Three from three, an overall near-miss and a stomach bug nine days out

Prep Diary of a Masters bodybuilder - Episode 5

Saturday, October 3, 2026 – PCA Masters show day

Sleep has been disrupted four or five times because I'm up to the toilet with more water flowing through me than the Trevi Fountain. Yesterday we put in 100g asparagus in four of five meals and 1g of vitamin C per meal. No Peak Max this time either but we wanted to be a touch sharper, because the PCA lean towards condition over anything else. I've dropped more water with this protocol than anything, but I am still nice and full.
We arrive at the venue, Connexin Live in Hull, early. I have to urinate in a plastic cup after parking my car because I'll never make it to the toilet in time. The glamour is never far away in bodybuilding.
I meet lots of friendly faces – competitors in my class and in other classes – as the build-up begins. One thing that always stands out to me at bodybuilding competitions is the mutual respect and camaraderie among competitors.

My coach, Nathan Smart (above), is in attendance for this one. He has a look at me. Everything is on point. We agree to hit the pre-stage pump up a little harder to close the gap to my post-workout look, the one that has me in the best bog in Thurrock. He gives me some of his Engineered Muscle Turbo Pump supplement, which I sip while flogging myself with bands backstage, in between a few trips to the toilet, of course.
On stage I get moved. I look down. The tape to mark the competitor line is in a cross. I'm in the middle. Good sign. Former England captain and World Cup winner Phil Vickery (below, right) is in my class. I mention it to the PCA MC who says he recognised the name. As Phil finishes his routine, the PCA MC gives him a congratulatory message. The rest of us walk back on stage for our posedown, all shaking his hand as we return. I take the victory - three from three. The feeling of winning never gets old. Phil is very complimentary about my physique, which feels surreal given his stature.
We hang around another five hours for the overall, drip-feeding four rice cakes, 80g chicken and 15g honey twice, all with just sips of water now, having already put in 2.5 litres. I believe I have a genuine shot at the overall. Indeed, it is close. I am convinced I have it. It goes to the brilliant Over 40 winner Zack Gibson. Top bloke and who has a very similar shape to me. He wins his PCA Pro Card. I have to wait for my chance to win mine at the PCA British in two weeks.

Sunday, October 4 2026

Laura, thankfully, did the four-hour drive home. I had an off-plan meal at a services on the way - the first since May. We are up early and standing at Oliver's football match by 9.15am. He scores. That's another fiver for Robux. I give him another pep talk.
Watching the overall video back Zack is a touch sharper than me. He deserved the overall. Nathan messages: "We won't miss next time."

Monday, October 5, 2026

I have another shot at an AGM job. Thurrock branch, where I work as a PT/FC, is becoming available. I'm told to apply but temper my expectations. From yesterday, I'm back to baseline diet; 1900 calories. Cardio is back in, this time a modest 20min. Steps at 10k. This will remain for the next few days as for the first time in three weeks we do not have a show this weekend. The PCA Brits is next on October 18.
The school texts. Now my daughter has a detention. She's not had one in the three years she's been there. I send a reply; not in my time she isn't. In yours. We receive a lengthy email from a teacher which is very intimidating and aggressive. It gives me an insight into what this place is really like. The school’s reply was blunt: no debate, no parental input and, if I didn’t like it, I could take it up with Ofsted. In other words; 'you will comply. If you don't like it, bring it on'. All additional stress none of us in the house need, nor asked for. More stuff I have to deal with while preparing for a British finals.

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

The email tirade with the school continues. I'm calm. In control. Purely because I wasn't making a request. I was telling them what would happen. I'm also no longer interested in anything they have to say. I consider pulling them out of the school system entirely, moving further afield to clear the mortgage and therefore setting up an easier financial situation whereby I can homeschool the children.
I have a disagreement in the gym. I ask how many sets someone has left, while with a PT client. "I've just started," they say. OK, but how many sets do you have? "I've just told you I just started," she shoots back. We walk away and do something else, realising quickly we would have more success howling into the void.

Wednesday October 7 2026

With the baseline diet returning, so does the need to prep spend. I buy two cheap games for my Steam Deck totalling a tenner. They will no doubt sit in my library unplayed for months. Honestly, I think it is the act of spending which is better than doing anything with the things you actually buy.
I stumble upon a YouTube video analysing the PCA Masters. I'm in it. My ego is massaged nicely. "Look at this guy!" "Gary just needs more back" is ringing in my ears. But it's a positive assessment.

Thursday, October 8 2026

Last day of baseline diet before a brief top up tomorrow with a high day. Face is really starting to come in now, even more than it has been. Feeling in a good spot though. Cruising in. I have no idea of what is about to come...

Friday, October 9, 2026 – 9 days out

High day drops. Good deal of food here. Meal 1, for example, is 175g rice pudding [Hydrorice from Engineered Muscle], 50g whey, 30g honey, 10g dark chocolate. Meal 2 is 300g basmati rice [cooked weight], 150g cooked chicken breast, 30g raisins, 20g honey, 100g green veg and four rice cakes. I swap meals 1 and 2 purely because I'm waiting for my delivery. Midway through 175g hydrorice I start to feel like I can't finish it. Still, I do. I go to train about 3pm, two meals in. But when I arrive I'm feeling off. I'm flagging pretty quickly during training; back with some arms to push carbs in specific places. I'm taking longer and longer between sets. I feel rough. Energy tanks. I message Nathan about whether cardio is still required because I feel I'm about to puke any second. It is. I get through the work out somehow but I'm not right. I feel ill. I do my post-workout pics but need to take a long rest in between each one. This is not like me. God only knows how I manage to drive home. I slump on sofa. Stomach all over the place. Laura checks my blood sugar. It's super low. I eat four rice cakes but cannot manage the rest of meal 3. She checks it again before I'm allowed to fall asleep. Upon waking about an hour later, I take myself to bed. I've clearly got some sort of tummy bug. Stomach is upset and I'm belching large clumps of air. Not pleasant. Eight days out I'm bed ridden from 5pm. Temperature slightly raised too. In eight days, I go for a PCA British title and my PCA Pro Card. This is not a good spot to be in.

Want a coach who's living the prep alongside you? I'm taking on clients. DM me on instagram @gary_chappell76 or email info@dietplanman.com to apply to work with me.

