My Next Competition - 30th Annual NPC Southern Classic

My next competition will be the 30th Annual NPC Southern Classic Bodybuilding, Figure, Physique and Bikini Championship in Jackson, Mississippi on June 1, 2013. Click on the link to check it out, get an entry form, make hotel reservations and purchase tickets.

This show is a favorite of mine. Don and Betty Hollis do a fantastic job planning, promoting and running the show. There is a great competitor turn out and the entire thing from weigh-in/check-in to the final trophies and celebration always runs smoothly. This means a lot if you've ever competed - by the end of peak week you're doing good just to pack, get tanned and carry your cooler around. Shout out also to the Drury Inn as they are used to us all showing up and they welcome us every year! They always have experienced people backstage to help out. The meetings go well, the prejudging and shows start on time. Just a great experience overall! 

If you are thinking of competing, you definitely should check it out. It's a National Qualifier and it would be a very good experience whether you're a newbie or a seasoned competitor. They also have a Facebook event for this year. 

Here are some links to my results in previous years at this event. Also, you can check out our j&k FITNESS Facebook page for more pics. 

2011 NPC Southern Classic 1st Place Men Over 60

2010 NPC Southern Classic 1st Place Men Over 60

Let me know if you are going, I'd like to meet you!

NPC Battle on the Bluff 2013

The date is set and this is an event you won't want to miss. The NPC Battle on the Bluff will be at Goldstrike Casino Resort in Tunica, MS on Saturday June 29, 2013. This competition includes bodybuilding, figure, bikini and physique. The guest poser this year will be Dallas McCarver, the youngest IFBB Pro Bodybuilder in the world. Mark your calendars! If you're a competitor, you are officially 14 weeks out from peak week as of today. You can go to Battle on the Bluff to get your entry form and find out more information. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster if you're supporting a competitor or just want to go see what it is all about. Check it out. It's always a fun event, you can cheer for your favorite competitors, and I'm pretty sure you'll leave there motivated to step it up with your own level of fitness.

When I got really serious with my training in 2008, I was 10 weeks out from Battle on the Bluff, and I decided to do it. Chris Caudy helped me get ready for that competition, and I actually did the NPC Southern Classic in Jackson, MS before Battle. I've learned a lot since that period of time. Competing is not for everyone, but I have found it to be a helpful goal that keeps me focused with my training and eating. When you know you're going to get up on stage in a tiny suit in front of family and friends, it's a little easier to pass up on dessert. I'm in this to stay in shape for my health, so eating well and training smart year round, in anticipation of competition season, is a good way for me to do that.

How I Got Started in Bodybuilding

"You should get your body fat measured." 
I'd been exercising for a few years and feeling stronger and more fit, but I really wanted to see a trainer again. It was time to evaluate my progress. At that time I tended to gravitate toward my favorite exercises when left to my own devices. My wife Kelley suggested I get my body fat measured.

I found out my body fat was 10.4%. 
I didn't have a good concept of body fat at the time, and this really helped me understand that my percentage was really good. I was having fun working out and it didn't seem like work. I've always had a dominantly muscular physique, but that was the beginning of my understanding of just how my body was responding to consistent exercise and clean eating. The trainer I saw to get my body fat measured was Chris Caudy. He told me he could have me ready for a bodybuilding competition coming up in 10 weeks. I'd never even been to one, much less thought about competing.

Why not? I decided I'd do it.
On Mondays and Wednesdays I trained for 30 minutes at a time with Chris, and he literally kicked my tail. I lifted weights, performed bodyweight exercises I'd never even considered, and ran sprints. Sometimes I got in my truck and barely had enough energy to push the gas and brake pedals. Shocking my body like that caused more fat to drop off. On Fridays I worked out on my own. There is a lot more detail to share, which I will do throughout this blog, but I competed 10 weeks later around 8.4% body fat, and did pretty well!

The best part is that I was 58 years old and feeling great. It is NEVER too late to get started. No matter what your current condition is, there is always something you can do to improve through balanced nutrition and exercise, whether you decide to step on the stage at a bodybuilding competition or not!

How did you get started? Leave me a comment. Are you trying to figure out where to start? Contact me. I'll help in any way I can.