I used to train, diet, work and compete. Now I train, eat, and am retired. I have learned that it is possible to stay fit and healthy while cooking a great dinner with a cocktail in hand.
Remember, "Life is not a dress rehearsal"
These photos were all taken as I performed my posing routine at the night show or "finals" at my may 11, 2013 competition, I had a blast! I actually had a big cheeseburger with sweet potato fries and iced tea prior to this.....not sure what I enjoyed more, the food and drink or the performance!
You are not scored on your routine, it is purely for entertainment of the audience. The routines vary quite a bit, and usually they are a good indication of the personality of the performer.
Prior to the Women's Physique division, the only people who did a routine were BodyBuilders. You have seen the big guys up on stage, usually to some very loud, head banging rock and roll; or just the opposite: very slow and flowing, but in my opinion, painfully boring music.
Here is an example of a bodybuilders routine I like! (email subscribers will need to navigate to the blog link at the top of the page to view the videos).
I am not going to show you one I don't like, that would be silly. A posing routine is supposed to show off the physique, the hard work that has been put into the building of each muscle and it's supposed to be entertaining.
Mine was more dancing than posing, I think my physique showcased just fine! Below is a video that Sakura's mother took, my entrance is not shown, I was the only one who actually started from behind the curtain, so she wouldn't have known to video at the start of the music, but she got most of it!
The division of Women's Physique brings competing to a whole new level. There is more required to develop larger muscles, and a leaner body, then the posing is strenuous and so important to how you can show off your physique, and then the routine! I love the routines.
Notice no shoes? I love the fact that this is all done in bare feet. My feet didn't hurt at the end of the night!
On May, 11, 2013, I will be competing in my first Women’s Physique competition. As you are aware, if you have been reading my blog, I am not new to competitions at all, but this division is new to the world of Bodybuilding and new to me.
The physical criteria is different between all the divisions, although to the untrained eye, many can look quite similar. The main difference for me was the posing. In Figure there are “quarter turns” and then “model poses”, I had those down, and they were easy. Physique requires similar “quarter turns” although these are performed with every part of your body flexed (unlike Figure) and are slightly more exaggerated to showcase the added muscle the competitors have. In addition, there are “bodybuilding mandatory poses” that differ in that the hands are left open and not clenched into fists, so the end result is a much more fluid and feminine look. The competitor must have one foot in the “toes pointed, heel off the ground” position in each of these poses. Again, this creates a softer look when comparing it to a Bodybuilder.
Last, Physique requires a “Posing routine” set to custom mixed music that each competitor will select, and create.
Many of the women who moved into this new division came from Bodybuilding backgrounds, so they have an advantage in that they already knew the mandatory poses and had performed a posing routine at the evening finals before.
I first wanted to move to Physique because I tended to carry more muscle than Figure competitors, and did not like the new “softer” (higher bodyfat) look that the division moved to. I like to be very lean and I feel I look best leaner than most people like to be.
My last competition was May of 2012, I decided to take a year off so my family could enjoy a summer without me being on a strict diet, and so I could concentrate on adding some additional muscle to my frame. The adding muscle part proved to be harder than I had imagined. A natural athlete cannot add as much muscle mass as one who takes androgenic drugs, but my decision is to remain natural, so I shall always be a bit behind the curve in that department, and I am perfectly happy that way.
I quickly realized that proper posing was a vital component to learn and started posing with Kristy Enos every other week. We concentrated only on the posing, not the routine. She was a fantastic teacher and I would not be where I am today without her.
The mandatory poses are what the competitors are judged on, the posing routine is not what will decide the placement, and it’s more of a treat for the audience to see the beautiful bodies move to music. So I didn’t worry too much about the routine at the start.
Once I had the posing down, and was no longer working with Kristy, I launched into it. I quickly learned this was not something I could do on my own. Why? I am a great dancer, I love dancing, why couldn’t I do it on my own?
Because it’s basically bodybuilding poses set to music. I just learned the darn poses; they aren’t second nature to me like dancing to music I love, moving my body the way it feels good. The routine had to be purposeful, choreographed and show the muscle groups that I have worked hard to build.
