Here is the PM:

My name is Shane M, (Sugashane) I worked with you for 3 months a while back. I’m at the hospital now and looking at my new baby, and I just thought about how much has happened in the last 2 years. I opened up my bookmarks on my computer and saw intensemuscle still at the top and thought I’d drop a line to let you know what all has happened since I trained under you.

I got over 200 for the only time in my life. In April of 2009, I topped out at 201 pounds at only 11% BF, which was great considering how I was doing nothing but a straight bulk. I was also set for the Air Force, and had my ship date at Dec 7. Kate had also agreed to marry me, and literally a week or two later we found out she was pregnant.

Things were rough for a while. I got into some really heavy use of painkillers, especially after Katie had the miscarriage in July. I hit rock bottom and nearly lost everything, even Katie. I handled everything wrong and acted like a total bitch. Finally my brother told me exactly how pathetic I was being and set me straight.

Getting clean was literally the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I had no respect for myself anymore so I set a goal to earn it back with the Air Force. I set a list of goals and set out to beat them all. I didn’t get all of them, I actually missed 3 out of the 10, but not by much.

I entered into the AF and was placed in a flight of Paratroopers, SEREs, etc. I was put as an Element Leader just because of age. I admit I was homesick for my wife, but on Christmas Day I got my one call home. I found out that we were having a baby again and the fire was lit again. I earned Dorm Chief by week 5. I entered MEPs at 196 lbs and was able to get Warhawk in our last PT test, even after stepping on another trainees foot and hurting my knee. Since I passed the tests I got to graduate, but I couldn’t do the Airman’s Run or ceremony. I also could not leave for tech school until I was evaluated. Well my MRI came back and I had retore my ACL in my right knee. A disqualifying condition since I had to get a waiver to be allowed to enlist. I was in the 319th Training Squadron for just over 100 days before I was sent back home and given an Honorable Discharge. I lost my appeal to the Med Board.

At home I realized just how much different I was physically. I was down to 153 pounds. Being in BMT for almost 5 months and only eating what little you can force down in chow just wasn’t enough to keep weight on, especially with me being on crutches for 2 months.

I got a job and started working out all over again. Definitely a humbling experience. Maxing out a squat at a shit-form 135 lbs, running a mile in 9:12 (that longer than I ran the mile and a half for the PT test), and the great “I look like I’m going through chemo” feelings when I look in a mirror all took a toll.

But I stepped up and kept at it. I slowly worked back into a diet much like what you had me on, and I am back 182 pounds (no gear), lifts are slowly but steadily climbing again, and the marriage has been amazing. Now I sit here and see my wife sleeping and my baby boy sleeping right next to her in his crib. Its amazing.

Things never worked out how I planned. I made mistakes and had bad luck in a lot of things, but I bettered myself from them. I learned and will better myself and my family because of that.

If I hadn’t worked with you I doubt I’d have started over in the game. I gained a lot of knowledge and confidence in the few months I trained under you.

My goal is to compete in a powerlifting meet, then a regional bodybuilding show in the same year, before I’m 30.

Just wanted to say thank you and let you know what has happened since the last time we talked. Thanks again for everything.

God bless,
Shane M

Ryan Fulton came off of his Minnesota State class win and is now 271 and in the condition that I like my guys in the off season. We are focusing on primarily bringing his back up and when it does come up, he will be doing some damage on a stage next year. I honestly think that we can hit the 300 mark with him before prep starts so stay tuned – 290s for sure.
Pic of Ryan:

Of course, most know that Josh Barnett and I will be starting his off season in the next couple weeks after he finished 3 shows this year with top finishes in 2 out of 3 shows. It was a tough competitive season for Josh as he has a lot on his plate especially considering they have a baby on the way. My hat is off to him for pulling off 3 shows with so many other things going on. We are looking for a very productive off season and I am excite to make dramatic changes in Josh’s physique for 2011, as well.
Pic of Josh:

Vinny just placed 8th at the USAs as a middleweight and we will be heading to the North Americans in 5 weeks and then to Nationals after that so his competitive season isn’t done just yet but we plan on working together in the off season again after HUGE changes this last off season. Vinny moved to the middles after the welterweight division the year prior. He was right at the top of the class and it will be hard to keep him in a middleweight for 2011. I see him in the lightheavies almost certainly in a year.
Pic of Vinny:

Matt came to me late due to trainer issues and we got together with a few week to go for the USAs where he placed 15th in the lightheavies. I am excited to work with Matt for the off season because I think I can make a huge impact on his weaker areas and come in just as strong from the back as he is from the front.
Pic of Matt:

I have a couple more euro guys that I would like to mention but due to current ties with other trainers I don’t want to step on any toes.

I am also looking forward to working with a figure competitor that just took her first stab at a national level show at the USAs, too. We will be starting her off season on September 1st.

Of course, Jimmy’s season starts soon and myself and my wife will be heading to St Louis to watch the preseason game when the Vikings travel to play the Rams. Jimmy is from St Louis so we will be staying with him and his wife and the kids. We are looking forward to that on the weekend of our 17th wedding anniversary. Hey, if you had 4 kids you wouldn’t mind getting away for a weekend to go watch football and take in a nice dinner, either.

