View Full Version : The Cage 2010
Thursday 3/4/10--The take off...
First of all I am very pleased and happy I was selected to be part of The Cage again! Those of you who know me pretty good will attest how I am like a big kid in a candy store when it comes to bodybuilding! Sure I might never reach an IFFB Pro status like my peers, but I bodybuild for the passion and excitement it gives me. Taking pictures with various IFBB Pros and training with people who I seldom see but only once or twice a year is a major treat for me. Kinda like Animal...No bull shit, all truth and doing it for the love of the sport!
Meeting Big Al at Philly airport to board our late afternoon flight...BigAL's back-chest-arms looking to bust out of his 3x Animal t-shirt and traps touching his ears...We grab a light bite to eat and board the plane for the fifty five minute flight to Columbus, OH. We hop in a cab to arrive at the Hyatt and get settled in our rooms. We go for another meal at the food court and see the crew! Vinny, GDiesel, Kluco, JDawg, Juggs, NautralGuy, Aggression and a few others eating...Steve Kluco, a great guy, very cool to talk to and hang with! He was looking very big-hard-veiny...He was close to the 280lb. mark and this was his biggest-hardest condition in the off-season EVER! Vinny was showing some new added size. He informed me that he was close to his same weight, but he looked much bigger to me...GDiesel was all business getting in his extra good muscle building calories to make is arms-shoulders-traps even more thick-muscular than ever to face off with BigAL in the 315lb. bench for reps contest the following day! NaturalGuy and JDawg also eating to move some serious weights in the gym later that evening at Metro Fitness, they had back training palnned and had some serious dead lifting on their training protocal! Kluco, BigAl and myself get Chinese food. A h u g e plate of rice and chicken with extra rice/chicken with veggies (I got half chicken and half beef) After stuffing enough food in my mouth for a family of four, we go to our rooms to freshen up for the Thursday night training at Metro Fitness. A brisk walk several blocks away we arrive, the gym was packed but filled with raw power and tons of explosive energy! I go train chest solo because if this ever so long/nagging shoulder injury-it was high-high reps, lighter weights with fast rest periods between sets for me while others threw up monster poundage's to get even more jacked muscles than they already owned! After a good sweat, filling our muscles up with fresh blood and having a tremendous pump, we head over to BD's Mongolian Grill. A walk in the chilly Columbus night made us more hungry than normal. BD's Mongolian grill is a unique restaurant. You can buy one plate or the "all you can eat plate" I selected the all-u-can-eat...You make your way to several bars of food. It has an abundant supply of raw proteins (chicken/steak/beef/fish/shrimp/scallops/eggs) with even more raw veggies, noodles, sauces and spices. You select what you want for your "bowl" and bring that along with your sauce to a huge circular grill, chefs cook/stir fry your food(s) right in front of you. Several minutes later you are back at the table with huge bowls of white/brown rice and tortillas there waiting for you to build your meal! After this feast someone, I think it was GDiesel or NaturalGuy mentioned dessert. So you gotta follow what he big boyz have right! I opted for a H U G E piece of mudd pie. A mountain pie piece of coffee ice cream with dripping hot fudge over it, and this sits on top of a cookie shell...NICE! I definitely needed to get up early the next day and hit the 6:00am cardio for this enjoyment! We mingle at the Lobby/Bar for a bit and I return to my room for a much needed night of sleep. The Cage and Friday, the first day of the Expo is always a mob scene!
*Friday will continue tomorrow....
Phil800101
03-09-10, 12:59 am
Great read so far bro! Awesome to see you again.
Friday 3/5/09...The breakfast buffet at the Hyatt....VERY VERY GOOD! Myself, JDawg, NaturalGuy, Freak and Juggs ate a ton of great food! Next walking through the Hyatt to
the Expo...It was very crowded...Getting to The Cage at 8:30am and helping set up for the mob scene to come....The Cage-Expo opens at 9:00am. We are all giving out many free
t-shirts with the on-line form...BigAl, Enforcer, JDawg, NG, GDiesel, Evan, Kluco and myself bump into each other many times because of the many people who stop by the booth, some people join Vinny in The Cage for the strength contests...Snookie from Jersey Shore was there, strolling through the expo, her boyfriend works at the gym Evan trains at. And you know I had to get several pictures of her while she visited The Cage!
Animal t-shirts, Flex-Pak-PM-Nitro-Test where selling like crazy! ! Also many Animal wrist wraps/straps and gym bags where being bought! Meeting new and old forum faces, sharing my training-nutrition ideas and answering questions was most of my day in the booth. Big Al and I did a seminar about training around injuries, and it went very well! Scals was with me in the booth and we had a great time joking and also kicking out tons of merchandise!
After a long hard day we grab more food and meet in the lobby for the Friday night Metro Fitness training. Again tons of energy filled this crowded gym, many other IFBB Pros were also training. Evan was looking very very huge and hard, gained a great deal of new muscle (if that was possible) and had very good conditioning with it! I trained shoulders, another very light-high rep short rest between sets workout for me! Enforcer put on some new size since I had saw him last and was throwing up some very heavy weights!
