Craig Madden targets NABBA Universe glory and IFBB Pro Card in Milan

The NABBA and PCA Pro is chasing a place in bodybuilding history at the NABBA Pro Universe and has questioned why his achievements have not earned him greater recognition in the UK. In a candid interview with FrontDouble.com, the 6ft 3in bodybuilder discusses his ambitions, the challenge of building a heavyweight physique, eating almost 7,000 calories a day and why he believes he looks better on stage than on Instagram.

EXCLUSIVE By Gary Chappell

CRAIG MADDEN has spent years building a physique that he once thought was beyond his reach. Now, in the space of just 14 days, he has the opportunity to achieve two major milestones in his bodybuilding career.

The NABBA and PCA Pro is targeting the NABBA Pro Universe on Sunday, November 1, before heading to the NPC European Masters in Milan, where he will be chasing the coveted IFBB Pro League Card.

At 6ft 3in, filling his frame has required enormous amounts of food, patience and a willingness to endure extended periods away from the condition most bodybuilders spend their careers trying to maintain.

But Madden, who is approaching his 45th birthday, believes the work is paying off. He says he is still gaining muscle and feels he has an aesthetic advantage over some of his rivals.

The NABBA Universe holds particular significance. It was one of the first federations he encountered when he began competing and he remembers watching the standard of physiques on display in 2015 without imagining he would one day be a professional bodybuilder entering for its biggest title.

Winning it would represent a particularly special achievement.

Craig Madden's ambition to win the NABBA Pro Universe

He said: “The NABBA Federation was probably one of the first federations I came across alongside UKBFF when I started bodybuilding competitively and I went to one of their shows in 2015.

“It was the NABBA North West. It was an extremely well-run show with extremely impressive physiques. I never thought that I'd be able to stand with them guys on that stage, let alone be a NABBA Pro and be entering for the NABBA Pro Universe title.

“So as you can imagine it would hold huge prestige for me to go down in NABBA's history books and I would be delighted and over the moon to be part of that if I was to win it. So that is number one.”

The challenge of filling a 6ft 3in frame

Madden's height has been both an advantage and a challenge throughout his bodybuilding career. While he believes his stature helps his physique make an impression on stage, building enough muscle to fill a tall frame has been a lengthy process.

There was also a time when he regularly found himself being asked whether he was competing in Classic Bodybuilding, something that frustrated him because his ambition had always been to compete in the Open.

He finally got the opportunity to make his mark in 2019, winning the tall Open class at the PCA North West before taking the overall men's title.

He said: “Being six foot three, I have found it a lot harder to fill my frame out. There was a number of years where I would look to register at shows and they'd always ask, 'Are you in classic'? That used to annoy me a bit because I've never – I've got nothing against classic bodybuilding by the way – but I've never wanted or been a classic bodybuilder. I've always been an open bodybuilder.

“So I was extremely pleased one year back in 2019 where at registration I was asked whether I was classic and I ended up winning the tall bodybuilding open class and then went on to win the overall men's title.

“That was the PCA North West in 2019 and back then it was literally just one men's overall and one women's overall. So I literally beat every single other guy in the competition who had won their class.”

How Craig Madden built his physique on 7,000 calories a day

Building the physique he has today has required a huge commitment to eating, with Madden revealing that his off-season intake has at times approached 7,000 calories a day.

And while many competitors find the depths of contest preparation the hardest part of bodybuilding, he says the sheer volume of food required to grow can be just as demanding.

“In terms of how have I built my physique, it's just taken time and a lot of food.

“There have been times where I've been up to almost 7,000 calories per day, which I can tell you is actually harder to do than the depths of the prep. Because not only is it a lot of food, a lot of food volume to get in throughout the day and you just feel like you're eating, you just finish one meal and you start in the next.

“It does make you feel sluggish and the only time that you are anything useful is in the gym when you're strong and looking to build that muscle.

“I do find off-seasons tough because, at six foot three, it's taken a lot of food over a lot of years to put that size on. And not only that, you need to get used to not being lean all the time.

“If you want to put a tremendous amount of size on you have to go through periods where you do look a little bit softer to reach new milestones in terms of body weights.”

