With another woman. Who is taking photos of me.
Welcome to my world š
Today I was due to have a catch-up with my coach Kat (what a very alliterative sentence!) She was out this way for a meeting so said she’d make the short extra train journey to my town, and we could train together before she took my measurements, calipered me and checked how my posing is coming along.
Of course, this being the world of Kat and Nic, things didn’t quite happen that way. Trains went awry and Kat ended up here there and everywhere before finally getting here. By that time she’d told me to start training without her, so she turned up at my gym in the middle of my leg session.
She had less than 30 minutes to spare (before she had to get on a train back to where she’d just come from!) but still bothered to come all that way. Thank you, Kat!
And that is how I ended up posing, in a toilet, with another woman taking photos of me. To say it was a public toilet is perhaps a bit of hyperbole, but it was the toilets of my gym, and they were pretty manky! We ended up standing in a shower cubicle. It’s all high glamour over here, I can assure you!
So a lot of people have been asking for update photos, and photos of posing. Please know that I am very š about posting photos, but I know I’d want to see them if I was reading a blog by someone preparing for a bodybuilding show so… I’m just going to suck it up and post some.
Before I do that, I need your help. As part of my competition, I have to do a short routine (posing, not dancing – those of you who have ever been clubbing with me will be relieved to hear that!) to music. I have no idea which piece of music to choose. It can be anything, provided there are no f-bombs. To be honest, I could have a sweary bit of music and just edit the naughty words out – it needs to be about 90 seconds long anyway so will have to be edited together.
Any suggestions? Anyone? Please? I am completely devoid of ideas… I’d love all and any suggestions: old skool, brand new, chart, classic, rock, R&B, dance, hip hip…whatevs! Inspire me with your superior music knowledge. My sister has suggested Michael Buble. I can’t even type the word Buble without laughing out loud so, great as “Cry Me A River” may be, I’m just not sure I can do it. Sorry, Sissie! ā¤
And now for pics. Brought to you ‘fresh’ from a public shower cubicle. Stay classy, San Diego!
“Back double bicep”
“Side chest”
“Tricep”
“Ab and thigh” (please note I’d had my lunch!)
Coach Kat said she’ll send me some feedback for a future blog post – it’s always so interesting to catch up with her and hear what she has to say about my progress.
I can’t tell you how happy I am that everyone seems to agree on the fact that I should compete in the physique class, rather than figure. It just sits right with me, and feels right. I think it suits my personality more, too.
What music do you think I should pose to in my comps? Aaaannnnd… have you ever met up with someone of the same sex so they could take photographs of you in a shower cubicle? (If not, why not?)
Posing in public toilets in a post from
The Fit Writer Nicola Joyce 
I’m sure there’s laws against that sort of thing!!
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Music…Iron Man, but Black Sabbath. Get Mark to play it for you! Okay, you’d need to dub over it to get the “wo” in, but I’m sure Mark could fake an Ozzie voice for you š
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OK I’ll give it a listen!
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Good choice Richard!
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Dang woman!! You look fantastic. I’m soooo jealous of those delts and arms!
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Thank you! I guess all those years swimming were building them up underneath it all š My husband was so funny looking at these pics last night (he chose which ones I should put here) – he was like “your delts! OMG! There’s your front delt *point*, your side delt *point* there’s your back delt *point*…(etc)”
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You look AMAZING. Holy God. Seriously girl…dang.
I am no help on the music front. Max actually told me I’m never allowed to even suggest a posing song for any of his contests ever again hahaha sssoooo…
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Ha ha why? What’s your taste in music? Go on, recommend me your best/cheesiest! PS Thank you
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Wow, muscles!! That’s a LOT of work…
Re music, how about a spot of Black Eyed Peas – I got a feeling (good, positive lyrics, etc.)
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Thanks! Yes I’d thought of BEPs, there are a few of theirs which would work… thank you!
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You rock! And-you’re rock. Geez, that’s good. š Marion
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Don’t be fooled by the rock that I got! I’m still….er..Nicola from Folkestone…
Thanks for stopping by! š
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I am absolutely geeking out to this post 110%. As is my typical fashion when I have a million bajillion thoughts running through my head, I am going to provide a numbered list. Here it goes:
1. You.look.incredible. How many years have you been weight training? I seriously pale in comparison to you and cannot wait until I have had more time to pack on some muscle. I am very proud of what I have accomplished this past season with only a year of weightlifting and eating right under my belt, but I am SERIOUSLY lacking in the muscle department and that will only come with time.
2. Re. your abs shot: Abs are a weak point of mine but I have managed to master the “hands over head abdominal most muscular” (what we call it – the name is too long) so you can see what little muscle IS there. Teaching someone to flex their abs properly is a lot harder than it looks, my sole piece of advice is to tuck your hips up a little when you hit the pose. It feels like your crunching your butt upwards a little – try playing with that, it may help.
3. This may go a little with #1, but depending on the show you participate in, you would almost be TOO muscular for figure and would risk docking yourself points. I think physique (OR BODYBUILDING HOORAH) is a much more suitable, and dignified (jk…sort of), decision.
