Natural USA Contest results and summary!!
October 27, 2009 by Ryan Irwin · 4 Comments
After 17 weeks of dieting (since the beginning of July), my precontest preparations for the NANBF Natural USA finally got me to the day of the event! Below are details of the day and pictures, but to save you time, I ended up WINNING MY CLASS AND EARNING MY PRO CARD!!!
My wife, kids and I packed up the car and left Friday morning for IL. Got there around 4:30 and got right in after eating my afternoon meal of oatmeal and Elite 12 protein to take my polygraph (lie detector test) for banned substances (steroids, Rx diuretics, GH, prohormones, etc). After that, we got checked into the hotel and I went back to get my first spray tan application, then took my urine test. After all that, headed back and tried to get some sleep.
Of course woke up at 3 AM and couldn’t go back to sleep, so began my contest day preparations, got my food lined up and stuff packed. We got there at 7:30, had the competitors meeting and then prejudging started at 9:30. There was a great turnout, especially for bodybuilders! In the USA, there were 4 classes of men. Figure numbers were down a bit, so those of you in figure, look at this show for next year!
My class was going on around noon. There were 5 individuals in my class and since you had to place in the top 5 in a regional show to compete at the USA, all 5 were tough competition! One of them I had competed with at this same show 2 years prior where he placed ahead of me. As a competitor, you can’t get psyched out and worry about the others in your class. You need to go onstage, pose like you own it and let the judges make the decisions.
That is what I did. Went out there and nailed my posing!! Those posing sessions paid off as everyone said I looked very polished and not fatigued. The judges moved us around and I ended up in the middle for a while, which is always a good feeling. Towards the end, I got put on an end, but by that point I felt they were looking for other placements.
Long story short, went back to the hotel after prejudging, crashed and got regrouped for finals. Had people come up and tell me I looked great and that they thought it was mine, but I never let that get into my head as the judges look at everything and I don’t want to get over confident or set myself up for disappointment.
At about 10:00, they called our class up and I nailed my posing routine to the tune of Mortal Kombat (thanks to Joe Richards from Songsmythe Productions for cutting my music!) After the rest of the class did their routines, they called us out. Standing in the line up I was mentally ready to hear my name anywhere from 4th on up and just kept reminding myself that I looked my best ever (hit 4.5% bodyfat), which is always the goal (improving on my previous package), anything else was icing on the cake.
They started announcing placements for 5th and 4th, so far so good. Then when they announced 3rd to the guy that beat me 2 years ago, I started to think “is this really happening??” It was between me and another guy, who in the prejudging had a lot of people yelling his name and number, which means he was one of the favorites (or brought a fan club with him). Finally, they announced him as runner up and it hit me, I JUST WON MY PRO CARD!!!!!
After they announced the other class winners (and now new pros) they put the winners together for the overall comparisons. Of course, we’re all beaming at this point as we just won our pro cards, but they still want to get the overall champ. I started out on the end (being the short class winner), but I found myself again being moved to the middle! The judges drilled us throught the poses and I was feeling really good with how I was hitting them. In the end, the medium-tall class winner, Okechukwu Egungwu, won the overall, which is who I had picked (this man is amazing!) However, I learned later that I was only 1 point away from the overall title myself, which being competitive onstage with other new pros was a huge victory in itself!!
The moment was surreal and with the emotions, hard to put into words. Becoming a professional natural bodybuilder is a goal I set 17 years ago and to achieve it is just amazing. It still hasn’t fully sunk in yet, but every time I tell someone that knows the work I’ve put in, I get emotional.
I absolutely have to thank those that helped me realize this goal. First, my wonderful wife Mandee, who has put up with me all these years through the training, dieting and crankyness that comes with this sport. I do my best to try to not let it rule my life, but having her being so understanding and patient is invaluable!! I also want to thank everyone at Nutri-Sport, who stepped up and help me with making sure I got my training and meals in and for all their encouragement. Dr Tyler Molstre from True Life Chiropractic for not only his regular care and adjustments, but for helping me stay healthy (combining powerlifting and bodybuilding can take a toll if not careful), grounded and focused, IFPA Pro Layne Norton who was my coach and mentor over the last 2 years of off season and precontest work. I don’t care what sport or level you are at, having a coach pushing you past your normal limits is essential! Finally, to Cody Nour my training partner for being dedicated, reliable and pushing me in the gym, stepping up when my energy levels and intensity might not be where they needed to be (plus putting up with my attitude that last few weeks!) 
