You made it! You got on stage, you showed the world your best, and whether you won or lost, you are a champion. You have achieved what 99.9% of the world could never do.
After the show you celebrated. Probably ate until it hurt. You woke up looking full, round and muscular. Maybe you added some poundage fast!
Now it Stops.
For the last several weeks you had purpose, drive, and dedication. The world was buzzing. The closer you got the more it buzzed. It culminated with excitement, lights, music, friends, and the audience screaming your name. Social media went wild. You’ve never had so many notifications, calls, and texts.
Then the lights go dark. The music is over. Your notifications are quiet. You now long for that vibration of a text which you thought at the time drove you crazy. You miss that buzz.
The silence is deafening.
You may start to feel sad; without purpose. Be ready for this. The best way to prepare is NOT to rest. Not yet anyway. Make plans with friends right away. Go for a hike, go shopping, go to the beach, go skiing but whatever you do, do not stop and rest. Do not allow yourself to be idle.
Get back to your routine right away. STAY ON YOUR DIET. Set a new goal.
It’s time to prepare for the next goal. Another show? Higher placing, nationals? Maybe. Maybe its career or hobby related or achieving something in another sport. But you have attained greatness. Continue being great. Once you are back in your routine for a week or so, then rest.
Diet
Post-show is a time you can make great gains or great losses. The best advice is simple. Stay on your diet but increase your protein to a daily caloric surplus of about 500 calories; ALL PROTEIN-BASED. It’s not time to grub and go crazy for weeks and weeks. Don’t blow it.
While you will gain weight from eating crap, IT IS NOT MUSCLE. The only thing that can turn into muscle is protein and amino acids. FAT AND CARBS NEVER BECOME MUSCLE. Fat and carbs are energy, and when you get too much, it gets stored in the tank for later. That tank is your future fat ass!
Unless you are planning to quit looking good forever, do not yo-yo diet. BULKING is total BS. You need to keep your skin tight. You need to keep your stomach small. Once this is gone, you set yourself way back. The more you do it, the more screwed up your physique will get until it is impossible to have any real future on stage.
Plus, when you stay on the diet, you will continue to burn intramuscular fat. This is the fat you can’t see but can make your midsection thicker. It lives under that six pack you had on stage. You will also continue to grow nice round full muscles when you stay on point.
Is it time for a National Level Pro Qualifier?
An easy question. Did you get the overall? If the answer is “NO” then you will get your ass handed to you at a national level show. Getting 2nd place at an NPC National Qualifier is the last place at a Pro Qualifier.
Go to a national show, and I guarantee you can pick out the folks who got 2nd place at a show in East Bummington, North Dakota and it ain’t pretty.
If you missed the overall but got first in a stacked class of twenty people, MAYBE you have a chance. But still, then, it’s doubtful as you’ll be up against 20 or 30 people who more than likely got an overall.
Keep up your hard work, get an overall at an NPC National Qualifier and then hit a pro qualifier.
To sum it all up:
- Keep yourself busy after the show to avoid post-show depression
- Set a new goal.
- Don’t get fat. Instead, create daily caloric surplus of 500 calories of protein to your contest diet.
- Do a pro qualifier only if you got an overall or crushed a massive class.
See you on the stage!
