Competitors Advisory Centre:
The importance of trust
Bodybuilding is all about trust. In fact to get to the top you need to exhibit a great deal of trust, more than you probably ever thought about before. Firstly you need to trust your gym that the equipment is good and safe, you need to trust that you are shown the correct way to do exercises and that you are given the correct exercises to reach your specific training goals.
You need to trust your nutritional advisor that they know what they are talking about, you need to trust that the supplements you purchase are what they claim they are and that they will actually work in the manner you desire. You need to trust that the training accessories you purchase are value for money and will do what they claim. You need to trust that your bodybuilding Federation is what they claim to be, that your result will be fairly and intelligently derived at.
You need to trust the people who come to you after you win some titles and promise you the world and often deliver nothing, you need to trust a lot of people and companies along the way from day one to retirement, but most of all you need to trust yourself. How can you be sure you are making the right decisions? Well you can’t always be sure, so in the beginning you must do a lot of research, ask questions, watch the performance of those you are about to engage with and take an educated guess.
As you start to mature in the sport you can start to rely more and more on your own opinion or gut feeling and then at the end game, it will be you who is giving advice to others, so make sure you know what you are talking about before offering an opinion.
From our federation point of view, we have built up a core network of industry experts over almost three decades. Some are just people who know things, others are highly credentialed, regardless of formal training or accreditation, we trust them. The people who appear on our ANB pages, as links or logos, or vendors selling products in our shop or doing trade displays at our competitions, are people we have come to know and trust and we have no problem endorsing them and recommending them to you.
That’s what being a ‘Federation’ is all about, here is the definition of the word federation: a group of various bodies or parties that have united to achieve a common goal. Well that describes us exactly, we come from all states, all walks of life, have different reasons for joining in the first place but at the very end, we are all united in a common cause, to further the sport and lifestyle of Natural Bodybuilding.
What does Bodybuilding actually mean then? A complex question to be sure, the word is much maligned and damaged over the last forty years. The ANB defines bodybuilding as the dual activity of exercise and diet to achieve optimum health and fitness, or in other words a lifestyle where you look after your body via daily exercise and proper nutrition control. The bodybuilding competitions we supervise are the end game for those citizens that want to incorporate a sporting aspect into their bodybuilding, but you don’t have to compete to be a bodybuilder, as far as we are concerned.
Bodybuilding is for every Australian, man, woman and child and we support and encourage any group, organization or institution that is like minded and working to achieve the same broad and worthwhile goals. So, who do you trust? Trust yourself, trust your parents and trust your ANB Federation, we are always looking out for you.
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Competitors Advisory Centre:
The importance of Round 3
Over many years the senior executive members of the ANB, most with well over 30 years experience each have formed a ‘think tank’ of sorts and they continue to pass this knowledge on to the newer members of the Federation. Recently it has come to our attention that enormous opportunities and benefits can be derived for athletes from the third round, that which is designated ‘free posing’.
Over the last decade or so a very distinct and exacting trend has occurred in our Federation with respect to the free posing round. In the beginning it was a part of the competition where athletes had their last chance to impress the judges and this was very important in close contests where a division had two people very close in the scores after rounds one and two. It was if you like the ‘ice breaker’ or the ‘deciding factor’ a round designed to let the athletes personality come out.
There was only a time limit and the round was used by some expertly whilst others did not gain maximum benefit, this was a telling factor and gave the round a sense of secondary importance by some of the non-competitive bodybuilders back in the eighties and early nineties. However then something else became apparent, this round unwittingly then became the opportunity for sponsors to see the true personality of athletes they were considering sponsoring and from the competitors viewpoint, this was their opportunity to win over a prospective sponsor.
In those early years there were few serious sponsors and traditionally the winners were rewarded, so not much happened for a long time, but then around the change of the century there was a change. Sponsorship prices dropped allowing more sponsors to participate which in turn gave athletes exposure to previously unprecedented numbers of sponsors. New sponsors came from all sorts of backgrounds now, not just the traditional supplement companies. Things had never been this good for athletes and each year it continues to grow.
Take for example ASN, this remarkable chain of supplement stores sponsors literally hundreds of athletes from both within and outside of bodybuilding, they are a true Australian success story and they respect the fact that it is a win-win symbiotic association between athlete and sponsor. It is a two way street and part of ASN’s success is in them selecting athletes to sponsor that give something back for their sponsorship.
Take Mike’s Team, this group of sponsored athletes now reaches beyond 50 per year and there is this important thing, you don’t have to be the overall winner, you don’t even need to win your division. Recently Mike Lee principal of the Mikes Team group, offered a sponsorship and life changing opportunity to a young man that didn’t even place. Mike liked the personality that the young chap displayed in his free posing round and walked backstage and as soon as he came off, offered him a sponsorship. A few months later Mike gave him a store to manage as a full time position, this is a dream come true and all because this young fellow posed with real heart.
The truth is, you don’t really know who is sitting in the audience, your big opportunity may well be sitting there watching you and you could blow it by a lack lustre posing effort. On the same hand you could cement your future by a stirring posing routine and who knows where it could lead to.
