Some bodybuilders work out until they cannot walk, yet they go to class and work. These are some of the challenges one faces to qualify for bodybuilding nationals as a student, a feat three MSU students recently accomplished.
These challenges summarize the process Clay Horton, a senior majoring in kinesiology, goes through when competing in bodybuilding, and more specifically in the classic physique category.
Horton competes and trains alongside Malik Barakat and Katherine Young. They have been friends for several years and have enjoyed working out together.
“During preparation for a bodybuilding show, I trained once a day with weights,” Horton said. “A typical lifting session will usually last anywhere from an hour and a half to two and a half hours. For training, I believe in lifting the maximum amount of weight possible with good form, with a rep range of about six to 12. Getting closer to the show, I will typically do several sets until I physically cannot get more reps. I don’t leave the gym until I am unable to do more physically.”
All of this physical work can take a toll on the body, and Horton said it does take rest and food to recover from working out so often.
“After training, it is extremely important to recover. Most days it feels like I was in a car accident,” Horton said. “You have to make sure to get an adequate amount of food and sleep in order for your body to heal from such trauma. When I leave the gym, sometimes I get home, make a meal and prop my feet up and try and rest before it’s time to eat again, or until I go to bed.”
Horton said his personal process includes running, leg days, arm days and many other specific workouts to train for the competition. Horton also trains with Malik Barakat, a senior kinesiology major, who described his typical training schedule.
“On average, I usually train six days a week and spend about one and a half hours to two hours a day lifting,” Barakat said. “When it gets to about eight to 12 weeks out from a show, my training time will increase. Between lifting, cardio, and posing practice, my training can get up to three hours a day.”
Once Barakat and Horton finish training, they compete at a show where, as Horton described it, they do many similar things as competitors in a pageant would do with poses, and they also have to match a certain type of body specific to their category. According to the National bodybuilding championships website, competitors also provide their own music on a CD for when they do their posing routine at nationals.
“The judges have different criteria for each division or category for us,” Horton said. “The main things they look for is small waist, wide back, aesthetic, overall flow, proportion, symmetry, size of muscle, bellies and conditioning.”
One of the ways they get a very lean look is by limiting water intake. In fact, Horton said the only time they drink water is little sips if they start cramping, and even then, many competitors would rather eat salt. They also have to get spray tans to avoid being too pale on stage, Horton said.
“It can be very stressful backstage with all of the competitors pumping up and making last minute adjustments and preparing mentally to be compared to the next person,” Horton said. “Every single one of us comes there to win, so as you can imagine, you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. Not to mention all of these competitors have been dieting and are depleted to the point of exhaustion.”
Barakat said his motivation for bodybuilding came from a love of exercising and lifting weights in high school. In fact, Horton convinced him to try it out and he loved it. Now his motivation is to be better, as he said he is competitive by nature.
“When my friends and I work out together, we are always trying to push each other and ourselves to get better,” Barakat said. “I have also made new friends from people coming up to me at the gym, asking me for advice and telling me I’ve inspired them to work harder. This makes me feel like I am doing something right and takes my motivation to get better to the next level.”
For Horton, bodybuilding motivation came when from Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was 19 years old.
“The first time I watched ‘Pumping Iron’ with Arnold Schwarzenegger was when I was 19. This was an Arnold I had never seen before,” Horton said. “This Arnold was extremely confident. He outworked everybody and looked incomparable to anyone of that era, and he knew it. This was something that I wanted. I wanted to have confidence and a grin that doesn’t have to have words behind it. I don’t mind the attention, but I’m not after it either.”
Young and Barakat saw Horton compete the year before they began bodybuilding, and they oftentimes saw him as their coach. Horton said they have done all their work themselves, and have supported each other in their quest to make nationals.
“These two are very supportive of my goals and are a great support system to have to fall back on,” Horton said. “We all push each other to become better everyday.”
They have supported each other and have now all qualified for nationals, which will take place Nov. 16 and 17.
Barakat said making it to nationals was a dream of his when he first started competing. The award for winning nationals is a pro card given to the top two competitors in each weight class.
“When I first decided to compete, I made it my goal to win a national show and get my pro card,” Barakat said. “However, I did not expect to qualify for nationals this soon, but now I am one step closer to reaching my goal.”
There are challenges for these students who compete in bodybuilding. For instance, Horton has to balance work, school and training, but he has the support of the Sanderson Center, where the three friends do their training.
“Everyone at the Sanderson Center at State is behind me,” Horton said. “They are all really great support and always ask me when my next show is and are excited to hear that I am doing well. It’s really great to have people who want to see you doing well and achieving what you work so hard for.”