My next goals are to compete at the NASA Nationals on January 24th in Oklahoma and then I plan on making my pro bodybuilding debut in June at the IFPA Mr. Universe down south. Thank you again to EVERYONE for your support and encouragement!!!
Ryan Irwin, IFPA Pro Natural Bodybuilder
Ryan Irwin, Natural USA
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportFPT.com
Contest prep update -3 days out!!
October 21, 2009 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
It is almost game time!!!! 3 days to go for the NANBF Natural USA in Chicago. As of this morning, I was 4.8% bodyfat according to the skin calipers, right where I want to be! Closer to home, this weekend is also the NANBF Best of the Midwest in Cedar Rapids if you want to go see what it’s all about. Also, the NASA Iowa Regionals powerlifting competition is in Des Moines. If you are a physique or strength athlete, lots of options to do this weekend!
This week is all about doing the final preperations to get things ready to go. Filling out, recharging and focusing. Posing routine is done, meals/food lined up and last minute details are done.
Last week was a tough week of training and was thrilled to not have lost and in fact gained strength in most of my lifts!! As the before/after pics show below, I have kept my lean muscle while dropping bodyfat. This week I have treated as a deload week and am excited to start back up next week with my powerlifting cycle for NASA nationals. I will take it slow as to not injure myself, but full steam ahead!! After 17 weeks of dieting, post contest is HIGHLY anabolic, so want to take full advantage of it!!
Besides continuing training, I am going to be adjusting my supplement stack. I will cycle off creatine for a month and cycle on the Grean Lean, which is a detox/digestive support. As I introduce foods back into my system, this will help my body make the adjustment, plus help keep from piling on extra bodyfat. I will also ween myself off the Bio Heat and Nitro Burn PM and CLA.
Ryan Irwin precontest before and after 17 weeks of precontest diet
Ryan Irwin before and after side chest
Ryan Irwin 3 days out
Supplement stack:
Ecogreen multi vitamin capsules
Quad protein (timed release protein)
Bio Heat (fat burner)
Nitro Burn PM (night time fat burner/cortisol blocker)
Creatine (Bio Cell)
L-Carnitine/Alpha Lipic Acid (pre/post workout)
Xtend (during workout and in between meals)
Omega 3/6/9
CLA
Multi Whey & Karbolyn (post workout protein/carb shake)
Beta Alanine
Casein protein (before bed and added to whey to help get in between meals)
Psyllium husk
100% liquid egg whites
Nutri-Sport & Full Potential Training
9992 Swanson Blvd
Clive, IA 50325
www.nutrisportFPT.com
Optimizing your metabolism
December 4, 2008 by Ryan Irwin · Leave a Comment
Everyone wants to lose bodyfat and gain muscle. Most want to try to do it at the same time. While this is possible, it is much more efficient to focus on one or the other. When we work with our clients, one of the first steps is to decide which goal is more important (building muscle or losing bodyfat). This is the area that we then attack.
By doing this, you optimize your metabolism. For example, to build muscle, you need an excess of calories (but not overly excessive-don’t want a bunch of bodyfat to pile on). While we carefully monitor and increase the nutrients, the client not only is adding muscle tissue, but is also speeding up the metabolism. Once we get bodyfat levels to the top end range we are comfortable with, we switch gears to fat loss. By doing so, we quickly create a calorie deficit, and couple this with a supercharged metabolism, the bodyfat comes off quickly. Then before the metabolism begins to slow and the risk of muscle loss sets in, we switch gears back to “mass mode” to add muscle tissue with a now lower bodyfat level.
This method of mass/cut mode is the most effective way to achieve the end result and help the client look and feel their absolute best!
