2009 NPC Battle on the Bluff Review

The 2009 NPC Battle on the Bluff Bodybuilding, Figure and Bikini Competition was held Saturday June 27 at 7pm at the River Palace Entertainment Center at Sam's Town Hotel and Casino in Tunica, MS. The event promoter is Chris Caudy, and he hosted a tremendous event. Competitors had to be NPC registered athletes and NPC registration was conveniently made available at check in. Approximately 84 athletes turned out for this event and the group was quite impressive. If you've never been to a bodybuilding competition you should definitely plan to attend this one next year. It's growing in competitor numbers and sponsorships, so if you've ever thought of competing, keep this one on your list. You have about 12 months of prep time!

My husband Jimmy weighed 10 pounds more than last year at the check-in on Friday evening, reflective of added muscle. He was still somewhere under 8% bodyfat we believe. It's hard to tell without exact measurements when you've just been through the final week of preparation which includes manipulation of protein, carbs, fat, sodium and water. Here's a picture we took in the hotel room (before the spray tan!).

The divisions available for entry included teen, men's novice, men's junior, men's open, masters (men over 40), grandmasters (men over 50), women bodybuilders, figure, masters figure (over 35) and bikini. Unfortunately there were no bikini competitors this year. C'mon girls! I know there are some of you out there that should be signing up. One of my favorite bodybuilding categories to watch is the novice group. You can tell they are so nervous but they always do well.

Jimmy's primary entry is Grandmasters, and since this competition was a week out from his 60th birthday, he was on the older end of the competitors. There were 8 guys that competed in this one, and Jimmy won 3rd place. He did a great job on his posing and his body looked very good. The 1st place winner has been competing for over 30 years, and the 2nd place winner certainly showed up with a lot of mass. That said, I still believe (surely I'm not biased) that overall Jimmy's stage presence and posing was better than the other 2 guys. Of course I'm not sure he believes me, but there were others that thought the same!

That's my baby, and I don't mean maybe...

The other division he entered was the Open Division. This is categorized by weight and not age. In this case the extra weight didn't help so much, because he was two pounds away from making middleweight and instead ended up in light heavyweight, which also includes guys up to 198.25 pounds. He did not place in this one, but still presented himself well alongside some very impressive guys who were 20 years or more younger, which was good experience!

Friday night was the night for spray tanning. We had been working on his tan at home for a couple of days (much less frightful now that I know what I'm doing). This is quite an ordeal because it involves exfoliating, shaving, knowing when to shower, not using deodorant (it turns your armpits green!) and layers of application of tanning product. The spray tan really finishes it off. His color was the best it's ever been thanks to Jay and Liz Bramlett of SunBlast Mobile Tanning. The process was very easy. The crazy part was putting a blocking lotion on his moustache and then having to clean it up afterwards without messing up anything else!

Prejuding is a separate session that occurs on the morning of the event usually. It was 9am Saturday morning and lasted until around noon or so. This is where the judging really happens. Tickets are sold to the public for this portion of the weekend too, so you can come and take pictures and cheer for your favorite competitors. I do not envy the judges because there were so many fantastic physiques there. In this event, the bodybuilding competitors must hit the 8 mandatory poses on command, plus their favorite most muscular pose. That means you can't just work what you can see in the mirror! They may put you in "front double biceps" but that doesn't mean they aren't looking at your pecs and your quads, etc. Symmetry matters and the best posers are those who have taken the time to really learn how to make as much muscle pop as possible during any pose. The figure competitors are completely dressed out in either a two-piece or one-piece suit depending on the competition requirements. They are taken through quarter turns for a complete view. I can't imagine how much time it takes to practice walking in those shoes! I did learn that they also have to glue their suits to their glutes.

