| Superbody BlogsA short description about your blog Posted by: matthewliller on Mar 28, 2012 This title has several meanings, and as we approach 11 weeks out from the Universe they all begin to become more prominent in my mind. Meaning #1: The Universe, as a show, is undoubtedly the most important competition I've ever participated in. Pretty much every childhood dream I ever had involved competing as a professional athlete, and once I found competitive bodybuilding my goal was to become a pro. That goal was achieved in 2010, and every workout and every meal since then has been with one weekend in mind: June 15-16, 2012 in Miami. Meaning #2: The other competitors I will be onstage with. The pro lineup is shaping up to be one of the best in years, with many former champions slated to compete. As of press time Morris Mendez is in, Ulisses Jr. is in, Antwuan Smith is in, Dickens Lambert is on the fence, Jeff Beckham is in, and Griffin Datcher III is in. ALL of these guys are top-tier bodybuilders that are VERY capable of winning the show. There are also some x-factors that might be there, including Korea's Chul Soon, who can shock the world.
Posted by: matthewliller on Jan 20, 2012 I recently took a course on leadership & achievement that had a series of guest speakers. Despite their different backgrounds and areas of expertise, there was one common theme: you must have defined goals. Heeding this advice, I shall not only define my goals, but make them very public. Goal #1: Top Five Finish at MM Pro Universe I'm certainly not dieting for 25 weeks to travel to Miami and get a "participation" award. I know that with the improvements I have made to my physique I'm capable of finishing in the top five. Also, although I certainly don't know the show's format at this time, there is a chance that only the top five will get to perform their posing routines. Getting to perform an individual routine on a pro stage is something I've dreamed about for a long time, and would mean a lot. Keep in mind that there could be 5 guys in the heavyweight pro division that have won pro shows before...I'm planning to step on some toes to accomplish this one.
Posted by: matthewliller on Jan 03, 2012
Posted by: matthewliller on Dec 30, 2011 After a year and a half of being in "offseason" mode, my contest preparations for the Musclemania Pro Universe have recently begun. Yes, I know the competition isn't until June, but that's only about 24 weeks away. Despite what anyone says I believe a natural bodybuilder needs 20+ weeks of preparation to be in true stage condition. I had the honor and privilege to attend the Fitness America weekend in Las Vegas and watch the professional division. Watching some of the best bodybuilders in the world battle it out was extremely inspiring, especially knowing that I'll be up there with those same guys in just a few months. Aside from amazing physiques, the guys are great people. Shout outs to Morris Mendez, Ulisses Jr., Jeff Beckham, and Dickens Lambert (who's condition was amazing) for giving me extra fuel for my preparations. Also, congrats to all the new pros that were crowned that day, especially Law Payne and Griffin Datcher III who I got to speak with at some length. You'll be hearing from me regularly over the next 5 months of prep, hopefully including some vids (both interview and training clips) and progress pictures. Also, follow me on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/matthew.liller) and twitter (@Matt_Liller).
Posted by: matthewliller on Jun 16, 2011 I must begin by saying a HUGE thank you to everyone that helped make the Fitness New Mexico an unbelievable show. Shout outs to the promoter Cristin Kiburz (congrats on your new baby), Gretchen Gustafson and Brittany Jaeger for my rides to/from the airport, Tony Gonzalez and Melissa Cary for letting me be a part of your Q&A session, the awesome judging panel, the great competitors, and of course Lou Zwick. This was a FIRST CLASS show, and had me blown away at how professional and organized everything was. I was also honored to do a guest posing routine and hopefully impress the crowd. I certainly hope I can be a part of this show in the future. The other pressing matter is the Universe, which begins tomorrow. I'm friends and acquaintances with quite a few of the competitors, and wish them all the best. I'm really looking forward to the battle in the Musclemania Juniors class between Lamar Byrd, Jr and Chris Wescott. Both of these guys have a tremendous amount of muscle and are going to bring their "A" game...this should be a good one. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Musclemania Pro Division. I earned my pro status exactly one year ago, and will be making my pro debut exactly one year from now. You bet I'll be watching and seeing what I'll be up against. I'm eager to see the battle between Morris Mendez and Ulisses, Jr for sure, and perhaps Jeff Beckham can upset everyone with his massive size. We haven't heard much from Dewayne Malone lately, but perhaps he's been in the trenches preparing to bring his all-time best to the stage. I'm sure as heck not going to make any predictions as to the winner, only that whoever does win will bring an unreal package. As for me, training is going perfectly and I have added quality size. I'll be guest posing in Roanoke, VA at the Musclemania Mountain Pride show in 4 weeks, and that requires me staying relatively lean for the offseason. No worries, though...this process has let me learn my body a bit more and will help when contest dieting next year. It's my job to make sure the guy writing a preview of next year's Musclemania Pro division in the Universe throws my name out there as one of the frontrunning contenders...
