“Today’s
preparation determines tomorrow’s achievement” ~ Unknown
It's not Monday (aka National Chest Day) but, it's time for me to get my chest & triceps workout in! After coming off of taking about a month off from training to rest some injuries, I’ve spent this week and will continue next week to condition my body for the stress about to be put on it as I prepare for the upcoming 2012 IFBB Men’s Physique season.
We 
are here with IFBB PRO Miguel Aguilar. Congrats on a great showing and earning your card in Miami! What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?
I have always loved the sport of bodybuilding and its competitive edge. When this division began my trainer and friend Kim Oddo advised me to compete as this will allow me to be competitive and achieve my goals.
Can you tell us a little about the Competition you just competed in?
Miami Nationals the biggest show of the year a total of 900+ competitors and 67 in my class WOW !! Earning my IFBB Pro Card at this show I am still speechless...
Today
MP Competitor Don Magruder is joining us. Congrats on a your recent showing! What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?
I have been working out for years and have a very strong passion for fitness. As a personal trainer and athlete, I felt obligated show my clients I love what I do.
Can you tell us a little about the Competition you just competed in?
I recently competed in Davenport, Iowa at the National Qualifier “Battle of the Champions.” It was a great turn out and was the best atmosphere to be around...
Congrats 
on your 2011 Season! What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?
Being a gym rat I’ve always had an interest in bodybuilding, but never had the desire to build to that size. When Men’s Physique started, a friend of mine at the gym, who competes, kept telling me I should go for it. I thought about it, but was too nervous to take the step. Months later a couple of friends of mine were going to do The Titans Grand Prix NPC Event and I was like…I’m gonna do this, so I did.
Can you tell us a little about the Competition you just competed in?
I competed in back-to-back shows. The first was The Titans and then a week later at Border States...
After
16 years of training I have a really good understanding of my body. I know what I need to feed it to make sure it is functioning at 100%. I know what it takes to build muscle or lean down. I know how much cardio I need to get to my goals of stepping on stage. I know what type of training my body responds to. I know how much rest I need each night to recover. I know the supplements that are the most vital for health and to maximize my gains. I have learned to listen to my body.
One thing I learned a while back is that it is alright to skip a day in the gym or maybe even a week in the gym if that is what your body needs...
Joining 
us today is National Level MP Competitor Bradley Martyn. Congrats on another great showing! What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?
I had been following bodybuilding for as long as I can remember. When the Men’s Physique division was introduced into the NPC, I decided it would be a great way for me to get the ball rolling and eventually step on stage.
Can you tell us a little about the Competition you just competed in?
My most recent showing was at the Miami Nationals
How did you feel after pre-judging?
After pre-judging, I felt good about what I had brought to the stage.
How did you feel about the final results of the show?
I placed 8th out of a very large class. This was not my best placing at a national level show, however I enjoyed the opportunity to get on stage with a lot of very good competitors. Taking what I learned from this show and applying it to my next competitions is the biggest win in my book, because after all this is a marathon not a race. Always striving to come in better and better!
Injuries….jpg)
they can happen to the best of us, we train as hard as we can, push our bodies to the limits, and those nagging aches and pains always somehow manage to turn into an injury.
What do you do?
Most of us will probably want to “gut it out” and continue training, especially when prepping for a show, but what about the consequences for not letting an injury take the time it needs to heal?
One lesson I’ve learned over the years is that it is ok to train through pain but it is never ok to train through a serious injury.
Talent
often asks me what they need to have in a portfolio, what they should avoid having in a portfolio and how to best display their portfolio. Although with all certainty that this is not a complete list, it is a fairly extensive list of some things to be sure to DO and some other things to make sure you DON’T.
DO start a portfolio. Perhaps a little satirical, but I would not anticipate a lot of work coming in without having one.
DON’T take EVERY “free” photo shoot offer that comes your way. You may be in a position where a lot of up and comers are hoping to collaborate with you to mutually benefit each other’s experience. I’m not saying any offer like this is wrong. Some may be very beneficial. But be judicious. Know who is going to have the styles to help you get the looks you need.
Today 
we are here with MP Competitor Matt DuBois. Congrats on a great showing! What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?
I have always wanted to compete in a bodybuilding show. I was so excited when I found out that the NPC Physique was starting in 2011. I have attended many bodybuilding events over the years and I felt that I had a well balanced physique for competitions.
Can you tell us a little about the Competition you just competed in?
I just competed in the 2011 NPC Sacramento Open Physique and Masters Physique 35+. It was a great competition with several good physique competitors.
How 
many times in our lives have we found ourselves simply going through the motions or forcing ourselves to do something because we justify it as a “Means to an End?” Or in simpler terms doing something that we do not enjoy in order to get an end result! We have all been there; whether it is Our Job, School, Training, Etc… When we take this kind of mentality no matter how justifiable the end result we severely limit our potential to produce an even better ending or even to create new opportunities along the way! While we all have days that we feel like we have to do something that is less than favorable, these truly should be the rarities and if they are not, the first step is to look at our outlook and see if we really are overlooking the experience that we could be gaining along the way!
One such scenario is when we complain because we have what we consider to be a Bad Boss or a Bad Work Environment; you know the ones that make you absolutely dread going to work!..
Eating 
healthy is important whether you’re in Prep or Off-Season. Here is a great list of items you can find at your local grocery store to ensure you will be in peak condition all year long!
Proteins – In this category, it is important to include Lean/Low Fat sources to build clean and dense muscle!
· Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
· Tuna (water packed), or White Meat Chicken (water packed)
· Fish (tilapia, cod, halibut, and on occasion salmon and sea bass)...