The evening show feels like more of a celebration. This is when most of the public shows up and it's very entertaining. Most shows have an opening act and a guest poser. This show started off with the Star Spangled Banner and an opening fitness act and 3 guest posers! Then the show features each bodybuilding competitor performing a 60 second posing routine to music. During this routine they can pick and choose to show off their best muscle. This year I fixed Jimmy up with 60 seconds of Enter Sandman by Metallica. He got the house rockin'. The music selection is always fun and some of these competitors really get creative with their routines. The figure competitors are also presented. Their categories are short, medium and tall, and there's also a master's category for figure. Gotta hand it to those ladies, there were some awesome looking women over age 35, many of them well into their 40's. Winners of all divisions are announced as each division performs. For the divisions such as Men's Open that has several weight classes, the winners of each division are then brought out for a pose-down for an overall winner to be chosen. These guys really ham it up and strut their stuff. The same is done in the figure division, so at the end of the show there is an overall men's bodybuilding winner, an overall figure competitor winner, and an overall female bodybuilding winner. The overall men's bodybuilding winner was a 43 year old guy that had some unbelievable quads, lots of symmetry and really presented himself well. The overall female bodybuilding winner was 50 years old! She looked awesome! The overall figure competitor had the whole package going on - great muscle and symmetry, looked beautiful in her suit and presented herself with the best stage presence.

I will post more pictures as I have them. I get so excited I forget to snap pics so my niece helped me out! Also, the official photographer for the event was TR Stewart Photography. He will have pictures of the event as well as all the competitors, so check it out!

Chris Caudy has a lot to be proud of with this show. He's also Jimmy's trainer that I have mentioned before. He never ceases to amaze us with his talent and ability to bring out the best in everyone he trains. I imagine he will be posting more about the results on the website. I will be sure to at least provide a reminder link when they are up.

Now we have 2 weeks before the 2009 GNC NPC Teen, Collegiate and Masters National Championships in Pittsburgh...should be amazing.

TRX FitDeck

For our anniversary we got a TRX Suspension Training System. It is hanging from a ceiling beam in our make-shift gym/garage.

We love it. It's a lot more challenging than it seems, but the cool thing is that it's fun and adds some variety to our training. Whether you've been training a while or you're a novice you can do this. Bodyweight exercising is very effective and then when you add elements such as suspension you can really get a workout. In fact, I'd suggest that anyone who has been lifting a while and possibility neglecting bodyweight exercises pick this up and try it, it can be tremendous metabolic work for fat loss. You can do interval work with it, supersets, total body, finishers, etc. The same is true of someone who is just getting started and does know what equipment to purchase. This is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment I've ever used. My favorite move right now is the atomic push-up which combines a push-up with a jack-knife to work your abs (feet are in the straps with hands on the floor). There are several free workouts floating around on the internet that you can immediately try and Fitness Anywhere has a great website. It includes an entire community of people and information. There is a blog, tips for suspension training, a newsletter you can sign up for and numerous articles. They also offer classes and instruction all over the country. My favorite feature of the website is the video library and don't forget to follow these guys on Twitter.

Today they made the TRX FitDeck available on-line and I just purchased mine. It's like a deck of cards and each one represents a different TRX exercise, for a total of 26. I think it will be great to mix and match and come up with various workouts to keep the variety up. Who knows, maybe I'll just choose a few like I'm playing Old Maid and just do it.

This post contains affiliate links for Fitness Anywhere (TRX). Please see my disclosure statement.

NPC Battle on the Bluff 2009

Battle on the Bluff is an annual NPC bodybuilding, figure and bikini contest presented by Chris Caudy. It will be held at Sam's Town Hotel and Casino in Tunica, Mississippi on Saturday evening June 27, 2009 at 7pm. The bodybuilding divisions include novice, junior, teen, open, masters (men over 40), grandmasters (men over 50) and female bodybuilding. Women's figure will include a masters category as well. This will be Jimmy's (my husband) first competition for 2009 (4th total).

If you have never been to a bodybuilding competition, you should find one and go! While the pros are fantastic, I tend to like the flavor of the amateur shows. Most of these men and women will never go pro, but they put a tremendous amount of time and effort into training, nutrition and general preparation. I would have never thought to go to one until Jimmy was encouraged to enter his very first competition last year. Check out Living with a 59 Year Old Mesomorph for how all that got started! The amateur shows have strict rules and regs and are very well run but they offer a chance to mingle with the competitors and you get to meet many of the family members that have supported them through the process, which makes it feel a bit more personal.