I knew it didn’t matter to the judges what I did, or how I looked, but I think it comes down to personal ethics. I want to do my best, even if it doesn’t count. It’s what you do when no one is looking that proves the kind of person you are, do you help someone and perhaps don’t take credit? Do you do a kind deed without thought of repayment? Or do you only do what needs to be done just to ensure you get ahead in life?
I decided I needed to hire a professional, someone who could choreograph a routine for me, someone who had a lot of experience. I had some fairly specific criteria: 1) They had to have been in Bodybuilding a long time (experience); 2) They had to actually offer this as a regular business, I didn’t just want some competitor to throw something together and say they choreographed a routine for me; 3) I had to like their personality.
#3 is interesting, how would I determine that? Well I like a fun loving, energetic and positive person. I can tell from Facebook and pictures what kind of person they are. A whiner or a Prima Donna? I have no room in my life for that.
Michelle has been a bodybuilder for 20 years. She certainly fits #1! And I saw her deliver other routines, she fit #2. And #3? Well if she still lived on the West Coast we would tear up the town together! (She is from Monterey, California)
Michelle and I connected on Facebook and we chatted a bit. I explained that I was a newbie so I needed something basic. I also expressed that music was important to me, I didn’t like all the painfully slow songs that so many competitors used. She said she could design a routine that would be suitable for a less experienced competitor like me.
I finally found some music I thought might work, something that made me want to move yet could possibly work with bodybuilding poses and I sent it to Michelle for her advice. She liked it and said go for it! She then recommended a fellow who could mix the music, JSinn of Masterminds Productions and once he finished my music, she would choreograph my routine.
All of this requires a lot of trust. I am a very trusting person. I will always trust you until you give me a reason not to, I have rarely been disappointed.
I paid Michelle’s fee through her PayPal account for her other business Michelle’s Magic Morsels (I haven’t had the pleasure of trying these yet, but they are cookies made with whey protein and egg whites!); and a couple weeks later she then emailed a video of herself performing the routine.
David saw it and remarked “Damn she looks like she is having fun!” and she does, that’s what makes it all so special. It’s about the enjoyment of it all, the experience. She said I could contact her with any questions, gave me some tips and encouragement and then rest was up to me.
She and I chat once in a while; she checks in and asks how I am doing. I go to the gym and practice every Friday afternoon after training, and on Saturday and Sunday for about 45 minutes to an hour. I get a lot of smiles, and questions, men walk by and waive or give me a thumbs up, people stand at the door and watch. They are very curious as it’s not every day you see something like this, Bodybuilding for women is becoming a dying art, and Physique is in its infancy, so there are not too many of us! It’s important to feel comfortable performing in front of strangers so doing this with an audience is a plus no matter how uncomfortable it may seem at first.
I have changed a couple things; just slight placement of my hands or arm movements, the beauty of this is it changes according to each person’s personality.
You can hear my music that JSinn mixed, it is the pink triangle on the right side of the main blog page, under the woman snapping the whip, (it has a watermark sound to protect the mix). I cannot show you the routine as I haven't performed it yet! You have to wait for the competition.
Could I have done this without spending the money on a routine? Probably. Would I have felt comfortable and excited about it? No. I am glad I did it, I feel great heading into this! As you can see by these pictures, taken 8 weeks out, my physique is on point, I look good. My posing is fine, I know the required moves. It's now just more practice on the routine and I have plenty of time.
I am having fun!
A lot of it this time around. I think I have the diet down so it's not rough for me, (I am sure I will go through my small meltdowns here and there though); I no longer have those painful 5 inch heels required for Figure (I sent them to my friend Sakura); I love how my physique has changed, it looks different, more muscular and healthy; I get to train as hard and lift as heavy as I want; and I am enjoying my posing and dancing! Remember: Girls Just Want To Have Fun?
One word of advice is that you should not wait till the last few weeks. I started posing with Kristy about 9 months before my competition, and I got my routine 4 months ahead. Give yourself time, stress causes your body to produce cortisol!
