Hi my name is Craig “squishy” Smith , I’ve been training on and off for the last 20years but only serious as a bodybuilder for the last 18 months . In that time I’ve competed numerous times with nabba , first at the midland pro am were i placed 4th in the first timers , then at the novice Britain final were i won the first timers final . Winning my show was a childhood dream come true , i was i shock as i was up against a strong class , which made the win so much more pleasing , id like to add that all my competitors were real great guys ! . my prep for the first and second show was the same high protein low carbs lots of cardio , i ate very clean throughout , the last week before my first show i tried keto (zero carb) for 5 days then a 2day carb load i came in at 12st12lb a little flat , as for my second show i changed the last week to 4 days keto and a 3day carb load and came in at 13st 7lb ripped and full .

[clear] As for training my split is

mon: back tue: chest wed: delts and traps thurs: quads fri: biceps and triceps sat : hams and calves .

[clear]I hit my body parts every 7 days , train with quite hard intense sessions and give each body part time to recover , i like to pause rep and do negatives as to really work the muscles hard !

[clear]

 Craig is well known in the sport for bringing his best and never backing down from a fight. This guy is one hell of a competitor who loves to give the audience a show especially when it comes to a 30 second free pose down. Craig is exactly what is missing from British bodybuilding today. His presence onstage relaxes other competitors and you can see the love for the sport on this mans face. Craig is also a master poser and is always complimented on his routine. He moves efficiently and smoothly throughout every step of his well rehearsed moment on stage.
Stage presentation is a concept that has been described many times as the art of looking like a champion a winner. It can be an acquired skill, but is often something possessed naturally by the athlete. When judging a show anyone who appears relaxed, confident and different will always stand out. When a competitor steps on stage, they need to feel like a winner, despite who they are standing against. However, achieving this confidence and presenting it in such a way to stand out is exactly what stage presence is about.
On StageStage presentation is an important aspect of prep that should not be neglected , perfecting a posing routine, compulsory poses, timing each pose to the chosen music, presentation is everything you do as you step onstage. Craig Smith muscletricks athlete has all of this in abundance, a true master of the art of presentation. Many competitors are not aware of what their stage presentation is like until they view it online when a the latest YouTube video pops up. I have personally heard many a competitor say that they refuse to watch themself on videos etc ? Something i believe is a huge mistake as if you dont look at how your presentation appears to others how can you improve. Stage presentation is comprised of one’s personality, poise, and charisma.

During competition, it is difficult to illuminate one’s personality when the mind is racing. Thoughts of , did i tan correctly, am i standing in the best light, did my carb load work? The heart is pounding, each muscle group is pumped and vascular, the body in general is actually at its weakest despite appearing at its strongest and the nerves are tense. Competitors may be filled with fear, excitement and every emotion known to man! All these distractions can make it difficult to relax and be the best version of you there is. So, the first thing that needs to be conquered is learning how to relax on stage. In order to relax, one must feel confident about what they are doing. Confidence is oftened derived from hard work and practise. Practise leads to perfection in the way that you will present yourself. You will need to practice how you will walk on stage, what style of a full turn you want to execute that best suits your physique, and of course any and all mandatory quarter turns. You will also need a good support system around you, the opinions of some in ” the game” athletes experienced of being onstage, most of all you will need the support of your family as these are the ones that will matter before during and after the big day.

Posing

You want your posing to become second nature with your muscle memory.This is something that only comes after drilling the body over and over. A positive outlook on your routine once chosen will help this, if you dont enjoy the routine it will be very difficult to remember and to train the bodies mind muscle connections forcing muscle memory. And you will, no doubt, need to feel comfortable in your posing shoes in order to move smoothly and gracefully. Again, once you’ve practiced your posing. your body will become aware of how you look according to how you feel. If you know what you look like on stage and are pleased with it, it will be that much easier to throw out a radiant smile with pride and feel confident about your presentation. Keep going and take a leaf out of Craig s book on posing, love every minute onstage, this is truly your time !

photo credit Lee Archer photo-flex