Well… It’s that time of year again and the 2012 NPC Season is in FULL-SWING and that means that is is time to start making trips Over The “Hill,” well really it is a 10,oooft Mountain Pass, but when you live in the Rocky’s… That’s a Hill The first competition of the season for Team 970Muscle is The Northern, which takes place this weekend in Boulder! It is always an AWESOME Competition and this year it is also a National Qualifier! Last year Team 970Muscle won the Overall Team Award and we are back to defend the title! There are several Veterans on the Team as well as several up and coming First-Timers! All in all Team 970Muscle will be entered in about 40 Classes… WOAH!!!

The Northern!

We all are certainly excited for this competition, everyone has trained hard, prepared, looks the part… Now it is time for the FUN! Team 970Muscle would also like to take the time to Thank and Acknowledge MAN Sports… EVERYONE on the Team is a HUGE Believer and User of MAN Sports Products, it is nice to know that you have a quality company backing you every step of the way! A quality company that is also constantly in the “Lab” working on, perfecting, and testing new products! With MAN Sports it truly is about PERFORMANCE and well… It’s time to PERFORM!

Born 2 Perform

To all of you competing this weekend all across the Country… Best Wishes! Remember that you have already put in the work and now it is time to relax and enjoy the Journey! Be sure to take lots of pictures, make lots of friends, and above all… MAKE SOME MEMORIES! I’m looking forward to hearing all about it! Until next week…

-Stay Strong; It’s more than Physical-

-Derek aka “Diesel”-

I started this morning off with posting this picture on my facebook…

TRUTH!

When you get right down to everything in Life this quote really strikes home! Underneath the picture I posted this, “The ONLY way that we lose is when we DON’T give our all!” Far too many people simply focus on a Trophy or a Placing and you know what, in the end they really don’t mean much! If all you want is a Trophy, well… You can go pick one of those up for a few dollars, but if you are focused on giving your all each day, in the end you will NEVER lose! The effort always pays off and when people have that switch go off and begin to realize this, now that is where the magic starts! I took this picture after Jr. USA’s last year where I competed in Men’s Physique and had an absolutely AMAZING time! You see, I didn’t place Top 5, but that didn’t change my outlook one bit! I gave my all, remained positive, inspired others along the way, and knew that I belonged on that stage and to me… That is what it is all about!

I learned long ago that those that have Heart will always win and that is exactly why I will never stop! Right now I am Coaching the amazing 970Muscle Team and they are less than 2-Weeks Out from The Northern! The first National Qualifier of the year here in Colorado and it ALWAYS is a Top Notch Competition!

The Northern!

This is always an amazing time as everyone’s hard work comes together and they get to hit the Stage, this will be the first time out for some on the Team! The last 2-Weeks is really where Champions are made… In my 13 Years of being involved in the NPC I have seen time and time again all of the people that SAY they are going to compete, but drop out in the last 2-Weeks! For the majority of them, it had nothing to do with their Physical Appearance, but rather their Mental Preparation and to me this gets right back to giving your all! If you do that, you really should have ZERO doubt, because there is nothing else that you could have done! Being surrounded by a Network of Positive and Caring Individuals is also a HUGE advantage, I have been involved in Teams nearly my entire life, so I know first hand the synergistic benefits that everyone receives… There are however some that have never been around or involved with a True Team and that takes some getting used to, it is very similar to your family, you have ups and downs, but you are always there in the end through the good and bad and by this, everyone benefits and grows!

Your Outlook truly does determine your Output; Think Positive, Be Positive, and RECEIVE Positive! To all of you out there preparing for whatever it may be, remember that as long as you give you ALL, you ALWAYS Win!

-Stay Strong; It’s more than Physical-

-Derek aka “Diesel”-

Everyday I’m Shuttling… Nutrients that is! Anyone who really knows about setting up a proper Eating Plan knows that it is MUCH more than calories in VS Calories out! Timing and Utilization are HUGE components of what we eat, if we don’t feed our bodies at the proper time, we waste so much potential and become less efficient! One VERY overlooked aspect is the fact that whatever we eat, no matter how much if not used will not matter! This is where taking care of overall Health, Digestive Health, and Nutrient Maximization is HUGE!!! I have been an advocate of this for a very long time and recently thanks to MAN Sports was able to step it up to a Whole New Level! How? Well… By a breakthrough New Product known as N Force!

