It’s Never Too Late to Start
Filed Under Natural Athlete |
I began training for my first bodybuilding competition in May of 2004. I was 61 years old and had retired the previous year as a Captain in the US Navy. As a naval officer I always tried to stay fit. From the time I was 50, I visited the gym at least five days a week. After my retirement, I continued to work out at least five days a week and maintain a modest diet that kept me in shape.
One day, I was having a cup of coffee with my wife and she said, “Scott, you look pretty good, even better than some of the younger guys at the gym. Have you ever thought about competing, doing a bodybuilding contest?” She continued, “Why don’t you give it a try, it might be fun?” So, without too much urging, I jumped at her suggestion.
I trained for 10 months to enter my first contest. And, oh, what a contest I picked. I entered the 2005 NPC Northern Kentucky Bodybuilding and Figure Championships in Covington, Kentucky. This is one of the largest regional shows in the United States, drawing more than 260 competitors. It’s a non-tested show, which means they don’t test the athletes for steroids so there were a lot of “big” men in this competition.
I entered the Open Bantam Weight Class and the Men’s Masters 50+ Class because they didn’t have a Men’s Masters 60+ class. Out of six Bantam Weights, I placed 6th. Out of 11 Men’s Master 50+ contestants, I placed 10th.
I had the time of my life. I remember walking down the corridor at the airport to catch my plane home wearing my competitor T-shirt. I had a grin on my face. I said to myself, “I am a bodybuilder. I did it!” I did what very few people of any age ever do—that is, train for and enter a bodybuilding competition. What fun.
After my experience at the non-tested Kentucky show, three weeks later, I entered a drug-tested contest in Georgia, the 2005 SNBF Georgia Open. I placed 3rd in the Men’s Novice Class, 3rd in the Open Men’s Short (height) Class and I won the Men’s Master 60+ Class, my first victory. Now, that’s more like it. I was elated. I worked hard for this and when I put it all on the line and was successful, it felt pretty good. I was hooked.
Scott “Old Navy” Hults
