Bodybuilder squatting with a Mirafit 10kg weight plate

Personal trainer, fitness buff and owner of Parkecore Personal Training, Steve Parke, is entering a Natural Bodybuilding competition in June next year. We grabbed five minutes with Steve to find out what it’s all about…

SO STEVE - WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO ENTER A BODYBUILDING COMPETITION?

I love the idea of getting into a really good condition. In a normal body building competition, you’re able to take performance enhancers. With a natural bodybuilding competition, it’s a more level playing field.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A BODYBUILDING COMPETITION?

You have to drop your carbs down so they’re lower than they normally would be to increase fat burning, and you should be weight training around four times a week. There’s the conditioning part too so using things like Battle Ropes, Slam Balls and Mats – just to help burn body fat.

WHAT PIECES OF EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE FOR BODYBUILDING?

I tend to stay in the 8-10 rep range and utilise a Mirafit Power Cage to a large degree. You have the safety hook so you can really push yourself doing squats and bench presses. The cable system is great too for pull downs and rows. Again, there’s that safety aspect so you can push yourself more intensely – that’s a great help.

If you’re pushing yourself, you need to know the equipment can support both your weight and the weight that you’re using. You can’t always be 100% that you can put things down gently and the power cage can take that treatment and still function as it should do.

IS BODYBUILDING JUST ABOUT LIFTING WEIGHTS?

I remember years ago I would sit on an exercise bike for hours on end which could get quite boring. Having the Mirafit equipment makes training a lot more fun – it’s so much more enjoyable and I feel a lot more functional doing it. If I can do a minute of battle ropes, it feels like a much more human type of movement.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO GET INTO BODYBUILDING?

Steve Parke, with a Mirafit power rack in the background

There’s so much information nowadays – in general and on social media – about bodybuilding and there are so many points of view. If you are looking to start, you have to increase your muscle size. You also need to look at the nutrition side of things and your movement when training – this will give you a better idea as to how the body works and will give you a better muscle-mind connection.

If you get the right technique to make it harder, that’s going to much more beneficial. Muscles aren’t shaped by the amount of weight you’re lifting, it’s how you use them. So it doesn’t matter whether you’re lifting a 5kg weight or a 50kg weight - it’s about movement and how much tension you keep on them as you’re working.

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Tags: Misc > Lifestyle