The third round, the posing round these days takes on far more importance than it ever has, not only can you actually beat out a near rival and actually win or lose the contest then and there, but you are also displaying or showcasing what you will deliver on behalf of your prospective sponsors, should they give you the chance.
Every posing round should now be treated as an interview with a sponsor, you should approach it as a golden opportunity to show them what you do best, and all without saying a single word. A picture truly is worth a thousand words and sponsors have heard every promise in the book. What really impresses them is when you perform and carry yourself with pride and personality when you think no one is watching. A sponsor signs you up for everyday, not just contest day, they want to know that you will go about your daily life in a positive manner and one of the ways of them being sure about you, is by seeing you, the real you, shine through under the stress and pressure of competition day.
It’s your minute, use it as you like, but if you take our advice you will treat it as if your very life depends on it, because in terms of sponsorship, your life does depend on it.
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WARNING: Industry Advisory regarding imported natural products
The ANB has just concluded a 12 month study into natural products imported from foreign countries and sold over the counter and online in Australia. A select committee was asked to buy products on a regular basis from different outlets on a monthly basis and then research the ingredients and report back.
The overwhelming conclusion and inescapable fact is that in more than 85% of all products purchased through the trial, we were unable to reliably conclude whether or not the substances in the product would or would not pass a drug test carried out in Australia by an accredited drug testing laboratory.
The greatest problem is the labelling of the ‘natural’ products which are supposed to be herbal by nature according to much of the advertising spin associated with the products, simply cannot be traced because they use ‘Buzz’ common names and not generic names, things like ‘Powa’ extract, which of course is totally useless because it means nothing chemically or therapeutically.
If you can’t find out what the ingredients really are, then there is no way of telling where the substance will cause a positive or negative drug result. The problem is growing daily and during our research we saw that on average there was a 2 to 1 ratio of foreign products to Australian products. That’s 66% more on our shelves to make the decision just that much harder. We of course never undertook the research to see if these products actually worked and do what they claim, that is a completely different story. You should be advised to do your own research regarding the efficiency and potency of these preparations.
From a purely drug testing viewpoint in the greater majority of cases we simply could not even accurately determine what was inside the pills and potions. There are some good companies out there it must be said, that did respond to our questionnaires and supplied very good and useful information, but those companies were very few indeed.
The ANB has collected the data and formulated a series of warnings and suggestions in the public interest, we just wanted to make it clear that we care about the growing problem of foreign imports and of course, with the Internet, today you can order direct from other countries, which by and large may be totally unregulated.
Here is a list of our suggestions:
1. Only purchase products from a company that has been around a long time and has a support or customer care section that actually answers e-mail or telephone enquiries.
2. Try were possible to purchase goods made in Australia that carry the authentic mark of the therapeutic goods act.
3. Do not trust the verbal assurance of a salesman in a shop.
4. If you can’t find out the scientific name of the ingredients don’t purchase the product.
5. Visit the ANB website, and adopt the recommendations on our Drugs page.
6. Learn as much as you can about what you put in your body, regardless of where you source it.
7. Never trust the labelling or accept that what they say is in the product is actually what you are getting.
8. If you have even the slightest doubt, don’t take it.
9. Mostly, Australian companies have equivalent products, that are cheaper and safer.
10. Try to rely more on a wholesome well balanced diet for your nutrients and save your money.
Now just as a final word, we would like to thoroughly endorse the good supplement companies in the market place, both local Australian and overseas companies. They deserve your custom and they are reliable and their supplements are first class and worth the money and do make a difference to your final performance on stage. However, the onus is on you to do your homework first. Ignorance of the truth or facts is no excuse, you can’t say you didn’t know. You are responsible for your own body and what you put inside it. The rules of sport are very clear and state you must present yourself ‘Drug-Free’, it doesn’t say Drug-Free but it’s okay if you didn’t know. There is no excuse that will be accepted, so please be warned, take responsibility for your actions and any unexpected and unintentional reactions due to consuming products that you cannot guarantee to yourself to be clear and safe.
The ANB is a natural federation, we believe in providing a level playing field, we are not and have never tried to be the moral compass of the sporting community, nor are we doctors or scientists. Therefore we are guided by experts in the field and we hire and employ those experts to do the task of drug testing and we fully support any organization that has the same uncompromising stance. We get e-mails almost on a daily basis asking if a substance is okay to take and the answer is always the same. We don’t know, we are sports administrators and simply administer the rules, one of which is, to present yourself on the day free of drugs. The list of drugs is the same list that appears on the
WADA website and there are links from our drug page to that website.
The bottom line is, it is your body, don’t throw away your dignity or reputation inadvertently by taking something you honestly believe is okay but wasn’t, that would be tragic and that has happened more often than you would think. Never, ever trust the advertising and hype surrounding, the latest new wonder substance that is supposedly 100% guaranteed to pass any test, they have saying the same thing for four decades now and there is in the main, simply no proof or way of substantiating the claims.
If you have doubts about a substance and cannot get reliable information, don’t take it. Seek the advice of your local qualified sports professional or doctor and even then, get a second opinion. The major drug agencies in Australia have free hotlines and are more than willing to speak to any athlete confidentially and offer support and advice.
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