Huge Thank You to Matt Porter for my contest prep !!!

[bluerocket]

Hi guys.... I wanted to take the time out to put out a huge thank you to Matt Porter who is my prep coach. I knew him from Primordial Performance and from a post from someone on here who he helped with their prep.

A little background about me .... 48 years old - been lifting alittle less than 2 years, in that 2 years I was off about 3 months or so from injuries that I had from lifting I contacted him and told him about myself and that I wanted to enter my first bodybuilding show. At the time I had just worked my way up to 200 lbs. I actually didn't carry that weight but for about a week or so and then I had started dieting alittle on my own March 5th or so. I had a trip planned to AZ that would get me back April 6th ish. When I got back from AZ I took pics and sent them to him... he gave me my first diet and the journey began.

We had just about exactly 3 months to work together on transforming me from what I had at the time to contest ready. Each and every week I sent him pics and he made adjustments. He had a plan. I had questions... haha. and he answered them. So many things I didn't know or had questions on that at times was abit overwhelming.

I have been involved in many things that require dedication.... but let me tell ya ... I "thought" I knew what bodybuilders went thru when doing a prep... but I had no idea !! What your body does in this transformation... is unreal. The mental, the physical... the no energy. Its one hell of a rollercoaster ride for sure.

The show was this past weekend in Chicago. Wings of Strength was the name of the show. It was a Pro/Am event which was kinda kewl in that I met some of the pros... pretty neat.

I entered 3 classes.... and that was alot. Originally I was only in Novice and Masters over 40. I had several ppl at the gym tell me I should enter the Open Middleweight class since I was already there. I checked with Matt to get his advice.... and he's like ... do it !! So I added the Open Middleweight class the day of weigh in. The other 2 classes had no weight classes for this event. Middleweight cuts off at 176.5 and I weighed in at 165.9 over 10 lbs light... This event was also a National Qualifier, which to be honest didn't even really enter into my mind.

As you can see in the pics I'm attaching Matt got me into unreal condition. I had the lead judge IFBB Pro Chuck Sanow tell me that I was the best conditioned athlete of the show... wow... blew me away to be honest !!

I took 1st place in the Novice class

I took 2nd Place in the Masters Over 40 class - The guy who won weighed in at 236 lbs... not near as shredded as I was but 70 lbs was too much to overcome.

In the Open Middleweight I was blown away.... I actually took 2nd in that division. I was sooo stoked and happy. I was probably more happy about that then winning the Novice class.

I actually qualified for Nationals in 2 classes that day on my first show ever. Just goes to show what someone behind you who knows what they are doing can accomplish.

I look forward to getting with Matt for my 6-8 month off-season to try and get that 10lbs I need on my frame. For me I think 1 show a year is about all this old guy can handle... LOL

Anyway ... again.... Matt .... thank you sir and if anyone is looking to do a show and wants someone to guide them.... Matt is your guy !!

The pics I'm attaching so the first pics I sent to him and one of the last pics before the show ... putting in a few from the show as well.

Thanks for your time

Tony

[Leggo my Ego]

Fantastic conditioning my man!!!! I agree, Matt is an incredible wealth of knowledge and an asset to out community. Congrats on your placings my friend. I myself am 8 days out. I'll probably post a pic shortly.

[Distilled Water]

Wow, that's unreal conditioning, good for you brother! I'm in route to my first prep also, just outside the 5 week mark!

[16dawg23]

nice work bro !! what more can i say...solid all around !!

[AZMIDLYF]

Crazy conditioning bubba. You can tell the dedication and knowledge came together nicely here!

[bluerocket]

Thanks guys .... it was alot of hard work and dedication ... but nothing comes easy in this sport and thats the way it should be.

I'm going to be starting a log and video channel for my upcoming off-season .... hope I can have you guys follow along ...

[AZMIDLYF]

Look forward to learning tips from it!