10 weeks out

Weighed myself first thing yesterday. Was at 98.5kgs, a little above what I wanted to be at this stage. :(

So a bit more walking and a bit less cruising in the last few weeks, I guess.

I'm not the only one. Andreas Kristiansen aka
Chezuma on Twitter is getting ready for the Norwegian Nationals.

There at least one other twitterers getting ready and a stack of people in Canberra too.


Gnoll110

Another 2 weeks

Another two weeks gone. The countdown continues.

Progress continues. Down 0.8kgs in the first week and 0.9kgs in the second.


Gnoll110

The last two weeks.

Diet is going Ok. Down 6kgs so far.

Last two week have taken some adjustment.

Only lost 0.1 kgs, instead of the usual 1ish kgs, the week before last.

So we cut some carbs, rice, from two meals and upped the egg whites for breaky.

Back on track now, lost 1.7kgs last week :)


Gnoll110

19 weeks....

Well 19 week to go.

Should be competing a few times between the 5th to the 19th of October.

Graeme Bennett at Elite Physique's Civic store is doing my eating plans (aka diet) again. Graeme is good value!

Well post some progress report along the way.


Gnoll110

Nailing the flag to the mast!

Today I dropped into Elite Physique's Civic shop. I've teed up Graeme Bennett to do my diet for October. G is good value.

Taking a week off to see family next week. Then into the diet. Let the games begin!


Gnoll110

Motivation & forums

For most people, motivation is an issue from time to time.

At the moment I'm following a few treads in the Member Training Journals at Muscular Development magazine's forums.

The two I'm following closely are:

Youngguns Bodybuilding Log and

Future's Journal

All interesting stuff with lots of comment from others too.


Gnoll110

INBA Canberra update

There been a date change for the INBA Canberra natural physique titles.

They were on Sun 4th May. This clashed with the Sydney title. They have been able to reschedule for the same venue (the Hellenic Club) on Sat 3rd May.

Looks like a great weekend of sport, with a road trip to Sydney!

http://www.inba.com.au for contact info, for all comp.

Greatest thing since

I was reminded of one of those ‘greatest thing since’ things last night.

And what is that thing you may ask. Aluminum foil (aka aluminum foil in the US). What name do you Canadians use?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_foil

It’s a great thing for cooking meats. Keeps it moist and add that bit of extra cooking variety that the bodybuilding lifestyle can always do with more of.


Gnoll110

Of mice and men: planning 2008

Well that’s Christmas over for another year.

Always time it to have the week of Christmas off training. I always take the last week of even months off, generally. That lines up with both Christmas in December and with the end of the spring competition season in October.

Start a new routine in the New Year. My second last building cycle, before I start my contest preparation at the start of May.

So there we have my plans for the year.

Two 2 month building cycles to the end of April. Three 2 month contest preparation training cycles to take my through to the spring competition in late September and October. Then one last building cycle for November and December.


Gnoll110

Training this month

Started my 3rd last training program, before I start my next competition preperation, at the start of this month.

Joe at Elite Physique did it for me. Lots in heavy low rep stuff. Set ranges vary a bit. Anything from a couple of working sets to eight working set!

Another 3 week of training. Then a week of for Christmas. After new Year, I'll be back to start the second last building cycle.

Keep training smart everyone.


Gnoll110.

2008 Dubbo bodybuilding:change of date updat

The annual Dubbo bodybuilding competition is normally held on the last Saturday in February.

Ken and Elaine are having a major revamp of their event, after 20 years.

The new date is the 5th April 2008.

You should contact Ken and Elaine Russell for current information. They can be contacted on 0412 531 712.


Gnoll110

Technorati tags:
bodybuilding bodybuilding+dubbo dubbo+2008 bodybuilding+competition ken+russell elaine+russell

2008 Dubbo bodybuilding: change of date.

The annual Dubbo bodybuilding competition is normally held on the last Saturday in February.

As it’s now the last day of October, that's four months away. That means that some competitors would now be just starting their diet preparation. I have some information for you.

From next year, the date of this great, friendly event will be changing.

I don’t know the new date. You should contact Ken and Elaine Russell for current information.


Gnoll110

Technorati tags:
bodybuilding bodybuilding+dubbo dubbo+2008 bodybuilding+competition ken+russell elaine+russell

IFBB Australia Pro Card Farce

Just back from the IFBB Australian titles in Sydney.

The Australian titles ran over two days, yesterday (20th) and today (21st). The classes where divided as follows.

Day 1:
All Female Figure & Fitness/Sports Model classes.
All Male Physique age restricted classes.
Male Novice Physique class.
The new Male Classic Physique class.
Male Open Over 100kg Physique class.

Day 2:
All Female Physique classes.
All Open Male Physique classes expect over 100kg.

Each day had two shows. The Pre-judging in the morning and the ‘Final’ show at 2pm. The Pre-judging cost $20 a ticket & the Final cost $55 a ticket. Jay Culter was the guest poser.

Due to cost & time constraints, I only attended the Final shows. There were competitors from my gym, both days. I wanted to support everyone.

There was an IFBB Pro card up for grabs. So you would expect it to be judged, last thing on the 2nd day, after the last Open division was complete. No, wrong! The Pro card was awarded to the winner of the Open over 100ks class, at the end of the first day.

How can you award a Pro card after only one Open class has been judged?

One of the other Open class winners does my competitor diets. I feel it’s grossly unfair that the Pro card was awarded the day before he even got on stage! I know he been after a Pro card for a number of years.

How can our sport be regarded as professional and uncorrupted when these kinds of shenanigans go on?


