Bodybuilder Simon Whateley is in training for the Melbourne Championships in late March. 27106 Picture: Stewart ChambersBy Stuart Teather
NARRE Warren bodybuilder Simon Whateley loves pumping weights.
He must, because, at age 46, he is into his 27th year as a bodybuilder and is showing no signs of slowing down.
He is currently in training for the Australian Natural Bodybuilding Federation’s Melbourne Championships in late March and he said the preparation was as difficult as ever.
“It’s hell,” he said. “Generally I train four days a week – as I’m getting ready for the competition it’s more like five days a week, trying to strip body fat off – which is great fun, as you can imagine.
“I train with very heavy weights, low repetition work which stimulates more muscle growth; towards the comp you do less weights with more reps to get more definition.”
As to why he puts himself through the punishing sessions, Whateley said it provided a sense of achievement.
“It’s about being the best you can be. It’s to prove to yourself how good you are – how far you can push yourself.
“I love the challenge of it; I really thrive on the challenge of how far you can go with it.”
Whateley is a ‘natural’ bodybuilder, meaning he does not use any steroids to complement his training.
He said keeping clean was a big factor in his longevity in the sport.
“Doing it naturally with no steroids, it’s you against the weights rather than all the chemicals the other boys put in them.”
Whateley started hitting the gym as a 19-year-old, choosing bodybuilding as a way to get healthy and deal with his asthma.
He said his father, a fitness fanatic in his own right, was a big influence on his career.
“He encouraged me all the way as a young kid, he inspired me quite a bit,” he said.
Asked if retirement was on the cards, Whateley laughed at the suggestion.
“I’ll be going when I’m 80 or 90, I’ll still be at Rebound (Leisure Club) probably,” he said.
“My father is 76 and he runs four miles a day and swims, so a healthy lifestyle is the way to go for sure.”
