New IFPA Figure Pro

"Hey Matt, check this out." [Nicole whips out her WNBF Pro-card at the registration table] "Gotta lighter?"

I had such a blast up in Cape Cod at the IFPA Gaspari Nutrition Pro Bodybuilding and Figure competition. What a great group of competitors! You haven't seen a more competitive group of pro men's bodybuilders all together on one stage before. You know why? Because you've never seen the best of ALL the natural organizations all together on one stage. It doesn't get any better than having top winners from the WNBF, INBA, NGA and host IFPA all going head to head.

Regards to "The Texas Shredder" Dave Goodin for taking 2nd at the show. His routine to "Sexual Healing" was quite sexy in those sparkley red posing trunks. Got a few really nice pics with Dave and post them when we get them touched up. Also had a "run-in" with "The Batman" Sean Sullivan "Sully" back stage and did a quicky impromptu photo-op. I hope that pic comes out good.

And now we've also started the meld of WNBF into IFPA figure with Carla Pagle and myself. I didn't present that well this weekend given only 6 weeks to prep. But Carla Pagle placed 4th. I didn't do this show to win, obviously. I did it because I couldn't wait until next September to give up my WNBF pro-card, and I wanted to make sure my first pro show was an IFPA pro show. After what the WNBF did to Dave Goodin, among other competitors this past year, I couldn't get rid of that sucker fast enough. So this was my first and only chance to do so. I will still maintain my right to say I have held a WNBF Pro-card, but I will not give the WNBF another dollar in membership dues, entry fees, magazine purchases, or show tickets. And I will continue to educate up and coming amateur competitors of the B.S. that WNBF Pros have to put up with because no one knows until it happens to them what the restrictions really are and the politics in judging.

So anywho....My contest prep was WAY OFF but for good reason. And this is my short analysis: When you are sick it affects your whole system, not just the directly affected part of the body. So I was used to my body working a certain way and I knew how to prep for contest. But due to the surgery being successful I am now cancer free and my body has indeed changed. My whole system knows it is healthy and is reacting accordingly. My metabolism is faster. My energy (chi) is more focused and intense in the gym, and I can run faster sprints for longer periods of time. My hands and feet used to be cold all the time and my circulation wasn't that great. That's not the case now. I lost the off-season weight gain VERY easily after surgery. Given all that, when it came time for the last week prior to competition I did not eat enough carbs the day before or the day of contest and I was FLAT AS HELL on stage. I couldn't flex my lats for shit, and I couldn't hold a pump to save my life. Sodium was too low, too. That sucked....but again, all for a good reason.

I've gone through and recalculated everything for the next three weeks leading up to the NGA show in Parkland, Florida. And I'm gonna rock! I'm already readjusted after the comp last Saturday, and have continued to drop fat. So we are good to go.

Good luck to my client Carrie who is also competing at the Parkland show. It's her first comp and she's getting her feet wet before working on the bigger goal of the Women's Tri-Fitness next year.