Total Fitness Bodybuilding Reader Spotlight – “Rick Watkins”

There’s nothing I enjoy more than hearing about the success stories of my personal coaching students. And today I’ve got a good one to share with you…

This one is from a 56 year old man, Rick Watkins, who just competed in his very first bodybuilding competition and won FIRST PLACE in his weight class!

Below is the exact post that Rick shared
on my facebook page:

Rick Watkins

I’m very proud of Rick for what’s he’s achieved. He’s a real example of what “Total Fitness Bodybuilding” is all about, which is living a healthy lifestyle and using natural bodybuilding as a means of getting in your personal best shape. It’s not so much about competing, but rather living life to the fullest.

I really want to share this success story with you because it’s an inspirational example of
Real People Getting Real Results!


Rick Watkins - Total Fitness Bodybuilding Transformation

E-mail that I received from Rick Watkins
June 10, 2012

I’ve always been active beginning with high school gymnastics and wrestling, college wrestling and martial arts. For many years I’ve worked out trying to follow the magazine routines of pro bodybuilders with poor results. Looking back I’ve probably been in a state of overtraining for over 20 years. Being an ectomorph I thought I was doomed to be skinny all my life. I was the only high school wrestler who was on a Weight GAIN Diet, weighing only 92 pounds. In my 20’s my weight jumped to about 115 pounds and in my 30’s it jumped again to about 130 pounds where it stayed at that level for many years. All attempts to build muscle seemed to fail.

Jump forward to my 50’s with the internet now available, I found Lee Hayward on YouTube and began watching his videos and reading his website. I read every article available and started following his Bodybuilding Nutrition Made Simple e-book. I also began to follow some of his workout videos and began to make progress. I decided to sign up for his Online Custom Coaching Program.

Following Lee’s custom workout program and diet, I was able to gain up to 150 pounds and put on some solid muscle mass. For me this felt amazing after 30 years of very poor results. The solutions were in my hands the whole time. People at my local gym began to notice my muscle gains and compliment me on my success.

For Christmas my wife purchased the Extreme Fat Loss Program and Your First Bodybuilding Competition Program. I never seriously thought I would compete, but I had always wanted to try to get ripped. Following Lee’s cardio and diet advice, I began to drop the body fat and the compliments at the gym began to pour in.

Random strangers started coming up to me telling me that I looked amazing. Very weird for me but I’ll have to admit I loved it. Some of the guys who had competed in bodybuilding shows started telling me that I should compete and I started giving it some serious consideration. My body fat had plateaued at 12% and with Lee’s help I began to slowly drop even lower. After a lot of encouragement and compliments, I decided to enter my first bodybuilding competition at the ripe old age of 56. Talk about getting a late start.

All the information that I needed was in Lee’s courses, from what to wear, to how to tan, to how to pose. He helped me diet during the peak week and his backstage checklist of things to bring was invaluable. I needed almost everything on the list. With Lee’s help I felt really prepared and was able to accomplish a lifetime goal which would have been way out of my comfort zone without Lee guiding me.

Drum roll please…
And now for the results: I won FIRST PLACE in the Men’s Open Bantamweight Class, beating guys in their 20’s and 30’s and SECOND PLACE Masters Over 50 class, losing to a 211 pound heavyweight who had competed many times. Unbelievable results for a first time competition at the age of 56!!!

On competition day my body fat percentage was down to a ripped 8% and I can’t thank Lee enough for the invaluable help he has offered. I never thought I could gain a decent amount of muscle at my age. Most people I had talked to began with “At your age…” and proceeded to list limitations. But Lee never did this. He only encouraged me and offered support and priceless information.

I’m positively convinced that at any age, with Lee’s help you can get unbelievable results if you are disciplined and determined. Thanks again Lee. Best money I ever spent.

Lee, you ARE the man!!!!
Rick Watkins




2019 Update On Rick’s Progress!
Who Says You Can’t Gain Muscle In Your 50’s and 60’s…

Rick Watkins

Rick recently shared this comment on my blog…

While I may have helped Rick get started with bodybuilding, he’s an inspiration to me now. I hope to be able to do what he’s done and build an incredible physique into my 60’s and beyond. Rick’s example shows that age is only a number and it’s never too late to get in awesome shape!

If you would like some help to re-gain control over your health & fitness and get into your best shape ever – just let me know and we can schedule a time to chat and come up with a realistic action plan that’s right for you… Click Here to book a Free 10-minute Strategy Session Call.

all the best,
Lee Hayward

About The Author

leehayward

Lee Hayward is a former competitive bodybuilder and muscle building coach who has been online coaching people since 1997. His work has been featured in several international magazines such as: FLEX, Muscle Insider, Muscle Mag International, Testosterone, Ironmag, and Forbes. Lee's main focus right now is with helping men over 40 - who don't want to be fat anymore - lose the gut, build muscle, and get back in shape. If you're ready to "Start Again" for the last time and finally build a lean healthy body that you can be proud of, just e-mail Lee to discuss a realistic action plan that's right for you... lee@leehayward.com

18 Comments

  • William Lee Andrews III, Esq.

