Taking on the Universe

I’ve been involved in the bodybuilding scene for 28 years now and have competed at various levels throughout that time. I also run Lister’s Gym where I pass on my knowledge of nutrition, training and conditioning to those just starting out in the sport or who’re wanting to take their work outs to the next level.

I realised very early on that bodybuilding was the sport for me. It requires determination and dedication to reach your goals, and in just one year, I managed to put on 2 stone of muscle for the Mr Doncaster competition, my first contest, and won it.

Since then I’ve dedicated my life to be the best in this industry and gain as much knowledge of nutrition and its effects on bodybuilding and the body, after all, this sport is my passion!

I left my job as a miner so I could concentrate on making muscle gains. In 1997 I entered my first Britain qualifier, the NABBA UK, won the overall show and qualified for the Britain. Later that year, I competed in the European Championships, placing 1st and entered my first Universe, in which I took top honours.

I went onto to win 4 1st place Universe titles and got my pro card on my first attempt. But, throughout my many years of competing, I’ve always said that a healthy, nutritious diet is the key to success in this industry. Without proper nutrition your muscles won’t recover or repair properly, you will find it harder to gain size and you won’t get the most out of your workouts, making it harder to reach your goals.

Competition History

Example Off-Season Diet Plan

Example Pre Comp Diet Plan

7am - 6 egg whites / 1 scoop Whey isolate

10am - 150g grilled MuscleFood Chicken Breast / 1 tablesp udos oil

12pm - 150g cooked MuscleFood Chicken Breast with green salad

3pm - 3 scoops Whey Protein / 1 tablesp udos oil

TRAIN

5pm - 200g MuscleFood Fillet Steak with 120g steamed veg

7pm - 150g grilled MuscleFood Chicken Breast

10pm - 3 scoops Whey Protein / 1 tablesp udos oil

Supplements I take would be whey protein powder, BCAA’s, udos oil and glutamine.

Because food is the fuel I need to train and perform at my best, my off-season meal plan has a great variety. I like to mix it up with lean meats, chicken and fish and really enjoy trying different cooking methods to get the most out of the meat I use.

I vary my workouts each day but train 5 times per week with 2 rest days on a Saturday and Sunday to allow my body to recover. They key is to train smartly, don’t over work one area at a time in case you cause injury. .

Example Of Training Split

My Top Tip