Never mind that Jimmy was the actual competitor, by the time we got to our first show last year I was quite traumatized by the contest prep training schedule, macronutrient juggling act, ordering french-cut posing trunks, the posing practice sessions, selection of show music, last-7-day nutrition lockdown, teaching him to shave areas other than his face and the very scary tanning process. I still feel nauseated at the smell of a certain brand of tanning solution that I won't mention by name to protect the innocent. I had no idea what to expect and could literally write a dedicated blog post on each of those items. Needless to say I was quite the shy spouse at the first show weigh-in, but by the next day I was yelling out Jimmy's number during prejudging with a loud woo-hoo along with shouts to show more quad. That's what spouses do at these shows apparently.

Last year by competition time Jimmy was around 7% bodyfat. That was fantastic, but he wanted to add more muscle for this year if possible. He loosened up a little on his eating during the winter months to modestly increase his calories but basically continued to eat whole foods focused on a foundation of lean protein and fibrous veggies with fruit, healthy fats and whole grains thrown in. He wasn't afraid to cheat here and there. He topped out in the winter at 15 pounds heavier, but never even got to 9% bodyfat. Now that he's been leaning back out he's dropped fat but is maintaining the muscle nicely.

His priority areas the last several months were his lats, delts and pecs. He has really improved his front lat-spread pose. We've figured out we like his left delt and his right pec the best, go figure. His trainer won't even let him work his calves, they are so big. I wish I had a dollar for every pull-up he's done this winter. He's now also doing weighted dips and has abs like batman. His quads are a challenge area for him that he's continuing to work on, but his hams are looking nice. It's amazing the more you understand about how much work it takes to get specific muscle groups to stand out or get that shredded look. It's tough!

I will continue to post since we are officially 5 days out from the first weigh-in. This should be a fun summer!

Junk Food in Hard Economic Times?

Twice this week I have seen, both on-line and in my local newspaper, an article discussing the behavior of buying and eating junk food during this stressful economic time. You can read it here: Lean Times Mean Tighter Pants for Stress Eaters. I can't completely get my mind around this.

Now don't get me wrong. The first cold, dreary, overcast day we have this fall I will automatically want to curl up in my flannel PJs in front of the TV with a big Jethro-bowl of macaroni and cheese and a fire in the fireplace. It's a phenomenon I can't explain. I have just learned not to give in to it.

A few classic junk food items are mentioned by the folks who were interviewed. They explained that they turn to these items due to stress. One person said she eats them "because it makes me feel better." Another shares her story of ending up 100 pounds overweight following a 6 month period of being unemployed due to eating comfort food out of boredom and frustration.

What are we doing to ourselves? I understand the concept of comfort food, but basically what we're saying, out loud, in an interview, is when faced with stress, we indulge in self-destructive behavior, disguised as comfort. I'm afraid there are a lot of people under tremendous pressure turning to food.

An especially disturbing statement from the article was this: "Such food is also cheaper per calorie than fruits and vegetables." This really sent my mind reeling. Does anyone ever calculate cost per calorie? If I go to the grocery, I don't take my calculator and deliberately buy Double-Stuf Oreos instead of blueberries because they give me more calorie bang for my buck.

I believe the person in the article was actually trying to make a point that is understandable. That is, sit-down restaurants are suffering while the value menu has benefited. If I have $3 in my pocket to feed myself, I can't eat in a sit down restaurant, but I could eat at a fast food restaurant off the dollar menu. But even better I could go home and fix a meal like my husband eats practically every day for under $3. This is true, we calculated it.

tilapia cooked in olive oil with tomatoes and steamed, peppered squash

I remember a particularly stressful job and having to work with a difficult person. Every time I talked with this person on the phone I was eating something by the time the call was over. It was a strange reaction. During this time I was working hard to change my eating habits. I first graduated from candy to string cheese while dealing with this person and eventually broke the habit. One of the ladies in the article shared a horrific amount of stress she'd been under. My stress can't even compare to hers right now. My heart goes out to her. It's no wonder she needs some comfort. But somehow we've gotten to the point where we're reaching for an inanimate object that is destructive to our bodies to try to find it. There must be a better way.

Surely we can reach out and support each other in changing our behaviors to those that support physical and mental health during a time of crisis in our homes and nation.

