Tim's recent photos on iron age

[alexcanada]

Tim just thought I would say that you look great. I recently returned to my training at 40 years of age. I competed here in Ontario Canada as a middle weight. Recently I have been toying with the notion of competing in some N.A.B.B.A events state side. Which federation do you compete in? I was going to compete in Aug. in Phili (at the junior nationals ,in the open and masters class) but a knee injury has sidelined me. I will compete next year for sure. Its great to see a guy of your age in such shape, it gives us all inspiration. You should check out the N.A.B.B.A USA web site lots of great events.They will let you compete even if you belong to another federation.

[Tim Wescott]

alexcanada said:

Tim just thought I would say that you look great. I recently returned to my training at 40 years of age. I competed here in Ontario Canada as a middle weight. Recently I have been toying with the notion of competing in some N.A.B.B.A events state side. Which federation do you compete in? I was going to compete in Aug. in Phili (at the junior nationals ,in the open and masters class) but a knee injury has sidelined me. I will compete next year for sure. Its great to see a guy of your age in such shape, it gives us all inspiration. You should check out the N.A.B.B.A USA web site lots of great events.They will let you compete even if you belong to another federation.

Alex,welcome to the board...great to have you with us!!

I did the NABBA Nationals just last year......got 2nd. in the Open Med. class,and 3rd. in the Grandmasters(Over-50) class.

I normally do NPC contests as a rule,but decided to give NABBA a shot and it was a great experience.

I am doing the NABBA Nats again this year,and possibly the Jr. Nats in Philly in August(still debating).

I hope to get to meet you at one of the shows!!

Welcome!!

[GerryT]

Great to see you here, Alex. Good luck in your recovery and your shows next year!

NABBA is an outstanding organization. Bob Gruskin is one of the nicest guys I've come across. I understand he plans to retire soon
(within 2 years) and I just hope that the great leadership will continue.

Have been to a few NABBA shows and they are always well done and seem justly judged.

[alexcanada]

Thanks guys hope to talk more in the future.Train hard. Tim how do you drop weight count calories, or is it a low fat, or low carb diet? What foods do you elimanate all together? Do you drop it real slow to retain mass at about 1 lb a week or do you do it quicker? Good luck in the events this year. It will be a pleasure to compete with you when I'm back on track and able to train legs once more. But for now I train mostly my weak points , delt width,back thickness . My legs grow fast so it wont be hard to bring them up again,.But it is sad to see them loose over 4 inches in 6 months.

All the best Alex

[Tim Wescott]

alexcanada said:

Thanks guys hope to talk more in the future.Train hard. Tim how do you drop weight count calories, or is it a low fat, or low carb diet? What foods do you elimanate all together? Do you drop it real slow to retain mass at about 1 lb a week or do you do it quicker? Good luck in the events this year. It will be a pleasure to compete with you when I'm back on track and able to train legs once more. But for now I train mostly my weak points , delt width,back thickness . My legs grow fast so it wont be hard to bring them up again,.But it is sad to see them loose over 4 inches in 6 months.

All the best Alex

Alex,I only count calories if and when I hit a fat burning sticking point,and I feel the need to lower them somewhat to continue progressing.

I usually do some sort of carb cycling,three low days followed by two higher days....at times,I`ll do 3 zero cab days followed by two high days,then keep repeating the low and high days over again.

I eat no bread,junk,or dairy products while dieting for a contest.

I try not to lose more than a pound a week........of course fat/weight loss varies from week to week,but I try not to lose weight too fast so as to avoid losing muscle mass.

I do a lot of cardio,but I never run.....treadmill or eliptical machine.

Also,I tweak things as needed according to how I am looking.........this is often the scenario.

I diet 16 weeks for my first contest of the year,depending on how I look,it may be less or longer,I then eat normally for a day or two,or up to a weeks time after a contest,depending on how close the next show is,then back on the diet for the next contest.

