Getting ready for my first contest

[j_neatherlin]

I start dieting for my first contest here in a couple of weeks, so I am starting to gather pre-contest type information...in other words I'll probably have a lot of questions in the coming weeks.

First question:
Where are some places to get posing trunks? I know about JagWare and Andreas Cahling. Anywhere else? Also, what cuts do you all prefer?

[@lphamale]

good luck, eat one last greasy burger realllllly slow

[sweetbecky]

Hey Good luck! I'll keep an eye on this thread.. will you be posting progression pics? How many weeks out are you?

[j_neatherlin]

i don't know if I will post progress pics. i've thought about it. it depends b/c i'm too lazy to do that, but if my training partner wants to take them, then I will LOL.

Stacey and I will both start 12 weeks out on Jan 17.

[compete]

Try Musclemag stores. They have them cheap there.

[ShaneG85]

what show are you guys doing?

Shane

[j_neatherlin]

NPC Mid Illinois

[j_neatherlin]

Okay so I started dieting today. I haven't really really started dieting, b/c I lost my Nutrition Almanac and I need to go and pick up a new one, but I cut back on calories and started cardio. I took measurements and pictures this weekend, but I don't have the measurements on hand (they are at my training partner's house and she has yet to e-mail them to me).

My precontest diet will probably be 2500 calories @ 33/33/33 PCF.

I weighed in today at 188. A few of the measurements that I remember are:
Arms: 17"
Chest: 45"
Abdomen: 33"
Thighs: 24"
Calves 17.25"

Here are some pics of me @ 13 weeks out. Show is on April 10.

[j_neatherlin]

side chest.

btw - my training partner also hasn't sent my back double bicep shot, which IMO is my best pose.

I would like step onstage at 175.

[j_neatherlin]

side tricep

[j_neatherlin]

.

[j_neatherlin]

front lat

[j_neatherlin]

rear lat

[j_neatherlin]

most muscular

[sweetbecky]

WOW! I've never seen you bulked up before. Your lats are amazing. Great overall leg development, too.

Is Stacy competing in figure or fitness?

[j_neatherlin]

Thank you.

Stacey is competing in Figure. She wants to do Fitness, but can't tumble (yet).

[KarateChris]

Jesus man, you're a monster! I've never seen pics of you bulked up either. It's crazy. Great job. Later.

[j_neatherlin]

thanks bro!

the cutting is going well over here. how about you?

[KarateChris]

Hehe funny you should mention that... I don't know if it was from the creatine or my diet, but on my second week of cutting I actually GAINED a pound lol. I'm going to see on Saturday when I weigh in again. I took out the bowl of toasted wheat before my workout (I could barely stuff that in my mouth anyway). But so far so good. Last week I weighed in at 184.1, and hopefully I've lost about a pound. Can't wait to put up some pics of my progress (whenever I can figure out what's wrong with my digital camera). Keep up the great work man. You'll knock them dead at your competition. Just curious, how tall are you? Later.

[j_neatherlin]

Well, ya never know what is going to happen when you start cutting. Esp with the amount of calories that you're taking in and that you're taking your cutting so slowly (which is a great idea). I don't really weigh myself very often...I wont weigh in again for another week or so, so I don't get caught up too much in how much I weigh.

And I'm 5'5

BTW- do you train at Southdown's or Spectrum or LSU or ??

[KarateChris]

For my first year at LSU, I trained at Southdown's because when I first moved to baton rouge, the rec center's weight room SUCKED. But like a month after I signed a 1 year contract with Southdown's, they renovated the Rec and now it's unbelievable. I didn't really like Southdown's too much because I didn't really know anyone there, and everyone there was like out of college and friggin huge. But now I workout at the Rec center, and I really enjoy it.

YOU'RE 5'5?? Jesus lol I'm 5'7". If you compete at 175 at 5'5", that would say A LOT. Stan Mcquay, who's been sort of an inspiration to me since he was in martial arts and he's my height and is successful on the national level, only weighs in at 176 or so and he's pretty damn big. You could definitely make it to nationals if you have that much mass after you cut down (I do remember seeing your pics when you were lean and you were massive). Good luck to you. Hopefully I'll be there one day too. I'll probably end up competing at about 160 or so (hopefully), but I'm not going to set myself into a certain weight.. Just going to get as lean and dry as possible. Later.

[j_neatherlin]

Originally posted by KarateChris
For my first year at LSU, I trained at Southdown's because when I first moved to baton rouge, the rec center's weight room SUCKED. But like a month after I signed a 1 year contract with Southdown's, they renovated the Rec and now it's unbelievable. I didn't really like Southdown's too much because I didn't really know anyone there, and everyone there was like out of college and friggin huge. But now I workout at the Rec center, and I really enjoy it.

YOU'RE 5'5?? Jesus lol I'm 5'7". If you compete at 175 at 5'5", that would say A LOT. Stan Mcquay, who's been sort of an inspiration to me since he was in martial arts and he's my height and is successful on the national level, only weighs in at 176 or so and he's pretty damn big. You could definitely make it to nationals if you have that much mass after you cut down (I do remember seeing your pics when you were lean and you were massive). Good luck to you. Hopefully I'll be there one day too. I'll probably end up competing at about 160 or so (hopefully), but I'm not going to set myself into a certain weight.. Just going to get as lean and dry as possible. Later.

Cool...I trained at Southdowns for a while, but I prefer just to go to the LSU Rec (even though back when I went to LSU is probably sucked way worse than you've ever seen it). I knew a lot of people there and it was just convenient. Plus, I never knew anyone at Southdowns and I was always intimidated going there.

Well, I'd like to compete at 175, but I don't know if I'll make it. I was about 166 in those older pics and I would like to come in 1 or 2% harder than I was in those...so I am not sure if I'll come in as heavy as I want. I don't think I will make it to nationals either way, though. The show I'm doing isn't a national qualifier and to be honest, I'm not really interested in trying to make it to nationals. I like bodybuilding for myself...not necessarily b/c I want to compete. I'm just doing this show b/c I've never done one before.

And yeah, Stan McQuay looks awesome. He's definitely inspirational to me as well. He's a much higher quality 176 than I could hope to be, though LOL!

Anyway bro...I'm off take care.

[gamemaximus]

Hey man, are your legs genetics or did you built them that huge?

[j_neatherlin]

Originally posted by gamemaximus
Hey man, are your legs genetics or did you built them that huge?

I don't really know. I've always squatted and trained my legs hard, so I can't say that I didn't build them like that...but in general I have good genetics. My calves are mostly genetic, though.

[gamemaximus]

Yeah man most people that have eithe Polynesian or Filipino background have thick calves

[j_neatherlin]

Originally posted by gamemaximus
Yeah man most people that have eithe Polynesian or Filipino background have thick calves

cool.

i'm neither

[gamemaximus]

My bad.. hope I didnt offend you.

[j_neatherlin]

Originally posted by gamemaximus
My bad.. hope I didnt offend you.

not at all

[j_neatherlin]

I just got a new digital camera yesterday and so I don't know how to work it very well...these pictures were wayyy too dark so I had to tweak them a bit...but I'm still not very happy w/ how dark they are. anyway, this is after 3 weeks of dieting and weighing about 182. I'm just going to post a few...not all of them. I'll take measurements later.

[j_neatherlin]

rear lat