Our BB Bio/History

[KevinCouch]

On this forum we have an awesome group of very experienced guys/girls that contribute. Let's use this thread to jot down when/why we started lifting weights to begin with and how we got to where we are now.....

Here's mine:

Age: 44
Began lifting weights in Christmas, 1979. Got plastic weights filled with sand. 90lb set. 8th grade. Bought Arnold's Education of a Bodybuilder and tried to duplicate his workouts. Overtrainied so badly but I had no knowledge and nobody I knew did either. In 9th grade began scheduled training for football got much stronger throughout high school. Decided to compete for the first time in 1991.

Competition History:
1991 NPC DC Grand Prix Open: 2nd middleweight.
1991 NPC Mount Rogers Open: 1st middleweight, Overall winner
1992 AAU Mr DC: 1st Short class, Overall winner
1992 NPC Junior Nationals: 6th Middleweight (out of 40 guys in class)
1994 NPC Winchester Open: 1st middleweight, Overall winner
1995 NPC Junior Nationals: 9th Middleweight (out of 38 or so guys in class) Remember they didn't have welterweights back then so middleweight class was huge.

This killed my confidence so decided to quit competing after that placing. Never stopped training. Then last year decided to give it one more try. I have never been a heavy middleweight so I thought the new welterweight division would be a good fit for me.
2010 NPC Masters Nationals: 1st Welterweight Over 40

Whether you compete or not, just post your history of how and why you started training. I'm sure we're ALL looking forward to seeing how we got here...............

[GirlyMuscle]

9th out of 38 guys @ Nationals killed your confidence? I'd have been overjoyed at beating 30 other guys.



I'm 46 yrs old. Began lifting to lose weight in Dec 2000 when I hit 200 non-muscular pounds. Been training for 11 yrs. Originally lost 70 pounds. Competed twice.

2009 Eastern USAs 4th middleweight, 4th masters
2010 Erik Fankhouser Classic, 2nd heavyweight, 3rd masters

Two years of contest prep has kicked up some old eating disorders and created some new ones. There will be no contest diets in my future until I get control of these issues. The next diet/prep/lifestyle change I do is to heal my inner self even more than to change my outer self.

[KevinCouch]

9th out of 38 guys @ Nationals killed your confidence? I'd have been overjoyed at beating 30 other guys.

You know let me rephrase that, It was a blow to my ego in 1995 at Junior Nationals. Looking back I had grown a little overconfident because all the local guys are telling you how great your are, blah, blah.... That placing was exactly where I should have been but at the time I complained that I was overlooked. A lesson learned in life!

[masterschamp]

54 yrs. old
Began lifting in high school for football...continued through college while playing football. Always interested in bodybuilding but never considered competing. Kept going to the gym for general health and fitness until 1988 when I moved down to Florida and met up with John DeFendis.
It was John who talked me into, ( you mean where I go on stage in my underwear!), doing my first show, the "Palm Coast" in 1991, where I won the lightweight and Overall. From there I was hooked! I have competed since then, but very randomly as I have always considered my responsibilities as a father and a husband first, and make sure my family committments are taken care of. Of my 4 children, I have a son (18) with CP who has been in a wheelchair for life and requires alot of time....time I am thankful to be able to give to him. Some contest highlights:

1991 Palm Coast Championsips Lightweight and Overall winner

1994 West Palm Beach Championships Middleweight and Over 35 winner

1996 Sunshine Classic Lightweight 2nd place

1997 West Palm Beach Championships Middleweight and Over 40 winner

2007 West Palm Beach Championships Over 50 Middleweight and Overall,Open Middleweight, Open Overall (first time the Open show had ever be won by Over 50 or Masters competitor !)

2007 Southern States Championships Over 50 Lightweight and Overall

2008 NPC Master's Nationals Over 50 Middleweight 9th out of 21?...not sure because 4-5 did not come back at night.

2008 NABBA Nationals Over 50 3rd place


Haven't been on stage in 2 and 1/2 years.

Keith

[KevinCouch]

Thanks for sharing Keith. Your comment of when you were interviewed after your contest win resonates with me that your greatest title you ever had was the one of "Dad"!!! Respect!

