Thanks for posting the contest pics and your honest opinions on this experience.
90% of bodybuilding comes down to training to build mass, diet /cardio to lose body fat and muscle shape.
The final 10%, is 8-9% from posing and dark tan ( "bronzer" ) with only 1-2% about being dry and full.
You now know the mass and diet takes several weeks to really change and is pretty tedious and basic.
Muscle shape is mostly genetic and everyone practices posing and uses similar tanning bronzers.
Most focus on that tiny 1-2% of prep regimes , to be dry and full, because it gives them "magical hope".
The ironic thing is most "peaking regimes " do more harm then good.
This stuff only matters in the biggest shows when it's close . Like Phil Heath vs Kai Green in 2011or 12? ).
Rich Gaspari looked drier and harder and still got blown away against Lee Haney's vastly superior physique.
Obviously the proven anabolic drugs and HGH can help anyone look bigger and harder.
But those drugs still need several weeks of use combined with hard training and diet to maximize results.
But, the top pros use the same stuff, so , in the end , it's back to God given talent.
For 99% of us who compete, it's all comes down to what YOU get out of competing.
For me, I loved the whole experience of competing on stage and the back stage pumping.
I could have lived without that weak, fatigued feeling and the dry, caked on pro tan.
Take some time to reflect and please post some of your feelings about YOUR contest experience.
Congratulations BHanks , today you've become a real competitive bodybuilding. Welcome to the club!
