Dear Fellow Athlete,

Hope everything is going well in your training for the Fitness Atlantic Championships!

I remember when I was 20 years old and started training for my first competition. I remember how motivated and nervous I was and how I felt but I knew that there are only two options regarding my commitment. I was either in or out. There's no such thing as a life in-between. At 12 weeks out from the event I mailed in my entry form.

At that point people in the gym and my friends outside of the gym started to notice that I was carrying a gallon of water with me and bringing my Tupperware meals everywhere I went. What I saw then was that people were more encouraging than I had expected and I was the only person that may have felt any doubts. When people asked me what I was doing and I told them they were quick to say that they would like to come and watch the show. Then they would ask me if I can get them a ticket and before I knew it I had almost 200 people going to watch. Now I knew that there was no backing out. I knew I had a lot of hard work ahead and I couldn't be content to wait and see what will happen, but had to have the determination to make the right things happen.

I was then offered and gladly accepted the help with my diet from a local legend in the gym and former Mr. Connecticut and Mr. New England Claudio Mancuso. Claude is a great guy but he didn't talk much to anybody he would just pull up to the gym around 9am in his convertible Mercedes Benz train for two hours then go to the beach the rest of the day.

Everyone in the gym respected Claude but nobody really knew what he did and how he could have the type of lifestyle he had so people were kind of afraid of the guy. I had come to find out he owned real estate and a restaurant so he didn't have to have a normal day job and since he had asked me if I wanted his help and he never went out of his way for anyone else there was no way I was going to waste his time and cheat on my diet. I recall the first things he cut of my diet were the pasta, bread, and dairy and then he had to doing an hour a day on the old Stairmaster but that is exactly what I did.

Maybe Claude just knew I was motivated since there were better bodybuilders in the gym than me but most of them just wouldn't commit to getting on stage. I've noticed and seen for myself in trying to help others that motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.

When I had called the show promoter about tickets he had told me that when I was going to go to his gym and pick the tickets up that he would help me with mandatory poses. When I got there I met Fred Yale for the first time and he quickly took me through the poses and gave me a print out of how to do them. I really appreciated the fact that the guy that runs the whole show spent time helping me out because I wasn't a top contender and I had no experience. This taught me that good promoters train contestants, care about them, and make winners out of them... and that if you treat the athletes' right they'll come back.

In 1993 Fred Yale called me and told me he had decided to more on to other things with the Junior Olympics and asked me if I wanted to take over the Mr. and Ms .Connecticut event. I was surprised that he had called me and asked why and he told me that he felt I was the person that came to mind that could promote the event. Over the past 12 years producing bodybuilding and fitness events I still realize that it is the passion for the sports that make for a good show. I know that it is a small circle of people that are involved in our sports and that as a promoter you have to treat people fairly and put on the best show that you can. I realize that whether you are a competitor or a promoter of the show that it is a hobby and that you have to love what you do because otherwise you will not be successful.

In 1999 the Fitness Atlantic Pageant and Musclemania was the next transition from the state show to the regional event open to all competitors throughout the northeast and also anywhere in the United States. It is still run with the values I learned as an athlete in this sport myself and from my experiences. The show should be well planned out, organized, beautiful trophies and awards, run like a Broadway musical with a great stage and lighting so the people in the audience enjoy it too, but the most important is the respect for each participant.

We all share that motivation and drive along with the feelings of nervousness of actually committing and sending in the entry form to telling people what we are doing and why. You will find that most people will support you and your motivation will inspire others. People will want to come and watch you on stage and when you are 100% committed to a project it will inspire people.

Bodybuilding and Fitness most likely will become your lifestyle and a healthier way of life by eating well and exercising. All of the quick-fix programs and diets they sell of television are a joke but you will know how to transform your body in little time with the real deal of hard work through proper nutrition and exercise. The show is your deadline for a short-term goal and use it as your inspiration my committing yourself 100%.

Look forward too seeing you in May!

Fitness Atlantic Pageant, Ms Bikini Atlantic, Musclemania, and Model

Thank You,

Brian Cannone

Entry Information Click Here