What keeps you motivated?

There we are again, in the midst of the New York winter ( a very cold and economically challenging one, on top of that). So the question remains: who is one supposed to stay motivated during this particular stretch of time?

Well, one way of looking at it could be trying to look like Scott G. above.....

But optics are not all of it, there is a more wholesome component to it. As the above competitor said: " Bodybuilding  allows me to grow as person, bringing mind and body together."

Think of bodybuilding not so much as a sport , but more as something that influences you as a person. The ability to constantly better your body will transform into real life confidence. After all, if you can shape yourself the way you want there is no reason that you shouldn't have control over other aspect of your life ( which might even help in the current downturn). 

So stick with it!

Maik

Training while travelling

As some may know, I am spending the holidays in Romania with my wife and family. The landscape and towns are very beautiful  and we really get to relax. BUT as a true musclehead I have to workout. So Alexandra had to sacrifice her afternoon to find a gym. And so she did as you can see. While the place does not look like an Equinox, I got a great workout!
Those of you that work out at Mid City Gym can certainly relate. After all your muscles don't know where they are, they either contract or relax. So I employed my bodybuiling knowledge and used partial reps, static holds, posing between etc to maximize the workout.
Bodybuilding is about attitude and commitment not fancy equipment. Besides, I have yet to see a pro training at Equinox.
I am off to a wholesome, clean dinner!
Till next time
Maik
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Stocks are down, invest in yourself!

Everywhere you turn to these days, there is only one theme: the economic downturn.  The media seems to be in a competition about who can paint the gloomiest picture. Some say it will be like 1929, or worse; I even read about a hundred year depression. I wonder if any of these forecasters predicted the Giants to win the Super Bowl as well. 

The way I see it, nobody knows  what will happen and there is little one can do to stem the global tide. So it makes sense to look into areas that can be improved such as your physical well being. It is certainly easier to deal with a higher stress level when in good physical condition and it is certainly not a good idea to be 20 lbs overweight and stressed out. So take the time to work out and eat right, another hour at the office won't make a difference in the great scheme of things but it will do a lot of good for your mind and body. 

Remember: your most valuable capital is you!

How to avoid the holiday 10

So again the days are shorter  and the plates fuller. It must be holiday season, filled with parties, cookies, dinner invitation, drinks etc. In short, everything that threatens bodybuilding success is assembled in these 6 weeks. 

So how does one stay lean during these weeks without alienating friends and family? 

First and foremost, don't stop working out. Plan your workouts ahead since you may be pressed for time. Make them shorter, focus on big exercises , supersets and the like.

When you are invited for a party, calculate that into your daily consumption. Try to eat a little less during the day so you can indulge a little, but don't not arrive hungry. You can snack on fruit, rice cakes or nuts before you get  there so you don't have to eat a waiter.

 This brings me to my next point: don't overeat! It is ok to have a little bit of everything, just not the whole pumpkin pie. Also, don't get into that starvation-binge-starvation cycle. Your body will get confused and store more fat in response.

Stay hydrated: have two glasses of water for every alcoholic drink you consume, and try to stay away from sugary drink mixes.

Take a walk: after a party or a dinner, walk home it. It will get your metabolism running and you ll store much less of the calories you ingested.

Up your green tea and vitamin C intake: both of these nutrients will help you weather germs and increase your metabolic rate.

Following these guidelines will help you to make to January 2nd with only minimal weight gain. Remember: memorial Day is only 6 months away!

Maik

A word on setbacks....

So my show came and went, I am not very happy with the outcome, even though I believe that the physique that i brought was my best one yet. However,the judges did not see it that way and placed me third. needless to say, lamenting won't give a better body, so after every show it is a very good idea to a good hard look at yourself and find out what is missing. 

In my case, it is rather obvious: 10 lbs on upper chest and arms. So on Monday I was back in the gym , doing arms and cardio. I also stayed on my diet, just added some more red meat ( not exactly a punishment). While setbacks are never very pleasant, they can be a hidden gift. I know this one will blow my arms up to 18 "!

Lift heavy!

maik

Evening awards show beginning. . .

Additional info reveals the competition is *extremely* tough and
formidable this time around.

Wiedenbach states he is impressed by the level of conditioning in some
of his competitors.

And so we are holding our breath . . .
Go Maik!

Word on the Net.....

Is that Herr Wiedenbach was called out / called back more than once in
his class!
Stay tuned folks. . .

Backstage pump / prep work on target....

8 more days....

So the deadline is drawing closer, I made it through hell week, 2 hours cardio and only 100 grams of carbs a day; but I am lean! Now it is all about resting and carb loading to fill out for the big day. During the endless hours of misery, the question naturally arises: Why am i doing this to myself ( every year)?

The answer is not so obvious, after all it is certainly not money or fame that motivates the average bodybuilder to compete. It is the desire to better yourself and your body, to show that you actually can put up with a 16 week diet and 530 am cardio. It is also what makes you and what separates you from others. I am very excited about the coming weekend, I will be 5 lbs heavier than last year with the same degree of conditioning.

Shameless political plug coming up: Go Obama!

Die Nummer 1 sind wir!

It is about time for an update....3 months of competition preparation have passed and the results are starting to come in. Yesterday, Scott "Dr. Abs" Gerst competed in his first natural bodybuilding show ever and he did not disappoint. After battling a stomach virus for the last 72 hours, he got ready in time to put on a great performance. After spending much of friday with carbloading, posing and coloring, he showed up on stage at a razor sharp and lean 144 lbs.

Despite being cheated out of a top 3 finish in the masters class, he won the novice class!

Congratulations to him and let the post-comp eating feast begin!

As for myself, I have the Baltimore Classic on Nov 8th left, where I ll try out for a pro card. So far things are on track, stay tuned!

Maik