My latest YouTube video takes you along for a busy day in Los Angeles as I balance competition prep with work, training, travel, and recovery.
I was only in LA for a couple of days, but there was plenty happening. One of the main reasons for the stop was a shoot for a new brand collaboration. I’m keeping the name under wraps for now, but the video gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the shoot and a little preview of what I’ve been working on.
Brand partnerships have become another part of my career, and I like working with companies that fit naturally with my lifestyle. Bodybuilding will always be at the center of what I do, but there are other areas that are important to me too — fashion, grooming, skincare, travel, and taking care of how I present myself. You’ll be hearing more about this particular collaboration soon.
Learning From Santa Cruz
I also use the vlog to talk about my recent third-place finish in Santa Cruz.
At the time I filmed the video, I was still waiting for official feedback from the head judge, but I had already received some useful observations from people I trust. One of the biggest areas was posing.
You can spend months preparing your physique, but you still have to present it correctly when you step onto the stage. Small differences in shoulder position, posture and how you open your back can change what the judges see.
In the video, I demonstrate one specific mistake I made during my back pose in Santa Cruz and show the adjustment I need to make. Looking back at the competition footage, I can see exactly where I was fighting the pose instead of letting my physique speak for itself.
It’s a good reminder for anyone preparing to compete: posing deserves the same attention you give your training and diet.
Recovering While Staying Ready
Another challenge is figuring out how to train immediately after a competition when the season isn’t finished.
My body is still recovering from prep, calories are still low, and I may need to step on stage again very soon. That means I have to be smart about how much stress I create in the gym.
In LA, I take you through some of my training and explain the approach I’m using between shows. The goal right now is to keep the muscles stimulated and responsive while giving my nervous system and the rest of my body an opportunity to recover.
Food and sleep become especially important during this period. When you’re already operating with limited calories, you have to think carefully about how much additional stress you’re asking your body to handle.
Competition Is Only Part of Life
This vlog also captures something I’ve learned throughout my career: even during competition season, life keeps moving.
There are shoots to complete, flights to catch, work waiting on my laptop, relationships and friendships to maintain, and decisions to make about what comes next. The balance changes from week to week, and right now bodybuilding requires a lot of my attention. But I still have to manage everything around it.
After Los Angeles, I’m heading to Las Vegas and then Miami. And there’s another decision coming very soon: where I’ll compete next.
I talk more about that journey, what I learned from Santa Cruz, and how I’m approaching the days between competitions in the new video.
Come spend the day with me in LA — and stay tuned, because the next chapter is coming quickly.
Be sure to check out my past blog post, too, where I talked about the significance of Venice and Muscle Beach: Tuesday Travelogue: Venice Beach & Muscle Beach — Iron, Salty Air, And A Long Shadow Of History.