The world of UK bodybuilding saw triumphs from both ends of the age spectrum in the north of England this week after both 18-year-old Tom Hoesli and 52-year-old Alan Turner won important titles.
Tom lives near Halifax was declared British champion in the natural bodybuilder category at last weekend’s British Natural Bodybuilding Federation competition in Glasgow.
He trains at the Gemini Fitness gym in Halifax itself, and told the local paper the Halifax Courier about the tough bodybuilding routine and strict diet he sticks to ahead of his competitions.
“Year round I train very intensely in the gym five days a week and eat very healthily, mainly high protein and carbohydrate foods,” he revealed.
“When I prepare for a competition I do cardio every day and reduce the amount of calories I eat in order to get rid of all of my body fat and show as much muscle as possible.”
He added: “Winning the British title was a dream come true and an experience I will never forget.”
By contrast, former strongman Alan Turner of Consett in the north east took up bodybuilding at the age of 50 as a good way to lose weight. He had been scoffing 20,000 calories-a-day to maintain his position as a power-lifting champion, but was suffering health problems as a result.
His local paper, The Chronicle reported how he exchanged that for the “strict diet and exercise regime” required to be a bodybuilder, whereupon his weight dropped significantly.
Alan recently won the prize in the Masters Class: Over 50s at the UK BFF North East Championship show in Leeds.
He said: “It’s great to be a winner in such a big federation as UK BFF. It’s my biggest achievement in bodybuilding.”