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Three years ago before the NABBA-WFF Nationals this year you last competed in the classic class, do you think you might have outgrown that class during your time off stage with more mass.
No I have not outgrown the weight requirements for that class which for me is 67 kilograms. (I only weighed 62.5 kg morning of Nationals). However I feel I have made improvements in the last couple of years so hopefully I should look bigger and better on stage.
My goal this year was to compete in the NABBA-WFF in the athletic division-Class 4 which I did! I just have to say what a great federation NABBA-WFF is for the athletes-I was totally impressed with the organisation, atmosphere and athletes. It was also important for me to compete this year in honour of my Uncle Alan Hawkins who passed away last year. He was one of the main reasons I began competing and his support and encouragement throughout the years has inspired me to keep getting better and better.
To be honest I do not have a lot of muscle so I have to make sure I keep all that I do have! The biggest thing I have changed over the years which has helped is to not do any “cardio”.
 
As soon as I stopped cardio I was able to get a lot leaner. Cardio prevented me from recovering properly from my weight training workouts, fatigued my nervous system and made me feel terrible!
I performed no cardio when I competed in 2008-9 and didn't do any for the nationals this year either and that is the leanest I have been by far. Also my focus when I am getting ready to compete is to try to add muscle, not to lose fat. Increases in muscle mass changes the ratio of your body composition in the right direction so that is how I approach it.
The closest thing I get to doing cardio is posing practice which can last up to ½ an hour or more each night leading up to a show. Another change that worked for me was when I decreased my rest periods between sets during my workouts to only 30 seconds compared to 1-2 minutes.
You are the master of condition, what's the secret?!
No secret: I stay relatively lean all year round. I don’t drink or eat junk food (except on Xmas day and my birthday). Plus I start preparing for a show 5-6 months out compared to the usual 3 months. AND NO CARDIO!
  
Are you careful with your diet even while you aren't competing?
Yes I am careful all year. I am also extremely lucky in that I am sponsored by Shotgunsupplements.co.nz who have looked after me over the last 3 years.
Meal 1: Protein shake with added glutamine & handful of almonds; 1 tbsp. fish oil, vitamin C, spirulina and bee pollen.
Meal 2: 240g lentils, chia seeds, olive oil and curry
Meal 3: Salad with olive oil and lemon dressing. Protein shake.
Meal 4: 1/3 of a can of pinto beans with chia seeds, rice bran oil and curry. I have a nitric oxide supplement before training.
Meal 5: Protein shake after training with multi mineral, glutamine, Vit C
Meal 6: I start with about 150g salad like earlier in the day but with mozzarella cheese, 10 macadamia nuts, then my main meal which is a stir fry that consists of ½ kilo of green beans, a head of broccoli, 1-2 onions, 1 tbsp. chia seeds and around 180g of lamb. Often I will add different vegetables on top of that too! If I am still hungry I will have more salad.
Meal 7: Could be a protein shake with 1 tbsp. of fish oil or 1/3 can of pinto beans or another salad. + I alternate having ZMA and magnesium each night before bed.
 
Aron in Overalls at NABBA WFF Nationals 2012
What’s your tip of the ‘little guy’ like yourself who thinks they have to get big to win contests where you’ve shown you can win on condition?
Remember size alone doesn’t win bodybuilding shows. You need to get as lean as possible so you can properly show off your physique and all the hard work you have done in the gym. Also symmetry and proportion are important factors and should be at the forefront of your mind when training as this all adds to the illusion of size onstage. In saying all that though I still need to put on at least 4kg of muscle if I have any chance of going overseas and competing for NZ in the athletic class.
Final words. I would just like to thank my sponsors:
Andy & Brent Hill from Shotgunsupplements, Missy Hawkins from East Coast Muscle & Jamie Loughran from Aspyre Gym.
To be honest they have allowed me to live my dream of being a competitive bodybuilder and I owe them a lot. Hopefully the way I conduct myself on and off the stage shows how much I value their belief in me and their support!
Aron Noble
October 2012
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