What A Difference a Year Makes

Exactly ONE year to the day almost.

OPA Provincials 2010 compared to OPA Provincials 2011.

Perhaps at first glance, one would not see a big difference. But look longer, harder... there is.

Allowing my body a full year to:

- rest & recover
- get back into powerlifting which resulted in new PR's in all the 3 main lifts
- play around with some different types of training such as my phase of a return to the odd lifts of the early days of Physical Culture and the Iron Game
- get sick with a rare bacterial infection (cat scratch fever) which resulted in NO training for many weeks
- just have FUN with no competition date on the calendar, numbers to shoot for or protocols to follow

resulted in a significantly improved package on stage.

I also took the time to review my strengths and weaknesses in all areas of the sport and reflect on feedback from others.

This lead to:

- modifications in posing & stage presence
- time well spent with new specialists such as Kinesiologist Adam Lloyd of Human Dynamix
- a return to my favorite and most gifted suit designer, Lisa of SXEFX, who knew just what would look best on my body

Plus, some of the KEYS to bodybuilding, as the root words point to - BODY and BUILDING

Weight-in Weight:

2010 weigh in: 124.5 lbs
2011 weigh in: 131.8 lbs

Almost all my tape measures were up (except waist and hip were about the same) by a quarter to a full inch. Body fat was virtually the same which you can see by pictures. The actual % does not matter much on stage - it's what you look like but with a 11 point skinfold using the BioSignature method and Harpenden calipers, I came out at 44 mm sum of skinfolds with my highest reading being my quad and hamstring (such a girl!).

That's a GAIN of about 7 quality pounds of physique in 1 year. You can see that the gains came (and needed to!) mostly my lower body - quad sweep, adductors, calves, hams and also clear improvements in pecs and forearms. The overall quality of physique and muscle density is evident. Simply stated, I got bigger all over and improved the symmetry of my lower body.

For this I must thank Carter Schoeffer of Body Transformation - truly an architect as his title eludes to: Chief Body Transformation Architect, Body Transformation Inc.

Having seen the evidence of the benefits of taking a full year off to work, rest and play - I will be doing the same. I am going to table CBBF Nationals for next year and if I am still game for it, you will hopefully see the evidence of my growth on stage at that time.

KAIZEN! Cheers to continued growth.

A special thanks to Scott Walker (Sun to Earth Photography) which is not only a very important part of my growth and my journey, but who does such a great job of capturing it.