of my eyes a week later. At that point I no longer felt that I had plenty of time left in my life to do all the things that I had been putting off.

So, at 37 I started making some life changes. One thing I knew, if I was ever going to do a bodybuilding show, I needed to get started on it, NOW. And that’s what I did. I picked a show that was only 3 months away and immediately started my diet and cardio. Three months later I had lost 46 pounds (210lb to 164lb) and entered the open middleweight class. There were 12 competitors in my class and they broke us up into 3 groups during pre-judging, I wasn’t called for either the 1st or 2nd group. I thought, “There has to be a mistake, I did 2 hours of cardio a day, lost 46 pounds, and was here to honor those that had fallen in my life.” The night show came and the top 5 were awarded with trophies. Needless to say, I was not one of them! In fact, I was 12th out of 12. (Dead last!) That was my introduction to the world of bodybuilding competition. It also served as a wakeup call.

My introduction to Beverly International:

With my very disturbing dead last finish at my first show fresh in my mind, I realized I had the will power and desire, but not the “know how” or “knowledge” of contest preparation. At this point I felt a lot like Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”. I realized that although I was not in Kansas, I was in a place just as unfamiliar. Working out, hours of cardio, and limited calories would not make me a successful bodybuilder. I needed guidance, but where should I turn? Once my fellow gym goers learned that I had competed, it seemed that every one of them was giving me advice, each person contradicting the other. Adding Google and YouTube to the mix quickly put my mind in overload.

Then, almost magically, a road appeared. I call it the Beverly Brick Road.

I still remember Googling “Contest Prep” more than 10 years ago and coming across Beverly’s articles “16 Weeks Out Contest Count Down” and “8 Weeks Out Contest Count Down”, by Roger and Sandy Riedinger. I saw right away that these articles were actual roadmaps of how to get from here (12th place out of 12) to there (top 3 or better). In these articles was an answer to every question I had.

• What to eat.

• What supplements to take.

• What body part split to use.

• When and how much cardio to do.

• And my favorite, "what to do the last week before a show." (Priceless)

So just like “The Wizard of Oz” theme, I was given a road to follow. I printed out the articles, laminated them, and put them into a binder that I referred to over and over. My next show was exactly 17 weeks away. Just enough time to follow the guidelines exactly as written. I ordered the recommended Beverly supplements, UMP Chocolate, Creatine Select, and Lean Out and at 16 weeks out started the program just as it was written.

The program had me hold off on cardio until closer to the show and everyone kept telling me I needed to do it now. But I reminded myself that I needed to stay on the Beverly road. I had followed my own road before and knew where that ended. During the 16 weeks, I kept getting bigger AND leaner, and now those same gym gurus who were telling me what I should do were now asking me what I was doing to get so cut and lean. I would tell them to go to Beverly’s website and download the article. And don’t forget the recommended “Beverly” supplements. (Other supplement brands are not the same.)

Finally, it was Showtime. Pre-judging was once again very deep in competitors, there were 20 in my class to be exact. I started to get that same feeling as the first show (failure and stress), and the next thing I know they are calling my number out with the first group of competitors. When the night show starts they brought me out with the top 5 to receive awards. I knew that at least I got 5th place and felt very pleased that this time I would be getting something for my effort. Then they handed out the 5th place award and it wasn’t me. Well, 4th is better than 5th! After they awarded 3rd place, I looked down at my competitor number wondering if they had already called it and I just didn’t hear it. Then they called 2nd and it still wasn’t me. By this time I was really nervous, I was the only one left in line. Then they called my number. I had won, first place out of 20!

Since then I’ve gone on for 10 years, doing 2 or 3 shows a year, almost always coming in 1st or 2nd and even a few overalls. I was able to achieve my bodybuilding goals because I followed Beverly’s guidelines and supplement programs. I followed what I call, “The Beverly Brick Road”!

Presentation Tips

I begin working on my posing routine at 8 weeks out. The best tip I can give you on presentation is to practice and practice some more. I put my posing music in a loop with a break song in between. I let the loop play over and over; I do my routine, set myself back up during the break song, and then do it again, again, and again. It is sometimes easy to lose track of time and I’ve found myself practicing a routine for up to 2 hours without realizing how much time had passed. This type of practicing is a sure cure for stage jitters. It makes your presentation second nature when you take the stage.

Contest Preparation

The biggest mistake that competitors make is their refusal to reduce their carb intake as a contest approaches. They are dead set against sacrificing size for definition. I’ve literally pleaded with clients and friends to stick with their diet plan, but as soon as they start to lose a small amount of size they panic. That’s their excuse to add carbs. Consequently, they place 4th or 5th in their show and blame the judges. I personally follow the nutrition program in Beverly’s Contest Countdown at 16 weeks out article on the BeverlyInternational.com website and end up winning my class and sometimes an overall at the same show. Tip: Follow Beverly’s Contest Countdown Plan and use their products in the recommended manner because it works. Period.

Note: You can find Beverly’s Contest Countdown articles by visiting BeverlyInternational.com. Click “SEARCH” at the top left of the page and enter Contest Countdown.