... My Life In Bodybuilding and Medicine

   Over the following weeks, I noticed my weight was relatively stable, but my conditioning was drastically improving. I kept Jeremiah up to date with frequent emails and photos every two weeks. The 4-on, 1-off training schedule was starting to take its toll physically, but I kept myself motivated by keeping a training and nutrition log on large poster board that was tacked to my apartment wall. I also placed the official contest poster on the wall next to my front door so I would be forced to see it every time I left the apartment. It served as a constant reminder to keep my eyes on the prize. As I approached the six-week’s mark from the contest, my strength started to decrease, but I was still doing well on the diet and cravings were nonexistent.

   My second and final visit to Beverly came on August 17, 2002- five weeks out from the Central States. My weight had remained 190, but my bf% slid to 5.5%. NGA pro Robert Hill was there that morning and I learned he also had a contest on September 21st. Seeing his excellent conditioning and posing gave me added motivation to kick things into high gear for the final five weeks. My Phase III nutrition and supplement plan is shown in the margin of page 20. (next page over >>)

   I was getting more excited by the hour. I noticed slight improvements in my conditioning each day. I saw muscle separation on my body that I had only previously seen in my anatomy textbooks. Although the carbohydrate depletion left me fairly tired, I never suffered from food cravings. I even found that I enjoyed chewing the Ultra 40 tablets, a practice that I continue to this day!

   By this time, I had completed my surgical residency and was awaiting privileges at three Cleveland, Ohio hospitals. This left me with extra time to master one of the most neglected aspects of competition- posing. I posed and stretched constantly. I would take a posing video to the hospital and watch it during downtime.

   Prior to the final week, I was faced with a dilemma. I had planned to compete as a light-heavyweight, but I weighed 183 seven days before the contest. After consulting with Jeremiah, we decided not to focus on weight, but solely on conditioning. As the final week took its course, it was evident I would make the middleweight class. All nutritional changes were done in moderation. Finally, the day had arrived; it was time for battle. The following is a narrative I wrote immediately after the competition.

   The day started at 5am when I awoke up lying in my pro-tan covered bed sheet. Even as late as a week out, I was not sure which weight class I would enter. I registered for the contest as a light-heavy, but my weight over the final week ranged from 181.0-181.8. On Friday morning, I was 179.8 and on Saturday morning, I was 176.0. At the weigh-in, I tipped the scales at 175.8 lbs. The ceiling for middleweights is 176.25. There were eight competitors in my class and I remember seeing a couple of them and thinking, ”Those can’t be middleweights”. They looked much bigger than myself. Since I was close to the weight limit for my division, I had meal #1 immediately following weigh-in. Oatmeal and Muscle Provider never tasted so good!

Before I knew it, it was time for my class to go on stage. The eight of us marched out in militaristic fashion, with lats flaring, reminding me of my Marine Corps days. I remember hearing people shout my competitor number. What a feeling! After quarter turns, the head judge (John Simmons, who was 11th in this year’s master Olympia) announced the first call-out. I was one of four athletes in that group. After mandatory poses were performed, I was the only competitor asked to step back in formation. The comparisons of the other athletes continued. Next, we each did our 60 second free posing routine and I was ecstatic that I executed each of my poses to perfection.