"The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That's what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they'll go through the pain no matter what happens." -Arnold Schwarzenegger
What better way to start out than with a quote from one of the greatest founders of the sport that has now morphed and provides me with one of my greatest passions in life ... figure competitions. When I was a 3 sport varsity athlete in high school, and when I turned down a collegiate level volleyball scholarship, little did I know of the immense role fitness, weightlifting, and nutrition would play in the rest of my life. Yes, I'm too competitive to not have goals and challenges ahead of me, and yes, I'm too intense not to have a physical outlet, and yes, I'm too much of a perfectionist not to want to sculpt my body into the exact perfection of what I invision in my mind, but little did I know that being a figure competitor would describe such a large portion of my life. And little did I know that I would absolutely love that.
I trained harder than any of my opponents and any of my teammates when I played team sports, and what defined who I was was my ability to outwork anyone. They might have been more naturally talented than I was, but there was no freakin' way they were going to outwork me on the court or in the weight room. Once I finished playing, I had about a year of down time. The first month or two were heavenly, my body FINALLY got the rest it had wanted for the past four years. The next 8-10 months I was stir-crazy! What to do? What to do???? I tried to play on a volleyball league but it frustrated me too much, I'm too competitive to "play for fun" on a league. I started to get a little softer, started to slack on my food choices (not that I ever paid too much attention - I was ALWAYS burning off whatever I ate anyway...). I felt like something was missing, I didn't have a physical outlet. I'm too intense and don't relax enough to just sit. I need to have an intense physical goal in front of me in order to tame myself a bit =]
I was reading a magazine one night and came across an AD with a figure competitor ... obliques, a 6 pack, kick ass quads, and some mean arms, all with a pretty face, I turned the magazine towards my boyfriend, and said, "THIS is what I want to look like!" My better half happens to be a personal trainer and he just shook his head and told me that it'd be a lot of work. I had always been athletic, always had some muscle tone, and was always "in-shape." I said I didn't care how much work it'd be ... that was my goal and I was going to do it! I got my booty to the gym the next day ... and from there on out, I was a sponge. I started soaking up and adding any information I could about fitness, nutrition, weightliting, and competitions to my already decent knowledge base. As an athlete, I had trained under a phenomenal trainer, Mark Feldner, and learned a TON of information from him and other coaches I had over the years. This base of knowledge treated me well and I took every single opportunity I had to learn about the industry and how to sculpt my body the way I want to to my advantage. Lucky enough for me, my boyfriend is a terrific trainer, and he helped me pave the way for myself as well.
Two years later, I decide I'm ready to cut down and try my first figure competition. I sign up for the competition, pay my fee, and buy my tickets. I pool my resources and get my figure competition prep nutrition plan together and start cutting. My oh my oh my. The first half of the prep isn't so bad. The second half though? Everything feels like you're in sloooooow-motion! I learned SO much about my body, the way it reacts, and so much about my mental strength through the contest prep. I wish I had started this blog and written through the prep for all of you and for myself as well ... but there's always more competitions! =]
I competed in the NPC IL Bodybuilding Championships May 15th, and followed that up, not with burgers and pizza like most of the competitors, but with another peak week and NPC Rockford Grand Prix Competition May 22nd, the following Saturday. Talk about nuts! TWO peak weeks and two competitions in two weeks! Phew! Not only did I have an absolute BLAST, but I placed 3rd and qualified for Nationals!!! And what did I celebrate with?? Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread and almond butter. Lots of almond butter. I guess I knew I was hooked when I didn't go nuts. I didn't splurge on anything insane, I actually craved the competition diet again. I knew I had to come off the diet and add in a bit more nutrients my body needs to function correctly but my mind was so crazed and in such a habit, I could hardly break myself from my competition prep nutrition plan!
Now I'm about a month into my off-season, lifting HEAVY, heavy, heavy again, following my off-season nutrition plan and doing all I can possibly do to add some more muscle before I step onto a national stage in the spring.
There are a few things I learned through my first (and second =]) competition prep:
1. We're wayy stronger mentally than we think, all we have to do is push the boundaries, and have the desire and willpower, and we're all able to do things we never thought we could or would be doing in our lifetimes.
2. It's the most wonderful thing in the world to realize how strong your support system is. My boyfriend is my rock, and I'm so gosh darn lucky to have him. He supported me through my LOW carb days, my mental breakdowns, and my nerves before I first went on stage, and he was the first to congratulate me when I accomplished my goal of qualifying for nationals. Everyone has their support system, don't forget to thank them when you figure out just who they are.
3. Don't ever give up. If you want it bad enough, you can do it. I always remind myself, someone else out there is working towards their goals right now, are you going to let them outwork you? And I promise that I will be that girl that even if someone is more genetically inclined or a little prettier than I am, I will outwork them daily, and I will work with tenacity to meet and surpass every goal I put out there for myself.
Today was leg day ... WOOOO! I can already feel the soreness kicking in and I love it! Off to drink a protein shake and go to sleep so I can get in some much needed muscle recovery.
I can't wait to hear all of your feedback, I can't wait to meet all of you, and I can't wait to share more!
Until next time,
Electra