MORE FROM FRONTDOUBLE:

Masters Bodybuilder Prep Diary – Episode 4: A second win, a school disagreement and Phil Vickery in the tanning queue

Prep diary of a Masters bodybuilder Ep.3: Teeth falling out, a prep kitten and my opening win

Prep Diary of a Masters Bodybuilder: Episode 2 – Learning to let go

Prep Diary of a Masters Bodybuilder: Episode 1 – The Road to Milan begins

Road to Milan: Sibel Osman opens Her 2026 season on the anniversary of her father's death

'Sick of the bitching' – Sibel Osman on privilege, opportunity and keeping the bar high

"Masters, stop comparing yourself to younger athletes"

Masters Series Ep.2: "We are not taken as seriously as we should be"

Introducing the Masters Series with Sibel Osman

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Prep diary of a Masters bodybuilder Ep.3: Teeth falling out, a prep kitten and my opening win

A week of contest prep, family life, work, fatigue and increasingly precise attempts to get my physique right for the next four shows – with the next one my 2Bros debut

Saturday, September 19, 2026 – show day:

I wake at 6am. No tan on the white bedding because both coats are being sprayed this morning. But as has happened once or twice over the past few weeks, I get sharp pains in my stomach. I struggle to find decent lighting in the Airbnb but take pics and weight and fire them over to Nathan, who has just landed in Vegas as he plots the 212 Olympia debut for his client Yinka Majolagbe. They are eight hours behind, he's had a 10-hour flight and it's getting late stateside. Without fail my phone lights up within minutes; espresso and 5-10min walk to get things moving. I venture out into the morning light, wander round a park, past a squirrel ruffling the feathers of a flock of hungry pigeons then, of course, a Ghostbuster van.
Meal 1 goes in; 100g Hydrorice – rice pudding to you and me – whey and honey. Pics and weight in two hours. Water and salt consistent.
As I prise the kids out of bed and the family gets ready, I wash up, make sure the place is clean for check-out and gather my bits together for the day ahead. I have tanning at 9am and expect to be on stage at 1.30pm. Short drive to the venue – seven minutes or so.
Tanning is, as it always is, delayed. I chat to mass monster Don Valley in the changing room as we both wait to stand together, naked, except for a sock. Amiable chap. We talk bodybuilding and its problems. We're clearly on the same page and I reflect how these shows always create friendly bonds with people who live the other side of the country. It is one of competitive bodybuilding's positives.
I finish tanning at gone 11 and realise the show has started and they are rattling through classes. That means they are ahead of schedule. I rush to get pics and weight to Nathan waiting more than 5000 miles away across the pond for my update. Messages struggle to go through due to dodgy reception and I'm feeling increasingly rushed. Finally they go through. I get my meal plan. Then I find out I'm going to be on much earlier than planned. We halve the meal and I just start pumping up. I'm now on in 30 minutes roughly, not 90. I stand behind the stage curtain as some guy I have never met rubs glaze into my skin. They call me on straight into my posing routine. I perform it to a backdrop of my wife and daughter's support. No rest as it finishes as they want me straight into mandatory poses. It is just me in the class. Happens sometimes. You just get on with it. At least I've won.

I'm surprised by my posing fitness - this never happened in 2024 BC [see previous diary entry]. My midsection control is excellent and breathing nicely under control. I'm confident, happy. It has gone well.
As the chance is there, I step into Class 2 - open bodybuilding - just for extra stage time. It is me and the friendly Don Valley. What a battle. Don outmuscled me. I out conditioned him. Today they want muscle and he takes the win. I'm pleased for him. He messages me later with very complimentary words about how I've helped him realise what he needs to do condition-wise to achieve his PCA Pro Card. I always struggle with people being positive. That and self-belief. I am working on it. Later, I win best poser, even though in my head I cannot pose. Overall, it is job done as we prepare for two more shows back to back.
I ditch my flip flops and change back into trainers for the three-hour drive home. As I drink a sugar-free energy drink and sugar-free fizzy to help navigate the M6 and M1, I start feeling more human again. I walk through the door at 8.30pm. Two meals to go and we reset for another competition in six days.

Sunday, September 20, 2026:

Back to baseline diet today. 1900 calories. Fully expected. I take my son to his football match for 9.15am. He is captain for the day and opens the scoring. The weekend seems to continue in a positive vein. He misses out on man of the match and seems upset afterwards. But I ask him: 'Did you put in a man of the match display today'? He did. I say: 'This is what we want. You keep your standards high, put in performance worthy of man of the match every single game, the rest is out of your hands. But do everything in your control to be the best'. It seems to lift him. I tell him he's done a good job, bank it and move forward.
The depleted feeling starts rinsing through me late in the day as the lower food starts to bite. The dog walk gets hard when this feeling returns. I do what feels like mountains of washing up and fold what also appears to be two tonnes of washing. Full client check-ins too. Many have cheated on their diet this week. It reminds that I haven't done that ever. And had nothing off plan since May. I get an insta message asking me to do a podcast. I'm told some people think I'm an icon. I wonder if she means eyesore. Who knows.

Monday, September 21, 2026:

Baseline diet again. More food expected tomorrow as we polish for the next show, my 2Bros debut. I need to do this UK regional qualifier so I can compete at the NPC European Masters in Milan. Last leg session today. Lots of writing too as I catch up from the weekend's exploits. Son got in the school football team, albeit the reserves. That'll do. He can build from there. Things are looking up.

Tuesday, September 22, 2026:

Carbs start going back in after two days on baseline diet. Regardless, I start to feel washed out. Strange, because there isn't even any cardio at this point. I have an overtime shift until 1pm, then a PT client, training, then straight to get the kids. Tuesday is always manic. I need to take my youngest to football training by 5.45pm. I try to eat first – but there's no chicken already done so I have to prepare more. With my wife on a 12-hour ambulance shift, I'm juggling plates. I put washing on, wash up the mess left from the morning rush, eat – finally – then dash out the house for football. I take my laptop so I can do some writing in the car but the laptop is low on juice and it dies quickly. Training ends earlier than usual because of the fading light but I'm still not home till nearly 8pm. Then I prepare dinner for the kids, eat again and take the dogs out. It's now 9.30pm. I have one more meal left, my head's spinning with stuff I need to do and haven't done, a million emails from the kids' school [why do they insist on sending so many?!] and a message to deal with after my son was given a detention for forgetting to bring in a whiteboard. This is his third week of high school. Their arbitrary rules are just so unnecessary.
I keep checking emails to see if anything has dropped from the literary agents I pitched. It's been about seven weeks since I finished re-polishing my children's picture book. I need another income stream and this idea has been in the works for years. I've had one rejection and silence from six others. Nothing from The Times, either, after two job applications for sports production and sports news editor; roles I have close to 20 yeas' experience in. At different points I remember I'm prepping for another four bodybuilding shows.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026:

I'm up at 4.30am to do fresh pics and weight to ping to Nathan, who is eight hours behind in Vegas and who has been up since 4am himself preparing Yinka for his 212 Olympia debut. We exchange a few messages, then I go back to bed until 6.45am when I take more pictures, this time in the garden for natural light. They are so much better. I keep referring to my post-workout pics in the best bog in Thurrock and how I believe that look is even better than the stage look from Saturday. I never think official photos do the physique justice somehow. Or maybe I'm never happy. I sent Nathan some stage shots overnight and his reply landed: "Some of these shots are crazy". He mocks up our 12-week transformation from when we started working together saying "crazy 12 weeks work" and "should be super proud of these". Still, the thought persists that I can improve that stage look.