His peak off-season weight has been around 302lb, although he says his most recent off-season was considerably leaner than previous growth phases.

“My peak body weight is probably about 302 pounds in an off-season, I don't think I've ever really been above that. That's the morning body weight on waking.

“And last off-season I actually only went up to 290 pounds but it was a much leaner 290 pounds than what I've ever done before hence the added size.

“And for myself, at nearly 45 years old, to still be gaining the amount of muscle that I do and still have the younger looking skin and physique that I do, I do find that I am blessed in that way. And it is to my advantage, especially when it comes to aesthetics and against the guys that are a little bit older than me, or even some of the guys that are younger than me in their 30s.

“I do feel like I've got a younger looking physique than what I actually am and that's probably due to me always eating clean, very rarely eating off-plan. Even when I was on 7,000 calories I would potentially have one off-plan meal per week maximum and it'd be nothing crazy then. As you can imagine, if I'm eating 7,000 calories a day I'm not even going to feel like having an off-plan anyway. I'd rather just stick to my usual clean foods.”

Keeping muscle during bodybuilding contest prep

The challenge then becomes holding on to that hard-earned muscle as the calories come down and the demands of preparation increase.

For Madden, the key is making sure the off-season has been managed properly before prep even begins. Starting from a strong position, with food intake high and output relatively low, gives him more room to make adjustments without immediately compromising training performance.

He believes maintaining strength is central to retaining muscle tissue and says any decline in performance should prompt a closer look at recovery and training demands.

“It's all about managing your off-season first and foremost, making sure that you're in a good place to start your prep, food high, output low etc.

“So you've got a lot of tools to play with in prep. I will start my prep maybe about 4,000 calories which is somebody's off-season typically or maybe even more for somebody in somebody's off-season in terms of calories.

“So if you're on a good amount of food then you're going to maintain training performance and that is key to holding muscle tissue.

“If you can hold training performance or even potentially improve training performance especially at the start of a prep then you're on to a winner. You ain't going to be losing any muscle, it's as simple as that.

“And if you do start losing strength in training then you need to look at your lifestyle and the amount of training that you are actually doing. It's probably too much for your body to recover from if you are starting to regress in terms of performance.”

Why Craig Madden added the NABBA Universe to his Milan prep

The decision to add the NABBA Universe to his schedule came after Madden had initially planned to concentrate solely on the NPC European Masters in Milan.

Discovering that the Universe fell just two weeks earlier changed his thinking. Rather than viewing the extra contest as an unwanted complication, he felt it fitted his schedule and would break up the preparation.

With both shows now in his sights, managing fatigue and recovery will be crucial. Madden insists he feels fresh, although he admits that mentally he is already looking forward to bringing the campaign to an end after Milan.

He said: “So initially it was literally the plan to just do the Milan show but then I found out that it was the NABBA Universe two weeks prior and I just felt it fit really well with my schedule and it does break up the prep a little bit.

“I still feel fresh. I feel like I can still peak fine and still be fine for that last show.

“I don't feel particularly tired at the moment even with just two weeks prep left. I feel fresh like I could carry on for a good month yet, albeit mentally I am ready to call it after Milan.

“So it's just all about managing fatigue, recovery and mental and just having good mental fortitude as well to be able to carry on and for the shows to actually mean enough to you, for you to put your all into both.”

Craig Madden questions lack of recognition in British bodybuilding

While his immediate attention is on the two competitions ahead, Madden also has a longer-term ambition: to establish himself more firmly among the leading names in British bodybuilding.

It is an interesting subject because, despite holding both NABBA and PCA Pro status, he feels he has not received the level of recognition he might have expected.

He believes his height could be a factor, arguing that taller bodybuilders can look considerably more impressive in person and on stage than they do in photographs. He also questions the influence of social media, where he feels shorter physiques can be better suited to the camera.

“I'm not quite sure why I'm not regarded as one of the top guys," he said. "Maybe because I look more impressive in person than on social media, being a taller guy somebody's physique always looks better on stage which is a massive advantage if you want to win the titles. Because let's be honest, the Insta bodybuilders don't tend to do too well, albeit the Olympians all look good on Instagram but they are the shorter guys. So it tends to be the shorter guys that look best in the pictures – and I never edit my pictures or anything like that.

