You're Ready Now

Well, we are almost ready now!  The new gym is all but complete and a few hours work tomorrow will  make sure that we will open as planned on Thursday January 2nd. www.peakfitnessgym.co.uk  We have already had a lot of interest and have started signing up new members.  Everyone that looks at the place is very impressed and that gives me a very rewarding feeling.  It's cost a lot of money and has been a great deal of work but the final result has made it all worthwhile.  I have to say an enormous thank you to everyone that has made it happen, the hard work is hugely appreciated and we are all looking forward to being open for business.  Finally, we are very proud to announce our first star guest, IFBB Pro Rene Campbell, who will be at the gym this coming Saturday, January 4th.

You Decide

The LA Muscle Norateen II TV advert that I did is now being shown regularly on The Active Channel, day & night, and can also be viewed on their website  http://www.theactivechannel.com/player/YouDecide_NorateenHeavyweight_Ad 

At the time of writing this blog the website views alone are already approaching 25,000, I am both flattered and amazed.  Thanks if you are one of the 25,000  and thanks if you have purchased the DVD as a Christmas present for anyone, I am continually receiving nice feedback about the movie, again it's very flattering.  Anyway, tomorrow is Christmas so enjoy the holidays unless, like me, you will be working.  The gym is now functional and by January 2nd it will be ready for business, I've even foregone the holiday that I usually have at this time of year to ensure that it happens!

High Hopes

There are pros and cons of going back to work and opening a gym. The main con is obvious, going back to work (!) but the pros more than make up for it. For example, working again has sent my metabolism through the roof and I am staying lean at 18 stone despite being on THREE cheat meals a week. My favourite cheat meal places are American diners like Ed's and Coast to Coast, the picture is of last nights cheat meal at C2C.  People seem to enjoy talking to bodybuilders and whilst there I ended up talking to most of the staff and signing a few up for memberships at the new gym.  That is the main pro, the amount of people that are interested in getting into shape and are willing to trust me to get them there, I'm really looking forward to 2014!

All Together Now

I'm very happy to say that it looks like we will definitely be up and running at the new gym by January 2nd as planned.  The builders are working flat out as am I and the construction work and decoration are almost there.  The website is also still under construction but will soon be complete www.peakfitnessgym.co.uk  I'm very happy to be able to at last reveal the BNBF champion that will be working as a full time PT at the gym, it's none other than "Grenade" sponsored athlete Shane Raymond.  Shane and I have been friends for a while and I've always been impressed with him as a natural bodybuilder and as a genuinely nice guy so when he said he wanted to start working as a full time PT in a gym specifically designed by experts it was music to my ears!  Shane will also carry on competing and this year I will help him with his show prep. He is so good at what he does that he doesn't need a full time coach but having spent some time with BNBF Pro Mark Claxton a few weeks ago during which we discussed Shane's physique I believe that with just a little bit of help he can this year win his first elusive BNBF British title.

On Days Like These

The DVD has so far been very well received and there is a very nice comment from someone in Canada on the YouTube trailer http://youtu.be/byAjQwma6ao I never expected the sales to go worldwide I must admit.  I've also just started helping someone in Russia, which is a new country for me to hear from.  I've just done an in depth interview for a university magazine which will be published in January, if they do an online version I will post a link when it's published.  Life is very busy these days what with settling into my new home and working on getting the new gym open but I will always find time for the most important thing in my life, my gorgeous Granddaughter Lilybelle, who has her first riding lesson this coming Sunday 

Nelson Mandela

Being a fan of both democracy and rugby  this is my favourite picture of Nelson Mandela, and being someone that teaches positivity this is my favourite quote of his. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God; your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone, and as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others"

Just Another Day

Works at the new gym are progressing well, I'm enjoying getting the place sorted out and I'm confident that we'll be open and ready for business, fully equipped, by January 2nd 2014.  I'm pleased to say that my friend Alex McKenna, editor of "The Beef", has kindly agreed to supply the gym with some posters and back issues of his magazine for the cafe area, I am very grateful for this, thanks Alex.  The picture is a page from the last edition of the mag which, as a gym owner, I found very interesting.  Feedback from the sales of my DVD "Getting Ready" has all been very complimentary and everyone has said that it's a real eye opener as they didn't realise just how much work goes into getting into shape for competition.  I am not taking a single penny from any sales because the company that made it are hoping to sell enough to be able to fund a TV series that they have been asked to make next year.  This will feature me & my team taking normal people who desperately want to get into shape both physically and mentally and making that happen for them.  It's an ambitious project but one that could change people's lives immeasurably

This Is Tomorrow

Works at the new gym are progressing well, I'm spending as much time there as I can whilst fitting it in with the media work that I'm doing. The show prep DVD is now on sale from www.kevanwilson.com and I will be promoting it at a supplements shop soon, details to follow in due course. Also, here's an interview with Dr. Susan Aldridge that I did recently for one of my sponsors http://www.allergycosmos.co.uk/blog/the-role-of-air-purification-in-bodybuilding-an-interview-with-kevan-wilson/ The most fun that I've had lately was on Sunday when I filmed my first advert for LA Muscle which will be on TV before Christmas.  We filmed at Eddie Abbew's gym in Hemel Hempstead and it was great to have some quality time with my old friend in between takes.  We both laughed at the guidance note at the end of my script that read "most important is his physique, he must be big, muscular and ripped enough to be credible yet old enough to be convincing that he has been worn by life"  That will be why they asked me to do the job then!