Life has been quite busy these days. I realize that only my closest friends and family really know that I have a competition coming up soon. 10 weeks when these were taken, 9 weeks now! To the average person that's a long time - like two and a half months! But to a competitor, that's just around the corner.
It means time to buckle down and stick to the diet, be religious with cardio, weigh myself everyday, scrutinize my physique, practice posing and now...now, I need to add in the routine! Actually, many competitors have been doing the "diet" thing for many, many weeks. I actually went on vacation to Mexico and enjoyed lots of great food and drinks, at a time when most competitors would be on a hard diet. I stay lean year round so I can do that. I have actually been humming along quite nicely I enjoy the routine, the structure. I do well with that. Don't get me wrong, I love to be spontaneous (as long as I have all my food prepped and gym time scheduled!) LOL!
I find it all very interesting to see how different individuals handle the preparation for a competition and all of the added steps that go along with it. Everyone handles it differently based on their own personalities and their comfort zone. Of course, it also depends on if this is their first competition or they are a veteran. (Notice my deltoids in the picture below - those are what they call "striations", almost like groves or lines running down the muscle you can see just underneath the skin).
I was scared as hell the first time, and I always get nervous as I lead up to it each time now, but I have an unusual sense of calm this time.
I don’t tend to be a reactionary person in life anyway, nor do I get freaked out over things, as David always says “You NEVER worry about anything! I have to worry for both of us!” ha ha
I am a planner - I hired a posing coach since Physique was all so new and I wanted to feel comfortable. She did a great job, gave me many tips and feedback (good and bad); but I am no longer posing with her. I learned a lot but needed to venture out on my own. I am a person who likes to learn how to do something, not have it done for me. I do practice on my own almost everyday. I feel comfortable, very comfortable and in fact, am having quite the time posing in the gym these days!
I have been quite happy with how my physique has changed in the last year. I stayed lean, maybe too lean, so that is making my diet very, very easy. I didn’t say it was fun, but it is easy (there is a big difference).
Last night I finished cardio (my treadmill in the guestroom) and then took a nice long shower. I walked into the kitchen naked (and I think I opened the refrigerator and just looked at the homemade almond butter), and David says “You are looking pretty awesome you know! Before when you did Figure you used to look all (then he scrunches all up and makes himself look skinny and drawn). Now you look all (he hunkers down, holds his arms out from his sides and makes himself look short and bulky).
I think he was trying to say I look fuller, more muscular and healthier. I do like the look better myself!
I have reached the stage where I honestly feel it is the journey and not the destination. Getting up on the stage on May 11 will not alter my life, it won’t really change anything, and it isn’t the start of something. It’s an event that I am working towards right now, a goal with an ending date, and like any other event, I will enjoy it and move on when it is done.
I enjoy the weight training and staying lean and healthy, so I haven’t made many changes to prep for this. I have stopped snacking, stopped eating out at restaurants, cut out my occasional wine or sparkling wine and added in cardio. If I had started at a very high body fat percentage (I was at 7.8% 15 weeks out from my competition), then I would be singing a much different tune, but I remained lean and so I’s more mental that anything right now.
I have already starting thinking after the competition! I want to sit down and scientifically work out my diet so that I can gain but not bulk. There is no reason in this day and age, with the knowledge we have regarding nutrition and training that anyone needs to gain a lot of weight to add muscle. Yes, you need to have a calorie surplus and will gain bodyfat, but no one should turn into a hippo “off season” unless they just want to get fat and eat without being responsible about it all.
I have the competition diet down, and frankly the off season diet down too, I think I still tend to eat a bit less starch than I should to gain properly, so that will be the next goal. But I am jumping ahead, I still need to drop a little fat, but not quite yet. So I am sticking to the diet, doing my cardio and lifting as heavy as I can. I will reassess each week.
But back to the posing....I hit these poses in the locker room and always have my phone or camera. The other women no longer look at my quizzically Competitors stare at themselves, a lot! Many people think it's vanity but it's not, it's constant self doubt, constant anxiety, constant worry that you ate something at the wrong time, or you ate the wrong meal, or even (god forbid!) missed a meal and your whole being will crumble.
