Back in the year 2000 I was managing a gym and this big guy walks in and pays a day fee.
He was a huge guy with a giant XXXL shirt on so you couldn't tell how big he was since he was all covered up.
I go over and introduce myself and ask him if he competes and he said NO while shaking his head "not for me I like food too much" he said... I told him to come see me if he ever changed his mind.
Months later a couple guys come to see me and ask me to help them prep for a show.
I later find out Bricks has been sending me people.
A year later he comes back and says he now wants to compete.
Excellent! (I guess he had to test a few people out first?)
So I give him different meal plans for the week and tell him to come and see me every Sunday and I'll check his weight and bodyfat percent and make some changes to his meal plans.
He was 250 when he started and by showtime he was in the Light Heavyweight Division under 195.
He had to have dropped 60 pounds and everything was there.
His back was really great and he didn't lack any bodyparts.
At that time there were about 6 weight divisions and of course Light Heavyweight was always the most competitive division you could enter when we offered bodybuilding classes.
He had to have had about 20 guys in his class and after prejudging I remember seeing he had placed 6th and I knew he wouldn't be allowed to do his posing routine since ONLY the top five men were allowed to perform routines during the finals.
This bothered me because I knew many other guys didn't have to go through what he just put himself through. This guy worked to the extreme and I knew he had a lot of fans come to see him on stage.
I wondered how he would react to his placing?
First thing I always think is will this person be upset and will they walk off very angry or say bad things about the judges, the scores, or the show?
I really knew how hard he worked and spoke to him weekly about his diet and training.
It wasn't easy for him to go through this process.
He was going to walk away with NOTHING to show for his work.
No posing routine, No trophy, I don't even think he got a medallion. NOTHING
I knew how strict he followed his diet and the knew his dedication.
This guy busted his butt.
The changes he made over time were so impressive...
Thing to remember is... he put thought about our conversation of entering a show for over a year
before making that decision to enter.
Then he dieting strict for twelve weeks dropping 60 pounds. EVERYONE noticed his weight loss and knew he was prepping for a show. How is this guy going to explain that he didn't place?
To finally commit then go through all of the meal prep and strict timing of his meals AND to drop 60 pounds and still be tight and have enough muscle to win most any average show but to walk right into one of the most competitive local shows with a routine you practiced over and over and NOT be able to perform the routine and walk away without NO trophy and NO medal takes a certain person.
Sometimes that happens.
You don't win and even make the Top 5.
Nowadays some people don't win their first show and they get angry and start online rant about how they got screwed over. It wasn't their fault. They go right to Facebook. It is way easier to complain now than it was back in 2001.
First thing your friends will do is tell you that you Should Have Won.
Then your friends will nag you on... many times they will turn the entire experience into a negative experience and that is sad.
This is where you need to look at your "before" and "after" photos and stay calm.
You know what Bricks did?
He never complained not once and then sent more and more people to me every year to prep for the same show. He would tell people, go do that show and go see Brian and he will get you ready.
Think about this...
Everyone of his friends, family and co-workers knew he was competing - there was no hiding the fact he lost massive weight and you could see it in his face.
Think about how he was asked by hundreds of people the next day and every day after that that whole year "How did you do in that show?"
"I DID GREAT"
That's all he said and that's the truth.
"I LOVED THE SHOW AND YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT DOING IT."
He accepted how he placed and was still happy.
You know what's weird?
Many people message Bricks after he MC's a show and guess what many complain or ask him if they should have placed higher or won... they have no idea how this guy handled himself when he competed in a super competitive show and the work he did to get there.
Remember that it is even better to get the results of the diet and exercise
it is about progress, changes, and look amazing. Nobody knows if the classes will be large or small or if people who enter happen to be better than you.
Enjoy the process! Be happy with the results.
Talk Soon,
Brian
Here is a backstage interview of Bricks in 2001 as a contestant being interviewed -