Turbulence Training AAA Abs Review

Turbulence Training (TT) is one of my overall favorite programs, and it definitely makes the getfitwithkelley recommended list. If you purchase the program, it literally gives you workouts for months on end. There's an introductory offer if you want a trial run of it, and you also have the option to purchase select programs. It's designed to help you change your workouts every 4 weeks or so, which is critical to progress, and also helps combat boredom or restlessness with a program. There are so many options that it's very effective for beginners but also provides a challenge for seasoned exercisers. Sound nutritional advice and resources are offered and there's a strong social network on the TT members site. Craig Ballantyne, it's creator, stays engaged via his TT Blog, TT Fat Loss Blog, Twitter and Facebook. On top of that, you can easily go to YouTube to see demonstrations of the exercises involved. He's on his 5th TT Transformation Contest with great prizes and some incredible results. The workouts I've done involve multiple tools such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, balance balls, etc., but what will surprise you most is the difficulty of the bodyweight exercises when you're doing it right. Overall it's a comprehensive program that I would recommend to anyone. I've been able to hook up with several folks that have done Turbulence Training and have had outstanding results. Some workouts are geared perfectly to do in the gym and others are well-suited to home. Another word for beginners - this program has a tremendous amount of information and support around it, so it's a good choice if you're just starting out. On the flip side I think many seasoned folks would say that the key to progression (besides changing the workout itself) is continuing to challenge yourself with weight, reps, sets, timed circuits, etc. to keep progressing. Like any other exercise program you must focus on intensity and progression. If I had any complaint, it would be that there is some redundance of the "3 sets of 10 reps" thought pattern. That is easily remedied however with variance of your sets and reps from week to week. The nutrition discussed and encouraged is also recognized as a critical component to success, and it doesn't offer a whacked out diet, just good, common sense eating of whole, healthy foods.

I completed TT AAA Abs the end of May. You may wish to refer back to my first TT AAA Abs Blog Post. The program had several challenges in it that I loved. One workout included chin-ups and push-ups, the maximum you could do at one time. It also included a couple of cool combo moves such as the dumbbell one-arm squat and press. I still have not mastered an unassisted chin-up/pull-up, but I definitely made progress on this program. I pushed myself harder than ever and increased the number I can do at one time assisted, dropped the amount of weight assisting me, got stronger on my negatives. I'm getting close! Other fun moves in this program are the dumbbell lateral raise while in side plank, the stability ball pike and the dumbbell renegade row. This one did have set/rep variety and an intense circuit. I would have to say this is my favorite TT program so far. I progressed my weight on several of the exercises, increased my endurance and had measureable changes in my physical appearance.

If you haven't tried Turbulence Training, I would highly suggest you give it a shot. I think you'll really like it and see great results!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure statement.

Meal Plans or Guidelines?

When you focus on optimizing your nutrition, do you like to use exact meal plans or nutrition guidelines? I have used both methods and think there are arguments for and against each of them.

Meal plans tell you exactly what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat it over a certain period of days, weeks or months. Nutrition guidelines give you the basic structure on what, when and how to eat but require you to make your own eating choices within the suggested parameters.

Why I like meal plans

The true beauty of a meal plan is that it takes the guesswork out of eating. Everything is mapped out for you down to the precise portion. If you don't know how to structure your nutrition to match your goal (for instance for fat loss), you can't beat a done-for-you meal plan. The same is true if you just need to spend your time focusing on compliance. You refer to the meal plan, go to the grocery, do your food prep and you're ready. It takes the guesswork away and makes it fairly brainless. You pull out your plan, look at the date and time, prepare your meal by the book, eat and wash the dishes. It's exciting when you see results and you didn't really have to think through it. What a relief. You're working toward your goals but you can focus your brain on other things at the same time. Another reason I like meal plans is that if they are well designed and you stick with it, you will likely celebrate some victory quickly in terms of weight loss.

