Hey all,

Ive seen some amazing transformations and Ive also seen some links with others in contest condition. I thought Id throw my pics out there. The first one in the series is me prior to weigth training...circa summer 1999...121lbs. So although I didnt have to battle being overweight I had to battle being underweight...Im not complaining as I think I had it a little easier...because eating is more fun than not. I have a pic of every year from then on...to the last one which is after prejudging at the Mr. Cincinnati this past April..where I won my class in the open. Just thought Id share I hope the link works...http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/bc/theosnacksus.

Hi Jason - You look good in the Mr. Cincinnati pics. I did not see any other albums under your link. What weight class did you win - Lt's? If so you probably added over 25 lbs of LBM in 4 years which is an outstanding accomplishment especailly if you did it as a natural. Keep up the good work!

VA MadDog

Thanks...actually I was at the top of the bantams...I want to move up but the lean tissue gain is a slow process while trying to stay respectably lean. I am a natural competitor. So the album did not have my pics from 1999...there should be like 5 pics altogether (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 and competition. Let me know,

JT--

Okay I checked and the folder with my before and after comparison pics was marked private. There should be two folders now...the one with before and after is in "My Photos"...there are also pics in there from my first show where I severly overdieted and lost my legs (2002.spring)..but you live and learn and that was not repeated second time around with help from Beverly.

JT--

That is awesome, thanks for sharing! I cannot wait for 9 months to pass (Mr. Georgia 2004, that is the competition I am after!)

Great progress JT! I think that your two 2002 Fall pics are the best in that folder. You really look hard and full in those two. When were they taken - before or after your BW win?

You must have a real small waist when you diet down because you look very proportionate even though as a BW I'm guessing that you are not very tall. What field of Law are you interested in?

VA MadDog

Thanks VA and Jeremy.

Its interesting you think the Fall2000 pics are the best. In those pics I am 150 at 9% by a 9 site test. I was much fuller and eating a decently high carb diet. The scary thing is those are my progress pics before I began to diet for the pics that show me in the 2002spring...where I overdieted etc for my first show.

You're not the first person to tell me that I looked better then, and that I would have been better off not dieting down for that first show or maybe just cutting back a bit. Anyways...I overdieted and came it very skinny. Learned some valuable lessons about my body.

My waist is very small...when I get ready for a show I think its like 25" or 26" and Im a 43" lat spread..I have extremely small joints. I am actually 5'6" which is a little tall for bantams...but Im able to carry a little more mass due to this very small joint structure. Of course my goal is to one day compete at 154 and eventually 165 ish. But, that will take some time which i luckily have as Im 25.

As for the law...Im most wanting to go into corporate...but I also dont want to waist away at the big skyscraper law firms. So Im seriously considering going JAG Navy or Air Force. Wont waist away there...and they arent too overworked etc. A lot of other benefits as well. Not sure though...what the year will bring.

JT--

You def looked heavier/thicker and I would have guessed 6-7% BF not 9. I don't really trust BF measurements but would rather go by eye. What general training and diet plan were you following that got you up to 150 and kept you fairly lean?

JAG for any of the services is good duty and normally makes you very marketable after your obligation is up. There is not a lot of money in Criminal (prosecution) Law compared to corporate but there are a lot of non-monetary rewards. Senior Asst DA's ect can still break 100k/yr and you do not have any overhead to cover/contribute towards. Might not be a 40 hr week, but 50-60 is normal. You will have lots of time to figure out what appeals to you.

VA MadDog

VA--

Well now Im actually at 9% and 161, so I think I look alot better than in those photos. I going to start a lean gain diet with more carbs and shoot for 170 at 10% by December. But, back then I was eating mostly what I wanted...but followed the six meals a day plan. I was eating sandwiches at lunch with just a lot of meat..a lot of peanut butter...mass maker...and a huge cheat meal once a weekend etc. My protein was lower then, so was cals, with carbs making up probably about 60% of my diet. Even at 9% I was only carrying 13lbs of fat so a loss of 4lbs and I would have been competitive on stage.

You sound like you know something about legal careers. Are you in the service, have friends, were in the service etc? Profile says technology. Anyways...if i go Air Force my goal will be to work into government contracts which will make me very marketable with firms and companies like Lockheed, GE, Boeing, etc and that is also over 100K jobs. Time will tell...

