End of a new beginning.

 The end of a new beginning

So this chapter is now closed. I went through a long process from where I started to learn about shaping the body, I ended up on stage, and it was probably one of the better accomplishments that marks an important part of my life, and the discovery of a passion. Since then I have gone to compete a second time, learning how to lean out even more. After my second competition I went on to try to put on mass, with my body type my caloric intake for energy expenditure, balanced incorrectly, I ended up putting on a lot of fat in the process, leaving me back to where I started. I understand the importance of good teachers and mentors to obtain success so I began to seek out and work with one of the best that I could find, this person was Paul Anthony. In the process I learned new methods, of training, and what I did in 6 months the first time, took less than 3 months, but man was it tough. I don’t think I worked that hard before, and yet I was still unable to fulfill the full demand of what Paul required me to do.

 

The Competition

Now here it was, show day. I was back stage, and I looked at the competition, and I know we all our worst critics, but I did what I could to stay in the game. Adrian, a competitor who got his pro card that night was my main company; he was also there at my first competition helping me work out some of the confusion. When it was show time, I felt I wasn’t hitting my poses correctly, and the calls to turn right seemed so fast that there was no time to re-adjust. This is where lack of posing practice on my own time really showed. After the first half I felt alright about the time on stage, even though I was the smallest guy in both categories. I came back in the evening show, and I was beginning to regret putting a weight cap on my training as the guys I was competing with were much larger than me. I ended up carbing up before the second part of the show because I wanted to fill in a bit since these guys were huge, I thought this would help. The people there that came to watch me said I lost my cuts in the second half although I looked a bit fuller. Bad trade of for sure. Although neither of these I am sure was the true reason for my loss, as it was more than likely I needed more training 

time before entering onto the stage with well-trained individuals.

 

The Loss

 

I had no doubt leaned out, and I weight about 6 lbs more in muscle than the last time I was on stage, but this wasn’t enough, I still placed in the bottom of the pile. I was a bit burnt but I understand it takes failures to succeed sometimes you take two steps forward and one step back. I can only look as stories like Thomas Edison, and Michael Jordan to understand that failure is actually success in disguise, only if you understand the lesson. It would be easy for me to blame my circumstances of having to train with the new born, running a business, still in school for my degree, not enough time ect. ect. But excuses don’t teach any lessons, it only makes us worse when you don’t own your losses. I failed and that’s the end of it, all I can do is ask, what is the lesson, and what is good about this? My answer? I needed to be more prepared, not entering in a competition with a miracle transformation less than three months  and take the stage by storm, realism is very important, if I had no arms I probably wouldn’t play basketball. Secondly, if there is a map that has been proven than it’s probably a good idea to follow it to a T, if you want to get to your destination. What is good about this? Well, I now also have a marker for where I never want to be, ever again, I know that if I don’t learn the lesson than I will be doomed to repeat it.

 

The Gain

None the less I have gained so much more than I have lost. The journey was the real reward, I now have one of the greatest teachers in body transformations, in my opinion, as an acquaintance. His cheerfulness and high energy is remarkable in itself and something I need to learn is to loosen up. I have always been quite introverted by nature so for me to get on stage in front of a crowd definitely is an accomplishment in itself for personal growth.

I have increased my fitness knowledge, and I am more than ever ready to put on size with less mistakes of starting over. I have expanded more so in my knowledge base as well as my personal development. I feel great and look great, than I ever have in my life, how can I complain about that. I have had so much great support, as always, from mentors, family, friends and fans that always inspire me to perform at higher levels. Thank you guys!

 

What’s next?

I will definitely be doing another competition, Chuck Thomson, a gentleman in his later years has competed 80 times and I see him at every competition. An inspiration to me that says I can do this for the rest of my life. For now though I am going to train for size, focus on the business, and how I can better serve everyone who walks in the doors with the ambition to have health and fitness for themselves.

It truly is those who start of at the beginning and chase the impossible that inspire me, and that’s from the jogger that hits the pavement, to the guys starting with 10lbs. at the gym. Everyone who hits the gym goes in with the thought to improve, and that is very commendable.

Those who I want to thank is the Tony Robbins Company who coach me in business and life and help me with strength of character and personal growth, Dream Body for bringing me back to my best physical state of being, my mother who always pushes me to be more than average, my wife, who makes the toughest climbs a bit easier, my friends (this is every client as well) and fans for the loud voices who make me feel like a super star no matter where I place. You guys are all amazing. You guys are the real superstars.