I'm tired at work today. Client at 9.30am, train, then straight into holding a circuit class. I eat soon after then retreat into my shell for a bit. I clean the treadmills and crosstrainers as it helps me think. I leave at 4pm and head straight to collect my son from school football training. His training overruns and I'm nodding off in the car. Three days out from show number two of five.

Thursday, September 24, 2026:

Up before the alarm today at 4.15am. Pics sent across the pond to Nathan. Then back to bed for all of two hours. Weight holding after two days of higher carbs so a few more going in today. We are trying to land a similar look to my post-workout fullness; dry and vascular. I take them after two meals and 2.4litres of water. So what I need to do on Saturday for my 2Bros debut is improve my pump-up routine. I won't be working out obviously. But in the past I have not pumped up very much for fear of blurring detail in the muscle when in fact, with me, the opposite appears to be true – and these post-workout pics prove this. As the day goes on, I get that empty, quiet feeling again. So I hoover and clean the gym simply to be alone with my thoughts. I feel rushed when I leave; writing bits for FrontDouble, preparing stuff to get to Milton Keynes on Friday in time for tanning and registration. My mind is not clear. I don't like this feeling.

Friday, September 25, 2026:

One day out from show two of five, my 2Bros debut. I wake groggy after a bad night. Dreams were wild and weird. First, I dreamt my teeth suddenly starting falling out one by one. Then I dreamt my plans dropped from Nathan for my next show and he wanted to me to buy a kitten. I can remember thinking, why the hell do I need this? I already have four dogs.
I work the early shift today 8-12. Food is pulled back slightly. We are trialling the look without Peak Max this time. Everything has looked ideal day after day, following two meals, two litres and a workout. So we are not adding any more variables. On Saturday we just repeat, two meals, two litres and I fix my backstage pump-up protocol by doing a bit more and not worrying whether I'm going to blur any lines. Looks like I need more of a pump up, not less. These two qualifying shows will serve the perfect purpose of refining for the more important trio to come; the PCA Masters next Saturday, October 3, the PCA Britain and the NPC European Masters.
I finish work at 12, get home, get my bits together, collect the kids from school at 2pm – early finish Fridays – then head to the venue at Milton Keynes. Loads of motorway traffic as usual. And once again I have to stop at a services to use the toilet, which they helpfully locate 400,000 miles away from the car park. I switch to passenger and let Laura [my wife] drive. I click the heated seat button and doze off, waking on M1 to yet more traffic. We arrive just in time for me to dash behind an outbuilding and because I'm busting for the toilet yet again. Base coat of tan goes on. The spray is freezing. We then get diesel but due to a couple faffing at the pump and then the pump not reading the debit card, I somehow lose my reading glasses. Stress after stress. We finally reach the Airbnb, I eat and settle down to get some writing done ahead of tomorrow's second outing.

Prep Diary of a Masters Bodybuilder: Episode 2 – Learning to let go

Masters Bodybuilder Prep Diary – Episode 2: "The Look," CPAP and the best bog in Thurrock

Episode 2 of Gary Chappell's prep diary picks up in the final stretch before his return to the stage – peak week loading, a reflection on a life-changing CPAP diagnosis and the ordinary chaos of parenting, work and stress that doesn't pause just because show day is close.

Monday, September 14, 2026

I pad downstairs in my shimmering posing trunks. Let the dogs out. Return to the kitchen. Weigh myself. Set up my phone against my daughter's pink Stanley Cup and go through my mandatory poses for updated pics. Then I go outside and do the same in natural lights. A few minutes pass and my phone lights up. Plans for the day drop from Nathan. More food. The final week loading phase begins. We are going to do it slowly for more control over the look. I hear a lot of this phrase recently and it finally starts to resonate. Weight? To a degree, you can forget it. Strength? Irrelevant. The look? Everything matters. How do you look? Big? In proportion? Ripped? Dry [no extracellular water that blurs the lines]. The look is everything. A banging look can beat a monster bodybuilder who lacks condition. Food is high today. Not as high as the high days we have had over the past couple of days, but high enough to shed the zombie feeling and start breathing some life back into this once human being. Was promised I'd hear about that job today. Silence.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

The morning routine begins again. Pad downstairs in posing trunks. Dogs out. Weight. Pics inside. Pics outside. One litre of water. 22 health tablets. Greens drink. All before Meal 1 - a meal I have no idea of until plans drop for the day based on this morning's look. More food going in. Perfect. Pics wanted post workout too. The accessible toilet in my gym is my new favourite haunt. The pics of my most muscular are starting to impress me – me of all people. An eternally grumpy 50 year old cynic who can find faults in almost anything. I feel more like a human being than I have in weeks. Busy night. Football training earlier than normal for my youngest. Dinner needs doing for daughter beforehand, dogs need taking out. I hate rushing. Still not heard about the job. I get home roughly 8pm to an overwhelmingly positive email that says I'm ready for the new role and my interview was superb. But they have given the job to someone else. Back to square one.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

I'm going to start referring to sections of my life as 'BC' – before CPAP. Been treated since October 2025. At this point in time – BC – I was constantly tired. I'd wake feeling rough, drop kids at school, crash on sofa in darkness. Now I can wake at 6.15am perfectly fine. I could never dream of doing that in my life BC. It really is a biblical change. Morning routine takes place. Plans drop. More food. What a week! I am a fully paid up member of the human race again. Cardio - which was not high anyway – now coming down to 10mins. Pics in the best bog in Thurrock just keep getting better; I am skinned but bursting full. Son has second school football trial after getting through the first hurdle. He's upset coming out. Said it didn't go well and wasn't called over. I calm him down and say they already know your name so why would they call you over to ask it again. He's good enough to get in and that's not just because I'm his dad. He finds out Friday but as a parent it's another thing to worry about on top of everything else.

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Two days out. I now fully appreciate the phrase 'the look'. My bog pic today is banging. It is arguably the best version of me I have seen since I started competing as a Masters seven years ago. I look enormous; full, ripped, veins running across my body like an AA route planner. I'm happy. I reflect on the past 11 weeks. Taking on a coach was difficult at first. I'd coached myself for the last eight or so shows. 14 in total self-coached from 20 outings. But I finally learned to hand over the reigns. I realise now its merits; he worries about the fine details of what to do with my physique, leaving me to stress over other things! I'm not sitting here two days out wondering how much water I should drink or not drink, whether I should push more food or pull back. Nathan does the thinking and the worrying. I just execute. It is working well. I am more relaxed. And I look good.

Friday, September 18, 2026

One day out. Up earlier than normal because I start work early. Nathan is happy with morning pics. He posts before and after on his socials showing the 12-week difference from when I first reached out. I cannot remember looking that bad. We pull back slightly on food just a touch for the final day but it remains high in comparison to baseline diet. I feel washed out today though. Excessively tired. Today is also the day my son finds out whether he's in the school football team. I'm stressing more about that than anything else. Then it occurs to me that I brought in a coach so I would not have to stress about my own decisions surrounding my physique – leaving me free to stress about any other subject I choose! I collect the kids from school and it turns out the teachers have not put up the final list as they promised they would. So we have to wait until Monday at least to find out. We drive to Wolverhampton and the urge to urinate extends the journey time as I need to stop at a services. We arrive at the Airbnb about 8pm. I need to relax. I'm clearly not as comfortable as I need to be. Not sure why. With tanning at 9am tomorrow I put clear nail varnish on to avoid that brown staining which makes me look like I've been smoking 40 a day all my life...