N FORCE!!!

I really am excited for this product because essentially what it allows you to do is utilize what you are already doing even better! Many people refer to this type of product as a “Recomp” because it allows you to change the composition of your body, while simultaneously Gaining Muscle and Losing Body Fat… Basically why just about all of us do this! The key times to take this product are approximately 10-15 Minutes before your Carbohydrate containing meals… Morning and Around Training! Another nice effect of this product is that by driving more nutrients into your muscles it also allows for an awesome PUMP from your training! Love that! This will certainly become a year round staple for myself and client that I work with! Quite amazing to have a product that allows you to maximize what you are already doing! I also really love how you can feel this product begin to work, you definitely will get a tingle feeling if you do not eat within 10-15 Minutes of taking it… It primes your body to shuttle what you are about to ingest inside your muscles and goes to work immediately! Another great aspect of this product is that it really is meant for anyone; Men, Women… If you want to Gain Muscle, Lose Fat, Get PUMPED… This is one you definitely want to try!

-Stay Strong; It’s more than Physical-

-Derek aka “Diesel”-

As many of you know I am a Full-Time Professional Firefighter at a very busy Fire Department, one that actually shows up each year on the top busiest in the nation! With this comes working roughly 60 hours per week and 24 hour shifts, with the bulk of our calls coming during the late night and early morning! For anyone that is concerned with taking their Fitness serious, you know that you must also get plenty of sleep for growth and recovery! This is one area that I am constantly trying to manage, as you can imagine I must maximize all of the hours in a day in order to get things done! Being a Firefighter, Fitness Coach, and Physique Athlete are 3 Full-Time Lifestyles and fortunately I am able to blend them together a bit to take full advantage!

As far as sleep goes… There are times where my sleep cycles get VERY out of whack and when I am tired I am not able to sleep and when I am able to sleep I am not tired… Quite the vicious cycle! Until recently when MAN Sports came out with a revolutionary new product!REM P.M.!!!

REM P.M. taken about 30 minutes before I would like to go to sleep has allowed me to not only fall asleep, but STAY asleep, and then wake up the next morning feeling refreshed! This has added a huge boost to my Training and overall Well-Being, something that is invaluable! If you are out there Training HARD, Training Late, have things on your mind, working shift work, etc… Then REM P.M. is EXACTLY what you have been waiting for to maximize every hour that you are given! Speaking of that… I’m about to take 2 capsules right now… Dream Land here I come!

-Stay Strong; It’s more than Physical-

-Derek aka “Diesel”-

Anyone that has been involved in the Fitness Lifestyle for a period of time can tell you that staying Disciplined, Driven, and Determined for the long haul ultimately comes down to Balance! Similar to the saying “Everything In Moderation,” it is very important to learn and find the Balance between the several facets in Our Lives! Favor one side too much and the Balance will begin to tip and without correction will fall over and come crashing down! It is also important to realize and set reasonable Goals, that way we can set reasonable outcomes! If we are going extra hard in one area of Our Lives that is important, we need to realize that if we do not pay attention to the other important areas that Our Long Term Goals will ultimately suffer because of this! Things DO NOT happen overnight, but much like climbing a Mountain Peak, there are times that we must go back down to acclimate to our surroundings before ascending even higher than our previous best!

Some great ways to maintain Balance are to remember to take time out from Training and Work to relax your Mind and Body by spending time with your family, friends, and loved ones! Remember that it is also OKAY to not have to talk about nothing but Training! Your Mind and Body need rest and you will never receive this if you are constantly ignoring your surroundings, in the end it will only hurt your Long Term Goals and divert you from your path! Take time out for other activities and don’t be afraid to step out of the box a bit! Your Training should NOT inhibit Your Lifestyle! If you are afraid to experience new things, get out of the box, have fun, even leave the house because you think it will take you away from Your Goals… You are VERY wrong, this mindset will ultimately be the reason why you do not achieve success! There is nothing more impressive than seeing a Balanced individual who can be Successful in ALL of the aspects of Their Lives while influencing them around them!

Don’t be afraid to step out of the box… You’ll soon fine that their is a lot more Growth to be had outside of a confined space…

-Stay Strong; It’s more than Physical-

-Derek aka “Diesel”-