Transformation Journal #4 – The Next Phase
Transformation Journal #4 – The Next Phase
In October I competed in my final Men’s Physique show by placing 2nd in the tall class. This was my best placing yet, but I didn’t walk away from the contest motivated to continue, instead I felt discouraged and a little lost. I had reached my initial goal of qualifying for Nationals, which were taking place the following weekend in Miami, but even though I got all the way down to 211 lbs., I was still being told I was too big. Here is a stage shot from the October show in Davenport, Iowa:
After the show I had the difficult decision of figuring out if I wanted to continue on to Nationals, and if not, if I wanted to continue on with Men’s Physique at all. I’ll walk you through my thought process. As much as I liked having a definitive goal, throughout the dieting process, I never liked the fact that I had to continue losing weight. I thought I was in shape at 220, only to be told I needed to lose at least another 10 pounds to do well. I stopped training hard and heavy, knowing that training the way I always have wouldn’t help me to achieve my goals. I was even advised by several judges to stop weight training all together, and focus totally on cardio. Toward the end of my last prep, I stopped having fun. I was no longer looking forward to the process, or even competing. I just wanted to get it all over with, and hopefully meet my goal. What sounded fun to me was training heavy again, eating whatever I wanted, and not doing cardio! That combined with the judges still telling me I was too big at 211 lbs. made the decision pretty easy.
After the last contest, I took 6 weeks off all the IronMagLabs supplements, and took it easy in the gym for about 4 weeks. As soon as I started back training hardcore and re-started my IronMagLabs supplements, I started growing like a weed. I have used all of the IMLs products by now, and have begun to cycle them, but I am currently on Halo-Extreme, Deca-Drol, and e-control. Amazing things started to happen when I added these back into the mix. When I was dieting my strength never went too low, but towards the end I was barely doing the 125lbs dumbbells on incline. You can see here how I pressed the 150lbs dumbbells just a few weeks after getting back on IMLs products:
I think the most impressive is my most recent progress picture:
BEFORE – April 1st, 2011- 260lbs:
AFTER – Jan 1st, 2012 – 255lbs:
This transformation leads me to where I currently am without a goal. I am currently determining what I’d like to do next. I’ve considered going back to the Men’s Physique Division next year, but until they stop rewarding the Abercrombie models, and start rewarding the more muscular physiques, I think that option is out. I’m open to suggestions. What do you think? What should I do next?
Email me at: Jewbacca@rxmuscle.com
Follow me at: http://www.twitter.com/aaronsingerman
Transformation Journal #4 – The Next Phase
In October I competed in my final Men’s Physique show by placing 2nd in the tall class. This was my best placing yet, but I didn’t walk away from the contest motivated to continue, instead I felt discouraged and a little lost. I had reached my initial goal of qualifying for Nationals, which were taking place the following weekend in Miami, but even though I got all the way down to 211 lbs., I was still being told I was too big. Here is a stage shot from the October show in Davenport, Iowa:
After the show I had the difficult decision of figuring out if I wanted to continue on to Nationals, and if not, if I wanted to continue on with Men’s Physique at all. I’ll walk you through my thought process. As much as I liked having a definitive goal, throughout the dieting process, I never liked the fact that I had to continue losing weight. I thought I was in shape at 220, only to be told I needed to lose at least another 10 pounds to do well. I stopped training hard and heavy, knowing that training the way I always have wouldn’t help me to achieve my goals. I was even advised by several judges to stop weight training all together, and focus totally on cardio. Toward the end of my last prep, I stopped having fun. I was no longer looking forward to the process, or even competing. I just wanted to get it all over with, and hopefully meet my goal. What sounded fun to me was training heavy again, eating whatever I wanted, and not doing cardio! That combined with the judges still telling me I was too big at 211 lbs. made the decision pretty easy.
After the last contest, I took 6 weeks off all the IronMagLabs supplements, and took it easy in the gym for about 4 weeks. As soon as I started back training hardcore and re-started my IronMagLabs supplements, I started growing like a weed. I have used all of the IMLs products by now, and have begun to cycle them, but I am currently on Halo-Extreme, Deca-Drol, and e-control. Amazing things started to happen when I added these back into the mix. When I was dieting my strength never went too low, but towards the end I was barely doing the 125lbs dumbbells on incline. You can see here how I pressed the 150lbs dumbbells just a few weeks after getting back on IMLs products:
I think the most impressive is my most recent progress picture:
BEFORE – April 1st, 2011- 260lbs:
AFTER – Jan 1st, 2012 – 255lbs:
This transformation leads me to where I currently am without a goal. I am currently determining what I’d like to do next. I’ve considered going back to the Men’s Physique Division next year, but until they stop rewarding the Abercrombie models, and start rewarding the more muscular physiques, I think that option is out. I’m open to suggestions. What do you think? What should I do next?
Email me at: Jewbacca@rxmuscle.com
Follow me at: http://www.twitter.com/aaronsingerman