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Prep Diary of a Masters Bodybuilder: Episode 1 – The Road to Milan begins

Masters Bodybuilder Prep Diary – Episode 1: Black coffee, chewing gum, depletion and the Sainsbury's saga

FrontDouble founder and Masters bodybuilder Gary Chappell is heading back to the stage for the first time since 2024 – and documenting every high day, low day and missed blueberry muffin along the way. This is Episode 1 of an ongoing series following his prep all the way to his first European Mastersd in Milan in November as an Over 50s competitor, run alongside his coaching clients, his NPC regional, back-to-back shows across IBFA, 2Bros and PCA, his family and four cockapoos. No polish, no filter – just what actually happens.

Sunday, September 6.

Black coffee. chewing gum. sugar-free fizzy drinks. Maybe a sugar-free energy drink. The gap between meals is getting longer, harder. I'm now at the point of prep where i'm licking the bowl containing my last meal; 250g Greek yoghurt, 20g whey, 10g peanut butter, 10g dark chocolate. Not licking it with my tongue – I'm not an animal, you know. I'm clearly much more civilised. I run my finger around the inside of the bowl and lick my finger afterwards. I'm sitting here two weeks out from my first show since 2024. A few months ago, my season was over before it had begun. We [coach Nathan Smart and I] and decided to postpone it until 2027 following a wretched off-season blighted by sleep apnea and subsequent chronically high levels of haemoglobin and haematocit, caused by severe hypoxia. But after a successful health phase, my body responded so well that suddenly 2026 is back on the table. I will step into the Over 50s at the earliest possible opportunity, having hit that milestone is May.

The drained feeling of depletion sweeps through me. It's almost akin to boredom. Nothing to look forward to. Maybe this is the reason behind prep spending. A longing to have something to look forward to, so we bodybuilders buy stuff we don't actually need.

Entered first 2Bros show today. Almost fainted at the cost. £242 including tanning. I'd expect to be handed the Jules Rimet at this fee.
35 minutes until I can eat 125g rice, 150g chicken breast and 100g green veg.

Monday, September 7

High day. Weight and pics first thing out of bed. Posing trunks out of the wardrobe. Pics in the kitchen under inside light, then outside, photobombed by cockapoos sniffing the morning air. Mood so much better with more food going in, although my face seems to get more sunken on these higher carbs days. Can never understand why. Must be the body pulling water into the digestive system.

Tuesday, September 8

Another high day. Same macros as yesterday. Made legs easier, as if easy is ever a word to associate with legs. Still feel drained between meals. Face coming in even more.
9pm - I have just discovered I've missed a message that said "have a blueberry muffin pre-workout, post-workout and before bed". Jesus! What?! How the hell did I miss that?! Six muffins I've missed. I message Nathan. Conversation ends with me scrambling to local Tesco only to discover they don't have any muffins. I'm not going to Sainsbury's instead. It's late. I'm tired. Definitely not going to Sainsbury's.
I go to Sainsbury's. Two muffins before bed. Glory of bodybuilding.

Wednesday, September 9

Back to baseline diet 1900 cals. Cardio back in. Half way through the day and I'm back to feeling drained; depleted, needing chewing gum, coffee, something – anything. Find out my NPC regional is going to be the busiest of the season with at least 250 competitors. This does nothing for my confidence. I'm now creating make believe scenarios in my head over the next few hours and treating them like the true events. My son's Year 7 football trials three days into his first week at high school focuses my attention elsewhere. Good player. I believe in him. He should do well. Always a worry though when there are so many kids competing for so few spots. Collect him and he seems to have done well. I spend the rest of the evening preparing for a job interview tomorrow. I've never needed the money more in my entire life following my redundancy from national newspaper journalism in 2024.

Friday, September 11

I wake buzzing from yesterday's interview still. Quietly confident I'll get the job.
Brain fog, I remember you. I struggle to concentrate during training. Rest between sets seems to be getting longer. Maybe it isn't. Maybe I'm just bent over double staring at the floor for longer after I finish my set. What little personality I had is now draining from me. I've replaced the role my wife had made firmly her own by falling asleep in front of the TV early at night.

Saturday, September 12

Officially one week out from my return to the stage for the first time since 2024. Coach messages to confirm check-in tomorrow. Assume this is where we start to plan for the week ahead. I hate the phrase 'peak week'. Some polishing can take place, yes. I'm competing every Saturday for the next three weeks; IBFA Night of Champions, 2Bros qualifier and the inaugural PCA Masters. At this point, you just want to get on stage. Death face is sharp now; cheeks and eyes sunken in. Toilet breaks infrequent as everything is being used, although urination flows more than the Trevi fountain. Carbs low for five days now since back-to-back high days. Back in the garden early doors tomorrow with nothing but my trusty shimmering posing trunks to assess where we're at. Online check-ins today with my clients, then some writing for my political substack News Uncut and, of course, FrontDouble.com. Both keep the mind from wandering.
I finish the day with my mind wandering...

One response to “Prep Diary of a Masters Bodybuilder: Episode 1 – The Road to Milan begins”

DAVID AUSTIN

September 23, 2026

Haha…. Yea I’m a fan

Reply

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PCA Welsh Championships 2026 Results – August 30, 2026, ICC Newport, Wales

The PCA Wales 2026 brought athletes from across the UK to compete in bodybuilding, classic bodybuilding, physique and figure classes. Lloyd Rutter was the standout of the day, winning Men's Bodybuilding Medium before taking the Overall Men's Bodybuilding title. Jack Mercer completed a double of his own, winning Men's Physique Short and the Overall Men's Physique crown. Other class winners included Tommy Miles (Classic Bodybuilding Tall), Morgan Phillips (Classic Bodybuilding Short), Zack Gibson (Masters 40+) and James O'Neill (Masters 50+). Full placings for every class are below:

