After the Nationals, Pittsburgh, PA 2015

My wife pushed me, prodded me, stretched me, recorded my every morsel of food, she picked my music, she endured countless boring posing sessions, she traveled with me—-and through it all, she remains my wife, lover, friend, and biggest fan. I could not have built a better companion for this unpredictable odyssey. Thank you sweetheart!

The Journey

Thought Life

As I have stated many times before,”the launch of any effort must start down deep inside. Sometimes hundreds of hours of daydreaming, fantasizing, planning, and silently outlining the requirements to accomplish your goal. I thought about moving my game to the next level nearly every second of every day. I was so focused on being a National competitor that even sleep began to escape me. Riveting obsession was the order of each of my days. My greatest desires were to be in the best shape of my life that night in Pittsburgh and I wanted to hold my own and prove that I deserved to be on stage with these great athletes from all over the USA. My conclusion: Nothing can compare to breathing the same rare air as these elite athletes —- just like I imagined!

Prepping with Patience

A year ago I took on one of the best coaches in the bodybuilding world, Justin Dees.  I told him excitedly that I wanted to compete in the Masters Nationals and I needed a coach that could help me get better so I could make the grade.  I was backstage when I approached him and he quietly gave me his card and said he would be willing to work with me.  He made no wild promises.  Just the soft response and the passing off of his business card to me.

During our first meeting he was very frank and to the point.  He did not know me or my body or my genetics so he could make no predictions.  He said whatever we accomplish would be together in a partnership.  We would go as far as we could with every aspect of bodybuilding and we would make adjustments as necessary. Quiet, focused, determination seemed to mark his character and his approach to winning.

First, Justin explained that the most basic thing that is required in bodybuilding is “muscle.”  If you don’t have enough muscle it doesn’t matter how cut, ripped, or shredded you are.  So, he put me on a very clean diet that was loaded with calories.  He wanted to get me to 200 lbs. and 10% body fat.  When I reached 200 lbs. my body fat was still hovering around 5%….At 210 lbs. I hit 10% body fat.  I started all this at about 173 lbs.  I had moved my lean body mass up from 167 lbs. to 190 lbs.  Each day, listening to the quiet instructions of the “coach.”  Mind you, I hung up these numbers in about 5 months.

Second, Justin made it clear that in order to be competitive I had to come in lean, hard, shredded.  I began my slow descent from 210 lbs. to 190 lbs. at about 14 weeks out from the Nationals 17 July 2015.  I still killed it on the weights but Justin was manipulating my diet and increasing my aerobics by 5-10 minutes per day each week.  Each week when being measured I thought it was test day.  I hated not making progress (which rarely happened).  I was getting leaner and leaner as the contest date kept approaching.

Third, Justin discovered that my posing was no where near what was going to be required in Pittsburgh.  He assumed I knew more than I did and I was waiting for him to show me how to do it right.  Suddenly, I had to learn what others had been working at for months in  about 4 weeks.  I worked and failed.  I worked and failed.  I worked and got a little better.  Finally, with just a few days to go Justin declared me ready.  What a relief this was to me since earlier he had told me that my posing sucked and that he was very concerned that I would not look very good on stage.  My little heart did the happy “pitter patter” when he told me I was ready, I looked good and that I might do some serious damage at the Nationals.

The Nationals

I won’t dwell on the event very much because there are so many contests ahead.  The experience was priceless and the friends I made will be forever. The waiting and prepping times provided some of the richest moments in my life to converse with the other competitors (did I mention that there were over 250 Masters Competitors) from all over the United States.  Many, if not all, were tremendous athletes somewhere in their previous lives.  It was like a gigantic conclave/gathering of athletic talent in one place to continue the competitive spirit that each of us possesses.  What a grand and wonderful time to be alive! I finished 6th in the Light Heavy Weight Division.

When we hit the stage it was over in a flash.  Back to our rooms.  Return for the evening show.  Collect trophies.  Off to eat and enjoy the great city of Pittsburgh.  What a cool place.  A little story comes to mind.  After the competition I ate two moderately heavy meals in the evening.  We went to bed late that same night.  The next morning I had lost 10 lbs.  I was flabbergasted and amazed.  That’s how fast my metabolism was burning and their was nothing to stop it’s effects over the short run.

Parting thoughts and plans.  I vow to be back and better than ever next year.  In the meantime, I will be competing in the Utah Show 15 August 2015.  I have kept myself lean and have continued to eat and train like I mean it.  My weight is back to 190 lbs. and my body fat is 3.7% which is up only slightly from 2.4% in Pittsburgh.  My coach has given me the green light for the next show in 9 days.  I am ready and will continue to prep, eat, pose, train, and take in the right supplements.

After this show, I will sit with my coach and we will outline the next year’s effort.

These thoughts are not necessarily cogent or connected well but they are mine and I share them with you with the hope they will inspire YOU to take everything you desire to the next level while you/I/we still can.

This is “OUR TIME” and we have to think, plan, prepare, act on our goals…..

Until next time, I remain,  Douglas E. Graham