Don't Stop Me Now

Who knew that trying to get a new gym open would be such hard work?  What with the gym and the media work I've gone back to working full time - and I'm loving it! Ok here's some important stuff. Firstly, with the holidays coming up this excellent piece from my friends at Supplement Centre might be very handy come the New Year http://blog.supplementcentre.com/fat-loss-guide/  And talking of Christmas, if you want to buy someone a great present for less than a tenner, have a look at this http://youtu.be/byAjQwma6ao.  This weekend I am making my first TV ad for LA Muscle, it will be shown on The Active Channel first and as soon as I have dates I will of course post them, there will be more TV related news to follow in the New Year.  Finally, England's cricketers have learned, as I did a long time ago, that when confidence turns into arrogance things tend to turn around and bite you, I wonder if the same thing will happen to George Groves when he fights Carl Froch tomorrow?

The Weight

People often ask me how much weight to put on for off season training. Everyone is different of course but I like to take about 4 weeks after my last show to add 10 kilos to my show weight for off season training and then keep that weight steady. It's nice to be eating well again, I've almost put on the 10 kilos already, and its nice to have some energy for all of the media work that I am currently doing. This started on Saturday when I did a photoshoot for my clothing sponsors www.repraw.com along with a few other guys including Drug Free pro Mark Claxton and up and coming bodybuilder Ollie Matthews (pictured).  Ollies website http://norwichpersonaltrainer.co.uk/ is worth a look too. I have more stuff going on this weekend, as well as getting the new gym ready and also promoting the show prep DVD which is released on November 25th and is now available for pre order.  It makes a great Christmas present, please see the order form on the front page of www.kevanwilson.com

Diamonds And Rust

The video from my last show is now on YouTube it's history now & I'm saying nothing more about it but here's the link http://youtu.be/nBveOqkwLsY The pictures will be in the gallery by the end of this week so that ends that chapter of my life. A new one starts today, I've moved away from the place that I moved to 5 years ago and I have a whole new life already happening. I moved back to England from Spain in 2009 but I see now that was a mistake, or as I prefer to think of it, a lesson learned, because I have not enjoyed living where I have since I came back.  However, during those years my competitive bodybuilding career has been a fantastic ride and I'm now friends with so many amazing people from that world.  So for me at least, it's true what the song says, memories bring diamonds and rust.  So it's on to better things now, updates coming very soon!

Move On Up

My entire house is now all packed up in boxes and the removals men will be here soon.  I'm looking forward to moving into my new house which will be a major upgrade from where I currently live and I'm looking forward even more to getting my new gym open.  It's in Hitchin, which is only about 10 minutes from my new house, which means that I won't have far to go for work every day.  Whilst retiring from work at the age of 50 in 2009 had its benefits, I do actually miss doing a bit of work, so as well as being joint owner and training regularly at the new gym I will be head of coaching too, although I'm very happy to say that the majority of the coaching will be done by one the country's top drug free bodybuilders who we agreed full time terms with last week.  I told Lilybelle that I was only taking the very important stuff to my new house and that she was the most important thing of all.  Although I'm sure that she believed me she insisted on making sure as you can see! 

New Moon On Monday

Ok lets just have a tidy up.  Firstly, the video from the very close British Finals is now on YouTube.  Having watched it a few times I think that, as the judges said, the top 6 really could have gone in any order, so there are no complaints from me about that result, here's the link, please see what you think http://youtu.be/8T23PH5SPvI Secondly, I have just received the official photos from the "Stars" last Sunday, they will be in the gallery one day next week but here's a sneak preview of the top 3, yes, I know right?  As these blogs are shared via Google+ you can comment on them and also send me messages, I would be very happy to hear from anyone that can tell me why I didn't win my last show although I have to say that I'm completely over it and very much looking forward to my new life which starts immediately!