First Timers Bodybuilding

1 Toby Brown
2 Stacey De Beer
3 Alex Berrow

Junior Bodybuilding

1 Samuel Coulthard
2 Mason Williams
3 Oscar Tucker

Novice Bodybuilding

1 Josh Law
2 Emmet Maguire
3 Jason Holmes
4 Keith Phillips
5 Connor Cooper
6 Bryan Brown
7 Connor Sullivan

Classic Bodybuilding Short

1 Morgan Phillips
2 Jamie Daniels
3 Jim Crossin
4 Pearse O'Callaghan
5 Andrew Challoner

Classic Bodybuilding Tall

1 Tommy Miles
2 Theo De Kerckhove
3 Josh Morley-Farmer
4 Matt Price
5 Caleb Keating

Masters Bodybuilding 40+

1 Zack Gibson
2 Vaclav Bouska
3 Artur Nowak
4 Rafal Kwiatkowski
5 Marcus Warner
6 Matt Hughes

Masters Bodybuilding 50+

1 James O'Neill
2 Leigh Bennett
3 Mark Bentley

Men's Bodybuilding Short

1 Daniel Leszczynski
2 Caine Small
3 Gareth Miller

Men's Bodybuilding Medium

1 Lloyd Rutter
2 Jack Hearmon
3 Don Valley
4 Arnas Auksakis
5 Jeremy Wray
6 Ryan Dolan
7 Liam Davies

Men's Bodybuilding Tall

1 Callum Jones
2 Callum Pyatt
3 Dan Pickstock

Ladies Toned Figure

1 Louise Hick
2 Cyanne Unis

Ladies Athletic Figure

1 Leanna Clark
2 Lucy Watkins
3 Sarah Preece
4 Chloe Finney

Ladies Trained Figure

1 Lindy De Beer

Junior Men's Physique

1 Scott Harrison
2 Will Fishlock
3 Antony Knott

Masters Men's Physique

1 Andy Barkes
2 Joseph Stevenson
3 Mark Winder
4 JT Mbae
5 Daniel Rogers

Men's Physique Short

1 Jack Mercer
2 Ahmed Salih
3 Matthew Prowting
4 Reece Bunting
5 Kerry Taylor

Overall champions

Overall Men's Bodybuilding: Lloyd Rutter
Overall Men's Physique: Jack Mercer
Overall Bikini: Full name not provided
Overall Figure: Leanna Clark

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Biology, pro status and the attitude that earns respect – Sibel Osman

In the Masters Series finale, Sibel Osman tackles hormones, mobility, natural vs. assisted and the attitude that separates turning pro from being pro.

In the final instalment of the Masters Series, Sibel Osman turns to the physical realities most competitors don't discuss openly: perimenopause, menopause and the hormonal shifts that reshape a female athlete's body later in life.

For those starting out at 50-plus, she is blunt; years of muscle atrophy mean beginning from what is effectively "ground zero", making growth harder to achieve.

Her advice is unambiguous: work with coaches who specialise specifically in Masters athletes and hormones, not generalists.

Mobility matters just as much as muscle, she argues. Stage presence is "performance art" and stiffness – often more pronounced with age – can undercut even the best-built physique, particularly in federations demanding individual posing routines.

She is equally direct about the natural-versus-assisted conversation, framing it as another dimension of "staying in your lane" – one she says matters more, not less, as athletes get older.

The sharpest distinction Osman draws, though, is between turning pro and being pro. Earning a pro card on a given day's line-up, she says, does not make anyone automatically competitive at professional level. It can just as easily place someone at the bottom of the pro food chain as the top of the amateur one. Her own approach: do not rush a status you are not yet equipped to hold.

That leads to her closing message on attitude. Turning pro comes with responsibility – as a role model, an ambassador for the sport, a representative for sponsors – and there is no room for entitlement.

Osman says she has noticed a strain of urgency and entitlement creeping into parts of the Masters community and her answer is simple: stay humble, stay respectful and remember what you represent.

Watch the final episode of the Masters Series below:

'Sick of the bitching' – Sibel Osman on privilege, opportunity and keeping the bar high

Masters Bikini Pro on why this sport is a privilege, not a right and what needs to change to earn Masters bodybuilding the respect it deserves.

SIBEL OSMAN does not hold back opening this instalment of the Masters Series: "I am sick and tired of when every competitive season starts, so does the bitching."

She's not talking about her competitors, but the culture of complaint that creeps in every prep season. Prep is hard, she says, but no one's holding anyone hostage. If you can't do it and you're not enjoying it, leave it.

That frustration comes from a place of gratitude. Masters athletes, Osman points out, are lucky to compete in a sport with no age cap – a privilege few other sports afford. But her bigger concern is opportunity.

As a Masters amateur hoping to turn pro, the pathway is narrow – in Europe, she notes, there is only one Masters pro qualifier a year. Pro Masters athletes face the same scarcity of shows. It is a gap she would like the industry to address.

Why does it persist? Osman points to a perception that Masters athletes lack longevity, despite having competed for more than half her life herself. She is equally candid about a harder truth within her own category: not every Masters competitor is stepping on stage with a serious, competition-ready physique and that dilutes the respect the division as a whole has earned. "There's Masters athletes and then there's Masters athletes," she says.

Her call to action is for standards to rise from within. The more seasoned athletes bring genuinely elite physiques to Masters stages, she argues, the harder it becomes for the industry to overlook the category – and the faster attitudes will shift. As she puts it, today's younger athletes will one day be Masters too. Keeping the bar high now is how the division stops being seen as an afterthought.

Watch the latest episode of the Masters Series below:

"Masters, stop comparing yourself to younger athletes"

Masters Series Ep.3 with Sibel Osman: The Do's and Don'ts of Competing as a Masters Athlete

SIBEL OSMAN'S message to Masters bodybuilders is blunt: stop comparing yourself to the younger athletes. "Apples and oranges," she says. "You're not the same. The end."

In Episode 3 of the Masters Series on FrontDouble.com, Osman lays out the mistakes she sees Masters competitors make time and again, starting with amateurs who pose like pros. Copying a pro's routine, she warns, only costs points.

Her sharpest words are reserved for Masters athletes who believe they can step into an open category and beat 20-year-olds outright. "It's not your stage," she says. "Stay in your lane, stay on your stage." Masters divisions exist precisely because the physique expectations at 45-plus are not the same as at 20 – and no amount of self-belief changes that.

Osman practices what she preaches, she says, routinely asking head judges after competing whether she would stand a chance in an open category – and getting the same tactful answer every time: technically yes, but it isn't her stage.

On the "do" side, Osman points to the details that decide close results: skin quality, tan preparation and grooming that suits the category. As skin naturally loosens with age, she says, it can become the deciding factor when judges are splitting near-identical physiques.

Her final piece of advice is patience. Don't rush to the stage before you're ready, she says. There are shows all year and half-hearted prep after months of hard work and expense does nobody justice.

Watch Episode 3 of the Masters Series below:

Masters Series Ep.2: "We are not taken as seriously as we should be"

Sibel Osman confronts the perception gap facing Masters bodybuilding, what judges expect, why age doesn't excuse anything and why standing on stage isn't the same as winning.

THERE'S a perception problem in Masters bodybuilding and Sibel Osman isn't here to tiptoe around it. In Episode 2 of the Masters Series on FrontDouble.com, she tackles it head-on: Masters athletes are not taken as seriously as they should be – and it's time that changed.

There's a gap between what people expect from Masters competitors and what these athletes actually bring to the stage. Too often, the assumption is that Masters is a more forgiving version of the sport. Sibel dismantles that. The demands genuinely shift depending on age – what's achievable, how the body responds to prep – and acknowledging that isn't making excuses, it's understanding the sport honestly.