Gnoll110

Bodybuilding: Spring is in the air, competition season!

I must be getting old and jaded!

It’s October, the busiest month of the spring competition season and of the year.

Next weekend will see the INBA NSW Titles on Saturday 13th and the INBA ACT Titles on Sunday 14th.

For those people in Western Australia and South Australia, your state titles are on this Saturday (13th) and Sunday (14th), respectively.

The following weekend, the IFBB have their Australian Titles on at the Revesby Worker's Club on both Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st. I know people competing both days. So I’ll go to both days. It’s going to be a very expensive weekend. The IFBB are charging an extortionate $55 for the Final show on each day. The Pre-judging will be $20. I really want to support 'Da Boys'(tm), so I’ll cough up.

The last Sunday (27th) of the month will see the INBA Australian Titles in Canberra. It’s 10 minutes walk from home. Wish it was away. Going away from Nationals is always a great weekend, weather you’re competing or not!

All the INBA details are on the about links.

And why, may you ask, am I getting old and jaded? I was thinking about going to Melbourne to watch the INBA Victorian Title last weekend. But though better of it, for money and work (time) reasons mainly. (I've already been to Melbourne 4 times this year, IT stuff, even got to the ANB Melbourne titles on one trip).

For all you guys & gals thinking about competing, go along to any events you can get to. Look, learn, ask questions and get motivated! Than pull the trigger and set a target competition(s). I'ld generally choose one between one to two years away. Once you have a comp, got talk the most knowledgeable person you can find and draw up an intelligent plan that gets you to chosen comp(s)! As Nike said 'Do it!'.

Gnoll110

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Power lifting: Battle of the Gyms

The ‘Battle of the Gyms’ power lifting competition was yesterday. It was a great day with about 20 competitors, both male and female. A good crowd turned up to watch and be vocal!

Looks like we need a new venue for the next competition. The main free weights hall at Elite Physique was crowded and Joe wants to invites the main lifting gyms and clubs in Sydney and Melbourne next time.

Ariel (Elite Physique) won the male division. Mattie (?) won the female division.

Ariel is three weeks out from competing in the IFBB Australian bodybuilding titles. An extra factor for none optimum lifting. Mind you, being dieted down should help power to weight ratios.

Congratulations to Joe Giampaolo and the team for putting on a great show.

Drop some rolls of film in for developing today. Will post some pics during the week.


Gnoll110

Technorati tags:
power+lifting elite+physique joe+giampaolo battle+of+the+gyms

ALL the pics from the 2007 Dubbo bodybuilding comp

Ok, I'm a code monkey.

I've used ruby to write some code hacks.

Can now take a CD (what ever) of competition pics and crop and brand them. Then tag 'em and produce a set of pages with results, divisions and people with all the pic they appear in :)

This with be the main page.

Still a few bug, but this is version 0.1, got to start somewhere.


Gnoll110

Technorati tags:
dubbo+2007 dubbo+bodybuilding bodybuilding+pics izze+haydar cathy+mcgee divid+robinson harry+haureliuk

Barbells, dumbbells and injuries

I’ve got some injury issues at the moment. Namely, one shoulder and the opposite elbow.

How have I been training around these injuries?

Firstly, use different angle and position from some movement, I’ve swapped over to the dumbbell form of a number of movements. Particularly for bench work. This mean I can adjust both the plan of the movement and the rotation of my grip. Both improving the feel and removing discomfort.

For the shoulder movements, I've stopped over head work. Remember anything with the hands/elbow above the height of the shoulder joint is unnatural. This is the reason people particularly have problem the Behind the neck barbell presses. Wondered how Aussie Rules Football players get their bad shoulder injuries? It’s almost always getting a strike to the shoulder while they have the hands over the head, marking the ball.

I’ve been getting some massage for the joints and the surrounding muscle structures too.

Talking at least a week off training always a help ;)

If it’s a new injury, go get it seen to. It maybe worse than you think and it will give you a chance to pick the brains of someone who should know.


Gnoll110

bodybuilding barbell dumbbell injury+elbow injury+shoulder

Canberra: Power Lifting Competition

Joe "Billy" Giampaolo from Elite Physique in Canberra is running a power lifting competition. It’s on at the gym on 29th September and starts at 1pm. Billy is calling it "the Battle of the Gyms".

Billy is having both male & female divisions. There will be Teen, Juniors, Open and Masters.

Will be a great day. Come along and give it a try. I’m not a power lifter, but I’m going to give it a try. Just to see what personal bests (PBs) I can set. Spectator at very welcome too.


Gnoll110

power lifting, competition, elite physique,

Technorati tags:
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Compression suit: worth it, yes

Two weeks ago I blogged about a new compression suit I brought for squats days.

Use to for the third workout last night. I think it had bean a good buy. It helps with recovery. I've kept it on for 3 hours after I finished training each session.

Think I'll look at upper body suits. I'm thinking for Benching and Deadlifts.


Gnoll110

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First leg day with a compression suit

Leg day today.

On Monday I brought a BSc Body Science Kompressorz Athletic Longs, aka, a lower body compression suit.

I think they where good value. Joe "Billy" Giampaolo spotted for my three heaviest sets, 1x10@120kg and my work sets (2x8@140kgs). Got the reps for both. Time to up the weights, me thinks.

After the final set, I pulled up the cuff of my trackie dax to show Joe my new purchase. He pulled down his waist band to show me his. One of the reasons for getting a compression suit is recovery. Joe commented that I should keep 'em on for 1 to 2 hours after training finish.

We will see how we feel tomorrow


Gnoll110

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