After another good workout, we head back to the hotel for some much needed rest and more food, an early bed time was in store. Saturday is the most busiest day of the expo, I wanted to be ready for it!
SATURDAY---to be continued....
THE BUSIEST DAY OF THE CAGE AND ARNOLD WEEKEND!
Did an early 20 minute cardio on the bike at the hotel gym..20 minutes and back to the hotel to shower and bust the grub at the breakfast buffet. Two servings of egg whites, potatoes, fruit and oatmeal gets the job done!
Arrived at The Cage early again to help set up...when it opens, it was very busy-much busier than Friday! Worked the booth all day! By noon we were all out of the free t-shits with the on-line registration and close to running out of the green Animal t-shirts! Some supplements where also out (Pak)
Vinny did another great job with the lifting events on microphone! The booth was always busy, never a slow moment...Many people inquiring about Animal PM--A lot of sales...
THIS WAS A MAJOR HIT! After a long-busy day, headed back to the hotel, getting ready for the ABC. Arrived at Metro Fitness...over 200 people in attendance! Everyone was training hard! I trained arms with DannyNB two other strong monsters from the forum! We all picked a different arm exercise to trash our bis/tris!
The food that was catered was delicious...Barbecue...pulled chicken/pork, greens, and mac-n-cheese..wow did I say this food was very good! Took the famous group picture for the ABC...While walking back to the hotel...we opted for a dessert...Ice cream! Big Al, Sam Byrd, G, NG, TreeTrunklegs and VinnyG with myself... ALL HAD A VERY TASTY TREAT!
The men's results for The Arnold Classic top 5 where...Kai, Phil, Branch, Dexter and Tony...NG was there and said the top 3 could of gone either way!
Along day had ended and a bit of sadness filled in, knowing this weekend was almost over! In my room, started to pack my clothes and get ready for the last day...Sunday!
SUNDAY To be continued...
dannynb
03-09-10, 11:19 pm
Was awesome hanging with you....I respect your experience and knowledge in this sport....I also look forward to learning more from you in the future. Def an experience being part of the Animal Crew for a weekend....
Sunday...The last day....
This day started with breakfast with the interns in the conference room. It was very cool, they all (ALL) worked very hard and should be very proud of themselves that weekend! After breakfast, reality started to settle in. I had to check out and leave my luggage stowed in the hotel's waiting area....The last walk though the Hyatt's crowded halls...down to The Cage...
Sunday was business as usual...still a husky crowd of people at the booth, lifting contests were still going on strong in The Cage. Team Yellow won! Both teams red and yellow put on a great show and all lifters gave 110% and the crowd loved it! Several hours later, we were now out of all shirts except the new black ones and only had a few of the red Animal 2x left. All supplements also running low and the "old standard ones" ran out the day before!
Usually NG and I take our "ritual" walk through to see the other products and talk to some of his customers-friends in the business. We were soooooooo busy all weekend, we did not have time for this! I grabbed a fast break with Scals and his younger brother at the food court. Both guys are very good people. You guessed it, more double servings of Chinese food! Was back in the booth, when it was close to two three o'clock some of the guys had planes to catch and we started to part our separate ways...one by one. NG noticed at five-five thirty pm on Sunday, some booths were already broken down, products gone, shelving taken apart, but The Cage was still going strong, even at six pm we were still selling shirts and supplements!
BigAl HigaMonster and I jumped into a cab for the ride back to the airport...First time I had met Higa was this weekend, a great guy, very powerful and humble with a funny sense of humor, and his wife is just as nice. Both are very supportive of each other! Higa, BigAl and I say good bye, BigAl and I check our luggage in and head to Max & Erma's for a big burger. Jay Cutler, Chris Cormier, Dennis Wolf and Silvio Samuel all in attendance eating the same...Next to our table was Freak and his girl. Derik and I known each other for more than ten years, battling off-on in the NPC Team Universe stage, another great guy, very knowledgeable in all aspects of bodybuilding and the muscular/skeletal system. (Thanks again for working on my pecs-shoulders with the A.R.T. in The Cage)
BigAl and I finish our burger/fries and head down to our gate, with a little more than an hour left, I was falling asleep and felt exhausted. I grab a Vitamin water for the plane ride back to Philadelphia, we board and up in the sky we go.
As I sit in the plane, on seat 8-D I ponder...I might never reach a IFBB Pro card, and might not compete until 2011 or later. With a new career with the Common Wealth of PA, a baby boy who is now ten months old, working two other part-time jobs and fighting a shoulder injury, it is not as easy as others to get into contest shape. Am I complaining, No! You see I strive on the challenges, the right balance I now HAVE to have in my life, yes I love bodybuilding and I live to bodybuild. I do not bodybuild to live.
So with each day a step closer to my bodybuilding goals I think what is the true meaning of an Animal...You do not have to weigh two hundred and seventy five pounds, sporting ripped muscles and bulging biceps, you do not have to squat eight hundred and seventy five pounds, or place top three in any sporting event. I saw Animals this weekend, in all shapes-sizes and forms. These people gave something up in their life to be part of this historical event. And they made sacrifices to be in Columbus for the weekend of March fifth to March seventh. They trained hard and learned something new, had fun and will always remember this experience...That is what being an Animal is about to me.