Then she gets specific: what do judges actually expect from a seasoned Masters athlete? Not a backstory. Not a reason to be cut slack. Physique. That's the job. Judging isn't about crowning whoever's overcome the most, or whoever's the oldest on the line-up; it's not a sympathy vote. Every athlete has faced obstacles to get on stage. Judges aren't scoring your journey; they're scoring what's standing in front of them.

Here's the line Sibel wants every Masters athlete to sit with: the sport has no age cap. That cuts both ways – Masters athletes deserve the same standard of excellence as anyone else on stage, but that means showing up with the mindset to match. That's the shift she's pushing for: standing shoulder-to-shoulder with exceptionally conditioned, seasoned athletes as a genuinely competitive field, not "the older category".

The hardest truth: just because you stand on stage doesn't mean you're owed a win. Respect is earned the same way it's earned everywhere else – through the work, the conditioning, and showing up better, every time.

Watch Episode 2 below:

Introducing the Masters Series with Sibel Osman

Decorated Masters Bikini Pro Sibel Osman joins FrontDouble.com to give Masters bodybuilding the spotlight it has long deserved

SIBEL OSMAN, a decorated Masters Bikini Pro and passionate advocate for the often-overlooked Masters division, brings her 30 plus years of hard-earned experience to FrontDouble.com.

A British champion, French champion, ACP UK President and multiple-time top placer on the European stage, Sibel is the perfect voice to spotlight this dynamic area of the sport.

For too long, Masters athletes – both amateur and pro – have received limited coverage and recognition. Sibel is changing that.

In this new Masters Series for FrontDouble – the UK's leading independent bodybuilding platform – she shines a light on the realities of competing later in life, tackling common misconceptions head-on with hard facts, personal insights and no-nonsense truths.

From training and posing across federations, to mindset, judging criteria, staying in your lane and overcoming obstacles, these segments deliver eye-opening value for athletes, coaches and fans alike.

This is just the beginning. Watch Episode 1 of the Masters Series below. More big topics, truths and recognition for Masters bodybuilding coming soon.

PCA Masters Championships: Pro Cards not limited to overall winners

The federation says the number of Pro Cards will depends on the size of the event and quality of athletes

By Gary Chappell

THE PCA has suggested that more than just overall winners at its new Masters Championship could be awarded pro cards.

The contest, to be held at the Connexin Live Arena in Hull on October 3, will be the federation’s first event dedicated exclusively to Masters competitors.

While it was already understood that this show would be a pro qualifier for the PCA's Masters Pro Division, the exact number of cards had not been clarified. However, the PCA has now made clear that there will be no fixed quota and that the final decision will rest with the judging panel on the day.

Speaking to Frontdouble, the federation said: “The total number of Pro Cards awarded will depend on the size of the event and the quality of the athletes competing. There is no set quota and the final decision will be made on the day by our head judges.”

The PCA also stressed that Pro status would only be awarded when the standard justifies it.

The federation added: “PCA is committed to maintaining the prestige and exclusivity of its Pro Status by awarding it only to the most deserving athletes. The Pro Card will never be granted automatically or by default.”

The wording suggests that Pro Cards may not be restricted solely to overall winners at the PCA Masters Championships, as is often the case at amateur bodybuilding shows. In fact, PCA Pro Cards are only usually awarded at its flagship events, such as the Universe, British Championships, Worlds and UK Open.

Instead, it appears that individual class winners could potentially earn Pro status if the standard is high enough, giving more Masters competitors a genuine opportunity to turn professional.

The PCA Masters Championships is expected to attract strong interest from older competitors across the UK – with the show already 25 per cent full.

With the number of Pro Cards ultimately dependent on the calibre of athletes who step on stage, the message from the PCA is clear: earn it on the day.

This season's full UK bodybuilding show calendar HERE.

This season's bodybuilding results from recent PCA shows can be found HERE.

UK bodybuilding athlete database HERE.

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Should IFBB Masters Pro Card winners only compete in Masters?

The new IFBB Pro League dilemma

By Gary Chappell

WHEN the dust settled in Milan at the NPC European Masters last month, a handful of athletes walked away with something bigger than medals: IFBB Pro League cards. For most people, this is the pinnacle of an amateur bodybuilding career – the ticket to the big league.

But in the days following the show, a quiet debate has begun around bodybuilding scene:

If you win your Pro Card in a Masters-only event, should you only compete in Masters?
Or does earning that card give you the right – and the expectation – to step into the Open?

This is not an abstract discussion. It's already affecting athletes who stood on that stage in Milan. And those who did not.

What Is an IFBB Masters Pro Card?

An IFBB Masters Pro Card is awarded to competitors who win their class at age-restricted bodybuilding events, such as the European Masters.

Unlike Open Pro Cards, which are earned in unrestricted competition, the European Masters is only available to athletes over a certain age category, typically 35 or 40 and above.

However, once awarded, an IFBB Pro Card carries the same status regardless of how it was earned, allowing athletes to compete in Open professional divisions as well as Masters shows.

The core issue: A fairness problem nobody wants to talk about

At the European Masters, some competitors finished had, either this season or in previous seasons, placed behind athletes who were not even old enough to be eligible for that Milan show. Those younger athletes never got the chance to test themselves under the same judging panel, in the same format, on the same day.

Yet now, ironically, the older Masters athletes become IFBB Pros, while the younger, arguably better athletes from the same regional pool remain amateurs, partly because they are not old enough to win their professional status at a Masters show.

To many competitors watching from the sidelines, it raises eyebrows.

Is it fair that someone who wins a Pro Card in an age-restricted field can immediately jump into the Open Pro ranks – ahead of people who might have beaten them in a non-Masters comparison?

What the IFBB Pro League actually says

Winning a Pro Card – regardless of whether it’s from the Open, Juniors, or Masters – grants the same status:

You are a full IFBB Pro.
You may compete in any Pro division for which you qualify, including Open shows.
You do not have to stay in Masters competitions.

On paper, it is simple. In reality, it is more complicated.

Are Masters cards “easier”?

This is no disrespect to Masters athletes – in fact, quite the opposite. Many of them are incredible, often more complete, more conditioned and more polished than their younger counterparts. In fact, frontdouble.com recently published an article about how the Masters division is now raising the bar.

But the competitive depth in a Masters lineup is almost always thinner than the Open.

This means a Masters competitor can earn a Pro Card without ever beating the best amateurs in their region. And to some observers, that does not quite sit right. To others, however, it is simply the reward for longevity and commitment.

The practical consequence: Jumping the queue

Here’s the uncomfortable truth many athletes won’t say publicly:

With the greatest amount of respect, a Masters Pro Card can be considered a shortcut into the IFBB Pro League. And because stepping into the Open Pro ranks immediately raises your profile, it creates a situation where age-restricted victories produce Open-category professionals who did not get the nod when battling the top amateurs head-to-head. Perhaps this is why Masters Pro Card winners should compete only as Masters Pros, despite what the ruling says.

