Power and the glory

Date: 03-05-2007 Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamNew Zealand

Tony Martin is the weight of a 12-year-old boy. But that hasn't stopped him from becoming one of New Zealand's best bodybuilders.

The Avondale resident will compete for the 100th time at the Auckland Bodybuilding Championships tomorrow.

Victory will qualify him for the international championships in Greece in July.

The former policeman says strength not size counts in bodybuilding.

"I'm the lightest I've been since I was 12 and I'm doing great," he says. "Size is just an illusion."

Tony, 50, began bodybuilding in 1974 with some friends from the police force.

The 19-year-old often found himself losing physical confrontations and wanted to bulk up.

"I started bodybuilding to try and get a bit of size on." he says.

"In my first few competitions I was so scared I was going to fall off the stage, but it became addictive."

More than 30 years later Tony is a world class bodybuilder.

He has won numerous national and international competitions, including the Mr Olympia masters title, one of the highest accolades in bodybuilding.

Since quitting the police in 1983, he has run three gyms around Auckland and now manages his own, the Tony Martin Connection in Mt Roskill.

The gym has entered a team of seven in tomorrow's event, which features New Zealand's top bodybuilders.

"We have a great team of all ages and experience levels," Tony says.

"Some of them have never competed before and this is my hundreth time.

"It's quite amazing."

Tony begins training 16 weeks before a competition.

He walks over an hour to work and spends six days a week weight training at the gym.

During training he follows a strict diet of 75 percent protein, 20 percent carbohydrates and five percent vegetables.

"It can be a bit tough, but I always cut loose after a competition and eat what I want," he says.

Teammate Grace Comrie says Tony is a devoted athlete.

"He's very knowledgeable in what he does and very driven," she says.

"He's been training every single day of the week and he will definitely do well on Saturday."

The Auckland Bodybuilding Championships will be held at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna from 10am to 6.30pm.