[HeavyDutyGuy]

STARTED competing in 2004 at age 44. Trained for over 16 years by that point, just never felt I was big or muscualr enough to compete until that year I was looking at pics of the Natural Olympia and thought- Well heck that doesn't seem THAT impossible. Well since I been prescribed HRT that idea died. But since I was already in the frame of mind-trained for, entered and got my ass kicked at the Orange County Muscle Classic. Last and probably deserved it fo how bad I was at dieting.Was 226 so not small, but smoother than a baby's butt.Cameback next year 100% improved- and still got killled. Though I looked way better and probably could have jumped up several places. Got pissed went on an rage of heavier weights than I was using and that was heavy already, and bulked up my supplementation, met Baldie, entered the Excalibur and got my first top 5 placing 4th in the open Superheavyweights. Next year went on a roll, doing 4 shows and getting two class wins- one at Muscle Beach- open superheavys. the other at the Border States. did the JR Cal the next two years, felt stiffled s jumped upp to the Masters nationals andn thhe USA- got my ass kicked again- hint - dont do the open USA's when youre main anabolic support is a botthle of superdrol and limping on 100 mg of HRT a week. Unless you like getting slaughtered. Next year came back, much improved, still lost and last year finally scored some hardware at that level. This year - well I am being fan for the rest of you. The past year was NOT good to us competing is not on the table in 2011.

James Vandervest
2005
Excalibur - Los Angeles - NPC, Super-HeavyWeight, 4th
Orange County (CA) Classic - NPC, Masters, 7th

2006
Border States Classic - NPC, Super-HeavyWeight, 1st
Border States Classic - NPC, Masters 40+, 6th
Junior California - NPC, Masters 40+, 3rd
Tournament of Champions - NPC, Super-HeavyWeight, 2nd
Tournament of Champions - NPC, Masters 40+, 7th

2007
Junior California - NPC, Masters 40+, 3rd

2008
Masters Nationals - NPC, Super-HeavyWeight, 10th
USA Championships - NPC, Super-HeavyWeight, Did not place

2009
Masters Nationals - NPC, Super-HeavyWeight, 13th

2010
Masters Nationals - NPC, Masters 50+ Super-HeavyWeight, 3rd
North American Championships - IFBB, Masters 50+ Super-HeavyWeight, 4th

[KevinCouch]

James, you've been busy the last few years bro..especially 2006.
Are you planning on doing the Master Nationals again in 2012?

[HeavyDutyGuy]

James, you've been busy the last few years bro..especially 2006.
Are you planning on doing the Master Nationals again in 2012?

Yeah I have been. As for 2012, Thats the plan now. As long as things continue to get better and go ok, will be in Pitt rocking the over 50's supers in 2012.

[D_T]

Age 46:
Height: 5'8
weight: last show 183? ; now, 250lbs

Started lifting in high school for football where we only had gym access for maybe 5 months a year. Hit it like a job once I got to college.


1983 Mr. Teen Atlanta, 1st short class, 2nd overall (natural)
1983 Mr. Teen Georgia, 3rd short class (natural)
1984 Mr. Teen Atlanta, 1st short class, 2nd overall
1984 Mr. Teen Georgia, 2nd short class
1986 Novice Mr. Georgia, 3rd Lightheavy's (183lbs)

In '87 decided I'd rather get a real job than do what it took to make the next leap. I was around 200lbs by then but guys were getting pro cards in their mid 20's back then.

Trained off and on (mostly off) all clean from '87 thru 2003, when I discovered online forums. Rejoined a gym when my weight started to bother me. I've been up to 267 while on, but I didn't like it.

I change my training every few months. 2 months power; 2 months bodybuild; 2 months circuit. Right now I do Crossfit style thru year end.

I hope to get down to 225lbs and maintain; be able to fit some clothes. Debating giving the Masters Georgia a shot in a few years.

[KevinCouch]

D T, you've developed a seriously thick back over the years from the looks of your avi!!!

[Rick Prince]

Born: 1959
Height: 5' 7"

I initially started weight training in 1982, and quit after a national level bodybuilder told me I was wasting my time because of poor genetics (large joints, wide hips, thick skin). I took up running (10ks, 1/2 marathons, & 1 marathon) for about 3 years and burned up all the muscle gains I had made.