Why I don't like meal plans

Meal plans that are purchased may be a general one-size-fits-all approach. It's difficult for widely available programs to factor in consideration of individual taste and food availabilities, even when they attempt to offer suggestions for food substitutions. Figuring out portions for food substitutions can be tricky too. Meal plans also cannot address individual health and related dietary issues. In addition they may not offer good instruction on altering the plan based on needed calorie intake for weight gain, maintenance or loss. This again can be attributable to a lack of adequate individualization and leaves a common problem unsolved for many people. The flip side of the enticement of it being brainless is that when the plan is over, there is still a problem of not knowing what to do next. Another thing to realize is that meal plans are only as good as the compliance of the person following them. It's easy to get bored with these, have a freak out and jump the tracks like a runaway train. Restless people beware.

Why I like nutrition guidelines

Nutrition guidelines generally require you to make your own decisions within given parameters of suggested food, portion sizes, and timing of meals. This means they teach you the basics on what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat it. Because of that, you become accountable to apply the knowledge and make the best choices. It makes it easier when faced with social events, ordering in a restaurant, explaining to your support system what you're trying to accomplish with your eating, allowing some flexibility. Since this method fosters application of knowledge and accountability, it has a greater chance of long lasting impact.

Why I don't like nutrition guidelines

If the nutrition guidelines do not come with some detailed explanation the educational opportunity regarding balanced nutrition is lost. While it may feel less restrictive than a meal plan, the freedom of a nutrition plan can't be realized if there is no true understanding of the rationale behind the structure. If a nutrition guideline program doesn't provide enough information or support a person can still feel overwhelmed by all the choices and struggle unnecesarily.

Two different times I have used exact meal plans and had great success. Both times I needed that much structure around my eating. The meal plans helped me regain control and detox myself from haphazard or sloppy eating habits. They were positive experiences for me. However, I did flop around a little trying to wean myself to making my own conscious choices. This process stimulated me to seek out nutrition guidelines for every day living because I wanted to learn how to structure my own healthy eating. I still use various nutrition programs that offer guidelines for this purpose because I am not a perfect eater!

Warp Speed Fat Loss is one program that I used that contains exact meal plans for 28 days. Food substitutions are offered for personal preferences. Portion sizes are detailed and a variety of preparation methods are shared. Information is provided on daily calorie and serving adjustments. It also includes a helpful networking and forum opportunity on-line. Important to keep in mind is that its design does not allow for cheating because it's a precise 28 day program to maximize weight loss. That said, I would recommend this one because of the detail behind it and the accessibility and support of the author.

I have used more programs that provide helpful nutrition guidelines. Without a doubt Precision Nutrition is the most comprehensive both in the program materials and on-line support and is the foundation of the way I eat. Afterburn II offers tough but effective, no-nonsense guidance with a very tight initial 3 week time period. Fat Loss Action Blueprint offers not only rock solid nutrition principles and help, but you get daily emails from the creator reminding you of key factors and encouraging you, which goes well with the on-line support provided. Cheat Your Way Thin is a more recent program presenting carb cycling in a unique way with a very active blog by its creator. I feel all of these programs are sound because they are built on lean protein, generous amounts of veggies, fruit, whole grains and good, old-fashioned water.

I'd love any comments on what you have found that works best for you!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure statement.

Exerciser or Athlete?

"Athletes don't exercise, they train. Athletes don't diet, they eat. Exercisers are reactive— they're slaves to the scale and the treadmill. Athletes, on the other hand, are proactive. It sucks to be an exerciser, but it's a blast being an athlete." - Charles Staley

Do you realize that you don't have to be on an Olympic team, or any team at all for that matter, to think and train like an athlete? I think what sets an athlete apart from an exerciser is the overwhelming drive for improved personal performance, the thrill of competition (even with oneself) and the relentless pursuit of pre-determined and ever-morphing goals.

The thought that I can train like an athlete is revolutionary for me. My mother in particular loved watching sports but to my knowledge neither of my parents played one, so it wasn't encouraged in my childhood. I never played an organized sport. I didn't have a natural inclination toward one either. I pretty much couldn't do anything reliable with a ball. I didn't run track because I was afraid of hurdles. To this day my adult, married children still laugh when I run. When they were little I was doing well to get a frisbee airborne. Now I'm very excited when I can throw my dog's tennis ball without it hitting a tree and bouncing back on the patio in my face. Need I mention this is very confusing for a golden retriever? However, I had strange little glimpses of some sort of dormant ability toward something. I loved playing neighborhood kick-ball, rode my bike for hours on end, climbed trees, actually liked running ladders in P.E. and figured out in junior high that I could dance. So I ended up on the pom squad (before the era of gymnastics, of course). About P.E., yes, I was the last one chosen. But in late high school I figured out that I loved lifting weights and I spent hours in the gym, even though nursing school somehow derailed that. Okay, for full disclosure I can't leave out the fact that I was an eighties aerobics queen, big hair, leg warmers and all. This is not where I will be posting a picture. Moving right along...

