Rookie Who Set The World On Fire

 

In the World of Competitive sports, there are certain achievements that seem beyond reproach. Consider Gehrig's consecutive game streak.  Everyone thought that record was untouchable.  Everyone but Cal Ripkin, that is. And one would assume Michael Jordan will always be considered the best hoopster of all time. Of course, they thought the same thing about the Babe as a homerun hitter, and it looks like that belief has fallen by the wayside. It makes you realize that there really is no limit to what you can expect to see in the competitive arena.

 

    In the 13 year existence of the WNBF, there have been some remarkable onstage accomplishments.  Dave Goodin's streak of nine consecutive top-three finishes immediately comes to mind.  But one of the most incredible achievements took place in 1997, when Eugene DeVino won the World Championship in his first appearance on the world stage.  A Rookie winning the worlds? Surely, that would never happen again.  But as the aforementioned examples show, in the world of competitive sports, you should never say never!

 

    At the Manhattan Center on November 16th, 2002, first time competitor Paul Neil became one of only 14 men in the history of the WNBF to garner the the title of World Champion - Claiming the Lightweight Division crown. And he set the Worlds on Fire when he rolled over 15 other outstanding athletes in the process.  So it begs the question: What is the strategy that was responsible for Neil's meteoric Rise? " I try and enjoy what I do", the Canadian personal Trainer reveals. "Yet my goal is to always out-work everybody at the gym."

 

    At 37, Neil might be a newcomer to the pro stage, but he's no neophyte in the weight room. "I started lifting when I was 17," he recalls. "I was playing football at the time and I wanted to get the girls!" Some 20 years later, he's a World Champion! Go Figure!. At 5'6, Neil grabbed the judges' attention immediately when he stepped on stage. Conditioning was his strong suit, as he pared 25 lbs from his offseason weight (200 lbs) to achieve deep striations from head to toe.  But while cuts were his main claim to fame, he also carried plenty of mass and looked much bigger than your typical lightweight.

 

    Neil has always been an outstanding athlete, competing in track and field, soccer and freestyle wresting in addition to football. And even now, he enjoys playing soccer one-on-one with his friends.  But bodybuilding is front - and - center on his agenda. Accordingly, nutrition is a big part of his life.  "I try to eat clean for hte most part although I do have one cheat meal per week" he reveals, "I have a sweet tooth: I love cheesecake, oreo cookies and Ice Cream! But the rest of the time, it's 6 meals per day.

 

    His weight training formula is also very specific. "one of the main mistakes I see novice bodybuilders make is overtraining, working out 6-7 times a week, twice a day,"  The Calgary Alberta native explains. "When I started, I made the same mistake. Now I do short 15 minute workouts that are really intense. Rest is very important. I train 3 days in a row then I take a day off. I use German volume - four seconds lowering the weight and 2 seconds lifting it. It's good for building mass because it keeps the tension on the muscle."

 

    Everything looks rosy for th up and comer now, but his situaiton was not always so bright. "I hurt my rotator cuff at one point and couldn't even lie down on my shouder," he recalls. " I got massages and went to the chiropractor to get the area looser. Now I do exercises to strenthen the muscles under the deltoids and chest to keep the injury from returning.

 

    Neil's Worlds conquering debut is even more astounding when you consider he has only been competing for three years. His previous wins included the GNBF, Novice Western Canadian Championship and the Open Middleweight crown at the same show. Becoming a Canadian Champion captured him his pro card.

 

    As for choosing the Drug Free Path, Neil makes no bones about his beliefs.  "My true goal in life is to be a humanitarian" he explains "I love being drug free. In my opinion, drugs are for losers."  Spoken like a true Champ

 

-Natural Body Building

 

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