I got back in the gym in 2001 and had a training partner who helped me until he passed in 2007 at age 36. I realized then just how short life could be and decided to get serious about training to do a show. In 2008 I hired Justin Swinney to do my nutrition and train me two days a week. Justin has worked with me for most of the shows and off-seasons, but I have also received help from Kramer Bergman and Dave Palumbo.

NPC Bodybuilding Show Results:

2009 Vulcan Classic; 1st Novice MW, DNP Masters 40+ (181.8lbs)

2009 Greater Tenn. Valley; 1st Jr. MW, Jr. Overall, 3rd Masters 40+ (173.8lbs)

2009 Clash at the Capstone; 3rd Masters 40+ (175.4lbs)

2009 Alabama Championships; 4th Masters 40+ LW (170.4lbs)

2009 East Tennessee; 1st GrandMasters (169.8lbs)

2010 Knox Classic; 1st GrandMasters (183lbs)

2010 Alabama State Championships; 1st GrandMasters, 2nd Open MW (176lbs)

In January bodybuilding.com featured me as their Amateur Over 40 Bodybuilder of the Week

Today, MuscleDog.com followed suit and had me as their Featured Transformation Story

[Mac]

I started lifting when I was 14 and all thru high school. I quit lifting once I graduated and it wasn't until 1982 I started back again when I opened my own gym.

Competed 4 times

1985 - Mr. PA Lightweight 1st
1986 - Mr. Erie County LW 1st
1986 - Mr. Erie LW 2nd
1987 - Mr. Erie County LW 3rd

Quit lifting when I closed my gym in 90 and resumed training just before my 50th birthday.

[D_T]

D T, you've developed a seriously thick back over the years from the looks of your avi!!!

I am one of the fortunate few that never lose size after coming off. I just add 2lbs of fat every year on top. However my strength disappears from the moment i exit the gym.I attribute the strong base I had before going on; doesn't hurt that Dad was pretty thick too.

[mkris7]

Stats:
45 years old
5'8'1/2 tall
Off Season weight 220
Contest Weight....to be seen LOL!

I started training when I was 20 years old. I actually was doing martial arts for 5 years before then. I always loved comic books and used to admire all the superhero physiques as well being able to relate with some of their personal conflicts (The Hulk, Bruce Banner was abused as a child: Marvel Comics not the TV series).

Well, I still remember the first day I stepped into a gym. It was a small gym owned by Mr. America Paul Love. They guys were huge in that gym. Paul was friends with many pro's and guys like Roy Calender and Bertil Fox would work out there when they came into town. The giants in this gym had real heart and kindness. They would always find time to show a young kid the ropes.

Honestly, I started getting serious about bodybuilding because it made me feel safe. I was physically abused by two stepfathers from the ages of 7 until 16. Suffered from PTSD as a result for many years but by the grace of God and Bodybuilding, I was able to overcome it. Maybe I shared too much already but I just wanted to be honest.

1993 The Monterey Classic-Did not place.
1994 The Sacramento Did not place
1995 The Seaside Classic 5th place middle weight-
1995 The Mr. Santa Clara-Middle Weight Overall Winner.

Looking back at my first show and I still remember dieting on Dryers Non-Fat Yogurt. I was eating a tub every two days (Hey it was non fat? How did I know LOL!)

Was getting ready for the Nationals in 2007, everything was going good, Off season a hard 250, my diet and supplementation was spot on. Surrounded myself with other top National competitors and a few pros then BAAAAAAAMMM! My ex-wife left me. My whole world fell apart. I did not see this coming and it knocked the wind out of me!! I I isolated myself stopped training. The next year I decided to go back to school and finish my BA and then get my Masters. Got back in shape while working in the Caribbean in 2003 but never competed. Came back to the USA to care for my grandparents before they died and that is when I let myself jump from a lean 215 to a FAAAAT 250. Training consistent for the last two years and going for a personal best to celebrate my 46th birthday!

There is a happy ending to this story, I met a beautiful Caribbean woman in 2003 and got married. 8 years strong and never been happier

[Baldiewonkanobi]

Wow...Paul Love. I worked with him in the 80s on the Mr. America committee. Great guy and amazing physique.


Baldie