From a competitive integrity standpoint, that is a debate worth having.

So: Should Masters Pros stay in Masters?

There are three arguments:

1. YES – They should stay in Masters

Because the qualification was earned in an age-restricted setting. A Masters Pro should compete against other Masters Pros to maintain parity.

2. NO – A Pro Card is a Pro Card

The rules are the rules. If you’ve earned Pro status, you’ve earned the right to compete wherever you want.

3. The middle ground – a restructure

Some might argue for a system where:

Masters Pro Cards grant access to Masters Pro shows only, while Open Pro qualification must be earned against non-age-restricted competitors.

Where does this leave the European Masters?

The Milan show highlighted a structural reality in the sport:

You don’t need to beat the best amateurs to become an Open Pro — you just need to win the right show.

For some, that is an opportunity. For others, it is a distortion. But one thing is clear:

As Masters events continue to expand across Europe, this fairness question will grow louder, especially among the younger amateurs watching athletes they might have beaten step past them into the Pro ranks.

For clarity, no athlete should ever have their achievement devalued. And this is not what this article sets out to do. Winning any Pro Card requires discipline, sacrifice and a level of commitment most people will never understand.

But the sport evolves through honest conversations. And the European Masters has forced one.

Neil Andrews: From heart surgery to IFBB Pro in three Years

UK bodybuilder Neil Andrews completes remarkable comeback from life-threatening heart surgery to earn IFBB Pro status at the European Masters

By Gary Chappell

IN 2022 Neil Andrews was told he could die from heart surgery. On Saturday, November 15, 2025 he became an IFBB Pro bodybuilder.

A routine scale and polish three years ago turned into a nightmare for Andrews. Bacteria entered his bloodstream from a small cut in his gum and subsequently devoured his heart valve.

It left him needing life-saving surgery and requires a £14,000 mechanical valve that now keeps him alive.

Since that time Andrews has returned to the stage not only to win a PCA Pro card but now the coveted IFBB Pro League card, after winning the European Masters Over 40 in Milan.

Writing on social media, Andrews said: "I have achieved something I have been chasing for years. I became an IFBB Pro.

"This one hits different because of everything that goes on behind the scenes that most people never see. Balancing multiple businesses. Being a father to a 12-month old. Being a present partner. Running a big coaching team. And still showing up every day with relentless intent to be better.

"There were days I questioned if I could keep all the plates spinning but moments like this remind me exactly why I never stopped.

"Thank you to every single person who sent messages. The amount of love and support that came through my phone was unreal and I appreciate every single one of you."

Read Andrews' incredible story below:

Neil Andrews: From heart failure to bodybuilding comeback'

Andrews was not the only one to enjoy success at the European Masters.

Perhaps regarded as often the bridesmaid and never the bride, Matt Tofton also secured IFBB Pro status when winning the Over 35 class.

He said: "What a day! A day that many people have said has been a long time coming. Now, I don’t know about that but I do know this day wouldn’t have come at all if it wasn’t for the people that surround me.

"I have the most incredible family and friends that support me, encourage, inspire and motivate me. That pick me up when needed but also kick my ass when needed.

"I'm also very fortunate to have some incredible sponsors. The best supplement company in the world @strom_sports_nutrition and all of the Strom family. I can’t thank Rich enough for what he has done and continues to do for me. I love the man to bits and he also well and truly comes under friends and family.

"As do @youth.revisited, a company that has supported me since they began. The reason I am able to stay on top of my bloodwork so well and keep me as healthy as possible in this game called bodybuilding.

"Thirdly @thoroughbredlabs7, who have recently taken me on to their team and helped me out in a big way in such a short space of time. Also a special mention to the ones I don’t know that still take the time to message me words of support. It means so much. Thank you."

Over 40 and dominant: Why Masters bodybuilding is raising the bar

Over 40 bodybuilding is no longer a secondary category. Across the UK, Masters athletes are raising the standard, bringing size, condition and experience that often rivals – and sometimes surpasses – open competitors.

By Gary Chappell

FOR years, Masters bodybuilding was treated as an afterthought. A place for older competitors to dust off the trunks, show they had still “got it” and then quietly make way for the younger lads in the Open. That view is finished. The truth is this: Masters Bodybuilding is now one of the strongest, most competitive divisions in the UK.

Go to any PCA, NABBA or 2Bros show and the evidence is there. The Over-40s are turning up fuller, harder and sharper than many half their age. Far from being a second-tier class, Masters has become the proving ground for dense, mature muscle and serious condition.

Why over 40 bodybuilding is growing

Why? Experience, for one. By 40, the average competitor has spent two decades under the bar. Mistakes have been made, lessons learned and physiques built layer by layer. That maturity shows. Where juniors and first-timers often bring nice lines but lack thickness, Masters physiques carry the granite look only years of training can produce.

GRANITE: Masters Over 40 and Open boddybuilder Neil Andrews

Take competitors such as Neil Andrews and Jay Davies, both of whom are in their early 40s but who routinely compete and win Open bodybuilding classes. Indeed, Andrews is a PCA Pro, won that federation's Masters Pro British title last season and defends it on Sunday, October 19.

And that is to name just two. You can include in that list the likes of 2025 NABBA Masters Mr Britain Ricky Moore, 2024 NABBA Masters Mr England Nader Zareinoor and 2023 PCA Britain Over 40s winner Alan Carson.

The standard in Masters categories

The simple fact is that many of Over 40 Masters bodybuilding competitors are stepping on stage every bit as ready as the so-called young guns. You can even stretch this to the Over 50s, with Sunday's PCA British Finals having to split that class into Over 50 short and Over 50 tall due to the sheer numbers competing.

And it is not just size. Conditioning is often better in Masters. There is less chasing of social media “fullness” and more attention to detail. Glutes, hamstrings, abs – the cuts are there, the stage presence is polished, the professionalism obvious.

SIMPLY MAGIC: Jay Davies will be heading to Milan for the European Masters in November

This isn’t to say Opens are weak. Far from it. But the stereotype that Masters is the warm-up act simply does not hold any more. Classes are routinely stacked – and stacked with great physiques. You will often find Class 2 bodybuilding categories with far fewer competitors than the Masters. Britain’s bodybuilding backbone is being carried by athletes over 40 who are proving longevity, maturity and discipline still matter.

Federations should take note. If Masters is consistently drawing deep line-ups of high calibre athletes, maybe it deserves more spotlight – not less.

Over 40 is not the end. In UK bodybuilding right now, it is very often the standard.

Ian Christopher: Masters Bodybuilder Profile

PROFILE: IAN CHRISTOPHER

Masters bodybuilder Ian Christopher is one of the most consistent competitors in the UK right now, with multiple wins and pro cards to his name.

1: What first drew you to bodybuilding?

Honestly, I began training to try and get attention from girls when I was younger (typical lad thing to do). But seeing my body change was addictive. When I attended my first bodybuilding show (UKBFF in Port Talbot) I was hooked. Hearing the crowd shouting and seeing the pose down (which was far more physical back then), I knew i wanted to compete one day.