Look for these TEAM SKIP clients to make a big splash in 2011!

Skip

I had a lot of people support me for this show and a lot of people asking about how it went so I figured this would be the easiest way to not only recap what I did this time, my focus and goals, but I am providing a video clip of prejudging instead of pics because the pics came out so bad.
First, I want to say that I was very pleased with the package that I presented. It was an incredibly easy prep – easier than any other prep I have ever done. As most of you know, I didn’t plan to do this show until after I got done filming the training footage for the DVD and figured that with my weight just under 210, I was in pretty good condition being only about 7 weeks from the show. I told myself that if it remained easy and fun I would continue getting leaner and leaner and do the state show here. Competing locally my kids get to come and be a part of the show and that is important to me. When traveling it is just too stressful and expensive to take all of the kids along.
This year I did very little cardio (5 days at 30 minute sessions) with the exception of 3 weeks where I added an extra 30 minute session on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I only did that for 3 weeks because I was getting lighter too quickly so I backed back off to only 5, 30 minute sessions. My diet was very simple and I actually kept carbs in this year for 2 of my meals, plus postworkout, even during the last week of prep. I did lower my fat intake by switching to only chicken and egg whites (half and half for each meal) for the last 4 weeks. However, I was still getting clean fats in the form of natural peanut butter and nuts with 3 meals a day. I think the only time I was ever hungry was the weekend before the show for about 3 days before the final load.
I loaded for 2 full days and I loaded until I was blue in the face. I have the progression pictures from the last week and will likely post them after getting them organized but for now I am only posting the video from prejudging. I went from an incredibly flat 197 to 210 over a two day load. I weighed in at 208 but that is a little misleading as I was still drinking water and that sort of thing on Friday night. Still, the point is that I was full and much bigger than I had ever been on stage and was a heavyweight for the first time, ever.
Now, I need to mention that being a heavyweight to ME is something I am very proud of and have been striving for, for a long time. In my mind, you just can’t be a small dude if you are a heavy. I don’t care if you are only a few pounds into the heavies – you have the heavyweight label and that means you are big, in my mind. So, it was something I was and am proud of after so many years to finally be able to move up a class to the heavies.
My condition? It wasn’t typical “Skip condition”. I wasn’t ripped to the bone at the expense of size and fullness. Last year, after I dipped into the lightheavies for the Jr USAs and then didn’t have enough time to fill out, I decided that I didn’t like that look – what with looking emaciated and being so lean that I was getting “old guy skin”. You know – when you get so fucking lean that your skin is so thin it looks like it loses elasticity? I didn’t like the look and I don’t think it looks healthy. Plus, it looks ….. well ….. old.
The plan this year was to come in full as shit and look BIG and, yes, I knew this might mean giving up some of my condition that I am known for. I figured if I give up 10% I am still going to be as ripped as anyone else up there and still likely leaner than almost everyone. After looking at some of the pics and video (it all isn’t in yet as of this blog only one day after the show) it appears that I likely gave up more like 20% with conditioning but I still don’t care because I think most anyone looking at the pics or video (or if you saw me on stage) will say that it was a fair trade – a bit of conditioning for fullness. I figured if I am going into the heavies I will be damned if I am going to get pummeled on size. Quite frankly, I think I held my own and the feedback that I have gotten (and from trusted sources) says the same thing.
Now, the placings could have been better but ….. as cliche as it sounds, I compete to win and I prepare to win but I don’t live and die by what a panel of judges says on a given day. At the end of the day I drug my 4th place open trophy and my 2nd place masters trophy home with my kids and my wife to my beautiful home driving in my big yellow tractor and I went out with friends that came out to support me instead of friends that want to hang out with me because I am some faux internet celebrity. The latter being another blog I will get to in the next week or two.
With the exception of the Jr USAs last year, this was my lowest placing ever at a state level show. At the same time, I couldn’t have been more proud to have brought a package that I have not ever brought to a weight class that I have never competed in until this weekend. I was so full that I watered over only 3 hours post show. lol I hadn’t even left the restaurant after the show before my ankles and calves started taking on water. How close is THAT??? And I also decided not to use a diuretic, at all.
I am sure I am going to get the guys that say “Skip showed up and wasn’t as tight as he usually is” but …. I can do that most any time as I have proven so many times before. What I HAVE NOT ever done until this last weekend is show up so fucking full that my skin was going to split (or at least it FELT like it). I enjoy pushing the envelope and seeing how far I can push my body to produce a look that I haven’t yet achieved. Will I go back to just showing up peeled? I don’t know. I have been to the point that I don’t know if I could get any leaner so …… where is the challenge in that?? Do I go in next time as a middle?? Whatever I do it will have to be a challenge or I won’t do it. I get bored easily and I learn nothing from doing the same thing over and over. I also did a LOT of different things with my Skiploading including increased fat intake and loading for 2 days like I mentioned previously. I don’t know where to go from here but ….. it has only been one day. In all honesty the only direction I DO know I will be going tomorrow is straight to CJs Chicago Dogs for some chili cheese dogs with my kids for lunch. If I show up with chili on my face for the seminar, don’t laugh. I’m a happy man.

The video was choppy the first time I viewed it – like it was loading the entire time. The 2nd time I viewed it, it was fine.