“So it's an odd one that I'm not recognised the same as others, but it is what it is. Maybe I just don't have the algorithm that other people have. But I have started a YouTube now, so that should boost things a little bit for me and get more people following.

“But having pages like FrontDouble.com to actually promote athletes like myself is only going to help cement my place in the bodybuilding history books as it were. To cement myself in the community as one of the top guys who's close to potential IFBB Pro Card and already has the PCA Pro Card and NABBA Pro Card. But it's an odd one that I'm not recognised more. Maybe the guys on YouTube that seem to have bigger personalities probably get that little bit more recognition.”

Madden has now launched his YouTube channel in the hope of reaching a wider audience and giving people a better opportunity to see what he brings to the stage.

But first comes the business of competing.

The NABBA Pro Universe offers the chance to win a title with particular personal significance, while Milan represents an opportunity to secure the IFBB Pro League status he is chasing.

Two shows, two weeks apart – and a major opportunity to make his mark.

Craig Madden offers online coaching. To find out more, send a DM to @blade.pro.coaching on Instagram or apply via the link in his bio.

NOW READ:

EXCLUSIVE: "Imagine what I can achieve" – Jay Davies on beating Alex Lord and his road to an IFBB Pro card

Road to Milan: Sibel Osman heads to Toulouse for a high-stakes trial run

Prep Diary of a Masters Bodybuilder – Episode 8: Two weeks to Milan... and it doesn’t feel real

BODYBUILDING RESULTS

ATHLETE PROFILES

HEALTH AND EDUCATION HUB

Every results board, athlete profile, interview and feature on FrontDouble is kept going by readers who chip in each month. Support us from £4 a month and get your name on the FrontDouble Supporters Wall.

Support FrontDouble – from £4/month

Apple Pay, Google Pay & cards accepted · Cancel anytime

Jim Georgiou Q&A: “Without routine, I would fall apart”

Jim Georgiou talks bodybuilding injuries, mentality, routines, sacrifices, social media pressure and why he still trains with the same intensity decades into the sport

By Gary Chappell

JIM GEORGIOU has built a reputation as one of the most recognisable physiques on the UK bodybuilding scene.

The PCA Pro recently added a NABBA Pro Card to his collection and continues to compete at a high level despite injuries, wear and tear and decades in the sport.

In this FrontDouble Q&A, Georgiou discusses bodybuilding, discipline, grief, routines, injuries, social media pressure and why he believes routine is essential to keeping him grounded, ahead of his participation in the PCA Universe this weekend [May 23/24, 2026].

1: What first drew you to bodybuilding?

As a kid I use to watch WWF and seeing the likes of The Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan, Legion of Doom and others like The Warlord, I wanted to be massive and strong like them.
Therefore that naturally made me interested in weight training and bodybuilding. Soon after this, I came across a VHS video of eight-time Mr Olympia Lee Haney – and after watching it I was totally hooked. So I started buying more and than came across Pumping Iron which is the GOAT of all bodybuilding movies.
The Flex mags too. I never missed a copy. I used to read them over and over to learn as much as I could!

2: What’s your 'why'? What keeps you pushing through hard preps and off-seasons?

Pure self satisfaction. I absolutely love the hard work and discipline that goes into it. I need routine. Without routine I would fall apart.

3: How would you describe your relationship with your body today?

Hit and miss. I’m older now. I have lots of wear and tear. It’s not so easy now. I suffer from Carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis in the knees, cartilage damage, which is irreversible. Both my lower pecs have huge muscle deterioration, which in a lot of front shots ruins my look.
Three ruptured discs on the back but I manage all these very well to the point where I’m still able to keep going.
The good points are I’m far more balanced now compared to before and I have some very good attributes, particularly when it comes to muscle mutuality, density and conditioning – especially from the rear.

4: Was there a turning point where you started to see yourself as an athlete, not just a gym-goer?

