Muscle Ventures Podcasts

In this podcast (Quicktime, 12.7 MB; Google Video, no download), Nancy and I (Bud) close out our series on her prep for her April 29, 2006 contest. This podcast combines three video clips from Nancy's posing practices on April 14 (two weeks out from the contest), 21 (one week out), and 28 (day before). We follow this set of videos with a slide show of the different mandatory poses taken on each of the days. For those interested, Nancy is currently doing an exercise analysis series on bodybuilding poses.

It's interesting to note the progression in Nancy's physique and attitude during this period. The photos on the left show Nancy doing the Front Double Biceps pose. In the first photo in the series, Nancy is two weeks out from the competition. She was still in her heavy diet phase and had some fat left to trim. In the second photo, you notice less fat and some more definition. This is even more apparent in her back. By the third photo the day before the competition, she has really trimmed down.

I have to say, I had some concerns about Nancy during this period, she was losing weight so fast at the end. Some of that concern comes out in our final podcast before the show when we discuss her water depletion strategy.

Finally, I should point out that it is rare for bodybuilders to point up their imperfections in this way. They're in it to look perfect at the end and typically only want to put their best foot forward. One exception is John Hansen's decision to post weekly photos for 6 weeks leading up to his Natural Mr. Universe and Natural Olympia contests in 2004. That particular series shows a rather dramatic progression from someone who already looks very strong and fit to someone who is prepared to compete in a bodybuilding contest.