The INBF Hercules has always been my favorite show to both compete at and to bring a team into. It is where I won my novice class in 07, took 3rd in the Open Heavyweight class in 2011, and where I got my first Pro Tyrone Robinson in 2012. Therefore, the Herc has always felt like home. I would like to think that I have brought some pretty solid competition to this show in the past, but something was different about this year.
In the lead up to the show the stars seemed to be aligning. I was set to bring my largest and most competitive team ever to the event. But in the back of my mind I had 3 studs that had downright potential to go PRO.
In the weeks leading up to the show, the idea of a Hat Trick was brought up to me. I quickly dismissed it as something that would be too good to be true. I didn’t want to set myself or anyone else up for disappointment.
Jessica’s prep went solid the entire way through. It was apparent to everyone that she had grown and physically matured a great deal since 2010. She was initially going to compete in just Open Figure, but I finally got through to her to compete in Fit Body as well. I knew that she would kill it in either or, but by being in both classes increases the chance of the win. Paid off didn’t it ? Jessica went out there and killed it. She looked amazing and did a fantastic job. She went pro in Fit Body and took 2nd place in Open Figure Short. What a day for that girl.
On June 1st Tyrone, Fred, and I traveled to Massachusetts for the WNBF/INBF Northeast Classic. This was the Pro show that Tyrone was required to compete at and a warmup show for Fred. Tyrone placed 3rd in the lightweight pro ranks which I was extremely pleased about, and Fred placed 3rd in his first Open Bantam class. I was really proud of Fred as it was a very tough class, but I picked up on some things that needed correcting. Once we got back to NY the adjustments were made to his posing.
Once those adjustments were made, Fred began to look like a different machine. This is when the thoughts of the the Hat Trick came back into focus. When he left my house one day i thought to myself “Holy shit, this guy can def go Pro at the Herc”. We bounced him back into his diet after a few days of reloading. Majority if the work was done and all we had to do was make some small adjustments and cruise into the Herc. Fred was able to edge out the competition and earn his Pro Card.
Cody too had a warmup show down in NC. Cody had been dieting for a long time and was looking like a DAMN FREAK ! It was insane to me how this guy was looking. For the first time he gave the diet, and the weight loss plenty of time. There was no stress, and boy did it show. The entire time I was banking on this guy to go pro at the Herc, even to win the overall (which may still happen due to a high chance of disqualification for the original overall winner). But anyways back to NC. Cody ended up taking 1st place in his class, but to get the pro card in the show you had to place top 2 in the overall. Looking at the video, he def should of had it, but whatever.
There were a few minor mistakes that we had to iron out in the transition from the NC show to the Herc. We succeeded in that and everyone there saw the result. Seeing Cody take that win was such a relief to both of us. When he was announced the winner, I started to cry. When Him and Fred did face to face most muscular poses and then gave each other a fist pound during the posedown in the overall, it brought a tear to my eye.
In the end, The 2013 INBF Hercules will most likely go down as my greatest moment and memory ever related to the great sport of natural bodybuilding. But we aint done yet, so hold on tight, because TEAM Sci-Unison Fitness is just getting started.
Update 7/10/2013
Today Cody was officially announced as the Overall Winner at the 2013 INBF Hercules. The original winner was disqualified bc of obvious reasons. So 3 Pros, and an Overall win… all in a days work. Now I can say that The Hercules is also the show where My Team got its first Overall win. Did I mention that the Hercules will always be home ? lol