You Wear It Well

It's proof of the quality of my friends and body-building "family" that I've actually received more nice messages since Sundays debacle than I do when I win a show! Thank you all very much, it is greatly appreciated. There are a few theories as to why the judges wouldn't let me finish my career with a win but I'm not going to waste time listing or explaining them, instead I have found a positive. Sunday's show & result will of course be featured in the DVD that is in production. The purpose of the movie is to be educational, well this will be a lesson that shows that no matter how well you prepare and even if you clearly look the best one on stage, nothing is guaranteed on show day. Everyone has said that I have taken it remarkably well and some have asked how I find it so easy to do that. Well I won't allow any kind of stress into my life for a start but also the first person to cheer me up after the show was my friend Dan Smith.  Dan is a pro bodybuilder with a difference, he is confined to a wheelchair. It put things into perspective for me that someone who will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair was taking time out to make me feel better just because I had suffered a ridiculous result. As Dan said, forget the result, it's onwards and upwards starting right now!

Walk Away

My hopes of ending my career with a win didn't work out as I placed 2nd in a sell out UKBFF Stars of Tomorrow show. This is the only photo that I have at the moment of the winner & me and I will post the show pics as soon as I have them but they will only confirm what you are thinking right now. I've beaten Abbas, the winner, several times, including at the Britain 2 weeks ago where he didn't even place, he's a nice guy and afterwards he came and apologised to me, he said he felt embarrased as I was clearly the winner and he didn't know why they had given it to him. I always take defeat gracefully and I shook his hand and said well done for winning. I've never complained about judging, politics in the sport or conspiracy theories and I won't start now but it does make me wonder. We both got invites to next years British finals, I left mine in a bin at the venue, it's the best way to draw a line, walk away and move on to bigger and better things.

You're The Inspiration

People often ask me what keeps me going, what inspires me.  Well I always say the people that love me and are loved in return, but whilst that will always be true my proteges give me a whole different level of inspiration.  This picture is of Abdou, a drug free junior that I coach in Norway .  He has made tremendous progress with my help even though it has just been via the internet and did well in his very first show despite competing against others who were not drug free.  He sent me a lovely email full of genuine praise and thanks but my favourite part was this bit which I have cut and pasted, these are exactly his words. "I was positive and helped other people around me to achieve their goals too. I ate, trained, rested and abstained from anything that could affect me in a negative way - drugs, fast food, women, facebook etc. and that was the reason I achieved my goal."  I love every word of that, a lesson for us all from a dedicated young man, take a bow sir!

Everything Is Great

Prep for my last ever show, The Stars of Tomorrow this coming Sunday at the Beck Theatre in Hayes, is going very well.  I received a massive boost yesterday from super heavyweight Martin Stevenson who has been helping me with my show prep at Olney Health & Fitness.  Martin is meticulous and after watching my posing practice yesterday he told me that I look the best that he has ever seen me.  That is high praise and it meant a lot to me.  I did a 48 hour replenishment diet straight after the Britain and then went back to my show diet, training and cardio plan, it seems to have worked very well.  Relaxation plays an important part in show prep and the best relaxation for me is the 24 hours a week that I have my Granddaughter Lilybelle all to myself.  Here she is, looking as gorgeous as ever, in her new fleece top from my friends at XXXL clothing.

No Excuses

As usual after a show I have so many people to thank for their lovely messages. The best two were one that said "not bad for someone who's intestines were trying to escape at the time" and another that congratulated me on being the oldest person to bring home a trophy from the finals!  I love the diversity of the compliments and I can never believe just how many people really do care about me.  On that subject the hernia is well under control and not very painful anymore so I will be fine to do the "Stars" but again, thanks for all the concern shown, it means the world to me. Here is a small pic of me and the guys that placed 2nd & 3rd, I'll post the show pics and video as soon as Eric Guy sends them to me but I think that they will reveal that it was my abs that let me down.  While there is an obvious reason for that I would never use it as an excuse and instead I will make sure that they look better for my final show. In the meantime a few more photos can be viewed using this link. http://www.flexonline.co.uk/galleries/gallery/2/186/2013-british-championships-masters-over-50s#

UKBFF British Finals 2013

Yesterday I placed 6th in the UKBFF British Finals and I'm happy with that even though, as usual, many people came up to me after and said that I should have won or placed top 3 at least.  From my perspective I can tell you that backstage the top 6 of us all agreed beforehand that any of us could have won and the judges made a point of telling the crowd that they had great trouble separating the six of us after the posedown. The quality of the top 6 in all the classes at the finals was the best I've ever seen and I'm just proud to have been part of that exclusive club.  Lets be honest, a few people got to the finals winning small regionals just by beating their mate from the local gym but the Britain really does weed those few out.  I went in just under 17 stone and shredded, I'll post pictures as soon as I have them. One quick word about the venue in Harrogate - awesome!  As for me I will now try to end my career with a win when I do my last show, "The Stars Of Tomorrow" in Hayes on November 3rd.

