Evolution Hotel by Helle Nielsen

Line – My journey to my first bodybuilding competition

A transformation from figure/bodyfitness competitor to natural bodybuilder.

14 years ago Line saw a picture of Cory Everson and she knew then that she wanted to compete in bodybuilding. She had a dream of how she wanted to look.

I had a dream!

14 years ago I saw a picture of Cory Everson and I knew then that I wanted to compete in bodybuilding. I had a dream of how I wanted to look.

After 6 years of working out I really hadn’t progressed!

In the pursuit of that dream I started lifting weights, and learning about dieting, but after 6 years of working out I really hadn’t progressed. I changed gyms, hired my first personal trainer and entered my first competition in bodyfitness, since I wasn’t developed enough for bodybuilding at that time. I did 5 competitions in Bodyfitness (figure), and even tried a fitness competition as well to see if it was something I’d like. I realized though that every time I competed in bodyfitness, it wasn’t really me. I was not made for high heels and no posing. I was also not made for jumps, dance and gymnastics either. The dream of competing in bodybuilding just grew bigger and bigger within me. I wanted to be bigger and pose on stage without the heels. I tried to achieve the muscle size I wanted but it didn’t seem to work out. I did something wrong, or I wasn’t doing something I should…

I contacted Evolutionhotel!

I contacted Helle because I knew she would be able to help me. I know other athletes Helle has been coaching and they all recommended me to her with all their hearts! There was no doubt that I wanted her to be my coach too.

Online coaching was the perfect choice for me!

Online coaching was the perfect choice for me. It saved me a lot of time having to drive to consultations and I felt it wasn’t necessary either since we had frequent email contact.

Helle started focusing on adding size to my frame. After she had analysed my physique (I sent her photos) she sent me an off-season diet and a very effective training program. I emailed Helle photos, measurements and weight every 2 weeks and she would make the necessary adjustments along the way.

Coach Helle made it all fit perfectly!

We worked for a year and a half in order to add size. I had a long way to go to get to where I wanted to be, but Helle was fanstastic all the way. I soon realized what I’d been doing wrong trying to add mass. I was eating too little. Way too little, and what Helle had me eating was more food than I had ever before.

Two other very important factors that had been limiting my progress before I started working with Helle: My workouts hadn’t been intense enough, and I’d been sleeping too little.

I thought I’d been lifting weights and working hard enough, but realized not as hard as I could have. I also thought I’d been getting the sleep I needed, but when you want to grow you need to sleep more. It’s amazing what food, crazy workouts and sleep can do!

Helle has a tremendous knowledge regarding diet, training, rest, how to time my workouts/meals, nutritional supplements and recommended the proper regimen to take. Helle made it all fit perfectly!

I’m so proud and glad that I just trusted coach Helle completely.

I had never before allowed myself to get over 70 kg in my off season and getting above that was mentally tough. But even then Helle was so great. Reminding me what I’d told her I wanted to look like, when it was all done, and I would be ready to compete in what I’d wanted to compete in all along.

Then we started to diet down to the bodybuilding competition, and as the fat started to come off, I slowly started seeing what I’d become. The bigger me, the me I’d wanted to be for so long. It was amazing! The closer I got to the competition the more and more motivated I became. Even though it wasn’t fun when I was at my biggest, I’m so glad I went through that tough “fat” period to get to where I am now. I guess my body had to put all that on to get here. It’s incredible. I’m so proud and glad that I just trusted Helle completely. I knew all along that she would get me to where I wanted to be.

I will also recommend coach Helle with all my heart!

Many may be wondering if the prep for this bodybuilding competition has been different from prep for the bodyfitness competitions I’ve done… Yes it has. The biggest difference is that I’ve had Helle as my coach. As my friends recommended her to me, I will also recommend her with all my heart. As far as what I’ve done in the prep, I think the differences have been more food and tougher workouts. The workouts have been designed specifically for me in order to put on mass exactly where I needed it the most.

