IFBB Fitness Pro Nicole Duncan checks in with her latest Arnold Confessions. The Atlanta girl talks about the challenges of training in the winter and why she resorts to doing Billy Banks’ workout from time to time.
Arnold Confessions: Volume II
Everyone wants to get an invite to the Arnold. It is without a doubt one of the most honorable experiences for an IFBB pro athlete. I remember the first time I got rejected as a competitor for the show. Someone on the panel made the comment that I didn’t diet and my trainer has never let me live those words down. The first time I was invited I was so ecstatic! However, no one told me how difficult the prep was going to be. There is even more added pressure when you are preparing for a show of this caliber. And I don’t know if there is any way to prepare someone for that type of trauma! Even the best of the best, like Jenny H, Adela Garcia and Tracey Greenwood show up looking better than themselves. It’s quite a trip. At my first Arnold, I had already been on stage with all three of these ladies individually but when you put them all together I guess even they feel the pressure to step it up a bit. While at each show I feel that I reach my personal best, it paled in comparison. Well, this will be my third appearance at the show and believe me, it hasn’t gotten any easier.
I think the hardest part about training is the weather! If you’re like most competitors you start your serious prep 3 months out which would cover December, January and February leading up to the Arnold. Those are the WORST months! You have to get through Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day (which is my birthday). Plus, it’s Girl Scout cookie time! You just can’t get a break. For the second year in a row, my work has closed down for several days at a time due to snow which is absolutely ridiculous because I live just outside of HOTLanta! We’re not even supposed to see snow. I was stuck at home for two days due to the ice on the roads. And if the weather and food isn’t enough to tempt you, the fact that every gym is crowded during January really gets ya ticked! As a personal trainer and boot camp instructor, I want to be there training people to make up for all the money that I didn’t make in November and December but instead I have to allot 2-3 hours a day for my own training. It’s tough but someone’s got to do it right!?
Anyhoo, I’ve made some interesting changes to my training to make it more enjoyable. Just last night I finally went to check out the treadmill that a family friend had in her garage. HALLELUJAH! It works, inclines and gets up to at least 10 miles and hour. For only $100? I took it! I also have to confess to doing Billy Blanks, Pilates and P90X tapes at home when I can’t fit in the time it takes to get too and from the gym, to work, to boot camp, to gymnastics and then back to the gym. I have a flight of steps at home that gets used on the regular and sometimes create my own little boot camp throughout the house. I must! If I don’t I get bored with the same ol’ weight training and cardio sessions. I’ve also signed up for 90 minute hot yoga classes and hardcore cardio kickboxing. I’m griping as we all do but I LOVE IT! In life you gotta have challenges. You get true satisfaction when you can say that you were tough enough to make it through. If this fitness thing were easy, everybody would do it! Shout out to all my IFBB fitness divas! I truly can’t wait to celebrate being fabulous with you back stage at the show!
Follow Nicole on her twitter @fitnicinc.
