(Full article is below the photos. Photos are from my 2022 natural bodybuilding season up through the 2022 NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia.)
Finally, Mr. Natural Philadelphia
March 26th, 2022, was a cold and windy Saturday in Philadelphia. After an anxious night with little sleep, I woke up with nervous optimism. Six months of rigorous contest prep had led me to this moment.
After a 12-year journey, I finally won the overall titles in open men’s bodybuilding and classic physique at the 2022 NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia, earning my pro card. This was my 7th natural bodybuilding competition. But it was the first one where I was crowned champion.
I’ve got to thank God for giving me tenacity, and my wife, parents, family, close friends, and training partners who always stayed in my corner. For years, I was told by critics and doubters that I’d never accomplish this goal. Their disbelief became my fuel.
Fuel Up
I first started training for natural bodybuilding in 2010. I was chasing the dream of winning Philadelphia’s most prominent natural show. But for over a decade, I came up short. I placed near the bottom in multiple contests, including dead last in 2012.
I was told I was too skinny and didn’t have the genetics. I watched others with better natural gifts but weaker work ethic place higher. The Charlie Critics of the iron game were right, at least for a while.
But what they didn’t know was that I needed their doubt. It became my gasoline. Every setback, every “you can’t,” kept me hungry. I refused to quit training, because I wanted this too badly.
Bodybuilding Life
The truth? I don’t have prototypical bodybuilding genetics. I’m not Arnold, Sergio, or Ronnie. I’m naturally built like a 400/800-meter sprinter, lean and athletic but without the genetics of a bodybuilder. Everything I gained in natural bodybuilding was earned through consistent, disciplined work.
Since childhood I admired muscular physiques. Comic book heroes, pro wrestlers, and bodybuilders. The moment of truth came in the 1990s when I started watching Kiana Tom’s Flex Appeal. After following the workouts for the summer and seeing some changes in my physique, I was hooked. With the limited tools I had, I trained to look like the pros long before I knew steroids were the standard in bodybuilding.
Natural bodybuilding appealed to me because it was supposed to be about hard work without shortcuts. Are there cheaters in natural bodybuilding? Absolutely. But I never wanted that path. I love bodybuilding despite the fact that most of the legendary pros took steroids. But more than bodybuilding I love my health and longevity. For me, the real challenge was maxing out my physique naturally.
It’s Personal
My first competitive run (2011–2014) was rough. I never placed higher than 5th. Still, I improved each year.
From 2015–2020, life evolved. I returned to sprinting, got married, we bought a house, and I opened The Fitman Performance & Physique Center in Abington. On the track, I became nationally ranked in the masters division. But after two hamstring tears slowed my sprinting in 2018, the fire to return to the stage burned hotter than ever.
I considered competing in 2021 but chose to wait for 2022. I didn’t want an easy win after the challenges of the pandemic. Waiting gave other bodybuilders time to get back in the game. I was fortunate to own my gym and never miss a lift during that time. If you want what you want, you do what you need to do.
The Champ Is Here
For years, I watched others win Mr. Natural Philadelphia.
I didn’t want the title for likes or applause. I wanted it to prove that consistent, quality effort pays off.
Think about Jordan, Ali, or Ronnie Coleman. They all faced failure before they became legends. Jordan lost early in his career, Ali was stripped of his boxing license, and Ronnie placed 15th at the 1994 Olympia. But they didn’t quit. Four more years of effort turned Ronnie into “The King.”
If I had quit in 2014, I’d never have become a pro. If I had listened to the Harry Haters of the land, I’d never have opened my gym. Critics will always exist, like blood-sucking mosquitoes in the summer. They are envious because they can’t do it. But you can’t dim your star to make someone else comfortable.
True success requires struggle and a relentless, consistent effort over time.
Contest Results
2011
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NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia – 7th of 12, Open Lightweight
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OCB Beyond Nutrition – 7th of 11, Open Tall
2012
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OCB Beyond Nutrition – 9th of 9, Open Tall
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NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia – 6th of 12, Open Middleweight
2014
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NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia – 5th of 12, Open Middleweight
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OCB Jersey Natural Open – 6th of 12, Open Tall
2022
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NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia – Overall Winner (Open Bodybuilding & Classic Physique)
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1st of 3, Open Bodybuilding Middleweight
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1st of 3, Open Classic Physique Middleweight
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Earned NGA Pro Card in Bodybuilding and Classic Physique
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OCB Jersey Natural Open – 2nd of 6, Open Bodybuilding B
The Last Rep
The iron game never ends. The sets, the reps, the pain, the journey, and the rewards never end.
To me, bodybuilding has always been about raising my fitness to its highest level. Trophies fade, acclaim fades, but the iron never changes. 225lbs will always be 225lbs. And every week, I’ll still have to pay the piper.
I’ll holla at you next time.
The People’s Trainer,
Fitman