Again, I am very blessed and thankful for being chosen to represent Animal/Universal Nutrition and I am looking forward to next years event already. See all you ANIMALS in Columbus, OH. Fifty two weeks and counting...IT WILL GO BY FAST!
Was awesome hanging with you....I respect your experience and knowledge in this sport....I also look forward to learning more from you in the future. Def an experience being part of the Animal Crew for a weekend....
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My Man DannyNB...Strong as a mother and a hell of a nice guy as well, you got some serious mass on your frame...was very cool trainng arms with you on Saturday!
Wish we had more time to hang-chill-eat....I am only a PM away...
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My Man DannyNB...Strong as a mother and a hell of a nice guy as well, you got some serious mass on your frame...was very cool trainng arms with you on Saturday!
Wish we had more time to hang-chill-eat....I am only a PM away...
Thanks....and next year, I'll find ya at Metrofitness and get some workouts in....than afterwards, grab some food. I look forward to seeing ya chase after my friend.
Phil800101
03-10-10, 9:31 am
Good read bro! Informative and entertaining seminar as always on Friday, great to get to hang out and work with ya over the weekend.
joe-yamma
03-10-10, 1:15 pm
BigAnt, it was great finally meeting you in person...
especially after all of the advice you have giving me in the past with my shoulder injury!
great bi/tri training session with you and Danny and Shaffer!
Good read bro! Informative and entertaining seminar as always on Friday, great to get to hang out and work with ya over the weekend.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thanks...glad you likes the read! Same here! Hanging/working with you over the weekend...
BigAnt, it was great finally meeting you in person...
especially after all of the advice you have giving me in the past with my shoulder injury!
great bi/tri training session with you and Danny and Shaffer!
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My man...the arm workout from hell right, what about the triceps pump!
You were sporting some major guns on Sat. night!
Was very very nice meeting you in person as well!
Glad your shoulder is on the heal....and thanks for pushing me on the arm workout...If you are ever close to Philly...hit me up!
deanna7272
03-12-10, 11:44 am
Ant... You know it's always a pleasure when I get to see you and chat a bit, we can't say it all in PM's and voicemails... Speaking of which, I will say this again, thank you SO much for your kind words, inspiration, and encouragement. You always seem to appear when it's needed the most, it's a strange little thing, but it makes my day. I appreciate your friendship to the fullest and I hope that I can see you again BEFORE the 52 weeks!!! I will be over to a Philly or JRZ ABC soon, keep me posted!!
I wish you continued success in your (new and continuing) career aspects and with the little one... It was SO nice, when I asked you if you were okay, you said to me "Everything's okay, I'm fine, it's just been a long weekend and the baby's not here"... That shows your true character, much respect....
It was an excellent weekend. It was a pleasure working beside ya on Friday and chillin out on Sunday after the deads. I haven't seen my brother since Sunday, so I don't know if he's eaten yet LOL. Can't wait til next year.
dannynb
03-12-10, 11:05 pm
BigAnt... heal up brother. Best of luck with your new adventures....and thank you again, I am honored and proud to call you friend.
naturalguy
03-14-10, 1:08 pm
That was a great account of the weekend.
I am upset that we didn't get to take our walk through the expo, next year we have to make sure we do it.
Thanks for everything, you were great at The Cage as always.
That was a great account of the weekend.
I am upset that we didn't get to take our walk through the expo, next year we have to make sure we do it.
Thanks for everything, you were great at The Cage as always.
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WAS GREAT WORKING WITH YOU AND THE TEAM AGAIN
Snookile pic and Mel-Det...not a bad day! LOL
Yeah next year or maybe at the O!
BigAnt... heal up brother. Best of luck with your new adventures....and thank you again, I am honored and proud to call you friend.
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THANK YOU!
Trying to heal this shoulder!
IT WILL GET BETTER, EVERY THING DOES....
Just some things take more time than others!
What is your contest schedule looking like?
dannynb
03-14-10, 11:19 pm
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THANK YOU!
Trying to heal this shoulder!
IT WILL GET BETTER, EVERY THING DOES....
Just some things take more time than others!
What is your contest schedule looking like?
Depends on how soon my shoulder heals up...looks like I may not compete this year but shoot for 2011 Texas State Championships, Lackland Classic. How about you...have anything in mind??
Depends on how soon my shoulder heals up...looks like I may not compete this year but shoot for 2011 Texas State Championships, Lackland Classic. How about you...have anything in mind??
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SAME AS YOU...Heal & have a healthy off-season.
Master Nats. and the North American in 2011
I could do both shows this year, but why go on stage without drastic improvements.....
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SAME AS YOU...Heal & have a healthy off-season.
Master Nats. and the North American in 2011
I could do both shows this year, but why go on stage without drastic improvements.....
I agree....I'd wish ya luck but i know you don't need it. 2011 will be our year.