Each year budding athletes enter the NABBA competitions held regionally and nationally every year, all in the hope their hard work and training pays off with a trophy.
Budding models, bodybuilders and the like often use NABBA as a platform to the mainstream. Arnold Schwarzenegger began his career with NABBA by winning Mr Universe for the first time in 1967.
For one athlete, Rebecca Maughan, this dream came true. In her first major competition, Rebecca came 2nd in the regional final of ‘Miss Toned Figure’ category In Batley, West Yorkshire and went on to win at the Britain finals in Southport, Merseyside. Hundreds of contestants from around the UK stick to gruelling diets, intense workouts and crippling training to win the various titles.
Rebecca, 24, began her interest in fitness before a holiday to Ibiza 2 years ago. “I really wanted to get toned to look good for the holiday” Rebecca smiled. For her, the quick-fix fitness plan it was originally quickly sparked into her wanting to take it up full time with the dream of one day competing in various competitions.
She entered in and won the PhD (http://www.phd-supplements.com/) Femme Cover Model Challenge and decided then to give serious attention to her then hobby. The first tick on the list was to recruit her coach – Dan Welburn – to help her with professional guidance. She said “Before taking on Dan (Welburn) I thought I was in competition shape, but Dan came from outside my own bubble and made me realise what it would take to become “Miss Toned Figure” – it really helped a lot having someone with that knowledge to bring me to where I am now”.
It was just 14 weeks before the regional finals that Rebecca decided to compete. For most competitors in her category, the training is continual. But Rebecca already saw herself in good enough shape to be able to intensify her workouts to be able to compete at the high level. She began taking nutritional supplements in order to help recover from the intense training sessions: “When you’ve smashed it for an hour, your muscles are ripped and you’re exhausted, recovery supplements help get you back on your feet faster”. Originally buying from the MonsterSupplements.com store in Hull, East Yorkshire, Rebecca was then taken on by the team in their head office just a few miles down the road. “It’s great to be working in an environment where the subject is always fitness, it’s my passion and I really enjoy it here”.
Training 6 days a week, Rebecca pushes her body to the limits “I started working out more and more, and then began working on my poses, it’s tough but when you’re out there on stage you realise the hard work really does pay off”.
Through strictly following a plan and not distracting or cheating, Rebecca appeared on stage in front of a mass of spectators, and an expert judging panel. “It’s nervous to begin with but I knew I’d put in 150% effort throughout the weeks and months and I knew there was nothing more I could do”. After months of relentless training, preparation and rehearsing, not to mention the food and supplement bill, Rebecca beat 27 other competitors to win the title of Miss Toned Figure 2013. “It was a great, proud moment for me, and it just sealed that the hard work really paid off”.
Next to tick off is Miss Universe in October. When asked she said “It’ll be difficult again, I’ll start my preparation in July and continue as I did. It will be intense, but my diet, training and supplement plan got me through to victory last time and I’m confident that with that, and the help of Dan I can achieve the title there too!”
