My contest dates are
Arnold Amateur Europe, Madrid
Friday 7th October 1pm Bikini over 163cm
Sunday 9th October: 10-12pm Overall Bikini (if I win my class)
IFBB Amateur World Championships, Serbia
Saturday 16th October pre judging
Sunday 17th October Finals
UKBFF British Championships, Nottingham
Saturday 22nd Pre judging
Sunday 23rd Finals
My training is going well, I am starting to get a little tired and it’s a real effort to put enough energy into my workouts but they have to be done. I am doing 5 days a week resistance training and 6 days a week cardio. I stopped training quads for the past month or so and am pleased with the balance. I am sure my body will not change in a week but mentally I need to ensure I've done everything I could possibly do. My social life has totally gone out of the window as I needed to minimise the temptation of eating and drinking out. However, my diet is still not too restricted, I have been eating clean all year so it’s not a mad rush. I still have a once-a-week cheat right up until a week out.
I have been working out what I need to take with me and stocking up on false nails, eyelashes, make up etc. I'm starting to get excited. I fly on Thursday so will prepare all my food Wednesday. Unfortunately I won't be going for a Paella after the show as my contests continue but I will allow myself a small cheat after each show.
From now until the first show I will keep working on my poses and doing some visualisation. I believe visualisation is a great tool that can be utilised by everyone including athletes and performers. If you have been there in your mind, it won’t be so scary when you do it real life. The key is to try to visualise what it is you need to do and keep visualising until the images are clear and then you try you see the event as a film, you run this through in your head over and over, imagining the sounds and feelings, feel the stage lights on your face. If you get nervous, feel those feelings, feel the nerves and get used to those feelings, embrace them don’t dismiss them. Try to run the film as first and third person from every angle, know exactly what you are going to do. Obviously if you have never been to the venue or even if you have the real thing is not going to be exactly as it was in your head but you will have some experience before you go. You can rehearse with your eyes closed, it’s a very powerful tool after all I believe a lot of what goes on in our lives are in our minds only by way of perception.
I figured by the time I get to the British finals in October it will be my eighth show in eighteen months so I'm quite proud of myself to have done so much. It is like I have been in race horse mode the past four months! I know I have given my best and that's really all you can do. I plan to take a few weeks out to relax after the shows and then I plan what is next for me.
My main aim is to earn an IFBB Pro card, this is a goal I set myself and one I hope to achieve. As you may or may not know, there are not that many opportunities for a British Female to earn Pro status and Pro cards are not given at the UKBFF British finals, you need to place well at an International show.
At this point you hand over the control of what happens, you cannot dwell on what is not in your hands, when you have done everything you can, it is now time to go on stage and enjoy what has been done. You cannot make yourself win 1st place so regardless of the outcome I would like to take this opportunity to thank in particular UKBFF for giving me the opportunity to represent UK at these events and sponsoring me at European and World Championships, My mum and Dad (my mum for being my little chef) Team Bombshell for helping me grow, Panthers Gym for their continued support from day one. Shaun Stafford for the time he has taken to listen to me and give me some 'smashing' upper body workouts. Jimmy, Taira, Tia and Amjad for listening and analysing my pictures with me, my lovely clients and also a few fb friends I've met along the way who have encouraged and supported me, you know who you are :)
Thanks guys, I hope I have been able to 'keep it real', provide some inspiration and show anyone who is thinking of competing what the journey is like. Your support and stories have certainly inspired me.
I will try to add links and updates to my Facebook page to keep you all updated. I would like to thank you for your continued support, all my fb messages keep me going.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Brannan/336375435108?sk=wall
Make sure you look out for me and my ego in the November issue of Flex magazine (on the shelves Oct) ;o)
Michelle
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