Of course the WBFF for always putting on a great show. The supplement industry, Rock Solid, Magnum Nutraceuticals, Protein Goodness, BPI, Vemma, Dymatize, Cytosport, and the rest of the industry that help me push my gains and level of performance to new heights. Thank you!

Next year I will be back and I will crush it! :)

After the Calgary show I wanted to get back on a stage. I began training with Paul closer towards August (First Photo). The second photo was after competition October 13. (Amazingly quick transformation in such short notice. Thanks to Dream Body and Paul Anthony) Paul says to me "Now image what you could have done if you did your cardio" Lol Paul is awesome.

Sprinting to the finish line

Almost there...

So as of today I am 10 days out from competition. I feel I pushed myself to a new personal best. The finish line is right there. The carb depletion is the most tiring experience. Training intensity has gone down because of the lack of energy, although I still make sure I still complete my workout as prescribed. I am still pushing until the day comes and we'll have to see the results. At the end I have put up a good fight, and set a new personal best. This is only the beginning, as it always is, each life event brings me to the beginning of a higher standard. There is no end.

On the way I have reinforced what I thought I knew, but back then it was only in theory. The theory is that to be good at something requires that goal is to consume your life at the time you are pursuing it.
 I still remember when I started training with my trainer, he told me I can't just do the workouts half ass, the weights go all the way down and all the way up, with perfect form. Half ass only gets you half way.

I love the field of athletics as it teaches you a lot about yourself if you really look for the message. Let your goals become a passion just for that moment that it shows up in your life, and let it consume you, hang on tight and watch as it become real like walking to the end of a tunnel. The light is there don't get distracted, keep going, at the end its worth it. This lesson goes beyond physical fitness as it applies to all goals.

Now I don't know if I will win, but in my mind I have already won. I have set my personal best, and if someone beats me than he deserved it at that moment. But mark my words the end of this tunnel is very near.

Lucky Nghi
The warrior...it's in your blood. 

Self development disguised as body building

My beginning

Ok so my process for this phase of my journey is closing in very close. I spent a bit of time thinking about how this passion really grew for me. Initially, I wanted it so I could say I had a six pack once in my life. I still remember doing basic task and being out of breath, it didn't help that I was a smoker and drank very heavily. I then achieved what I wanted and got that elusive six pack. My vision grew much larger then a six pack after that, as I really began to reap the rewards of good health. I was then suggested to compete on stage. I did this and suddenly everything for me shifted. I wanted to learn all I could about fitness and shaping the human body. As I learned, I began to share it, and as I shared it, I felt I knew what it was I wanted to do. Now I strive to learn and apply so that I can be better at sharing the process with those starting the journey.

The Process

This is the most challenging process up to this point in my life but most rewarding thing I have ever endured. The process has pushed me to new levels of self development. This is from a guy who came into the sport thinking there would be nothing to it but lifting weights. To my surprise it was much more then that, I have since learned the meaning of discipline and endurance.

The Lessons

This process will push you mentally as you will have lots of days where you will tell yourself "I'm to tired", "I can do it tomorrow", or just the stress of competition will slowly grind your spirit as your training conflicts with your everyday life (working, paying bills, friends, family, ect). But every time you get up and say I'm gonna do it anyways you get mentally stronger, you begin to feel like you are in control of you now, as opposed to being on auto pilot. Spiritually you grow, as you realize you can do much more than you believe you can, then there are the days you wake up and you say to yourself "what happened to all my work" or you feel fatter after your hard week of training just like a bad hair day but through faith you never quit.

In this process disciple applies physically to training and mentally when dieting. I have learned a lot about humility and the ego, when you look at the guy next to you with greater progress, you realize humility plays a huge role in your own gains because at this point your level of humility will determine whether you want to quit or accept your place and push harder because although weak you will become stronger. I now call lifting light weights the ego check phase.

The experience

On my journey, I have been exposed to a lot of miraculous stories of people who lost tons of weight (100+ lbs), skinny guys becoming jacked, people who have broken their back and competed, busted their knees and competing. 

I can show you guys my before photo but lets be real here, I was never really fat enough for that to be my story. All I really have is that I was an ordinary guy who wanted it so that I could grow to be better in myself. Without a doubt this process has given me my greatest lesson. I want to also mention having great teachers is just as important, and thank you Paul Anthony for never really letting me stop even when I'm already at 90%+ heart rate. Now I know how it is to train as an athlete, and I know I am still far from meeting my potential.  

