Well, the sojourn into physique is over.  Just too many big boys out there, and with my dodgy old man shoulders, and being an old man (a dodgy one, well sometimes, ask Ness), I just don't have the time or inclination to put the hard work in to get seriously big.  The old adage, right across sport, of "a good big man beating a good small man" holds true in bodybuilding - probably even more so!

Being someone who likes to win, not just compete, Physique has been a hard road to walk down, knowing that getting  a placing is going to be a good result, and winning is not really going to happen - not at the pointy end of the season at any  - the Nationals.

So, it is back to the Athletic grade for me, some serious hard yakka on the diet front, which is neither here nor there, just part of the landscape.  It'll mean some hard earned muscle mass will have to be shaved off along the way, but  that is a price I am willing to pay!  Not that much though really, as at the Aussie ANB comp recently I came in about 82 kilos, and I certainly was not near as lean as I was last season competing as an Athletic.   I can't recall exactly, but at the Wellington regional and the Nationals, I came in at 77 or 78 kilos - tee shirt and track pants.  So there was plenty of room to add some muscle from last season, so this dabble with the big boys is not all bad!

So first up Rarotonga, August 28.  If I can get the weight down, it'll be Athletic, if not, then I'll have to play with the 'Mr Incredibles', the big boys in Physique.  Then to qualify for nationals (in Athletic), it's the Wellington comp (look out Green Parrot, I'm gunning for your mixed grill, this time I'll get to eat more than half) on September 11, and then onwards and upwards - Nationals on October 3.

That is the challenge - game on!

Current weight 85.7kg. BF 9.5% (from the flash scales we have at home, this varies heaps, so can't be that accurate)! 
Waist 79cm, Chest 105cm (only measures I can remember from Teresa visit last night)...!

Once again, thanks for the support from Nutrition Plus and Raisey's Original.