These Leicester bodybuilders will make you feel weak and puny

This Sunday, the SU hosts the “MASS Student Physique Championship”, an annual student body-building competition.

Representing Leicester in this contest of beefcake and muscle mass are Holly Couzens and Mark Davison, and they want your vote.

Holly

20 year old Physiotherapy student Holly says she started lifting weights about a year and a half ago. This will be her first competition.

“One reason I’m competing in this competition is to portray the benefits of getting involved in student fitness and how students can benefit. I have trained and worked very hard for this competition whilst balancing hospital placement and university and still been able to be the best I can be!’’

Basically, she’s Superwoman disguised as a university student.

“To some extent, I think everybody should get involved in some resistance training due to the health benefits. It can promote good flexibility, strength, body composition and isn’t just for the young! Anybody can get involved.

“It’s important to remember resistance training isn’t just about lifting as heavy as possible and it won’t make you manly (for the females who think that!)’’

Mark

This isn’t Mark’s first competition. In fact, the 22 year old Masters Archaeology student claims he had a very good experience participating in this very competition last year.

“The atmosphere last year was awesome, there was a real sense of camaraderie, even though we were competing against each other. I can’t credit David Bissell enough for the job he’s done creating these brilliant opportunities for student athletes.’’

Mark agrees with Holly saying fitness should be involved in everyone’s life to some extent: “I think people should find the aspect of fitness they enjoy and, if if you’ll pardon the pun, run with it.’

“Its just the reality of modernity that most people will live a largely sedentary lifestyle, and in terms of their short- and long-term health should take up some sort of fitness hobby to counter the detrimental health effects of that sedentary lifestyle.’’

A less bronzed Mark in the gym

Surprisingly, Mark happens to be vegetarian and has been for about a year now.

“I stopped eating meat after last year’s competition, as I was becoming increasingly concerned about animal welfare and the environmental impacts from stock-rearing. It was actually really easy, I was eating so much meat before that it was nice just to not have to chew it all.’’

Well that’s one interesting way of looking at it…

Got to feel the burn…

“It’s worked out quite well for me with the body-building, as my problem has always been adding weight. Switching to a vegetarian diet meant I was eating more carbs and less protein which helped me put weight on. It’s a coincidence really, but I think it has helped given my body type and metabolism.”

Contrary to popular belief, these keen fitness junkies do have a life outside the gym.  And yes, this does include having whatever foods they like. Both are flexible dieters who learned how to adapt to certain diets accordingly.

Holly said: “If I fancy something then I eat it and just make sure it fits my macronutrients! For example, I had Coco-Pops last night before bed. My boyfriend is a flexible dieter too so our lifestyles fit together great. And due to my flexibility I can hang out and go for coffee and cake with friends and family whenever.”

Mark admitted: “Last year, I had a really strict diet with low carbs that actually hindered my physique. So this time around I’ve learnt my lesson, and I’ve cut mildly by adding cardio into my routine. I focus on taking in enough foods rather than what I cut out, just because for my body that’s what I’ve found works.

“For nights out, these days I wouldn’t leave early, but I would limit the nights out I go on. I probably go out once every two or three weeks. So I think that’s a good balance.”

To find out more about Mark and Holly, click the following links, and don’t forget to like their photos to help them win. Mark. Holly.