I can only wish to give you what I have learned, and my experience through my words but I hope you take the time to find it for yourself. I truly mean this as it applies to your life as it might not be physical fitness but through your own expression of yourself.

Lucky Nghi

Armour Projects
The warrior...its in your blood!

Obstacles and the finish line...

Alright, I haven't really posted anything in awhile, I have been quite busy with a new baby, my business, still working on my business degree, and body building. Doing all this while being on reduced carbs, double training with one day recovery, lack of sleep.  So yep, its been pretty rough...but lets move past the excuses and get down to the real meat of this article.

Ok so life throws us curve balls, like a new born baby. lol! and a good teacher has told me that you have to be uncomfortable to be a champion. I have always believed this as well and as much as I try to embrace it, it !@#$%^ sucks haha! It's important to set aside things that distract you, and stay focused on the goal, (No I don't set aside my baby :) but I have a very supportive wife who takes the brunt of it so I can continue on the path). Those that help you keep them near, as a good support system is very beneficial but at the end, at this point if you succeed or not its all up the individual. I can tell you now I don't feel ready, but I can only keep trying, and in the face of death (Losing) it is much more glorious to die in battle than to hide cowardly in fear and die for a life time.

Anyways... :)

What am I doing these days for training. Paul has me switching it up a bit, from what I typically do, so discomfort level is much higher but it feels so good to know I am breaking barriers. As most of us know our brain functions off of carbs, our bodies use carbs for energy, and I don't get much of that anymore. Training is 6 days on and one day off. Pretty close to comp now so I will also be changing my stack as of today from a building stack to a cutting stack.

Whats in my cutting stack?

Heat Accelerated (Fat Burner)
Roxy Lean (Metabolism and weight management supplement, I normally stack this with Rx6 instead of heat but Canada doesn't get that anymore. Even for me :) But heat is good, still need to try out Rock Solid Ripped and Sexy which I will be getting in soon.)
L-Carnitine
Acid (CLA Supplement)
Green Tea Extract

I still maintain my muscle protection stack (differs from my building stack)

Protein (This increases during this phase)
Casein
BCAAs

My general health stack
Greens
Multivitamin
Omega 3's

One month to three weeks from comp I do a slight modification again, that will get me primed for comp, that will harden the muscles dry me out and give me a tight look.

*Keep in mind if you are going to try this stack timing and doses are key, this stack must be accompanied by a good fitness routine and an above average to exceptional diet to get the best results, you can get more info at Armour Projects. As I love to talk about supps and training to people all day, this is what I do :)*

Well that's it for today, I'll try to keep the postings more frequent.

Thanks to all the supporters and the readers.

Keep posted see ya soon.

The warrior...its in your blood!
Armour Projects

Changing, improvising, and greater results.

So today was the dreaded leg day. I, as usual am stuck at the shop but luckily I have a small setup here in the store that I use primarily to remain in the game and improve my fitness. Since training on the new program I have realized what level of exertion should be put out with each session. Unable to do leg presses which was part of the plan I had to improvise. I actually found I had to improvise alot of things to make this program work, while still hitting the same muscles and getting the right angles that is expected of the program. So I replaced the the leg press with a weighted vest and doing barbell squats. A majority of this workout I was wearing the vest. Through out the work out it felt like I was working the muscles for the first time, exerting a lot of energy to complete the routine more so then usual. My heart rate was way up as I strive to complete the circuit without a break as best as possible but as the muscles gave out to the point where I eventually was doing single reps to completion it was hard not to stop to catch my breath. I was Burnt...Much like how my body had to adapt to doing Paul's plan for the first time, by throwing in just a minor change I forced my body to have to re-adapt once again even though the movements where the same, targeting the same muscles, just the tiny difference shocks the body. I realized even more so through the experience than just understanding the theory, the importance of variety. When I was new to this I would pound the muscles with the same moves which takes you to a nice plateau, so anyone wanting to break a plateau change the program big time. A nice way to get that variety is find yourself a good trainer, train with someone else to see their training style, or have someone with experience to write you up a program, anything to switch it up.

"Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." ~Brian Tracy

Have a great day, stay fit!

The warrior...It's in your blood!
Armour Projects

My realization in the process of body building...

Today was a good day as I have cycled back to my chest and back day. I came to a realization today as I thought about how I began.

