From Figure Dream to Dream Figure: Day 32

A lot has happened on my rollercoaster 7 week bodybuilding expedition since my last post! I am now 32 days in and am pleased to say that despite a massive wobble last weekend, where the idea of standing on a stage holding poses that are not nearly as easy as they look virtually paralysed me with fear, I am now positively looking forward to my first contest in 2 weeks time! My tan is booked, music chosen, and I'm pleased that my clean and jerk and snatch have continued to improve, which is more than can be said for my ability to walk in very high heels (compulsory for the figure class I'm doing, but not that complimentary to my still slightly sticky ankle)..

I'm amazed how much I've enjoyed the discipline of dieting and training, even though my calorie intake has dropped significantly in the last couple of weeks in order to be ready for the comp. Although 7 weeks seems like a long time, I've realised why people generally prep for a lot longer - getting lean is one thing, but getting ripped is quite another, and I am having to diet aggressively to see distinct changes in my physique as the big day approaches. Having always considered myself reasonably muscular, I have also found myself looking in the mirror and thinking I look a bit weedy; a not all together disatisfactory feeling, although the point of the competition is, of course, to have muscle!!

Posing wise, as previously mentioned, I had a complete and utter meltdown. I may be a leo, but I am definitely not a natural strutter or poser, and one particular pose, the lat spread, seems to elude me almost completely. I always thought I had relatively good scapular control, but apparently not... Indeed, late last night was the first time I momentarily managed to spread my lats, by which time I had exhausted deltoids, nail marks and bruising to my obliques (self inflicted in an attempt to contort myself into position) and an aching back. My heavy lifting sessions are WAY easier than this... Bruce Lee obviously found it a bit more natural than I... :)



And so there are now just over 2 weeks to go until my comp and I am excited to see what I'll look like at the end of my 7 week preparation stint. There is still a hell of a lot of practice to be done both on my walk, poses and routine to music (the last time I did a routine to music was in the school house gym competition, where, if I recall correctly, my piece de resistance was a succession of backward walkovers... I don't think I'll be attempting that again this time around...).

This weekend I am heading up to St Albans to watch my first bodybuilding show and hopefully pick up some tips for performing well on stage, as well as sorting out my bikinis! And that is where I will leave this post, the terrifying thought of standing on stage in a micro bikini, with everyone watching... the things I put myself through.... :)

Char