The Things We Do For Love

Whisper it quietly but this hernia thing might not be that serious after all. As recommended by my Doctor, I'm living in a hernia girdle which has pushed the lump back behind the stomach wall, it could be ok now or it could pop back out at sometime in the future but with my history of tummy problems that's something that I'm used to living with.  Needless to say, I'm not thinking any further ahead than this weekend, I've worked harder than ever for this, my last ever British final and that will be reflected in my physique when I get on stage. The pressure of the girdle has caused some internal bleeding in my double laperotomy scar but I have been assured that this is not serious and will cover with the dark spray tan that I am having.  It's been a very tough week, what with sorting this out and carb depletion too but for me and everyone else that is competing it will soon be showtime.  So, I'm ready now; lets do this!

 

Human

So, after getting into the best shape of my life, and with just a few days to go to the British finals I woke up to find this. It's yet another hernia, this time right between the two biggest operation scars on my stomach where the stomach wall is just a mass of scar tissue. My doctor, Imran, is a friend and has been very supportive throughout my career, in return I've helped him with his diet and exercise, yes really, I advise Doctors too! He asked me to stop training and forget about competing and to go into hospital straight away to get it fixed, but he smiled when I told him that pain is just weakness leaving the body and it would take a lot more than a mere hernia to make me stop now. He has recommended a few things which I will do up until show time to reduce the swelling but clearly this will make it very difficult to get a decent result now.  It would be very easy to get despondent or even give up but I won't do either of those things, the sign of a true champion is not how they respond to victory but how they respond to adversity, this setback merely proves that I am human after all, it means nothing more than that.

Seven Days

I'm often asked what the last seven days of a show diet is like and how tough it is. Well right now I am incredibly tired, I look like I've aged about 20 years and tomorrow, to make things worse, carb depletion starts. That means cutting down my daily carbs from 100 grams to 50 grams until Thursday evening when I will start a very light carb load so that I keep the deep cuts that I've worked for but also have some energy for when I get on stage.  I'm down to 17stone 2lb and want to lose 4lbs in 4 days just by carb depletion before I start dehydration. I'm confident that going in light and shredded is the way to go. I've had my last bit of relaxation this weekend, I had a brilliant day with Lilybelle yesterday and she stayed with me until this morning when I had to go and do my last leg workout. After that I spent some time with my good friend Kenny, we had a great time and I now feel ready to face this last tough week.

When The Going Gets Tough

These are what I call the "hard yards". Just 11 days to go to the UKBFF British finals and the diet is biting now. After reviewing the Midlands show video I've realised that I will have to go under 17 stone to be shredded enough to stand a chance in what will no doubt be my toughest British final ever. I say that simply because the quality in my class at just about every regional show this year has been outstanding. The only way to respond to that is to prepare better than ever before and go on stage with the best package I have ever built, even though I will be nearer to 55 years old than 54 by showtime. In this pic, taken yesterday upon completion of the show prep DVD workout filming, I'm 17 stone 4 lbs, I intend to take 8 lbs off of that before show time, like I said, it's now that the diet starts to bite.  During these "hard yards" I watch different things for inspiration, on Sunday I watched "Seabiscuit" again, that movie will always have a special place in my heart.

That's Entertainment

Apparently as the weather becomes colder every day and Autumn replaces summer we are all less inclined to go out and more likely to stay at home to entertain ourselves.  Well as the TV isn't that great at the moment and series 1 of Ray Donovan is sadly over here are some videos for you to look at.  http://youtu.be/GYL-K7qOR8Y - the latest preview from the show prep DVD http://youtu.be/ZdouYTVCHCk - the official show video of my class from the UKBFF Midlands, courtesy of Eric Guy.  Or if reading is your thing then here's the special feature that I promised you http://www.kevanwilson.com/pdf/air.pdf And if you are into blogs then I would highly recommend that you check out this one http://fiftiesfitandfab.wordpress.com/fitness/  If you think that I defy my age you won't believe this lady!  Finally, best of luck to Anthony Joshua on his debut tonight, Anthony is an exciting prospect and with the guidance of Lennox Lewis his potential is limitless

 

 

 



Forever Young

I do love it when people send me pictures like the one above.  It's great that people take the time out to do stuff like this for me, I really appreciate it, and when I'm told that this is proof that I am actually getting younger then I really feel good about myself!  These are show pictures taken backstage after my wins at the last two UKBFF Midlands Championships, they are taken by the same photographer, Adrian Wooley, with exactly the same set up, but they are taken one year apart and I'm one year older in the pic on the left.  They are in monochrome because apparently that is better for comparisons. I'm not sure about the whole "Forever Young" thing but the picture surprised me a bit. It's good to know that I'm making improvements, I must be getting something right but also it's because this year I have had much less stress after the disasters of last year and the things that have tried to stress me this year have been very easily dealt with.  Moreover, I firmly believe that the resolution of my air purification issue has been a great help too and I've acknowledged that in this latest special feature which I think  you will  find both very interesting and useful http://www.kevanwilson.com/pdf/air.pdf