They have been designed to fit my work in the gym as an instructor and fit my level of experience. I’ve gotten very special training plans to fit my specific needs and it has worked wonders. The diet has been with more food than I’d expected, but I can’t say I wasn’t hungry in the last weeks. I was. But still eating more food than regular people eat. It was just that I was still doing such intense workouts that my body started telling me I needed more than I gave it. But I wasn’t so hungry at any time that I couldn’t do it.

All along I wanted to reach my goal more that I wanted to skip a workout or eat something that wasn't on the plan. My motivation for this competition has been so high. I had a dream of doing this for so many years and finally I was doing it. I was prepping for a real bodybuilding competition.

Peak week!

The Peak Week. The last week before the competition was great! I love that week. So much happens that last week. I got the plan for the first half of the week just before it started. Helle wanted to know exactly how I looked before making it and wanted pictures almost every day and what I weighed every morning so she could make adjustments if needed. Then Wednesday I got the plan for the last three days. It was basically low on carbs in the beginning of the week and lots of water and tea. Then stop with the salt, still drink a lot, then stop with the water and tea (even though I still got to drink a resonable amount of water up untill getting on stage), and start loading with carbs. I had my last morning cardio Wednesday and my last workout Wednesday afternoon that week and the rest of the time was spent practicing on my posing and relaxing. I started putting on my competition color with the help of my husband Thursday evening. He has been my helper at many of my competitions and know exactly what I need and how to apply color. He’s amazing.

Then came the day. I got up very early in the morning to have plenty of time to put on make-up, have time to go to the toilet, and drive to the place it was held and have lots of time there as well. We arived and started fixing the last coloring and a friend of mine came along as well to do my hair.

I was so happy!

I was so happy. I really felt that everything was under control and that I was ready. There are not many women who compete in bodybuilding and I was the only girl in the +55 kg / +121.0 lb class, so I was on stage with the -55 kg / -121.0 lb class.

I felt so right on that stage. Standing there posing was a 14 year dream come true. I for once felt like I belonged there and was doing what had been inside me all these years of training.

My routine went perfectly. I really feel that everything was as good as it could be and that even though I didn’t compete against anybody, (being the only one in my class,) I did win. What I won was being there, looking the way I did, having a great time.

I can’t wait to do it again!

This has been such an incredible journey and I am so happy and proud. It was all I dreamt it would be and more. I truly am a bodybuilder. I loved every second of it. Everything was perfect. I looked as good as I possibly could, I loved being on stage, my posing routine was perfect. Everything!

And what happens now? – Well, I have a week to eat what I want and rest, but then I’ll be back again on a diet and training program made by Helle. I am going to compete again in April 2011. It will be in a class called Classic Bodybuilding. I will of course continue with Helle as my coach and we plan to put on a little more muscle mass and get me a bit more cut.

I can’t wait to do it again. :-)

Klaus – I didn't have to think about anything! Every detail was planned!

In 2007, Klaus won both the Danish Nationals and the Scandinavian Championships which motivated him to wanting to try to compete at a higher-level competition: The Arnold Classic Amateur! Read in Klaus's words how Evolution Hotel helped him to get ready for the Arnold Classic Amateur!

Bodybuilding is my life. I have a great passion for this sport. For me, it's not just a sport, it's a lifestyle. I began my competitive career in 1993, when I was only 19 years old. I competed in more than 10 bodybuilding competitions between the years 1993 and 1999. Then I took a break from competitive bodybuilding for about 8 years, but continued my active lifestyle. In 2007, I decided to make a comeback to the stage. I missed competing.

I entered the Danish and the Scandinavian Championships where I took 1^st place in both competitions – However, despite my great showing, I wasn't completely happy with my look. I knew I could be even better, and I wanted to compete at higher-level competitions.

I've always been doing my own diets, and thought the time was ripe to go to the next level and hire a professional coach. I knew this would help me grow in my sport and advance to the level I wanted to attain.