What .JPG)
happens when you’re hungry? You probably find the quickest and most convenient thing you can get your hands on and eat it. That's definitely something many people have to retrain themselves on when they set goals for improving their health and losing weight. The goal is not to find yourself in a position where you are really hungry, especially in the presence of a fast food restaurant! As you get better at this, the concept of mindful eating becomes more present.
For
those that are new to the game, the Men’s Physique division was introduced this year in the NPC. What makes a good physique competitor? If you go to www.npcnewsonline.com or look at the rulebook, the judging criteria specify that competitors are judged on "Muscularity and Body Condition" as well as "Stage Presence and Personality."
The website states:
"Muscularity and Body Competition” - "Judges will be looking for fit contestants who display proper shape and symmetry combined with muscularity and overall condition. This is not a bodybuilding contest, so extreme muscularity should be marked down."
We are
here with Top 5 Finisher at the National's Justin Klein. Congrats on a great showing in Miami! What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?
My trainer suggested that it would be a great division for me to begin to compete in, since I had never competed before and the scene was completely new to me. It would also help make a name for myself and build my fitness and modeling career.
Can you tell us a little about the Competition you just competed in?
I just competed in one of the largest NPC National competitions in Miami Beach, Florida. With over 940 total competitors, over 150 competitors in Men’s Physique and over 60 competitors in Men’s Physique C Division. It was full of top competitors from around the nation with a chance to earn IFBB Pro Cards.
Last 
Wednesday was a shoulders and triceps day for me. I hit the gym just after rush hour, so there were fewer people around than normal. Most of the guys were lifting legs that day. As I was just finishing up with my last rear deltoid exercise I was approached by a guy who had a few questions for me.
Tim said he noticed my physique and that I look like I may know a few things. Laughing with Tim, I agreed to offer as much help as I could to answer his questions. One of the questions I want to share with you today:
"Does squatting benefit you more by doing partials with a lot of weight or less weight with full-range of motion?"
Are 
you one of the many competitors that want to “Go Pro?” If that is the case and you are looking to make the jump from NPC Amateur to IFBB Pro then you need to compete in a National Show. You may be asking, “How do I compete in a National Show?” I will explain a bit about that in a moment. Not only do you have to compete, you have to win or achieve a placing that the NPC/IFBB deems “good enough” to earn pro status. That being said, many Men’s Physique competitors went to a National Show this past weekend. The show: The National’s in Florida.
For me the trip to Miami is already underway. I am writing this on the plane from LAX to Miami; however, by the time you see it I will already have landed and competed in the show. Weeks and weeks of anticipation and preparation are coming to a head! Though I maintain “Shoot Ready” status year round for my fitness modeling and acting career, there are a few more details that go into the final couple weeks before a Physique Show. Unlike a photo shoot, for a competition you have weeks and weeks of notice as to the date of the show. This gives you added time to dial in the exact look you are going for.
Beyond the dialing in of the body, there are many other factors to consider.
To name a few of the basics:
“Nothing 
can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” ~ Thomas Jefferson
First, I want to wish good luck to all my Men’s Physique brothers competing for the final 6 pro cards of 2011 this weekend at the Nationals in Miami. Hopefully Ian isn’t too carb depleted right now to post this before show time. (IAN WAS PERFECTLY FINE TO PUBLISH THIS; HOWEVER, HIS COMPUTER WAS NOT UP TO THE TASK)
I love
to listen to self help CD’s and read self help books. I believe it is good to always be improving yourself not only physically, but also mentally. I was listening to a CD yesterday and it had some great points. The biggest thing I got from the message was to be careful of what you feed your mind. Just like our bodies if you put the right “food” into your mind it will function at it’s best...
We have all been to the gym and have 
been annoyed by people in the gym. Sometimes it’s breaking gym etiquette and then other times it’s just plain dumb. So here’s a list of the things that annoy me the most. Enjoy!
1. Having to work out next to people who smell like an ashtray.
2. People who don’t take their weights off the machine.
3. Using 10 machines at the same time or 4 sets of dumbbells at the same time.
4. Talking on your cell phone while occupying equipment.
5. Thinking that dropping weights is not dramatic enough so they throw the weights down.
IL: We are here with National Level MP 
Competitor Denzo Rey. Thanks for Joining us Denzo.
DR: My Pleasure.
What are your thoughts on the Men's Physique Division?
First and foremost, thanks for the interview Ian. I'm grateful for the addition of the Men’s Physique Division; it is a breath of fresh air that will ultimately give a boost to the Men’s Bodybuilding Division, as well as capture the appeal of a wider audience base. The Physique Division is a great avenue for athletes to display their physiques in a different light. It provides the average guy in the gym a much more realistic goal to set by creating a competitive model of physique that is based on a symmetrical, muscular and lean look that is not extreme.
I'm very impressed with the caliber of athletes competing. The underlying benefits, in addition to the pleasing physical appearance are the strengthening of the individual’s responsibility, discipline, commitment, confidence and purpose to train. These are all powerful and effective leadership qualities.
Many of us have worked hard to 
fine tune every aspect of our physique and we naturally assume that our work will translate on camera. This isn't always the case. Much like perfecting your body, perfecting your "on-camera" skills takes time and effort. Below are a few tips to help you create excellent images for both personal and professional use.
Practice Makes Perfect: Don't expect your first set of pictures to be perfect. Understanding your on-camera persona takes time. Select a photographer who is willing to coach you. Often times what feels most unnatural on camera looks the best in pictures. Prior to shooting, take time to practice different poses in the mirror. Pay attention to your facial expressions. What looks do you like the best? Position your body in a variety of ways to determine your best angle and consider having a friend take snapshots of you prior to the shoot so you can study yourself on film...
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