Hold On Tight

October is here so now the countdown to the Britain really starts!  I'm pleased with the way that I'm holding both size and condition, this photo was taken today after we had shot more footage for the show prep DVD.  We are putting a huge amount of very useful information into the movie for anyone that ever wants to compete or even just get into top shape for a holiday or any other reason and I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished article sometime in November, it will make a great Christmas present for anyone that's serious about bodybuilding.  The hardest part of show prep is of course the diet but one way that I solve my hunger cravings is to make my own protein desserts, the recipe is so popular it has been featured in an "Ultimate Protein Recipe Book" and if you like it you can vote for it in a competition by going to this page http://blog.supplementcentre.com/vanilla-cinnamon-dessert-recipe/ so please do so!  Meanwhile, the special feature that I promised about air quality will be on the website by the end of the week and I will post a link in the next blog.

The Air That I Breathe

You never stop learning in this game. I'm very fortunate to have a lot of good friends in the bodybuilding community, it is a lovely family to be part of and I've always made a point of learning from my friends that have achieved more than me.  In Birmingham I took good advice on my prep for the Britain from Zak Pallikaros, Neale Cranwell, Bernie Cooper and of course Eddie Abbew.  I don't see so much of Eddie these days but he greeted me with a huge smile and hug like he always does.  He told me that I looked the best he had ever seen me which meant the world to me and the others all agreed, it really was a great day!  It's not for me to say if I look my best ever or, as some say, I'm growing younger, but if that is the case it's because nothing is left to chance. These days I even sleep in a room filled with purified, oxygen rich air which is constantly renewed.  I will be posting a new special feature about this next week as I believe that it is of great help to bodybuilders.  Finally, a win isn't a win unless Lilybelle is happy with it but as you can see she is very proud her of Granddad's latest acheivement.

High

The after effects of a win like the one on Sunday are incredible. I feel great, maybe it's because I went well over the top on the rehydration and carb replacement or more likely it's because the nice messages are still pouring in.  It never ceases to amaze me just how many people are genuinely impressed and pleased for me, it's humbling almost to the point of it being emotional, thank you all again, so very much.  The next 3 weeks will be a balancing act, trying to stay big and hold condition without becoming catabolic, after that I will dry out more than ever, I will need to be tighter to do well at the Britain, the standard of UKBFF shows, especially the finals, really is that high.  I was reasonably pleased with the package that I brought to the stage on Sunday but my legs need more striations.  Full diet and training resumes tomorrow and this sneak preview from the show prep DVD that's currently in production shows just how I'm going to get my legs better than ever http://youtu.be/DNX5srmuYFM

UKBFF Midlands 2013

Yesterday, I won my class at the UKBFF MIdlands Championships for the second year running.  It was a massive show, 160 competitors in 22 classes in a brilliant venue that was packed as the tickets soon sold out.  UKBFF shows really do set the standard these days and it was a very tough contest, nine of us in my class and all hugely experienced, top quality bodybuilders, so I was very happy to win and it sets me up nicely for the British Finals which are less than 4 weeks away.  As usual I have so many people to thank, everyone that sent me messages of support right up until the last minute and congratulations straight after, the friends that came along to watch and all of the fans who made a point of stopping me to say the nicest things.  It was a very humbling experience as it always is.  I never feel more loved than on show days and I will miss competing next year but will still attend the shows, hopefully in a coaching capacity as things are moving along well with the new gym which will be called "Peak Physique & Fitness" and the gym's mission will be to get people to exactly as the name suggests, all will be welcome! 

Just Say No

Ok firstly lets wrap up the Rob Riches thing, here's his side of the story http://www.robrichesfitness.com/did-rob-riches-fail-a-drug-test/
I personally am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt but I wonder why such a high profile athlete didn't just say no when offered a product that he was not familiar with?  Just saying no from the beginning can often save a whole lot of trouble further down the line as he has found out.  I am often asked by rookies about supplementation, well here's a guide http://bit.ly/16bx0vQ that you might find comes in handy. Next, I would like to say a massive well done to Delyth Lloyd who won the UKBFF North East Championships Bodyfitness division on Sunday just gone.  I can't take any of the credit for Del's success but we have worked together in a limited capacity for a few years now so I was very proud when she won.  The standard of UKBFF shows gets better and better so the bar is set very high for me this Sunday but I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Girls And Boys

Research into a target demographic for potential members of the new gym has proved surprising. It seems that girls in their 20's and men in their 40's are the least likely to want to get in shape whilst, conversely, women in their 40's and men in their 20's are the most likely.  This is possibly due to the changing trend where age inappropriate relationships, with either gender being the older party, are on the increase, it seems that looking good and being in shape has many benefits whoever you are. The difference between the "wants and dont wants" is apparently motivation. The dont wants hate what they see in the mirror but aren't strong enough to diet & train correctly whilst the wants will do whatever it takes to have a body to be proud of.  Personally I've always wanted to improve myself, even in the days when I ran my own building company and worked 80 hours or more every week I still found time for the gym, and this was long before I ever thought about competing.  Talking of that, I'm honest enough to admit that I wont be at my best for the Midlands championships as you can see from the pic but things are beginning to come through now and I should look reasonable by show time.