I started looking for someone who would be qualified and who had the knowledge to help a more advanced athlete like myself. My choice fell on Helle Nielsen, as she has a great amount of experience and knowledge. All of her athletes have been very successful and they all speak very highly of her. I also like the fact that she is an athlete herself and knows not just from theory, but also from her own experience how the body works and reacts to different types of training, food products, stress etc…

In March 2009, I competed in the Arnold Classic Amateur for the first time. I followed a 16-week contest prep specifically developed for me by Helle, and it was my best prep ever!

She was with me every step of the way. I didn't have to think about anything! Every detail was planned. I had meal plans for working days and off-days. I had scheduled cheat meals. I had specialized training programs for the body parts we wanted to bring up. The training changed from month to month – my muscles were always introduced to something different in order not to let my development come to a halt.

I am very satisfied with the results working with Helle has brought. This was my best diet ever. I didn't starve and I felt good throughout the entire 16 weeks. Of course, I was tired towards the end, but I wasn't drained. Amazingly enough, I was in a better condition than I have ever been for any show!

Now I'm entering my off-season, and my goals are to pack on some more muscle and improve my symmetry. I just started working with Helle again – via her aesthetic body analysis she has determined how I can improve my symmetry and which specific areas I need to work on. I just received my specialized plans and I can't wait to get started!

I highly recommend anyone to work with Helle for the off-season, or for competition preparation – but be prepared for results!

Lotte – Making a dream come true!

Lotte had been training for sixteen years when she realized that she needs the help of a professional to make a dream come true and win the Danish Nationals. Read Lotte's success story in her own words.

I have always had a dream of winning the Danish Nationals! After sixteen years of training, I realized that if I want my dream to come true, I'll need the help of a professional. Helle was recommended to me by a friend and responded immediately to my email that she would help. We started working together in the off-season through the last minute contest details. In 2006, I was able to make my dream come true and win the Danish Nationals with Helle's program.

Working with a professional like Helle is a pleasure. She understands the complexities of my busy life and is able to plan my diet and training accordingly. Being a mom with two children and a business to run is a challenge for anyone and Helle showed me that my goal may be accomplished anyway. It was an incredible benefit and edge that I didn't had to think about anything from my diet to my training.

With constant attention to my diet and training we found a way to work around my hectic schedule. This combined with new training techniques made the process a pleasure. Helle understands the psychological part of being a top athlete. Mind over matter, you have to have heart in everything you do.

Today, we are working towards the 2009 Danish Nationals. I continue to develop every week and learn from Helle's knowledge of anatomy and training methods. I always leave the gym with new energy, knowledge and motivation.

Martin – Recommending Evolution Hotel 100%!

Martin is a seasoned bodybuilder with an education in nutrition and fitness, who decided to enter Scandinavia's largest competition. Read in Martin's words how Evolution Hotel helped him to gain the competition experience he hoped for.

My name is Martin Hardiman, amateur bodybuilder in Denmark. I have 15 years of experience with an education in nutrition and fitness, as well as own a fitness and wellness center in Copenhagen.

In 2008, I entered the Loaded Cup Classic, which is Scandinavia's largest competition. I have entered many competitions in the past and have also had a lot of top results, but for this type of competition I needed assistance from a coach who has a wider knowledge and understanding for bodybuilding competitions.

Helle Nielsen was very professional and understanding. Throughout the 6 months Helle was always at the end of a phone and supporting no matter what time of day. We had weekly meetings where she showed a lot of interest and sympathy and never used the clock as a meeting breaker. Our meetings were over when I felt ready and had my questions answered.

Helle always worked with me to find solutions to my problems, where others just said “my way or the highway”. She is also a caring person who always has focus on her athlete and maintains a positive atmosphere.

Helle has a vast knowledge of food and Nutrition and I was never starved like many others. She knows exactly what the body needs when it needs it. I'm a coach myself and have many athletes, but I will definitely work with her again as she exceeds mine and many other's knowledge. Helle is a consummate professional.

So, I have no hesitation in recommending Evolution Hotel 100%!