Posted by: matthewliller on May 25, 2011
Posted by: matthewliller on Apr 24, 2011 I'm very excited to announce my involvement with one of Musclemania's biggest shows: The Fitness New Mexico on May 21st. I will be a guest judge, part of a "celebrity" Q & A panel, and guest posing at the evening finals. The show's promoter, Cristin Kiburz, played a large role in getting me to the Universe last year, and it's my pleasure to add to her show. On that note, I'm going on a 5 week "mini-diet" to sharpen up for the guest posing. Of course it's not ideal to ever be on a stage when not in complete contest shape, but this will be a great opportunity for me to gauge my offseason progress, particularly the added size in my upper body. Believe me, I'm working on a pretty cool posing routine to excite the crowd!
Posted by: matthewliller on Feb 08, 2011 
It's been a while, but time for an update. Law school is taking its toll, however not hindering any physical progress. The above picture was taken over the holidays when I was privileged to get in a few workouts with my good friend Tyler McPeak, (tylermcpeak.com) another Musclemania success story. Training is going great, as I'm the biggest and leanest I've ever been...what more could I ask for?? Despite not competing in 2011, I've got some big things coming up: I'll be representing Scivation at the Arnold Classic expo, guest posing at the Musclemania Mountain Pride competition in July, and a HUGE announcement coming shortly regarding my involvement with another prestigious MM show. "Luck" happens when opportunity meets hard work!
Posted by: matthewliller on Dec 04, 2010 The Fitness America weekend has come and gone, and brought with it some controversy in the pro division. Top contenders Dickens Lambert and Dewayne Malone weren't in the top 5, and Antwaun Smith landed a questionable 5th place. On top of all that, the overall champion tested positive for banned substances, and forfeited the title and Musclemania pro status. What's important to remember in bodybuilding is that IT'S SUBJECTIVE. Different judges will score competitors differently, based on their personal preferences. I've been on the disappointed side of judges' decisions before, and probably will again in the future. I hope all of these pros can regroup and bring even better packages next time. As for me, the first semester of law school is coming to a close. Workouts and nutrition are 100% on point, and will remain there. At only 1/3 of the way through my long offseason, huge progress is visible, and I have to believe that 2011 will only be more of the same. Look for some training videos coming in the near future.
Posted by: matthewliller on Oct 25, 2010 The past few months have been quite interesting. I've firmly settled into law school, but have begun to make great improvements in my physique. I've battled a fairly significant (but undisclosed) injury, but despite the setback it's actually helped with my training, as I'm obsessed with still making progress. I'm taking weight-gain very slowly this offseason to maximize true muscle growth (not just fat gain). Right now I'm at 220 lbs, but by far the leanest 220 I've ever been...and I'm very satisfied. As a new pro, I'm quite excited for the big show coming up in Nov. There are a TON of great competitors in the lineup, any one of them capable of bringing the title home. As a self-proclaimed "video junkie", I think the videos posted by Dewayne Malone and Corey Cotten are great for the sport. Dewayne is a good guy, and I had the opportunity to talk to him for a bit backstage at the Universe. Although somewhat undersized, his incredible physique is very formidable against bigger competitors. Best of luck to Corey as well. He's strong as an ox for sure, but that doesn't translate into bodybuilding wins. I see him in the pro ranks soon, and I'm definitely hoping to meet him on stage. Get a full range of motion kid, and I'll see you in 2012. Speaking of training videos, I hear from the organization of something special coming very soon that will include a LOT of videos from the MM athletes. I think this is tremendous, and you can count on myself being a regular. In fact, I have something special in the works with my buddy Lamar Byrd, Jr coming up very soon...stay tuned!
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