Good luck on the injury...............I hope you recover quickly!!

[alexcanada]

Thanks Tim. I'm trying to drop some fat as well . Got a little carried away bulking up. When I returned to my training after separating from my wife of 14 years, I weighed a small and soft 168. That was in May of 2005. My training started to steamroll, I started filling out in 6 months I was a much harder 180. Then winter set in I started growing like crazy, muscle memory I guess. Remember I hadn't seriously trained for bodybuilding since the mid eighties when I competed in the middle weight class, that was all drug free.Things were starting to look good eventually I got up to 205. Then I got a knee injury from work. I stopped training my legs started missing workouts, got depressed and lazy for a while. Now I got back into the grove, my legs will come back, but I figure that if I going to have surgery for my knee may as well try to drop some of the excess fat before I'm laid up and cant walk with out crutches. If I don't I be far worse of around my mid-section down the road. Thanks for the tips ,or your take on the dieting. I believe the late Don Ross had the same approach .

Take care for now . p.s who is your favorite bodybuilders of all time? mine are Larry Scott , Chuck Sipes, Richard Baldwin, and Lance Dreaher,

[Tim Wescott]

Thanks Alex,sounds like you`ve had your ups and downs with training like most of us have.

Good move to drop excess bodyfat before the surgery...good luck with it,I know you`ll do well.

There are so many bodybuilders that I`ve admired over the years,but I guess my top 5 would be:

Amatuers:
Leon Brown
Jon Aranita
Joe Means
John Cardillo
Dave Mastorakis

Among many others and not in any particular order.

Pros:
Arnold
Zane
Bannout
Jeff King
Johnny Citrone

Also among many others.

[QuietBob]

Alex, welcome to the board.
I've been in and out here now for a couple of years now and you will find great support, advice, and information here.
I took the competitive leap a year and a half ago for the first time (after training for over 20 years) and probably got most of my diet advice from Tim here. Despite having urgent surgery 1 month before the show and not being able to eat right or train for 3 weeks I won Novice and Jr. Masters divisions.
After a cross-country move and new job a year ago I got the competitive urge again and have learned so much more from Tim's site; both from the man himself and many of the people who post here. Again, the support here is awesome.
Last week I stepped on stage and came in second in the Masters and second in the tall class overall (the guy who beat me won everything, and he was the oldest guy--48--in the competition; in fact, the Masters division was by far the toughest class). This while I still feel I'm about a month out from being my best (which is when the next show is).
It sounds like you're focused and determined. I think you'll find a lot of info and support here to get you where you want to go; I have, and to Tim and everyone, THANK YOU.
Good luck with the knee and the training.

Bob

[Tim Wescott]

Bob,congratulstions on your placings......way to go my friend!! #arockon6ha#

I definately have to agree that the Masters classes are getting tougher and tougher with every contest that I enter.

The guy who won the Over-40 in my last contest,the New Englands, was 58, and could have easily placed top 5 in the Open class.

In fact,the top 5 Masters,myself included,were all over 50, except for the third place finisher who was 46.

If you have any pics Bob,and feel like posting them,I for one would love to see them.

Stay focused, and good luck in your next show!! #bowdown3ht#

[alexcanada]

Bob glad to hear you did well in your contest,and thanks for your concern about my knee. I work as a fitter welder in a rail car plant in Hamilton Canada. I guess all the kneeling and heavy leg training caught up with me. I have been waiting for about five months to sort out my knee.Specialist work to thier own shedules I am finding out. I had a M.R.I. on my knee 2 weeks ago this Sunday. A very depressing time as I'm still working at my job hobbling around.The upside is I am seeing an orthepedic surgeon on Wed. Pehaps there will be an end to this soon. Also I am off work in two weeks for summer shutdown so all I plan to do is rest my leg and train my upper body like no tommorrow. Yes Tim is very helpfull,and has a rather excellent website .

All the best Alex Canada