Bodybuilding: Different incentives inspire Bay starters

Ashlin Meehan (left), Joy Crockett, Jesse McLachlan, Stratton Howard, Rielly Brown, Trudi Jacobs, Michelle Middleton and Braden Service start a training session in the countdown to Saturday's 10th annual NABBA NZ Hawke's Bay bodybuilding show in Taradale. Photo / Duncan Brown

Do not mention titles or top three placings to Hawke's Bay bodybuilder Trudi Jacobs.

"To me it's all about boosting confidence and building self-esteem ... just doing it," Jacobs said.

The former kickboxer, swimmer and netballer will be a first time bodybuilding competitor when she tackles the shape novice class at the 10th annual NABBA NZ Hawke's Bay show at Taradale High School on Saturday. Jacobs will be one of 62 starters from throughout the North Island.

"I started training about eight months ago. I wanted to get fit and motivated again after having a baby," she said, referring to 20-month-old son Julius.

"It's about promoting a healthy lifestyle and being a positive role model for Julius."

Jacobs trains for three hours a day and juggles these sessions around her family commitments and work as a fashion designer.

"I want to prove to other mums who work, you can do this with good support from family and friends. I'm in this for the long haul and if everything goes well on Saturday I could travel to some out-of-town shows ... I'm already hooked by the excitement."

Jacobs does have to follow strict nutrition programmes but pointed out it is no different from her days as a competitive swimmer, when she was a teenager in Gisborne.

One Hawke's Bay starter who does talk titles is Taradale's Jesse McLachlan.

He won the novice athletic division at last year's Hawke's Bay show and has competed at 10 shows since, winning titles at all of them.

On Saturday he will be competing in the open short athletic class, which caters for bodybuilders under 75kgs and 175cm.

"I've always been a gym trainer hard out.

"I'm always lean and ripped and I got hooked on bodybuilding after that first show and have been travelling from show to show since," McLachlan, 25, explained.

He has competed in shows at Auckland, Counties-Manukau, Whangamata and Palmerston North where he won last year's national title.

"I want to go back-to-back when I compete in the October nationals in Auckland.

"If I can do that I will try my luck at a Gold Coast-hosted Australasian event.

"I'm coming into this competition just right for size but you never know what is going to happen on the day and what the judges are looking for. I have beaten guys who have 15kg on me."

A painter for the past 10 years, McLachlan, makes sure he uses both arms when he is on the job and this complements his training. Like Jacobs he is full of praise for the advice he gets from trainer and fellow Hawke's Bay competitor Andrew Murray.

"Andrew has won titles and he is an inspiration to us younger guys," McLachlan said.

NABBA NZ's Hawke's Bay area representative, Murray, has organised the past seven Hawke's Bay shows and said the Bay's is the biggest of NABBA NZ's regional events.

"There is something for everyone, with classes ranging from women's shape to the muscle-flexing men's physique class. The athletes spend months preparing for the show. Their dedication, persistence, commitment and hard work will be clearly seen as they step on stage and put their toned, muscle-defined and bronzed bodies on display," Murray said.

Saturday's show will involve two sessions - judging rounds in the afternoon and a night session where competitors can entertain with their individual posing sessions before the prizegiving.

Tickets are available from the Bay City Gym.