In the process when I began building I felt it was all about me and how great I can be. I would push and push and I eventually got to a physique I was happy with. I continued to go to the gym with this mentality, and pushed harder competing with the people next to me, I needed to...I needed the validation that I was great, it was all about the ego. The more fancy the maneuver, the more weight the more I could rub it in the face of my silent opponent at the gym. I realized this sport can consume you in that manner, but once that was revealed to me, I realized that to be a good body builder you need to take ego out of it.

Today I witnessed the other end, I saw me in someone else. I was doing Paul's program and due to pre-exhausted muscle eventually weights that I would used to consider embarrassing, I was pumping out. As I was working the program as prescribed (Mostly, I modified it a bit) I watched the guy next to me doing squats, squats if done incorrectly with bad form is a danger to the body. He had the bar on his back and squatting down and then jumping up into the air. Here I was doing baby weights next to him on the smith machine, as he risked injury while glancing over at me working out every so often. Me on the other hand following Pauls request to do every rep with perfect form.

He left the gym, and I was feeling pumped not only did I feel I have gotten the best workout I have ever gotten when compared to when I was that guy, I then knew ego has nothing to do with body building. Body building is about building a healthy (Sexy) body that other can aspire to, its not to be competed with but shared. The better I become at my sport the better I can teach and inspire others to do the same. It helps I have a great teacher, so to all those aspiring to your best level of personal fitness, the best way to this is check the ego.

Have a great day and live fit!

The warrior....it's in your blood!

Armour Projects

My favorite day! Chest and Back - and general meal outline

OK so yeah I can go over how tough the work out is blah blah blah, but today was a wicked workout and I'll leave it as that, I feel I can actually go another round, where as legs shoulders ect. When the circuit was done I was done. I love working out chest and getting a wicked pump. I love working out the back as well, I like the cobra look when you do a lat spread. Ever since I saw Bruce Lee do that in a movie I knew I needed some wicked lats. Anyways haha! Not much to say about today's workout. Other then wicked as usual and chances are I might hit it a couple more times before my work day end here at Armour Projects.

OK supplement stack is the same as the last training session, my stack varies a little bit when I'm not doing strength training, although it is only minor variations.

What is on today's menu list?

First thing in the morning I took a BCAA to prevent muscle loss while my stomach was empty, and took the girls (My two dogs) for a morning walk.

Came home and made a protein shake (Rock Solid Rocky Road) before heading out to see Paul to put my body into an anabolic (Build up) state.

Got to the gym and threw down my preworkout stack, and made a size-on intra-workout for during the workout.

finished at the gym and got to the shop and ate a rice cake and made a complete recovery shake.

I have prepared two meals worth of chicken and asparagus for the day while I'm at the shop, and all the meals in between will be shakes and when I get home I'll find something clean I usually surprise myself haha! and before bed I guzzle a scoop of casein.

That's today's meal plan give or take :) Oh and of course the required stuff that is absolutely essential to Paul's meal plan.

Have a great day...

The Warrior....It's in your Blood
Armour Projects

Drunk fitness

Today's title is drunk fitness, why? Anyone who has done a killer leg workout will probably know what I am talking about. At various points of the circuit you are finding you feel like your waddling around barely holding yourself up, as I was walking to get some more water I thought of this title haha! That was today's session. I started with abs which I was somewhat aware of the process, although it still gave me a hard time, not as much as before as the motor units in my muscle have probably began to learn the movements. One thing I did quickly learn is that all those days of neglecting my quads was going to show today. Going through a body weight exercise with Paul that targeted the hamstrings, revealed a deep weakness, I hate legs already and I could barely do a single rep with proper form, I could hear Paul egging me on to extend right out and contract right back, and I couldn't help but laugh through the pain as I really did try but for the life of me I couldn't do it. I ended up going through it half ass as I was clearly instructed not to do, but there was just no way I was going to pull off the move perfectly. I carried on to the next workout, again everything required perfect form.

I was always a gym enthusiast just like most people who would stack on massive amounts of weight, and be like "Yeah, I can do that much" and left form out of it. Today as I was pushing out the reps I realized its not about the amount of weight and I've read other body builders use lower weights but absolute perfect form. I now get it, Paul can make the smallest amount of weight feel like your repping out 1000000lbs. haha! talk about getting the most out of your workouts.

I used to think to myself that if you know how to do it why would you need a trainer? Fact is accountability, and especially in fitness half the time you think you know what your doing but your not even close, pro body builders have trainers, and so does Olympic athletes. I want that next level, and can't wait for the next session.

