The clock keeps ticking. The pics in the link were taken today (inside because of rain) which is 33 days out from the show. I'm getting irritated that I have yet to figure out my camera settings to get good clarity on the pics, but I'll keep trying. I appologize for not figuring this out yet. Having little base tan also does not help - no time for that yet. Lighting issues make such a huge difference in photos.

In person I can tell that more detail and vascularity is coming in. I am pleased that my legs are getting more detail, in fact they are better now than they were on contest day last year so that is a mini-success already.

With 4 weeks to go I'm optimistic that I remain on track and that I can improve upon my overall level of conditioning from last year. I have made some minor adjustments to my diet and supplement plan this week trying to get leaner while holding on to LBM - that fine line we all walk. Strength has remained good in workouts but I can tell that my energy reserve is dropping. Still no cardio and no plan to add it yet.(Sorry ladies)

The mind games have kicked in now - I'm fighting the concern over daily weight drops, small, but drops none-the-less. I know that from here on out it is not weight that matters, it is appearance but it still always weighs on my mind (like the pun? ) I know better than to worry about weight but this still bothers me every year - ugh.

I got a boost last Friday when a power lifter from my gym guessed my weight at 20+ lbs more than I weighed that day - so I better sign him up to be a judge real quick -

I have three days of travel and meetings both this week and next so it will be a real challenge to stay on my diet plan and schedule. The hotel I'm booked at in downtown D.C. (not my selection) does not have microwaves in the room so I went out and bought a $10 hot plate at Wally World yesterday and will be taking my frying pan along so that I can make my yummy 7 egg white, one yoke and one can of tuna breakfast delight in the morning and heat up my lean beef burger at night. They don't know it but the mini-bar is going to get unloaded fast so that my food will fit in! (Unloaded now... not consumed!) My wife thinks that the hotel hot plate investigators are going to bust me - I'm not too worried about that I figure that they are all out looking for terrorists anyway.

So let me have it if you think that I'm off course - not looking for niceties, just honest feedback. Thanks!

Link to pics:

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mdm24551/album?.dir=/2480&.src=ph

Shoot you think that's bad the last two years i have went to Buffalo and Mass for INBF shows and I bring my own microwave($40) at Best Buy and my own Foreman Grill to heat up my steak the day of the shows!!! I keep the microwave in its own box and just throw it on the cart with all of the other stuff i bring to my room and as for the foreman Grill i throw it in a bookbag like the kids use for school!!! I am sure when we travel people look at us like freaks when we bring all the stuff to our rooms!!
Just one thing about your rear lat pose, it looks like you are retracting just a hair instead of really pulling out your shoulder blades and still remember to keep the chest up high as you pull out!!! Another way that made my lats come out was instead of hooking the thumbs around your waist, push your fists into your side around the same area you were before without holding on with your thumbs!!! Give it a try and see if that helps!!!
Craig

You are right Craig - I can do a better job with that pose, ran out of time today to redo it.

great back mad dog!!!! lookin'goo d!!!

Hi John - Not sure what you mean by transverse but the intercostals have really started to come in this past week so that will help the Frnt dbl bi and ab shots a lot.

My plan is to take my time with the next set of update photos at three weeks out and to get someone to help me take them so that I can better focus on hitting each pose correctly instead of messing around with the tri-pod and timer. For the last several weeks my focus has been on diet and improving conditioning but I recognize that I have to start thinking more about posing pretty soon now. Your feedback will be appreciated.