The best way to get back on track is setting goals – small achievable stepping stones to get you to that ultimate prize at the end. While you might already have a major goal in mind like a contest or maxxing out your bench, larger goals can seem unattainable and can de-motivate you. When your morning alarm starts feeling like the beginning of a prison sentence, make your goals smaller and easier to attain. Add an extra exercise to each training session BEFORE you leap right into another whole session. Bump your weights up by 5 pounds instead of expecting to go right to a 45 pound plate. Go from level 5 to level 6 on the treadmill instead of expecting to run a marathon in a week. Once you’ve set these smaller more reasonable goals, be sure to also reward yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to can keep you motivated, like a new protein flavor or an extra hour of sleep on the weekend. The key is making sure the reward is not a punishment for your body, but more like a dessert.

I tend to use my fridge for more than just a place to keep chicken breasts, when I need motivation. I’ll put a motivating picture up there or even write my goal for the week down so I see it EVERY day. Keep a running list of all the goals you completed. The longer the list gets – you’ll see how much more motivated you get.

A dark tan is one of the keys to really showing off your muscles and deep cuts. Definition is enhanced with a golden brown glow. And if you’re concerned about UV rays – there is a load of self-tanning creams and sprays out there that get you almost the same results. So there is no reason for you to be depriving yourself of the head-turning power of a good tan. But be careful – as with all things muscle related – it can be overdone.

Tricks of the tan:

1. A good base of natural tan either via the sun or a tanning booth can help with a good, competitive bronze. Try to start tanning at least 6 weeks out from competition. Then you won’t have to rush it an risk burning or damaging your skin.
2. With a good base tan – it is still necessary to apply a tanning oil or cream (and several coats at that) prior to stepping on stage. Be sure to check in advance with the regulations of the show you’re in to see if certain oils and creams are banned. When you apply them, having someone else’s assistance always helps. There’s no nice way to put it; you’re painting yourself and the only way to make sure you don’t need another coat is a second set of eyes.
3. Lindsay Lohan syndrome. If you opt not to chance the UV damage and go with bronzing creams or sprays – choose a pigment that works to make you BROWN – not orange or grey.

Of course, if you still prefer tanning, that option is still open to you. Be sure to start well before the competition to be sure you know your tolerance. Also, certain medications do not react well to the beds, so check with your doctor before you start. Stand up booths take less time but are more expensive. Most salons or gyms will give you your first session free to see which bed you prefer. Whatever you do, darken up in time for the judging – you don’t want the kid from THE 6th SENSE sitting in the crowd whispering “I see white people.”

When you understand what classification of body type you are, you will be able to adapt your routine and diet for better results. For more information on how to enter the NxLabs Body Challenge, check out our website.

If you like the Body Challenge Podcast, you can subscribe to them for regular updates through RSS or iTunes.

So the debate ensues:  Before you try to pass off a swimsuit as your gear for the day, hold on. While similar in structure and style, there are a few differences you need to know about. And while the thought of wearing such a skimpy piece of clothing on stage may seem embarrassing, losing to the guy who did wear one is even more embarrassing, don’t you think?

Remember that the reason that you are in competition is to show off the work you have been doing on your musculature. A posing suit is cut to show off as much of your leg sweep and help narrow your waist as possible, within current standards of modesty. Sure, there are those who jokingly call them “Daisy Cutters” or “Banana Hammocks” – but these puppies are the necessary tools of the trade. It is not designed for speed in the water like a standard swim trunk would be. While this will go against all logic for most of us, the key feature you are looking for in a suit is exposure. However I cannot stress the following enough! There are limits – and while posing suits are small – anything resembling dental floss is just plain wrong! While some European contests are open to thongs, North America still frowns on “Whale Tails.” And for that, we here at NxLabs are thankful.

Much like a crowd around the urinal in the men’s washroom, stage fright is the last thing you need to worry about during competition. My advice is to practice posing at home – in your posing trunks. The key to this is wearing it a few times before competition to not only help you get the most flattering fit, but also get used to an otherwise humbling experience. A great tip is to buy two suits; one that fits and one that is two sizes smaller. Some competitors can drop over 15 pounds in their last week of contest prep. There is nothing less flattering than a posing suit that has lost its shape.

Keep up with the Body Challenge Podcast on a regular basis by subscribing through RSS, or get the videos downloaded directly to your desktop through iTunes.

At which point the individual asking the question usually wanders away either pissed off or confused (usually both), reinforcing my belief that the typical gym-goer isn’t really looking for the truth but rather quick sound bites that will help make ‘em ripped, stronger or HEEYYOOOOGE. Unfortunately, folks with short attention spans and unwillingness to learn usually end up spinning their wheels, doing the same 10 year-old program their buddy’s cousins’ next-door neighbor did!