Promised Land

Is it true that well known drug free body builder Rob Riches has tested positive for Anavar?  Reports vary but the general opinion is that it was only a matter of time before he got caught.  I don't know the guy or the facts so I'm making no judgements but it is a sad fact that some people vehemently oppose drug use whilst using stuff themselves, it's the same people who don't train or diet properly and expect the gear to still work.  I'm having a very good week in all sorts of ways but the diet is hurting as you can see in this video clip http://youtu.be/94pwVTKqo7c  Fortunately I have a lot of people who genuinely care about me and they keep me going, these are the people that I will stay close to all of my life.  There are far too many to mention but I will say a special thanks to Martin, Kerry, Richie (pictured) & Kylie who have all been great recently.

Rikki Don't Lose That Number

I'm a big fan of Ricky Burns but lets be honest, he was well beaten last night and the decision to call it a draw was wrong and bad for the sport that so many of us love. On a happier note, the negotiations for the new gym are progressing well and it looks like one of the UK's top drug free bodybuilders is going to work in tandem with me as a PT at the gym, more news to follow in due course.  Show prep is going well and I received a boost from my good friend Martin Stevenson this morning when he said that I look good for 2 weeks out.  I'll post an up to date pic soon but you can see some of my show prep training by clicking on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC6-KwgaWL0&feature=share&list=UUaVF0auEX2Dtbo7DVPVdnYw

Show Me The Way

People often ask me about getting enough protein because as we all know protein is essential. Well a whey protein shake offers the perfect solution when your muscles need feeding, it’s quick, convenient and easily absorbed by your body. It offers a complete protein source and it comes with a full set of all nine essential amino acids. Personally I use either Whey protein isolate with a minimum of 80% protein content most of the time but occasionally I use whey protein hydrolysate with over 90% protein content, this digests super fast but costs the most and tastes the worst too.  Research  has shown that those who eat a relatively high-protein diet are more likely to lose weight and preserve muscle. There are plenty of reasons why this could be the case. Some say it’s because your body uses up more energy processing protein than it does carbs, thereby burning more calories. Others suggest it is because protein scores so high in the satiety index, which is basically an indicator of how full you feel after eating it, therefore you’re less likely to over eat. Another reason could be because protein helps to repair and preserve muscle mass. And the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, so it makes good old-fashioned sense. Either way, if you’re looking to build muscle and / or drop fat, then whey protein is the way to go.

The Closest Thing To Crazy

People are always telling me that they receive conflicting advice.  Well the latest edition of "The Beef" contains two interesting yet conflicting articles. Firstly there is the detailled show diet and training plan of pro bodybuilder Hunni Glanville, which lists his tried and trusted methods of fasted cardio, high reps, multiple small meals and training each body part only once a week.  Further on in the magazine is a piece from regular contributor Paul Scarborough which "explodes myths" and basically disagrees with what Hunni is doing. "You pay your money you take you choice" as the saying goes but all I would add is that I have known Hunni Glanville for many years and have always been massively impressed with his physique, knowledge, acheivements and friendly & helpful attitude to lesser bodybuilders such as myself, whereas I've never met Paul Scarborough.  In other news, I finally got a copy of the wedding photos, most were just of people that I don't like enjoying themselves on my money but there is this one picture which shows just how gorgeous Lilybelle is and that when scrubbed up I can almost pass as normal!

The Chain

During a show diet one of the most important things to consider is muscle protection.  Have no doubts, the ridiculous diets that are required to reach peak condition in today's top quality competitions will burn muscle as well as fat unless you comprehensively address the issue.  We all rely on Glutamine of course but personally I stack the Glutamine with a good quality BCAA.  The ratio of the various amino acids is crucial for the product to work properly and I have been using Matrix BCAA Raw, available from http://www.supplementcentre.com   This contains a precise 2:1:1 ratio of Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine with a small amount of Citrulline Malate, together these form a perfect Branched Chain of Amino Acids. I add this stuff to my drinks for cardio, pre workout and post workout and it works well stacked with the Glutamine to ensure that the muscles recieve maximum protection at all times.  Finally, I would just like to wish my mate Richie Goodwin all the best for Sunday.  Richie is one of the nicest guys in the business and he is competing at the UKBFF East of England show. He always looks incredible and I'm looking forward to seeing him in the finals at Harrogate. 

