Competitive Bodybuilding
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Throwback Thursday: Peak Week Memories
Contest prep has a way of making time blur together. By peak week, everything becomes extremely structured — training, meals, water, sleep, posing, recovery. Photos like this from 2024 always take me back to that mindset. Focused, tired, excited, and completely locked into the goal after months of preparation. A lot of people only see… Continue reading
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When the Mirror Gets Too Loud
Bodybuilding is, by definition, an aesthetic pursuit. The name itself says it clearly. We are building the body. Shaping it. Refining it. Improving it through years of training, nutrition, recovery, discipline, and repetition. Physique matters in this world because the physique is the work itself. So yes — bodybuilders pay attention to appearance. More than… Continue reading
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Arnold UK Show Day: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What Comes Next
Show day started early, as always. I woke up feeling good. The first coat of tan was done, carbs were in, and physically everything was responding the way I wanted. Mentally, I felt calm. Going into the day, I already knew this had been one of the most balanced and sustainable preps I’ve done, especially… Continue reading
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Reflections: Final 48 Hours before the Arnold UK
Held in Birmingham, England, the Arnold UK is one of the biggest stages in bodybuilding. It’s part of the Arnold Sports Festival, and coming just weeks after the Arnold Classic in the U.S., it brings together some of the best athletes in the world. At this level, the difference is in the details. These final… Continue reading
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Ask Alessandro Volume 2: Your Questions, Answered
In the Ask Alessandro series, I field your questions on topics such as training, lifestyle, and fitness. If you would like to submit a question for a future post, please click here. Special thanks to everyone who submitted questions for this edition of Ask Alessandro! Now, onto the questions: Question: Who are your role models… Continue reading
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2026 Arnold Sports UK – Result
Prejudging and Finals wrapped up today at the Arnold Sports UK, and I finished 6th in a very competitive Men’s Physique lineup. Thank you to everyone who followed along and supported me throughout this journey! (Photo credit: stephenblackphotography) Continue reading
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Arnold Sports UK – Let’s Go
The Arnold Sports UK starts today, and it’s always a bit surreal arriving at a show like this. You spend months in a very controlled routine—training, diet, recovery—and then suddenly you’re here, surrounded by athletes who’ve done the same. The Men’s Physique lineup is a strong one this year: Prejudging is Saturday from 11:00 AM… Continue reading
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The Reality of Judging: When Competition Results Sink In
From the outside, bodybuilding competitions might look simple. You see the lights, the tan, the poses, the body at its sharpest. What you don’t see is what happens a few minutes later, when the music stops, the pump fades, and the judges’ decisions land. That’s the quiet moment people rarely talk about. The one where… Continue reading
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A Quick Update on the Arnold Classic USA
I wanted to share a quick update regarding the Arnold Classic USA this weekend. Due to a misunderstanding related to the competition registration process, I unfortunately will not be competing at the Arnold Classic this Saturday as originally planned. I know many of you were looking forward to seeing me on stage, and I truly… Continue reading
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Training With Jackson Peos at Undefeated Gym in Bali
My friend Jackson Peos just posted a YouTube video from my time training in Bali. Jackson is an Australian sports nutritionist, bodybuilder, and online coach who founded the Undefeated Gym in Bali, and he’s been documenting a lot of the athletes who come through to train there. In the video, we spend the day talking about prep and training… Continue reading
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The Week of the Arnold: What Happens Before You Ever Touch the Stage
People see the final photos: the lights, the smile, the shorts, the pose. They see a physique that looks finished — sharp, dry, polished — like it simply arrived that way. What they don’t see is the week that built that look. Because the Arnold isn’t decided when you step under the lights. It’s decided… Continue reading
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The Arnold Sports Festival: Stepping Back Onto One of Bodybuilding’s Biggest Stages
Every sport has certain stages that mean more. In bodybuilding, the Arnold Sports Festival is one of them. And it begins later this week, running from March 5-8, 2026. Held each year in Columbus, Ohio, the Arnold isn’t just another contest on the calendar. It’s one of the most respected and established events in the… Continue reading
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Friday Flex: Almost Stage Ready
Getting spray bronzed is one of those behind-the-scenes steps that doesn’t look like training, but it plays a real role once you’re under stage lights. The tan deepens shadows, sharpens separation, and makes sure months of work don’t get washed out the moment you step onstage. Under bright lighting, even a great physique can flatten… Continue reading
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The Training Journal: The Most Underrated Tool in Bodybuilding
A lot of people think progress comes down to one big factor: the perfect program, the perfect supplement stack, the perfect coach, the perfect routine. And yes—those things matter. But if you want to improve consistently over time, there’s one tool that quietly separates people who “train” from people who actually build a physique on… Continue reading
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My Recent Interview on the Mens Physique Show
I recently had the chance to sit down with The Mens Physique Show for an interview, and it was a great opportunity to talk through where I am right now — both in prep and in the bigger picture. At the time of the interview, I was about nine weeks out from the Arnold Classic. Prep is… Continue reading