I’ve been an athlete since I was six years old. I used to play football and was very good at it. I was semi-pro level but was never good enough to be a pro footballer. I used to do track and field and participated in the 100m, 200m and 400m. I broke every record in Southgate School in those events.
All these sports certainly contributed to weight training and bodybuilding, as my strength and conditioning was at a good level and only got better and better through lifting weights.

5: What’s something people often misunderstand about you, or about bodybuilding in general?

I’m pretty intimidating to look at and most people are scared to approach me. But when they do they are always surprised to see that I’m actually not like that – but only after training that is.
I absolutely hate people coming up to me when I’m training – and especially in prep. These people genuinely have no idea about competitive bodybuilding. When you see someone like that just let them be and let them do their thing.

6: How do you mentally handle show-day nerves or physique comparisons?

Absolutely never phases me. I never get nervous for a show. I’m so relaxed and chilled.
Also, I don’t look at this person or that person. My only focus was and will always be the best me on stage. You win some, you lose some. That’s bodybuilding.

7: What does your ideal off-season look like, mentally and physically?

Back in the day, I use to get up to 320-330lbs. That is absolutely not optimal now for me. I stay a little under 300lbs now and that gives me a decent-ish look with blood markers in a decent position and blood pressure at a nice stable level.

8: What sacrifices have you had to make to chase this goal?

Missed a ton of family events and gatherings through my life. A lot of failed relationships. Silly amount of money spent. But on the flip side I’ve made a huge living doing this too and I'm now settled down with someone, as she shares the same passions as I do.

9: If you weren’t bodybuilding, where do you think your focus would be?

I still do security but I would have probably put everything into owning and running my own security firm.

10: Is there a quote, book, or philosophy you live by – inside or outside of bodybuilding?

Lee Haney
“If you don't train, you won't gain and your body will remain the same.”

11: What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever overcome, in life or in sport?

We’ve all had some tough moments in sports but compared to life that means nothing. I’ve dealt with a lot of grief in life, over the last two years especially.

12: How do you unwind or reset when you’re not training or dieting?

Even in off-season I have a structured diet and eat the same food everyday. I may have an off-plan meal once or twice a week if that. I don’t miss workouts ever so can’t answer that one!

13: How has bodybuilding changed your view of confidence, discipline, or self-worth?

Doing bodybuilding gives you no option other than to be confident and disciplined. I mean, to go on stage with trunks on posing to hundreds of people watching, as well with everything being shared online, you just have to be confident to put it out there. If not then you shouldn’t do this sport. Without discipline you will absolutely never get your best look, because those who fail will most likely fail the diet and cheat most of time. Then wonder why they look how they do on stage – and blame the coach!

14: What is your current training split and why?

Bro split. I’ve done every training split there is a d I get on the best with this one. I like to annihilate each body from all angles and rep ranges.

15: Do you feel pressure to always look a certain way outside of prep?

Absolutely not. Because of instagram, most people want to stay super lean year round and ultimately that hinders you from progressing. I’d rather do what’s needed outside prep to improve for the competitive season, rather than staying super lean year round just to get extra likes on social media.

16: Have your relationships (friends, family, dating) changed because of your lifestyle?

A little. When you are so busy in life you do tend to see, or message friends and family a lot less. However ,they mostly do the same anyway so goes both ways!

17: Can you give us one of your favourite prep meals and one of your favourite off-season meals?

Easy one, favourite prep meal is steak and eggs. Favourite off-season meal is steak & eggs!

18: What’s next for you; as an athlete, as a person, or both?

As an athlete I’ve got a few shows I will doing in the near future, the last show which has been planned from day one is the NPC Italy pro qualifier [European Masters] in November.
I’m also fixing up my new house and it’s a big project. It will take several months before it’s fully finished.
As a person it’s simple, be better than I was yesterday!

19: Who inspires you and why? Could be in bodybuilding or beyond.

Oleksandr Usyk. He’s the GOAT. The way he conducts himself in life. Just everything he does, will never be anyone like him!

20: If you could send one message to your younger self, what would it be?

You are going to fail a lot. It’s not a sign to stop, just learn from it and be better.

ALL official NABBA South East images are the copyright of James Lineham Media. These and other images can be purchased by contacting James here: JAMES LINEHAM MEDIA