See, everyone is looking for the secret. That one tidbit of information or workout program all the really massive guys use to look the way they do. Ultimately, there’s no such thing. Believe me, I have wasted what seems like years and thousands of dollars on magazines promising to make me grow like a weed. I listened to so-called guru after guru who looked great but almost always led me down the wrong path. Fortunately, I didn’t give up and I continued to study and read and learn until I found what works.

Here’s a story that clearly highlights this phenomenon. A few years back I was training with a buddy who was in the throes of a brutal pre-contest diet (read: he was miserable!) After a particularly difficult workout, we were approached by an eager, young fellow who was looking to glean “the secret to getting big.”

“What do you guys do to get so big?”

Now, before I could start into my practiced response – “Well, that all depends …” – my buddy jumps in and points to his post-workout carb meal of mashed yams and says, “Carrots, lots and lots of carrots, at least a pound a day!” Thinking the young guy was going to realize it was a joke, I didn’t say anything, but watched him walk away with a quizzical look. Thinking nothing of this, the weeks went by till one day we were approached by this fellow again, only to see his skin had taken on a distinct orange coloration!

So what’s the moral of the story? (other than: don’t bother dieting, bodybuilders!) There is no secret program. There is no magic tool. It’s all about finding what works for you as an individual. There exists infinite variations from person to person and body to body to suggest somehow a magazine-published workout performed by an Olympia contender with freakish genetics can build you a similar physique. No matter how diligently you follow his plan, this is ridiculous! Everyone is different; what works for him will not likely work for you.

What, then, is an eager, young aspiring athlete like you supposed to do? Simple – read, listen and learn everything you can. However, make sure your BS meter is well-calibrated and turned on. The old adage about things seeming too good to be true, will serve you well here. Ask questions of everyone, especially someone who claims to be an expert, including myself! A genuine expert should be willing to take the time to answer your questions regarding his or her advice and not expect you to blindly follow it ‘cause he or she is always asking questions of others! To that end, join me at this same spot next week where I’ll do my best to answer your questions and provide some basic tools to get you started on your quest for a lean, powerful and muscular physique!

To enter the contest, all you need to do is create your profile.  From January to June, the voting public will decide which 20 contestants will move on to the semi-finals. The top five with the most votes at the end of this round will make it through to the final.  Of those five elite athletes, one will be chosen as the grand prize winner by our panel of judges.

There’s $35,000 in prizes to be won, including an endorsement contract from NxLabs and a trip to the 2010 Arnolds.  And remember – there’s no purchase or entry fee necessary.  In fact, just for participating or even voting in the contest, we’re giving a 10% discount on all of our products.

So what are you waiting for?  You’ve got six months to show the world what you’ve got and take home the hardware.  Create a profile, tell your friends, and get your supporters rooting – and more importantly, voting – for you.

Physique guidelines for fitness competitions typically suggest a small amount of muscular mass; clear separations between muscle groups (but no visible striations); and leanness. The competitor should also represent a physically active body; provide examples of fitness, sports and adventure achievements.

Judges will be looking for symmetry, shape, and sculpting, as well as conditioning, leanness and how “athletic” (as opposed to brawny) their muscularity is.

In the week leading up to a contest, professional bodybuilders will begin decreasing their water intake so as to deregulate the systems in the body associated with water flushing. They may also increase their sodium intake. At the same time they will decrease their carbohydrate consumption in an attempt to “carb deplete.” The goal during this week is to deplete the muscles of glycogen. Two days before the show, sodium intake is reduced by half, and then eliminated completely. The day before the show, water is removed from the diet, and water loss products may be introduced. At the same time carbohydrates are re-introduced into the diet to expand the muscles. This is typically known as “carb-loading.” The end result is an ultra-lean bodybuilder with full hard muscles and a dry, vascular appearance. This should be left to PROFESSIONAL BODYBUILDERS only and NOT attempted by amateurs. This is for information only and should not be considered advice or instruction.

Clothing

• Wear the same type of clothing in all your photos.
• Remember that if you are covering up parts of your body it will be difficult to show your progress, so show it off.
• Do not cover your legs with long shorts or “cut” them out of the photo.
• Avoid wearing jewelry or accessories as it could block the judges view of your physique.

Photos

• Try to get the highest quality photos you can. Remember, this is the only way the judges can see your transformation. Good, clear, high quality photos are essential. Again, good, clear high quality photos are essential.
• Try taking them outside in either the morning or the late evening (when the sun is low) as the light is generally better for photos at that time.
• Take your photos against a plain background.
• Please include your whole body, from head to toe. Make sure to take the key poses, so comparisons can be made. Additional flexing photos can be taken for progress comparisons, but make sure to have the main ones.
• Try to fill the photograph with yourself. If you stand too far away it may be hard to see your great results.

With your photos you can also submit additional stats

• Weight
• Waist, chest, arms, thigh measurements
• Body fat % (you should be able to have this measurement taken at any local gym, or you can usually buy a small body fat caliper at any sporting goods or health store. It will come with directions on how to measure your body fat %)