41 Years of Age … and Never Looked Better

Even after I became a wife and mom, I never stopped showing up at the gym; it was a part of my life no matter what. In my late 20's and early 30's, I competed in NPC figure and bodybuilding contests. I won my class at multiple shows and was even featured in Beverly's No Nonsense magazine. But by 2010, I was burned out. Our family was stationed overseas, and it seemed like the perfect time to try something new. Long-distance running became my new athletic activity. I completed three half marathons in Europe, and by the time we moved stateside to Colorado, I had the running bug.

Colorado is a hotbed for long-distance trail running, and it did not take long before I finished my first full marathon. My next challenge was ultra-running. I had completed both 50k and 50-mile races by 2014.

Now I was in my 40s and ready to go back to figure competition, this time in the figure masters division. I contacted Rachel Wade at Focused Fitness for guidance. Rachel had helped me with nutrition, training, and Beverly supplement plans when I first stepped on stage. Even though I have been a practicing NASM-CPT for the past 17 years, I needed someone to help me stay accountable. Even the coach needs a coach!

We discussed expectations and agreed that I couldn't compare myself to my condition more than a decade earlier. I had a lot of work to do. Muscle loss had ramped up in my late 30's. While my diet was solid, I knew I needed to add more protein to improve my body composition. I needed to gain muscle and lose body fat, so I started with what I call the "Baseline Bev Stack." I took UMP twice a day every day along with Ultra 40, Mass Aminos, FitTabs, Lean Out, and Glutamine Select.

During the first six weeks, I made significant progress combining my "Baseline Bev Stack" with a 5-day training plan and some cardio. It was March 2020, I was right on track and had picked out a few local summer shows in Colorado to make my 10-year return to the stage. What could go wrong?

Then Covid-19 showed up!

The local gyms closed up. I had no choice but to move my training to my garage. Fortunately, my husband, Lucas, and I had some equipment set up in the garage, including a squat rack, resistance bands, barbells, plates, and a set of dumbbells from 5-45 pounds. I had to become creative and modify my workouts to fit my equipment. Lucas is handy with welding equipment, and he quickly made me a pulley system to replace resistance bands on my heavier exercises. For cardio, I had an old exercise bike and the local school track to get it done.

As the weeks clicked by, I started adding some HIIT sessions at the track. In mid-May, I was performing a sprint session and tweaked my hamstring. I modified my training a little to let it recover. It was coming along fine until one day when I was playing with my son in our backyard. I planted my foot to run and felt pain shoot up my leg. My leg was swollen, bruised and the pain was unbearable. Later that week, it was confirmed that I had torn my hamstring in three places. I was angry. I had made so much progress. Just a few days ago, I was on top of the world. I was in the nutrition zone; I could even see my abs! Now I was injured badly and would need weeks, if not months, of rehab before I could train my legs and glutes.

There was a ray of light in my misfortune. My scheduled shows were canceled due to Covid restrictions. The contests' cancelation gave me breathing room to heal and be ready to compete by late fall. I shifted my training to a six-week gaining cycle. My favorite training schedule for muscular weight gain is what I've dubbed the "Coat Rack Plan." I cut my reps in half, doubled my sets, and added weight every week to add as much upper body size as possible. See page 10 for a complete illustration of the "Coat Rack Plan."

I used the designated leg day to do additional therapy work. I treated rehabbing my hamstring like it was my job. I spent nearly all of my free time in the PT facility doing compression therapy, red light treatments, and balance exercises. Soon I was able to get back on the bike for moderate therapy and light leg work. My nutrition plan was crucial during this time for healing and to limit fat gain. I upped my Ultra 40 and Glutamine Select, switched from Mass Aminos to Density, and added Muscle Synergy to assist my muscle gains and healing.

I had pretty much recovered by August and was ready to crush the last 12 weeks of contest prep for the OCB Natural Viking. I added sessions of outdoor stair climbing on a set of 310 steps built on the side of a mountain 15 minutes from my home. I burned hundreds of calories on those stairs while giving my glutes and legs the extra work they needed. The local gyms started reopening, and I was able to add leg presses, power squats, and traditional leg machine exercises back into the plan. I upped my reps and increased cardio each week as my body grew leaner, harder, and more muscular. I began practicing my posing 3-4 days a week for 15-20 minutes, plus traveling to Denver to work with posing coach, Nick Natt once a week.

Finally, it was contest time. I was now 41years old and had never looked better. My husband, son, and I flew to Minneapolis, MN, and I competed in the 2020 OCB Natural Viking. I entered both the Open and 40+ Masters divisions. With Covid restrictions in place, the contest flew by. Before I knew it, I had won my OCB Masters Figure Pro Card and finished 3rd in the Open division against six other women, some half my age. I was thrilled, but it was over so quickly that it was difficult to take it all in.

