Well, here is the final part of my adventure. This is the moment that I worked so hard for, thank you to everyone, especially Hammer Nutrition and the amazing people at The Studio of Boise for their unwavering support. Our hard word paid off, we did a great job.
*At times I still don't believe I did this, I've come a long way since the sleepless nights worrying about "getting laughed off stage." It is overcoming my fear, hanging in there, and following through that I am most proud of.
Rather than get overly detail-oriented, I will try and breifly explain how the show works, and reflect on things. In general, though, I think it's just time to let the pictures and video speak for themselves.
*Please excuse me not utilizing my best muscle....my million dollar smile. :) When I get overly stressed I put up that perimeter and shut myself off to distraction. I was so focused that it took all I had to just focus on the show, listening to the judges, and posing (which was actually very exhausting to flex all your muscles for nearly 15 minutes) that I hardened myself off to the anxiety and stress and never even thought to smile. I was very much in the "fear zone" and doing all I could to do my best. Next show I will smile (so I don't look so dumb in my pics), but this show was all about business. I smiled a lot after the show...in fact, I am still smiling.
The bodybuilding show is in split format; morning show and evening show. The morning is all about structure and formality, this is the main time for judging and ranking (I will get to the morning show later). The purpose of the night show is to entertain the crowd and be creative. The night show is you on stage alone as you freestyle pose to music you pick. You can do anything really, the point is to show off your muscles.
Without sounding disrespectful, I found most people's freestyle routines bland. They do standard poses, biceps, triceps, etc., and that's it. I've always been and entertainer, and I knew I wanted to do something that no one else would do. I wanted to make people say, "Wow." During the video if you listen carefully you can hear the crowd go crazy...and someone say, "How does he do that?!" That is what I was going for.
I worked very hard, when I started this I wasn't a dancer...or a bodybuilder. After hundreds of hours, I overcame my fears to be Ferocious Brosious the dubstepping bodybuilder. And let me tell you, the thrill (and nerves) of being on stage alone, showcasing my hard work, things I never thought I would do, and dance moves that have mesmerized me for years is indescribable. So I won't describe it. The main goal of the night show is entertain the crowd and show how your muscles can move and work, I think I did that.
Simply watch my fresstyle routine. Please grant me one thing and listen with a set of quality headphones so you can better hear the music (which I mixed and edited myself) and the crowd going crazy. Quite possibly the best "performance" of my life.
Watch the video here (with headphones). My freestyle round posing routine
In the morning everyone comes on stage together, we all stand in a line and perform the poses the 7-panel judges call out. The judges will move people around placing people next to each other, remove people from the line up etc., as we continue to obey the judges commands to "quarter turn to the right," "front double biceps," and so forth. They refer to the morning round as "pre-judging" which I find confusing because 90 percent of placings are established during this round. Our group was on stage for nearly 15 minutes doing our poses. Flexing every muscle in your body over and over again was actually quit taxing, my muscle endurance paid off.
*We all come on stage while the judges (and crowd) look at our overall fitness.
*The judges then tell us what poses to do. Rear lat. spread
*Overhead abdominal pose
*Rear double biceps
*Side tricep pose.
After about 5 minutes the judges began moving our order around. It wasn't long before Kenny Gonzalez (the eventual winner of our category) and I were in the center of the group going head to head.
* Kenny has done a lot of shows, looked great, and was a super nice guy off stage. I think I gave him a good run for his money, though.
*Head to head with the champ, bring it on. Front lat. spread.
*Kenny (right) had a better crab pose...
*But my abdominal pose was the best of the division.
*All the swimming and pull ups also gave me a good advantage in the back.
*Side chest pose
*After our group was the women's figure pro division. :)
When we went back to the evening show I had a very good feeling about what was going to come, I knew that I had the opportunity to showcase my creativity, and be what I had dreamed about being forever...a music editor...a break dancer....a bodybuilder....an inspiration. :)
*At the start of the evening show our group comes on stage and goes through a "pose down." This is about 1 minute of free posing in which we show our best poses. For example, the guy next to me did a rear double biceps pose, but I had a better back so I match his pose to show that mine is better and I deserve more points. When he does a pose that is better than mine, I would try and counter with a different pose to take the attention off is strong poses, it's gamesmanship.
*After all was said and done, I was runner-up to Kenny with a 2nd place. Congrats to him and everyone in our division.
*After party with some of my entourage: David, Ashley, Katey, and my good friend, Christine. Duing my freestyle you can hear Christine yell, "Feeeerociiiouuuss!!" lol
*We took my trophy to dinner so people would know why is was spray tanned so dark. We ate this desert called "drunken doughnuts" which was life changing. lol
I want to end with saying that I am incredibly thankful to those who have supported me. This was one of the greatest adventures of challenge and self discovery I have been through. I am so thankful for those generous people who supported me. I understand that during parts of acheiving this dream the balance of give and take was in my favor. So many people went above and beyond to give me the necessary support to succeed.
I am forever indebted to my supporters who cut me so much slack and allowed me to be a "taker" for a period of time so that I coud acheive my dream. I know that I must now pay that back and help restore the balance by helping others achieve their dream. It is only fair that I now must be a "giver" to restore the balance of the universe, I am so appreciative of everyone's help.
The theme song for this adventure is "Written in the Stars" by Tinie Tempah. It is the song edited and freestyled to.
Thank you for reading and sharing, I hope that I am proof that anything is possible.
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