Take It To The Limit

Good news travels fast! I've had several people asking me about my plans to open a gym next year but its not quite as simple as that. Yes this is my last year of competition and yes I will need a testing new project next year but I must stress that it's only at negotiation stage at the moment, I will post an update when I have one. As I was in St. Albans on Thursday I trained at Body Limit gym, where it all started out for me. It's still a great gym and it was good to catch up with some old friends.  I had a very nice email this week too, from Damir Inancic, president of the Serbian powerlifting federation, which was good to recieve.  Best of luck to my mates Peter Busby and Malcolm Fraser who are competing at the Kent Classic tomorrow, and finally the pic is a still from the show prep DVD that is currently in production.



Cheating

I am often asked about cheat meals. One girl that I used to coach used to have a cheat "day" once a week, she was upset when I told her that it was supposed to be just one meal!  When Eddie coached me he always said that cheat meals were important and to have one a week.  I very much agree that they are important but these days I have one every two weeks because that works better for me. There are no hard and fast rules though, just do whatever suits you best and eat whatever you fancy at the time but its generally accepted that once a week is the maximum when dieting.  I get annoyed at people on social media trying to validate the fact that they are dieting by posting pictures of their boring diet food and telling everyone how hard they are dieting.  This picture, my cheat meal from Saturday, is just to piss off those people.

 

Worried About Ray

One of the few good things about doing morning cardio indoors is catching up with TV shows.  I favour outdoor power walking as the best form of cardio but in truth most days I just fall out of bed and sit on my recumbent bike watching TV, I'm not being lazy, I blame "Ray Donovan".  I'm now up to date with this brilliant series that is shown on Sky Atlantic HD and I can't wait for the next episode.  One hour of low intensity cardio before breakfast has always been the best way to burn fat without burning muscle, to be on the safe side I don't just drink water whilst doing morning cardio, I have a weak shake of Whey Isolate, Glutamine and BCAA, all of these things together, sipped slowly during the hour keep the muscles protected and make sure that I'm only burning fat.  I'm definitely not a morning person but as it's only just over 5 weeks to show time, needs must, as the saying goes!

New Day

I hope that you like the new layout of the website. My son Steve is too busy to run the site anymore so "MyParadox" who are the media company responsible for putting me on TV have taken it over. They have done an excellent job and I'm very grateful. It needed changing as the old site was looking a bit old and tired (insert obvious joke here!)  Secondly, a big welcome to you if you have been referred here by www.supplementcentre.com who now feature my blog http://blog.supplementcentre.com/best-blogs-brilliant-bodybuilders/ I'm very happy to be a part of their network and I hope that you enjoy my blogs. Show prep is hurting already and that's a good thing, it's all being captured on video too for the DVD that will be available sometime in November.  As soon as I start looking anything like ready I'll post pictures of my progress but in the meantime, especially for all of the new readers, here is a picture of the most important person in my life, my Granddaughter Lilybelle, who is regularly featured in my blogs.

Hurry Up And Wait

I am really enjoying being back in full show prep mode.  It's a sadistic kind of pleasure but feeling tired and hungry all of the time means that I'm doing everything right and even seeing results already but the thing to remember with show prep is that the work is hard and the results take time.  Normal people won't understand this but I will honestly miss doing show prep after this season.  I took the decision a while ago that this would be my last year of competition and because, for personal reasons, I no longer want to live where I do anymore, I'm looking forward to a new home, but that is just one of the projects that I have planned for after this season is over.  I've never been one to talk about what I am going to do, most people do these days and then never actually do anything, so as all of the parts of my new life come together I will talk about them then.  All I will say is that I have new dreams these days, I have never been so excited about my future and I can't wait for to all start happening!

2013 Herts & Beds First Timers

Trevor Chung's 2012 "Herts & Beds First Timers" show in Dunstable was my favourite show last year, it's one that I will never forget for lots of reasons.  Also, it was at that show that I first met Ediz Mehmet and he told me that he wanted the 2013 version of the show to be his first competition; so I sorted him out a diet and training plan and we have stayed in touch ever since.  On Sunday 28th July 2013 he won his class and also the overall conditioning medal of honour with an impressive display.  I can't take any of the credit for coaching him as all I've ever done for him is to give him advice by email as I do for so many people but I am very proud to say that I helped him along the way on his journey.  As you can see, he made an amazing transformation, all drug free, all down to hard work and good dieting.  Well done sir, take a bow!

