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.

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Masters Bodybuilder Prep Diary – Episode 7: British champion and PCA Pro on the darkest of days

Four from four, a British title and a PCA Pro card, on a day nobody in Telford will forget

Saturday, October 17, 2026 - one day out, PCA British Championships

I start my online check-ins. I need to get pretty much all of these finished before we head to Telford. I want to leave just after noon. Of course, that's never going to happen. I'm still using the toilet like we're an inseparable new love. I start packing the car about 1.30pm. I notice the tyre pump in the boot and remember my tyres are below recommended pressure. So I fish it out and start pumping them up. Two down, two to go. But the passenger side fails to connect properly and suddenly, instead of filling the tyre with air, it starts deflating. Soon, one is sitting completely flat on the driveway. And the other is seriously below the safe pressure to drive. I start to rant. Laura finds another pump in my son, Jack's, car. Fixed. Who's panicking? We set off, late as usual. But it's a smooth drive into Telford International Hotel. Some check-ins were late, so instead of relaxing, I need to go through these to ensure clients are set up for the week. Day 1 of the PCA British Championships has also taken place, so I have to go through instagram with a fine tooth comb and collate all results for FrontDouble. That is in between heading to the venue and getting my base coat of tan.

Sunday, October 18, 2026 - PCA British Championships show day

I use the toilet seven times before leaving the hotel. How am I even supposed to compete today when my stomach is like this? I check-in with Nathan; usual drill, short, sharp espresso and 10-minute walk to "get things moving". I pull a wry smile. Trust me, I don't need to get things moving. Still. I dress and walk round the car park for 10 minutes in the freezing cold. I get my things together and head to registration and top coat, leaving Laura to enjoy her complimentary breakfast. In tanning, I'm stood with a guy in tattoos. We stand there and dry in front of the fan in silence. I don't recognise him from previous shows. I later discover it is Mateusz Chmura. Had I known then who he was, maybe I would have spoken. It seems eerie now, but little did either of us know what was about to transpire. That within a couple of hours, he would collapse on that stage. Those thoughts persist all week.
When he collapses during Classic Bodybuilding Medium, no one knew if he had merely fainted, or was in real trouble. But the shrieks from PCA tanning made it clear soon enough. They scream for paramedics. Laura rushes to the stage. She is an Emergency Care Assistant - a paramedic in all senses. My abiding memory is seeing her start CPR. Pumping away on his chest. I will her on before being asked to leave as the auditorium is evacuated. Screens are hurriedly thrown around the chaos to ensure some degree of dignity. The repeated calls for a defibrillator echo around the silent auditorium. I wait in the foyer for news. Several people say the show cannot continue. There is lots of speculation. If he is alive, they may decide to carry on. This is not like football, where cardiac arrests in the crowd see fans ferried out while the game continues. Hundreds have planned and timed their body for this moment. It seems harsh. Cruel. Cold. Laura finally returns. I hug her. The details are harrowing. But at this moment Mateusz is alive. The PCA calls everyone back in after about two hours. A cheer goes up when news is relayed that Mateusz's heart is beating. They give competitors the choice of continuing. The overwhelming majority decide to carry on. Perhaps as a tribute to him. Who knows. About four classes are ahead of me. I'm on stage with another 11 or 12 people. It is a big class. Two large digital screens flank the stage. As I perform my posing routine, I turn to the side and see myself on it - I don't look too bad, I think. Still, in comparisons I'm not in the centre, but from the corner of my eye I can see the centre spot changes places several times, which is not normal. I'm uncertain of my placing right until the end, despite reassurances from Laura and Nathan. I'm British champion and a PCA Pro.
Before I do the overall and Pro show, I find out that, in fact, Mateusz has died. My mood changes. On the way home, as I'm cruising and chatting over the horrific events with Laura, I'm flashed on the motorway. I'm not even home and the good feeling is well and truly gone. It was brief anyway after what happened today.

Monday, October 19, 2026

Mateusz is the first thing on my mind as I wake. I check-in and Nathan asks, 'How you doing Mr New PCA Pro?' But I'm not feeling it. When I got home last night, I wrote the story of his tragic death. I got to bed at 2am. I feel rough this morning and have to reschedule a PT client. I'm still feeling ill. I don't train today either. Mind just not on it. Food is up though as we reset a little ahead of my final competition of the season, the NPC European Masters in Milan on November 14. 125g rice becomes 200g and Hydrorice or cream of rice moves from 50g to 120g at Meal 1 and 100g at Meal 5. Dark chocolate moves to 15g from 10g. This is the big win. You have no idea how much difference that 5g makes.

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Again, I wake with Mateusz on my mind. Usually I am not affected by these things. But I think I am starting to be. I keep thinking of Laura working on him furiously and wonder how she does such a job. I tell the kids how proud they should be of their mum, that she is a real life hero, not me, a show-pony with a few muscles. Lots of people, including my old industry in the mainstream media, are jumping on the story. But true to form, they do it a disservice. I write a tribute piece. I still don't train today.

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

I start the day in severe pain again. What is going on with my stomach? At 8.45am I am lying on the kitchen floor in agony. I'm helped to the sofa, given painkillers and sleep until my shift. Later, I sign my contract. I got offered the job from last week's interview. New Assistant General Manager of my gym. First salaried job since my redundancy from my 20-plus-year newspaper career in December 2024. No more relying on my redundo package, which is now more than 50 per cent smaller due to using it to live. I train today as pain has gone and I need to do something.

Thursday, October 22, 2026

I feel better today. No pain. A little less exhausted. Fatigue is still there but manageable. I PT a client, then train before my shift. I continue to make plans for my new AGM role. I have a raft of ideas. I still keep thinking of Mateusz. It is hard not to.

Friday, October 23, 2026

Legs today. I train, chat with the gym manager about Monday's start, then get home, change and take my daughter to Lakeside for the opening of new yoghurt shop Frurt. We wait in the queue for two hours just so she can be one of the first 150 people to get a free pot. I get one too. Not for me, of course, but for my son, Oliver. As I buy banners and wrapping paper for his 12th birthday on Tuesday, the yoghurt starts running everywhere. I'm now exhausted, fatigued and hungry. And stuck in a shopping centre. Later, I start to realise I need to get my head in the game. Milan is in just three weeks. And I've barely given it a second thought.

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.