4. For music there are a few routes you can choose to take depending on what your personality and comfort on stage are. Some people go the flashy, pop or hip hop route, others go w/ a more amusing song and routine that work the crowd, and then there are slower more dramatic routines like I did. I think the slower/dramatic route was good for my first show since I have never done it before. HOWEVER – don’t fret (not that you are) too much about your routine. The placings are already decided before you even perform it unless you are a class winner and going for overall. I choreographed my number a week out from my first show….
If you have thoughts on what KIND of routine you’d like to do, I will totally play around with some songs and make some suggestions if you want! I can also send you links to videos of big name natty BBer’s over here that are quite skilled at posing if you want.
Last but not least:
5. I have done many things in public for bodybuilding I never thought I would do. I slapped tanning product onto bev’s butt in a bathroom, I applied bikini glue to my crotch and boobs in public, I have run around my gym in a bikini, I posed half naked in a mirrored room AT my gym twice a week for 6 months as many people walked by.
How is THAT for a comment?
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OMG I have to respond to that?! š Only kidding, you know I value your input. OK so:
1) Thank you very much. How many years…hm, well I guess only about two doing serious weights (Olympic lifts etc) and only less than one year eating like a bodybuilder rather than an endurance athlete. BUT I think what it is is my background – years and years of swimming (endurance), which just had to be laying down some serious muscle mass somewhere (hence the upper body!) I also think I have good genetics, good muscle memory – oh and I work hard of course š I don’t know the answer, I guess some of it will be genetics, some of it will be just what we’re capable of ‘growing’ on our frame (do we all have a ceiling eventually?), some of it will be athletic/sports background. Maybe I did a bigger bulk than you? I’m really not sure! One thing is for sure I am excited to watch your next 6-12 months! What a great first year you had – if I can achieve what you’ve achieved I’ll be DELIGHTED!
2) I find this pose really tricky and what you’ve said is exactly what my coach tells me too. I’m hoping it will kind of get easier in some ways as my abs start to come through more, cos I”ll be able to see what I”m meant to be doing. I find it hard to stand up tall and crunch at the same time. Thanks for your tips!
3) Oh yes for sure – this is why I am now doing the physique class. My coach and her friend (another coach and competitor) saw me a few months ago and were like “erm….OKaaaay….and this is you 12 (or whatever) weeks out? I don’t think you’ll be doing figure!” But as I said that is FINE by me and I really feel good about that decision. Every time anyone in the sport agrees and backs up the decision I’m like “yes!”
4) I think for me slower, more dramatic. I think I commented on one of your posing vids about the style I want to go for. I am not cool, I can not dance, I am not coordinated (particularly not at speed!) so I think the slow ‘graceful’ (?!? ha ha!) idea is the way forward.
Yes please to any links and music suggestions! In the gym I listen to mostly hip hip/rap kind of stuff (rather than, say, pop or rock) so I’m wondering if there are any slower, heavy-beat kind of stuff I can use like that?
5) Excellent. I like to think that, should we ever meet, we would be able to tan each others bums and perhaps stick each others bikinis on with glue, within – say – 5 minutes of meeting.
What a long reply. Now I need my breakfast!
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Awesome. Just awesome. I’ll spare you and not write you another book to read.
I’ll think about some songs to use though. You’re welcome to use mine if you want but it is only 60 s (the amateur time limit over here… I could also cut it to make it longer though). I found a song I liked and chopped it/pieced it back together using a google chrome app.
If you want something more graceful/dramatic, try to find something that starts of slow, builds up to a point, and then has a definitive ending w/o just stopping short. For my #, I used the beginning of the song, cut out a piece from the middle, and the last few seconds of the song.
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I don’t know why that is all italic. whoops.
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Being one of the few unfit people to leave comments, I’ll be honest and say I don’t really know what a delt is but EVERYTHING looks amazing to my eye.
Seriously, it was only 3 months ago we were in India and dying of ‘the lurg’ and you were no where near this level! Can you IMAGINE what the Jaipur folks would think of you now?!? Hilarious.
Anyway, how about some James Brown funk. Lots of ‘HOOO! HAAA’ moments and the foundation of HH/Rap. I’ll have a think and send you some suggestions. xxx
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A delt is a small nocturnal mammal, native to Epping Forest, rarely seen but often smelled (they smell of sour cream Pringles).
Not really. Your delts are your shoulders innit!
OMG to India being 3 months ago…when you say it like that, it’s crazy… But you know, all those missi rotis, thalis and salted lassis were going into building what you can now see! True fact!
As for Jaipur, they would simply say I am “very health”! ;D
Do send ideas for music! I’d love that. xx
PS I had booked the Booblster as your hen night stripper. I guess I should cancel him?
PPS Thank you for reading, I had no idea you did!
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Oh and Boobles for bodybuilding? Seriously – no.
Nice chap, nice voice…but no.
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Atomic – Blondie
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Ooh, nice! I was listening to Blondie the other day actually. But I am not a blonde… š¦
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I love this blog post and I love all the replies!! Smiling while reading, this is my favourite type of thing to read. So proud o you Nic, I get butterflies thinking about cheering for you on the 3rd. CAN’T WAIT!!
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Yay I can’t wait either! And tee hee it was a funny day but I still feel bad for you coming all that way to meet me in some random changing rooms for like 30 minutes! š xx
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