Mail

Muscle man

By Casey Neill

24th November 2009 02:01:15 AM

Champion bodybuilder Neil Gardner is taking on the world. 39651

FERNTREE Gully’s Neil Gardner is lifting and pumping his way towards a world bodybuilding title.

The 46-year-old last month claimed a record fifth Australian crown and recently placed seventh at the World Men’s Bodybuilding Championships in Qatar.

“My ultimate goal is to win a world championship,” he said.

“No Australian has ever done it.”

The man known as the MonstaDwarf started lifting weights when he was 14.

“My brother-in-law actually got me started to help with rugby,” he said.

“One of the older people in the gym took me under his wing, and said ‘You’ve got good genetics’.”

Gardner found he enjoyed weight training. It’s the challenge that has him hooked.

“Being a body builder is something aside. It’s just something that happened,” he said.

“Every day I put myself in a difficult situation and have a plan to get out of it.”

“I put myself under stress and it just makes the rest of my life so much easier.”

For years the 157.5 centimetre-tall Gardner struggled to compete at a high level.

“I was told I’d never really get anywhere because I’m short,” he said.

“But they’re not bigger, they’re just taller. I just kept plugging away.”

He eventually won state titles and claimed his first national crown in 1995.

“To win it was just this amazing feeling,” he said.

“You think ‘I did it myself, I did everything myself and I’m the best there is’ - for the next two minutes, until the next guy comes along.”

Judges assess competitors on balance, symmetry and muscularity.

Their top and bottom halves must be in proportion, right and left sides even and muscle definition displayed within seven compulsory poses.

Gardner said most body builders trained for about an hour four or five days a week.

“I’m a little bit different and maybe that’s what makes me successful,” he said.

In the lead up to a contest he tackles the 1000 Steps at 5am each day before an hour-long workout. He completes a second just before midday.

“If I feel like having another workout in the evening, if I feel like I’ve recovered and I’m feeling refreshed, I’ll do it,” he said.

“People will say it’s too much, you’re training too hard, but it’s what my body’s used to now.”

Gardner follows a ketogenic diet, which relies heavily on protein shakes.

“It’s a very high protein and fats and very minimal carbohydrate diet, which allows me to use my own body fat as an energy source rather than sugar,” he said.

“I probably eat about three chicken breast fillets and two steaks during the afternoon.”

“But I’m a human being just like anybody else, and I had the most brilliant ice cream yesterday with chocolate topping and everything on it. “You’ve got to have a semblance of sanity and I wouldn’t have been going for 30-odd years in the sport otherwise.”