Aaron Prevost of Abbotsford is on the hunt.
The local amateur bodybuilder won the Overall Men’s Physique event at the Vancouver Pro/Am & Expo held at the end of July, and says his sights are now set on obtaining his International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) pro card – necessary for amateur bodybuilders to make the step up to the professional stage.
Next up is the Canadian Natural Nationals, an IFBB world qualifier event where Prevost, 29, must place in the top five in his category to gain entry onto the amateur international stage.
It is on the amateur international stage where the Abbotsford bodybuilder could reach his goal — a berth on the pro circuit — if he wins an overall in his physique division.
The bar is thus set for the amateur bodybuilder.
“I’ve always lifted and been very active,” he says. “I started [working out] when I was 13 or 14 at the Matsqui Recreation Centre.”
His plan was to compete in just one event back in March, but after placing sixth out of 20 competitors, he was hooked.
“It was supposed to be a one-off, but I got hungry and I just love it.”
Prevost said there is no community as supportive as the bodybuilding community.
But the sport requires a lot of work and can be financially straining.
“You have meal prep everyday. I have a coach, a trainer and posing coaches,” he says.
The latter, Prevost explains, is necessary in his category of bodybuilding.
The physique division is all about looking like an all-around athlete. It’s not about getting as big as you possibly can, explains Prevost.
If you don’t know how to pose, you will lose, he says. Your body’s shape matters less than your character on stage.
The Abbotsford native says he does not use steroids or drugs. Many events test for such substances when competing within the physique category.
The most difficult aspect of it all, he says, is the lack of social life. You need to be dedicated, day-in, day-out.
This means, for him at least, a six-times per week training schedule, which coincides with a strict diet.
A date has not yet been announced for next year’s Canadian Natural Nationals.