Todays stack pre workout was: Opus, pre-pump, a-bomb, and a creatine cap (These stacks don't help with Pauls workouts haha! but I can probably say I would not make it through his workouts without it.)

Intra-workout supplements: Size-on (Creatine based intra-workout)

Post workout: Whey,Casein, Greens, Omegas, Green tea (Recovery, muscle protection and nutrient replenishing)

The process this time as opposed to when I first started in December of 2010 is much easier due to the fact that I stopped smoking, stopped drinking when I chose fitness as a lifestyle. I am doing my minimum of 6 meals which I have done in the past, I still fight cravings but I'm become accustomed to saying no to those as well. The training is an entirely new level of fitness that I would have never discovered on my own, and I know the price and sacrifices will need to be paid up front just as any opportunity or any objective worthwhile to attain.

Stay tuned and I'll be posting photos of the process very soon. Have a wonderful day and live fit!

16/07/2012

Today is Monday after noon and I was so burnt out. I know what is going on as my body is repairing after an extensive workout. I am now on my second day of recovery which I feel is well needed, especially if I am going to burn through an exercise routine like the one I did on the past Saturday.

So why am I training so hard? It has come to a point in my life where I have found a deep passion for something I will not give up on, in fact that is not in my vocabulary when it comes to this topic. I truly love the field of fitness and it all started with a personal transformation, and a fitness competition, I won't get to much into the history but I haven't entered a competition since October of last year. This year I will be doing it again, taking it a step further then I have before.

I recently looked at my current photo of my bodily state, this is my new before photo, I am not nearly as lean as when I competed last year, but I can definitely see the remains of my hard work as the lines of muscles show under the layers of fat.

I have spent nearly two years studying and applying fitness theories and methods like a scientist trying to discover a cure. I have come out of the process and felt quite accomplished as I have managed to achieve a physique I could be proud of and willing to put on stage, all through methods of training, supplementation, and nutrition.

I have continued to train hard as time passed since last October, but now looking at the photos of what I want my next level of fitness to be, these where the guys in the magazines. I wasn't willing to resort to underground drugs to place and being in the industry I have seen alot of people who claim to use it and don't build a good physique anyways. I continued to dig for better methods and new research that came into my hands from documentaries, magazines, books, and so on. My collection seemed to begin to look more like a library than anything else.

It was just recently that I realised I wanted to push deeper into getting further gains so I had to find a mentor. I have always known that mentors was the way to success no matter what it is we are doing. Someone out there has the formula that they discovered long before I will, someone is ten or twenty steps ahead of me and that's who I needed to find. I then looked no further than my network of people I have connected in the past through competing, seminars, and through the names of those people that popped up. I ended up looking to get in contact with a top trainer in Calgary, Paul Anthony with DreamBody, 7 time top trainer of the year for Alberta.

The first day I sat down with him he was a very lively and high energy individual, his charisma would get anyone to befriend him. I got my nutrition plan and supplementation list, and it looked very similar to what I was already doing, but with some very important differences that I wasn't doing which I knew was clearly the difference in why this method would work so much better than the mainstream that I was doing.

I was excited, my new mentor had faith in me and the goal was set, I needed to be at 4% body fat. I was ready to get on board and go full throttle. The upcoming Saturday would be our first day of training, and I was very accustomed to training hard and with a pre workout, creatine, and l-arginine stack there was nothing that could stop me in the gym, so I was ready for whatever Paul was going to dish out, or so I thought.

We started with abs, and the workouts we began with was forcing my body to learn entire new movements, in literally minutes I was already grunting and sweating, as Paul encouraged me to keep up the reps. At this point I was thinking this has got to be the worst of it. We begin to move along to the next workouts and my preworkout was useless, I was drained, tired and I had to keep going. I was down to doing single reps, and my arms wouldn't do one more even though I wanted to. The session continued on right to the end of the circuit just as I described, grunting, grinning, sweating, muscle group after muscle group.

I have never trained in that manner in my life, this made military training look easy, and I never got sore at the gym but I left feeling accomplished and knew I would feel it the next day.

I now know what it means to train like a body builder, and I'm sure this is only scratching the surface, I am excited to find out what the future has in terms of fitness level for me.

I now have to set my own theories aside and let my mentor do his magic. Paul told me in the first meeting that I would wonder why I didn't come to him before, and he was right. I can't wait to see the final outcome.

There is no substitute for a great mentor/teacher to get you to the outcome.

If Armour Projects is where you get the raw material for the forge, Paul Anthony is the blacksmith.

Andy Nghi