Bitter

I had to smile at the latest unrest caused by one of my pet hates social media, this time Twitter. I only deal in facts so lets face a couple of those things right here.  Most people use social media for good reasons but millions of very bitter people use social media for two other reasons.  1.Generous self publicity which they write for themselves and then believe; who are they trying to convince? Themselves or their support network? And 2. To spread rumours, slag off people they don't like and tell lies about them because they don't have the balls to say anything to their face. Trolls are the scum of the earth but anyone who believes what they write is actually even worse.   In other news, I've just got back from my pre show prep fitness camp, which was great fun but hard work.  The best bit was a tree climbing assault course which I'm honest enough to admit I did struggle with but I'm now in full show prep mode and the fitness training has definitely helped.  You will never see me writing nonsense such as "#I look great" like the social media idiots do but I will be working flat out to look as good as I can over the next three months.

I Can See Clearly Now

To those that have asked about my eye surgery I'm pleased to report that the lens replacement was a great success and that my vision is now better than it has ever been in my whole life! My "internal vision" is better than ever before too.  When I was using steroids in my show prep I always made allowances for people as I felt that the steroids may have clouded my judgement about things but now I have been drug free for 9 months I realise that I shouldn't have bothered and that I have wasted a lot of time and effort on a few people around here that I would have been better off avoiding.  Now that I can see everything for what it really is I will be making some major life changes at the end of this season including moving away to be nearer to my old friends, but at the same time I will stay near enough to still see the people here that I have become very close to over the last 5 years.  I'm really looking forward to it.

Losing My Religion

In answer to the feedback from my last blog. 1. Religion is a personal choice, nobody should force their views on anyone. 2. Yes I know it's supposed to be the brides father that pays but he wouldn't, so............  3. I wasn't offended by the badge, although it seems that all of you were.  Now, to wrap up the wedding here's a picture of the happy family, needless to say, my Princess Lilybelle stole the show as usual. So now off season is finished for me and I can get back to competition bodybuilding as I have a Midlands title to defend on September 22nd and the preliminary show prep plan is now in action with the hard dieting starting in a few days.  It feels good to be back doing what I do best, this year I am going to be so ripped you will be able to see my heart beating through my chest and my lungs breathing through my back!

White Wedding

Yesterday saw the wedding of my son Steve to his long time fiancee Amy, at Stowe Gardens in Buckingham.  It was a non church ceremony which I was pleased about as God and I ended our relationship some time ago, we are getting along fine without each other so I wouldn't have been comfortable in a church.  Also we had name badges instead of place cards at the dinner table which was a bit different.  Steve made a very impressive groom, I'll put up a picture as soon as I have one.  I have always been incredibly proud of my son and was moved by his tribute to me in his speech. This wedding actually cost me more than Natalie's "Princess Fairytale" or "waste of £20,000" as I call it, back in 2008, a fact duly acknowledged at least by Steve and also by my name badge. 

Sarah

Sarah Clements contacted me in 2012 and told me that she had suffered a debilitating illness caused by radiation emissions from an aerial mast near her home. She had been unwell for 20 years and during that time doctors were no help at all, branding her a hypochondriac.  Although she had long since moved away from the mast the damage had been done and had lead to several health issues, most notably the onset of anorexia which was exacerbated by her trying to deal with various stress issues alone, as nobody would help. Over the course of about a year we changed many things in her life and as you can see the results are staggering. Sarah did all of the work so she gets all of the credit, all I did was advise her on diet and exercise whilst helping her with motivation to change her life and prove those that doubted her to be wrong.  Sarah and I have never actually met in person but I am incredibly proud of her and what she has achieved and I have no doubt that many people will find her story inspirational

Get Together

Another hectic week was rounded off by another very busy but excellent weekend. On Sunday it was good to see lots of old friends at the UKBFF Bedford show and I also had good chats with Daz Ball, Cecil Croasdale and Terry Hollands among others.  I also spoke to my coach Eddie about this years show prep and we will be getting together again very soon, I have mixed feelings of excitement and trepidation!  Best of all though, on Saturday I caught up with one of my best and longest known friends, Angus Seewraj.  We started training together almost 25 years ago, Angus is a natural strong man and he supervised my inital leg training.  I can still remember how much it hurt but we have been good mates ever since! Here's how we looked years ago when we trained in a giant shed in Hatfield.  Seriously, we honestly did!

The Bitch Is Back

I'm now almost 2 months into the total rebuild of my legs. The cold wet winter meant that my worn out knees were painful 24/7 which made proper leg training impossible, but I'm amazed how quickly they are coming back. I'm using lots of cod liver oil and Collagen Plus in my diet and I have invented an entirely new leg training programme based on a "bitching" or "hate the weights" attitude to leg workouts and constant variation so that I only ever do the same exercise once a month.  I've always had good legs, as does anyone coached by Eddie Abbew, but I made a vow not to compete again unless they were at least as good as last year, I am now sure that they will actually be better! Finally, my clothing sponsors have brought out a metal shaker which I have been testing and I am now very happy to recommend, its so much easier to clean than plastic which means that there are no problems with the protein smells associated with plastic shakers.