Posing is very, very important. Of course, the physique comes first, but once all those beautiful bodies are up there, what separates them? The posing. I can stand relaxed and look like a normal, regular woman, but if I hold my lats out, pump my chest up, bring my shoulders up and pull in the abs, all of a sudden, I am amazon woman! The posing is important to show off the muscles, the definition. Practicing the posing also ensures you learn to hold the poses, often a judging panel will make you hold them for quite some time, you need to get used to it.
If you plan to compete, I cannot stress how much you need to practice- I started six months prior I think, I know people who will start six weeks before their show.
My last competition was May of 2012, and it was in the division of Figure. I am moving to Physique. I have worked hard, I have eaten well, slept as much as possible and stayed as lean as possible while still growing. So what is it all about anyway? What is Physique? I have a video or a Vblog (email readers must navigate to the blog link at the top to view this). It is my longest so far, just over 8 minutes, but you can hear me explain first hand my journey to Physique.
The NPC guidelines state that Women's Physique competitors should have the overall aesthetics and look that is found in Figure with a little more overall muscularity. When it was first introduced a couple years ago I was intrigued and immediately wanted to do it, but I decided to wait and watch what the other women looked like, and which "look" was being awarded by the judges. At first most of the women looked like Bodybuilders, I think many Bodybuilders decided to move "down", perhaps because they couldn't add the size necessary for Bodybuilding, or they didn't want to get that big. I didn't think I could compete against them, so I waited. More and more bigger Figure gals started competing in the division, now this was more to my liking and along the lines of my own physique! After my last competition I made the plunge. I explain it in my Vlog. My shoulders look big and round, I have always had great shoulders and they are my pride and joy. I look a little "bigger" than most of my friends who are Figure competitors, Physique is the place for me. I also tend to be leaner than most, so this is a plus. While they don't want competitors as lean as Bodybuilders, they can be slightly leaner than Figure. It's not Bodybuilding, not in any way. If a Women's Physique competitor gets too big, they will be told to move to Bodybuilding or reduce their size.
Women's Physique is another avenue for me (and other women) to display my hard work and showcase my stunning physique. For me, it's a way to set a goal, so I have a date and a time, a plan, something to push me just a bit harder each day. It's easy to become complacent, to become bored of the routine. By competing, I keep myself sharp and on my toes all the time. It's that feeling "I can just stay in bed and sleep longer" that quickly dissipates when you then realize sleeping in could make or break the difference between first and second place.
Monday morning, labor Day and I have the day off. I went to bed early and woke up early, Roy was taking the day off so I would train on my own in the morning, it was hammies. Although my left hamstring is still healing, I can train it but I go light, I have to keep moving it to make sure adhesions don't set in and I retain range of motion. Oh it's not that bad, really. It's just been a very long time and I am feeling much better about it all! I took my time and felt great. I warmed up and then did my hip thrusts, I am supposed to be doing single leg but it pulls too much on the hip flexors, so I am doing both legs at once. Then onto the back extension with weight. I wander over to the standing leg curl and decide to give it a go, I wonder if I will feel any pain or tightness? 15 pounds and I felt silly, but I didn't want to push it. 20....25...30...Nothing! No pain, no tightness, I am on my way to recovery! I wanted to hop on the Glute Ham Raise so badly, but no, I will wait, wait until I am finished with physical therapy at least.. I feel so good, so absolutely alive, I want to go home, finish the holiday just so I can go to sleep and come back to the gym again. I have found my music, the music I have bee practicing my routine to. I have been watching Women's Physique routines and almost all of them are slow. I am wondering if they know something I don't, or they just don't have the same drive and desire I have to dance on stage? My music is actually slower than what I first started out with, but it has a great beat, a wonderful, earthy beat that makes it all come together for me. Here is my music, on my morning drive to the gym. It's early, 4:45 a.m. and dark out, the music is loud, the top is down, it's a great way to start the day. (Email subscribers will need to navigate to the blog by clicking on the blue link at the top to view this video.)
