By Dan Guttenplan
Sports Editor
—
Joel Napolitano believes he has a plan for anyone looking to fill their Saturday.
Venture down to Newburyport High tomorrow (10 a.m.) for the Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders Natural Yankee Classic to see the effects months of exercise and starving oneself can have on the human body. Then drop by The Grog Restaurant in the evening to see the effects starving oneself can have on an appetite.
"If you want to see some real fun, you should see people eat after a (bodybuilding) show," Napolitano said. "It's quite a sight to see. Plenty of people will have bills for dinner for one person that exceed $100."
The Napolitano brothers, Joel and Justin, will be directing the event tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Newburyport High. The contest, which has coincided with Newburyport's Yankee Homecoming since 2006, is expected to draw its largest field of participants ever. As of yesterday, Joel had 75 entrees for the competition. Last year, there were 63 total competitors, and 25 registered on the day before the event.
"We could exceed 90 for the first time ever," Joel said.
In order to prepare their bodies for the natural competition, Joel Napolitano said the contestants often keep intense diets for 12 weeks leading into the contest. That involves cutting carbohydrates and sugars while maintaining a strict protein shake diet. Many of the contestants drink four ounces per day for a week leading into the contest.
"They want to be lean," Napolitano said. "People tend to be pretty hungry."
As of last year, the contest became a professional qualifier for the organization's open and master's divisions. The Natural Yankee Classic will feature men's and women's bodybuilding, as well as figure competitions in a variety of divisions and age categories. To ensure that there is no steroid use among the participants, each competitor must take a polygraph before the event, and winners must take another after.
"You'll get to see what can be done without steroids," Napolitano said. "These guys take protein shakes, but it's all healthy and legal. They don't take anything that can damage their bodies."
Napolitano, a Newburyport resident, has even convinced many of the participants to take vacation time and enjoy the Yankee Homecoming festivities.
"My brother and I have people coming in from all over the country," Napolitano said. "People put in vacation time to hang out for Yankee Homecoming. We try to promote the festivities as much as possible."
IF YOU GO
What: 2009 Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders Natural Yankee Classic
When: Tomorrow; doors open at 10 a.m., competition goes from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Newburyport High School, 241 High St.
Cost: Tickets $25, $10 under 18; children under 10 free. Visit www.phenomlabs.com or www.theocbwebsite.com.