JT-

VA--

Well now Im actually at 9% and 161, so I think I look alot better than in those photos. I going to start a lean gain diet with more carbs and shoot for 170 at 10% by December. But, back then I was eating mostly what I wanted...but followed the six meals a day plan. I was eating sandwiches at lunch with just a lot of meat..a lot of peanut butter...mass maker...and a huge cheat meal once a weekend etc. My protein was lower then, so was cals, with

I went through Navy and Army ROTC and served as a Commissioned Officer for 10 years, mostly Guard and Reserve time. I was an MP and AG Officer so I worked with the JAG guys frequently. My brother is a State Prosecutor and in a previous career I worked extensively with local, state and Federal Prosecutors.

You must have a very fast metabolism and a remarkable ability to add LBM while staying lean. I can stay lean but adding LBM is an uphill battle, although I think that I finally (after 20 years of lifing and some competing) have figured out what works for me. Who says that you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

VA MadDog

Man that sure was a good picture of you and Kevin backstage at the Battle. I hope you thanked that photographer, I've never seen such a good picture

Yes...he was a remarkably good photographer...even though he kept checking out the girls who were getting their pic taken nearby rather than concentrating on the task at hand. just kidding...I should see ya this weekend at the Caffey carnival...i need to contact kevin soon.

JT--

Actually VA, after the show in 2002, which was a disappointment, I was told to get bigger. So I ate everything and anything, but kept my protein high. The most i got up to was about 181 (very bloated and not in the morning), but was at least 13% bodyfat probably more. But, I was big and thought for sure Id be a lightweight next time out. Anyways as the show approached I cleaned up a bit and fell to 172 at 13% (tells you how much water i was holding). From there I had 10 weeks to get ready as i procrastinated on what i was doing. To make a long story short i had to diet my *** off to the condition you see in the last picture.

But, I think that bulking phase made it easier for me to surpass my previous best 9% weight while on the rebound from the show and stay lean. But, after that experience of always being bloated, etc and the amount of cardio to get ready...I am sold on staying below 10% year round as I used to do. I think the bulk phase did add new muscle that came back after the contest without the fat. So I dont know if I add that easily or if its that Ive been cycling my gaining and leaning out phases for two years consecutively now...and I think that really adds to new muscle as it shocks the body. Even if I werent competing Id do something similar as summer approached. Anyways..nice chatting with ya.

JT--

I agree with you that staying below 10% BF year round makes getting ready for a contest much less of a strain. I started my pre-contest diet this year 9 weeks out and was probably around 7-8 %BF, so I could go nice and slow, not dropping total KCals down too fast and avoiding cardio. In fact this is the first time that I have not done any cardio during the pre-contest phase. I'm certain that for me, no cardio has saved LBM, and I'm leaner now than other times when I did cardio. But this strategy won't work if you let your weight and BF get too high in the off season.

I also agree that the body seems poised to gain LBM without BF if you boost good calories and kick in an intense training program right after you have completed your contest phase. As we discussed above - one key factor that I'm still playing with is how to balance training days with non-training days - getting in the intensity that you need but allowing the CNS to recover in between training days. That is going to be my next experiment. Later.

VA MadDog

Keep us posted as with my schedule and work I may be right behind ya on that. Ive talked extensively with Fitdoc on this and it may be time to try it. Im leary though as I dont want to get fat.

One last thing in another post you said you had some pics...can we see a link or the pics. Thx,

Jason

JT - My pics are on another board, but you'll have to register in order to see them, plus wade your way through all the other stuff on the board. I plan to take new two week out pics today. Is the photo posting site you used a free site? - I have never tried to post anything there. Or give me your email and I can send you some jpegs.

VA MadDog

Whose that guy w/ you in that picture from the 2003 battle of champions? lol, he looks awesome. haha.
-Kevin
Burger's Bodybuilding World

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/chezburger10

[This message was edited by Admin on Wed September 03 2003 at 05:40 AM.]

Thats some chump I ran in to backstage that I wanted to pose next to in order to make myself look better. Just kidding man...that was the most fun Ive had at a show...we should do it again...come on man...2003 Northern KY. I know I know.

Jason--