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

My 'why' normally is not to let myself or others in my circle down. But this season there have been a few additional reasons. Mainly my last outing in 2022 didn't really go according to plan. I placed second three times (something I didn't like after placing first in all my other previous regional shows). I felt I could have done more and that I competed for the wrong reasons. Like thinking more about friends and family seeing me win again, rather than treating the prep itself as the main focus. Also a previous coach said to me when I was forced to leave him due to financial reasons: "Those that stay with me progress, those that don't won't." That stuck with me every day, driving me to give him the big 'f*ck you'. What's comical now looking back is that this season I actually beat one of his athletes. So the feeling after was twice as nice for that reason alone.

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

I'm far more consistent now and dedicated to the sport. Previously I would binge and go out on the p*ss drinking during the off-season and try and play catch-up. Now I live like a bodybuilder day in, day out and treat my body in the best way I can. As I own and operate a coaching business also, my body in terms of appearance and functionality is a key element to this, so I try and prioritise it. Regular physio, good food, limited alcohol, etc. Without it I would not be able to do what I love.

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

I'd always played team sports but found that you were always reliant on others, or they were reliant on you. So you could be the best player and still lose, or the worst player causing others to lose. And I didn't like it. The first prep I did taught me a lot about myself. How to push past limits, how I was happy being on my own focusing on myself and my goals. Winning my first show and the feeling on stage will not be rivalled. I realised that bodybuilding, in terms of competing, was something I was pretty good at because I was willing to commit everything, sometimes more than most.

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

That I'm cool with having a 'boring' life – I prefer it. I often get asked, don't you wish you could just go out more, or come out on this night out, etc. I'm someone now who likes routine and structure. I don't think I could live without it now and I choose to do this, it's not forced upon me. Bodybuilding makes me a more organised, focused and driven person. And I like that, as I'm someone who always chases 'more'.

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

When approaching a show now I tend to stay off social media and just focus on myself. I used to be awful for comparing myself to others. And what I realised recently is, everyone can look good and big and lean in a photo with decent lighting or after a pump. But it's when you're stood next to other bodybuilders on stage that the true comparisons can be made. A younger me thrived off the challenge of going against others. The more calm and relaxed me still uses it as motivation when training. But I'm a lot calmer now IF I know I've done everything I can for the show. As for show day, I try and keep myself to myself and do as little as possible until it's time to walk out on stage.

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

Life for me is busy, so I have to have structure and be organised to fit everything in, what with my main job, plus the coaching business, as well other things that need to be done as part of my personal life, including training. So off-season is similar to prep on the whole now. But ideally with more time and energy to spend with family and friends enjoying life, being happy and be present. Things like the diet and training don't change, except there's more food. And training perhaps includes a little less output (ie cardio).

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

Countless. But personally I wouldn't call them sacrifices, as for me this season was more than I could ever have imagined, so everything was worth it. The early morning alarms, late nights, missing social events, limited energy to do things I wanted to, being unable to spend time with people close to me, etc. Most people would feel time was wasted. But me, I have no regrets and I'm content with every decision made.

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

Oooooh tough one, as bodybuilding and training has been a big part of my life for so long. Something to do with physical activity and fitness, as without this I am not a happy person to be around, ha! Possibly a different type of business owner of some sort. My extra time and effort would need to be invested somewhere. I can't just chill and sit still for some reason.

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

Not really, other than 'you get out what you put in'. And I'll always try and focus on the fact other people/competitors are pushing just as hard, if not harder, to reach their goals. So I need to try and do that little bit more, each and every day, if possible.

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

There's been a few but I would say finding out both of my parents have a form of cancer was probably the hardest and took the longest for me to deal with. I buried my head in the sand and didn't want to talk about it for months.

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

To be honest I don't get much downtime what with the coaching. I've recently requested to drop to a four-day week in my main career to get some time back for myself. But I'm someone who always sees the opportunity to do more. So I have no doubt that free time will be taken up by something else. When I do get any downtime, my girlfriend and I like to go out for food and try different places and really just chill in front of the TV. We don't get the chance often. I can't remember the last time we settled down and watched a film from start to finish without doing something during it, other than when I'm hung over – and that's extremely rare nowadays.

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

It's made me a better person 100 per cent. It teaches you so much about yourself as a person, what true dedication and focus is, long-term vision and objective setting, what you will and won't put up from others. Not to mention how to be a more organised and time-efficient person. It can show you what you really believe to be important in life, regardless of what others believe or think.

14: What is your current training split and why?

Currently training a five-day split, Pull/Delts, Legs, Push, Chest/Arms, Posterior/Delts. And this would be based on trying to bring up areas of development that were flagged by judges this year.

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

Yes, now I do and this was one of the reasons I started coaching, to make myself accountable (and not turn into the Marshmallow Man every off-season). Clients would be looking at me to set the example. Once you've been in show shape, there's an expectation you can stay in this shape and it can play tricks on the mind. I'm more relaxed about things now the older I am. But before it used to really f*ck with my head when I could see condition slipping.

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

Most certainly – my circle has got smaller. I don't go out as much now, or to as many social events. I just don't have the time (or desire if honest). One, to go, but two, to waste the following day if tired or feeling a little worse for wear. And as such 'acquaintances' then disappear. But I'm cool with that. Bodybuilding has taught me to be independent. And I'm happy spending my time with a select few or even by myself.

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

Ha! I'm not much of a chef so this going to be boring. My girlfriend does the cooking side of things, unless its something easy to prep and then it's down to me. But oats, flavoured whey (salted caramel for me in the morning, or mint choc in the afternoon), peanut butter and honey hits the spot every time. More recently and when in prep, the old Ninja creamie is a bit of a life saver too.

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

In terms of bodybuilding, an off-season to bring up weaker areas to be even more competitive when I return. I have seven years in the Over 40s class and came third in the PCA Universe this year. So I have time. And I'm likely to need it to be just as, if not more, competitive in future. As an individual, I'm treating loved ones to a few holidays, planning events and just basically giving back a little. I'm still looking to grow the business and help more clients than ever before.

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

In terms of bodybuilding, Dorian Yates was always the one I looked up to. Nothing fancy and no ego, just hard work, grit and determination. He kept himself out of the limelight not to get distracted as he had a job to do. While others were living the high life, he used this as fuel to come back each year bigger and better. In terms of real life, my parents. Both have managed to give me what I have needed and wanted through life. And they worked extremely hard to do so, giving up their own needs for mine. I haven't always shown that appreciation either. But the older I have become the more I try to emulate it and give something back.

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

Focus on the things that matter. I wasted too much time in my younger years on things that had no relevance, on people that didn't really care for you. I wasted money on things that didn't matter and weren't important. If I could have looked into the future, there'd have been a number of things that I would have changed. But I suppose all those experiences brought me to where I am today – happy and content with my life.

*ALL PICTURES BY ANTHONY CHIA-BRADLEY