Despite my success, I decided to take the stage one more time in 2020. By the time I returned to Colorado, I had entered the OCB Natural Tampa and went right back into contest prep mode. My celebration meal would have to wait. I was pretty sure that the OCB Tampa show would have some of the absolute best natural figure athletes in the country. When I hit the stage in Tampa, my intuition was proven right. These ladies looked incredible. Pre-judging was intense. We were compared for over 25 minutes, quarter turn after quarter turn. Boy, was I glad I had put so much time into my posing practice! When pre-judging ended, I felt like I had done an hour of cardio. However, I had also secured myself a placing in the top 3 in both divisions. It was a terrific day, and for the first time, my daughter Deirdra was able to be my backstage helper. What a fantastic way to wrap up my year!

Since Tampa, I have wasted no time getting right back to training, my "Baseline Bev Stack," and slowly adding protein and carbs to my diet to accommodate another growth phase. I plan to make my 2021 OCB pro debut at the 2021 OCB Yorton Cup Pro Championship. With my "tough as nails" mindset, I know that I will be bringing my best all-natural figure package to the stage in 2021.

Meal and Supplement Plan

Carb Cycling works best for my body. I keep my carbs low five days a week, and then I eat a carb meal in place of Meal 5 on Monday and Thursday to replenish glycogen.

Meal #1: 3 egg whites, 2oz chicken, ¹⁄₂ grapefruit, coffee

Meal #2: 4-5oz chicken or whitefish, 4 cups salad veggies, 1tbsp oil and vinegar dressing

Meal #3: 1-2 scoops UMP

Meal #4: 4-5oz chicken or turkey breast, 4 cups salad veggies or 2 cups green beans/zucchini, 1 tbsp oil and vinegar dressing

Meal #5: 1-2 scoops UMP

Monday and Thursday (in place of Meal 5): 4oz sweet potato, 4oz green vegetable, ³⁄₄ cup oatmeal, 1tbsp butter, and 4oz banana

Baseline Bev Stack

I started with my "Baseline Bev Stack" of UMP (per my meal plan), Ultra 40 Liver tabs & Mass Aminos (3 with each meal), FitTabs (2 with meals 1 and 4), Lean Out (2 with each meal), and 1-2 scoops Glutamine Select (pre and intra workout).

Stage Worthy Beverly Stack

At eight weeks out, I continue my "Baseline Bev Stack" (substituting 3 Density for 3 Mass Aminos at each meal), take 1 Multiple Enzyme Complex with each meal, and add the following supplements to complete my "Stage Worthy Beverly Stack."

Upon waking: Three 7-Keto MuscLean, 2 Energy Reserve, one scoop Muscle Synergy powder, and 6 GH Factor

Pre-workout: Three 7-Keto MuscLean, 2 Energy Reserve, one scoop Muscle Synergy powder

Before Bed: Six GH Factor

I also mix 1-2 additional scoops of Glutamine Select in a blender with ice and Mio water enhancer for a fantastic "Muscle Slushie" after training or whenever I need to ease my hunger pangs.

Workout Plan

Ladies, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO LIFT HEAVY! I've made the most progress by far by embracing what I call the "Coat Rack Training Plan." I have used this plan off and on for years to add size and strength, especially in my upper body.

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

• Incline BB Press 6x6
• Flat DB Press 6x6
• High Pulls 6x6
• Heavy Laterals 3x8 each (front, side, rear)
• Triceps Pressdown 6x6

Day 2: Legs

• Leg Press 6x6
• Squat 6x6
• Hack Squat 6x6
• Leg Curl 5x8
• Leg Extension 4x10

Day 3: Off

Day 4: Chest (light), Shoulders, Triceps

• Incline Speed Bench Press 8x3 (50-60% of Day 1)
• Flat DB Press 6x6 (85% of Day 1)
• Shoulder Press 6x6
• Lying French Press 6x6
• Incline Dumbbell Kickouts 4x8

Day 5: Back, Biceps

• Reverse Grip BB Row 6x6
• Lat Pulldown 6x6
• Seated Good Morning 6x6
• Barbell Curl 6x6
• Preacher Curl 6x6

Days 6-7: Off

Notes

• The key to the success of this program is that you DO NOT start too heavy. On 6 x 6 exercises, begin with a weight you could perform 12 reps with on week one, but only do the prescribed amount.
• Progress at a pace that allows you to continue to get all 6 reps on all 6 sets each of the first five weeks. Do not increase the weight by more than 5% or at most 10% any given week.
• The final week is an all-out max effort! (If you reach failure before week 6, you started too heavy or tried to progress too fast.)
• High Pulls – this is a powerful and explosive version of upright rows. Start with the bar just above your knees and explode the weight up above your sternum – keeping your elbows high.
• Speed Bench Press – Lower the bar in a controlled manner and explode up as fast as possible with the bar. Speed is the real key to this exercise – it is far more critical than weight. Rest no more than 45 seconds between sets.
• Dumbbell Kickouts on Incline Bench – lay on an incline bench face up. Start with the end of the dumbbells resting on your chest with your palms facing down towards your hips. Extend the dumbbells with your triceps. In the finishing position, your arms should be extended as if they are at the finish of an incline barbell press. Lower to your chest and repeat. This workout focuses on Bulk and Power, emphasizing shoulders, chest, and pressing strength, aka your "Coat Rack."