Fast forward. After a few short stints of fitness effort through the years, my husband and I finally hit the gym for good about 4 years ago. He was athletic in school and early adulthood and has a competitive streak. I still compete with myself, although I do work and play well with others. When we started up again, we thought and performed like exercisers. We hit the gym, did our workouts, tried to eat better and hoped for the best. Now, four years later, we're training and thinking like athletes and we challenge each other daily, because we're still a work in progress. We plan meals together, call each other out on sloppy eating habits, discuss our training daily and work hard to meet our goals so we can reach the next level. It's not easy, but it's very rewarding. Exercising can be mindless and unfulfilling, like miles on a hamster wheel; another task on your perpetual to-do list. However, training challenges you. It pushes you much farther than you ever thought you could go. It helps you realize that you can set a goal and reach it, and then set another.

Tomorrow will you exercise or will you train like an athlete?

5 Minute Fitness

"Think about it. You walk into a video store, you see 8-Minute Abs sittin' there, there's 7-Minute Abs right beside it. Which one are you gonna pick, man?" (There's Something About Mary)

For some reason I am hearing more and more about 5 minute circuits, 3 minute arms, 6 minute abs, 10 minute workouts, 4 minute fat loss, etc. It's starting to sound like hype, like the latest ab gadget everyone wants in January each year, that you can only get on TV for 3 payments of $19.95 - but wait! Call now...

If you could assign a number of minutes to body parts to make the fat go away what would your assignment look like? I'd look a little like this: 8 minute arms, 5 minute chest, 30 minute abs, 20 minute glutes, 20 minute thighs and 0 minute calves. (Only because my calves are 14-15 inches no matter what I weigh!).

This language of only taking minutes to workout is powerful because it plays on our emotions. We tend to hope there is an easy, quick answer to losing fat and chiseling our abs. Let's face it, for most of us, the weight crept up, something happened to suddenly make us aware of it and we want to get it off, and fast! I tend to think dropping weight fast is not ideal, but the good news is an effective workout can literally take only minutes. Our real assignment is to separate the junk workouts from the real ones.

That's tricky because unfortunately the language is being used by both sides - the ineffective, hype products as well as some reputable, successful approaches. The key is going to be intensity. The most obvious tell-tale sign of a poor program is if someone is telling you that you can get trim and chiseled in 5 easy minutes a day. Run the other direction.

Signs that a 3-10 minute workout is legitimate might be if it is:

• one part of a comprehensive program
• interval training
• timed circuit training
• a quick, add-on workout to a structured program
• a high intensity finisher to a resistance training workout

What do I mean by comprehensive program? I believe a comprehensive program for fat loss is a detailed, structured training plan that includes various methods of resistance training, specific metabolic work, interval training, additional conditioning and cardio if needed, nutrition guidelines and a maintenance plan.

Here are some examples of short workouts that make sense:

Interval training: 30 seconds hard work followed by 30 seconds recovery for 10 rounds (10 minutes).

Circuit training: 6 bodyweight exercises, performed consecutively for 30 seconds each, followed by 30 seconds rest for a total of 3 rounds (10 minutes)

Timed supersets: 2 exercises alternated and performed for a pre-determined number of reps to accomplish as many sets as possible in 5 minutes.

Quick workout: a 5-10 minute full body workout encouraging extra workout time for those needing to increase daily activity overall.

Finisher: Kettlebell snatches alternating sides every 10 reps for a total of 5 minutes without stopping.

You can probably think of many more examples. Keep your head clear, don't fall for what seems to be an easy way out. Look for legitimate programs that appropriately acknowledge the work it takes to achieve fat loss. Remember to look for signs of intensity and examine programs closely before commiting!

If you'd like to check out my previous post on choosing a workout, click here.