PNBA Derek Joe focuses heavily on posing a week out from Team USA.
Professional Natural Bodybuilding Association (PNBA) Derek Joe has been honing on his posing a week out from Pro/Am Team USA, in Las Vegas, NV, on September 24, 2022. Derek Joe has been preparing for this show, which will be his final one before the king of all natural bodybuilding competitions takes place in Las Vegas on November 10-13, 2022–Natural Olympia.
Derek Joe is the reigning Classic Physique Natural Olympia champ. And he also has a multi-media contract with Generation Iron, Iron Man Magazine, and the INBA PNBA.
Derek Joe competed at Natural Universe, which took place in Tampa, FL, on September 3, 2022, and was the winner of the Classic Physique division.
To prep for Team USA, Derek Joe has been practicing his posing thoroughly, a crucial part of the Classic Physique division. Derek Joe uploaded an Instagram clip of him posing and working with IFBB Pro Classic Physique competitor Stanimal De Longeaux. Joe said:
“The last couple weeks I’ve had the opportunity to work with IFBB Pro bodybuilder and Classic Physique competitor Stanimal De Longeaux and get some critique and feedback on my poses leading into Team USA with the INBA/PNBA this coming weekend on 9/24 in Las Vegas. I’m extremely grateful for him taking the time out of his day while he’s also in prep to share his knowledge and help me continue to improve my posing skill. Since we both train at @the_dragons_lair already it’s been that much easier to link up.”
Derek Joe’s Physique Update and Training
Before INBA Colorado State on August 13, 2022, Joe finished his peak week weighing 176.6 lbs. And he said he might come in a couple of pounds lighter on the Natural Olympia stage.
Joe’s training has switched from three days on/one day off, doing legs every eight days, to a modified German volume training.
Before Natural Universe, Joe performed a massive leg workout, which included squats, Romanian deadlifts (RDL), and Bulgarian split squats.
Classic Physique Division Training
The Classic Physique division is a competitive one. Not only will Derek Joe be trying to retain his Natural Olympia title, but 3x Natural Olympia Classic Physique champ Brandon Lirio is vying for retaking the thrown. Moreover, William Long plans to compete in this division in 2023. Long said to prepare for the Classic Physique division; he turned his attention to his legs. That’s because legs weren’t essential to the Men’s Physique division (they wear board shorts). Men’s physique is the class Long dominated before transitioning to the Classic Physique division, which explains why Derek Joe places a heavy emphasis on training legs.
Natural Olympia is less than two months away. Last year, Paul Krueger was the Men’s Bodybuilding champ. Of course, each natural athlete has their unique training regime. And it will significantly depend on what division each competitor competes in. Nevertheless, according to Krueger, bodybuilding has five crucial pillars: training, nutrition, supplementation, recovery, and mindset.
Life Outside of the INBA PNBA for Derek Joe
Besides competing in the PNBA, Derek Joe works part-time at Lifetime Athletics in Las Vegas. He offers in-person personal training and posing and online coaching and virtual posing sessions.
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