Gerald Woodend, age 18, dominated Harare’s Mr Novice competition last month.

Five years ago, he told The Standard that his life changed when he first saw the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger documentary ‘Pumping Iron.’

“Watching Arnold Schwarzenegger got me hyped, motivated, inspired and driven all at once to witness what you can do with your body.”

He says that Arnold put bodybuilding on the map, that all up-and-coming competitors or commercial players owe him a great debt. Woodley himself holds a highly romantic view of bodybuilding as an elegant and vexing art form.

“This art requires one to carefully and intelligently sculpt and construct a balanced and proportioned physique, which is pleasing to the eye. This requires you to be honest, self-critical, analyse your strengths and weaknesses — then use your diet as your tools to make changes.”

He said that bodybuilding quickly became an obsession.

“If someone was talking about a car engine, I would switch off, but if someone was talking about nutrition or training, my ears would perk up and I’d be really involved. I absolutely loved it.”

And his ambitions were followed by a plan:

“I adopted a schedule, which involves 5-6 weight training sessions per week. Sessions would be roughly 45 minutes to an hour of intense but controlled weight training,” Woodend said.

Now, Woodend eats six to eight meals throughout the day, with 8 liters of water.

Woodend said that those around him were not always encouraging, as bodybuilding is an uncertain and unconventional path. But he says a deep conviction guided him.

“I think if you listen to people and don’t do what you love, then you end up living someone else’s life and being unhappy.”

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