    Hey, Lee. Big fan of you and your (definitely-lol) “better half”! This cat is a “spring chicken.”

    Yours truly is 62!

    God bless and thank you and yours.

    WLA III

  • Bruce

    Congratulations to both Rick and Lee! It is clear that with the proper knowledge (Lee) and commitment (Rick) any of our dreams (goals) can become reality. You are both an inspiration to this 63 year young man!
    Thanks,
    Bruce

  • Geoff Tapson

    Your programmes are the best…

  • TIM

    Thanks for sharing this! I have been following your videos and write ups for about 4 years trying to stay in decent shape the rest of my life. This is very encouraging. I am almost 69 and work out 6 days/ week. This is a rel inspiration. Thanks again.

  • ROidRage

    Life is too short not to enjoy without pizza, burgers, chili cheese fries and beer.

  • RutgerV

    i have to say, for his age its amazing what he did, most respect from holland.

  • Jim - USMC

    Kudos to all!

    Congrats Rick! I’m envious! 🙂
    I’ve never competed, but I’m 78.5 years of age and I workout 4X a week. I’ve worked out regularly for about the past 10+ years.

    I’m the other side of the coin. Keeping weight off is a full time job.

    I’ve been losing weight for the past 100 days and, at the moment, I’ve gone from 255 to 235 Lbs.

    Doctors and nurses love me. I regularly receive compliments and questions from people I don’t know AND my body fat is 25%. I too follow Lee, like a puppy. I have bought and follow a number of his exercises. I assume my higher body fat is that my diet isn’t followed as strictly as you follow yours.

    Anyways, my advice to all is, as long as you’re still vertical, build your dream body. You won’t regret it!

    Jim – USMC

  • Thanks for the comments, it just goes to show that improvement is always possible. Regardless or your age or genetics.

  • Mark

    I’m really impressed and inspired by Rick’s story!

    I also can’t say enough good things about Lee’s programs. I’ve tried a number of programs out there and he is in my top two of online trainers. I’ve learned and gained so much from them that I also regularly get compliments, to the point where I’ve started paying forward and training friends who now want to get in shape. It’s great having an excellent toolbox of knowledge now that I can use to actually help them! Thanks for all the hard work, Lee, it’s much appreciated.

  • aimo

    Congratulations Rick & Lee!
    I would like to know more details about your training and measures.
    Also you never mentioned the contest place. Where was it; in Canada
    or elsewhere?
    I am 75 and going on training light/hard, depending on the feeling and
    health. Had a flue for a couple of weeks and did not train hard for 6 weeks.
    I was concentrating on my weak spots like pectorals and arms, because my
    thighs are very ripped and do not need much training, only hill-sprints now
    and then
    The next 3 weeks I will be trying to get all out of my system…
    It is not easy to do that in this Spanish heat, but will take a lot of fat out of me,
    I hope. At least I will get a lot of fresh air on my roof, where my home-Gym is.
    It would be nice to hear more from you Rick in the coming years.
    Your distant friend and admirer Aimo, Spain.

  • My reason for commenting is because if you saw my picture you would think I was Rick Watkins twin. We have the same exact face in his picture 15 weeks out with his glasses on. People walking by think I’m looking at myself. Of course, I don’t have his abs and lats which would be nice, but my dieting needs a lot of improvement. He did a great job winning first place and achieving his goal along with your superior coaching.

  • sixtysomething

    Great job Rick,

    You are indeed an inspiration. Keep up the great work!
    My being in the sixties, I find working to your level a challenge only if I slack off but staying wth it still works. You will win rght into 70+.

    Retire at 80 and eat some cake.

    My respect to you!

  • congrats to rick watkins. mr lee do you have a lower payment plan for your online coaching. i know you offer an awesome deal but, not everybody has $200.00 for this program. thank you and god bless.

  • rick watkins

    aimo,

    The competition was the Roman Classic Bodybuilding Championship, in Rome, Georgia, USA. They have a website http://www.romanclassic.net and the contest photos have just been posted. Lee recommended a program which alternates overeating & heavy training for a week or two followed by undereating & lighter training for a week or two. Some tweaking had to be done for me to keep body fat under control, but I definitely added muscle mass. When I decided to compete, I switched to Lee’s Extreme Fat Loss program, rotating carbs and doing fasted cardio in the mormings.

  • rick watkins

    leehayward,

    Lee, Its great to see so many comments from people in their 50’s, 60’s and beyond. I would have guessed your demographic would be 20’s. Hope together we can inspire many people of all ages to a life of fitness.

  • rick watkins:
    leehayward,

    Lee,Its great to see so many comments from people in their 50′s, 60′s and beyond.I would have guessed your demographic would be 20′s.Hope together we can inspire many people of all ages to a life of fitness.

    ===========================

    I’ve got a large following of middle age guys. About 50% of my followers are over age 35 and 30% are over age 45.

    Thanks again Rick for sharing your success story with my followers. You are a role model and an inspiration to a lot of people. Keep it up!

  • Johnny

    You re the best sir, i wish i have a body like that when i came to that age!!

  • Tom

    rpn havoc is great to use pre contest as it will harden your muscles and take any water retention away.