richard gannon muscletricks
Richard Gannon muscle tricks athlete has added another title to his list by winning the NABBA Mr Britain in Southport.
NABBA, the original body building federation has been doing its thing since 1948 when the first event was put on by the Legend that is John Grimek. Since this day the event has boasted the best body builders to step foot on stage including The Mighty Oak himself Arnold!
Richard qualified for the Britain when he won the NABBA UK held in his hometown of Castleford, where he won not only his class but the overall title along side.
Supported by family and friends Rich walked on the stage his usual modest self ,hoping to place top six at the very least. What happened was a completely different story!
I had looked Richard over earlier on in the day, he felt flat and tired but as he posed vascularity began to show that I had seen on Richards physique in the past. This was going to prove to be a very different Richard Gannon on stage this year. After an in depth discussion with Richards prep coach Joe Taylor Ferguson of uf4u.co.uk, who happens to be a close friend, I soon understood why Rich was looking so much better than previous shows. Preps like this are meticulously planned and are the result of several years of working alongside many winning athletes.
First call out and we were all glued to our seats in nervous anticipation and excitement. Standing alongside the other athletes I could compare Rich and take notes myself as always and generally I will always get the placings very close if not bang on the money. Rich was not called out with the first group! The air in the Gannon camp changed from its previous electric charged moment to one of disbelief. Its not over yet, head held high and carry on, lets see where this takes us! Later in a shock call out of what appeared the top three, Richard stood alongside athletes who were of world class caliber, lRich ooking more conditioned and fuller than everyone else. Rich displayed a balance that I personally know, has been one of the most worked on aspects of the last 12 months he stood out amongst everyone on stage!
As the results were called we were convinced this was Team muscle tricks year!
We were right a shocked and as per usual very modest winner Richard Gannon was announced.
Muscletricks first met Richard Gannon way back in 2011 at our favourite local bodybuilding show THE OPEN YORKSHIRE CLASSIC {OYC}. It was clear to see that this was a man who would one day stand in front of us as a serious competitor for a Universe title! We immediately noticed Richards potential with thick dense muscle being one thing that made this athlete stand out from the muscular crowd.
With a background in rugby, playing a junior at district and county level and moving forward to sign for Wakefield wildcats he was born for power and strength. Like many in the industry he was motivated by the images he saw in the media at the time , none other than the mighty oak himself, Arnold. Watching Connan etc and surrounded by 80s muscle cartoons such as He-Man etc he was already subconsciously making plans to be something bigger and better at a young age. With a background like this Richard was primed to grow into this sport .
We grow best when surrounded by positive individuals and knowledge and Richard at 17 years old was surrounded by successful bodybuilders from his chosen arena of muscle and size Ultimate Physiques in Castleford. The owner of the gym a successful bodybuilder himself Jason Matthews took Richard under his wing and taught him the basics of building a foundation to WOW future crowds onstage. Jason continues to be a very big part of Richards prep to this day alongside the support and friendship of Daz at future bodies gym. I have personally trained at both these gyms and can understand why in a time when independent gyms are closing down these two gyms are thriving. Both gyms are fantastically maintained with a look and feel of a high end gym but with the personal touch you simply won’t get from a corporate fitness suite.
UPDATE Richard has just won his class at the NABBA North East and the overall !
We recently fired some questions to Richard when we trained together ….More on that training session very soon! Here is our interview, enjoy.
Most freakish bodybuilder you admire?
Has to be Kai Green.
Classic Physique?
A physique i prefer far more John, Frank Zane and Franco Columbo.
How far will you go in the sport?
As long as i continue to remain fit strong and i make regular improvements, I would hope that i can go as far as I possibly can. I have achieved a goal already by qualifying for the NABBA Universe after which due to my nature regardless of the outcome I hope to constantly improve.
What is your biggest bodybuilding mistake?
Over dieting ! I have in the past gone way too low with my carbohydrates which resulted in not only stripping away the fat , but i feel it also contributed to a loss of hard earned muscle tissue. One rule i live by now now is , dieting is for losing fat -NOT SHRINKING!
Steady state cardio or High intensity?
Steady. Again when dieting for a show it is about maximising your time and your effort whilst keeping your heart at a steady rate for the very minimum of 20 minutes, preferably more. This has been proven to burn fat and at the end of the day a bodybuilder is only doing this to lose fat not become a track athlete!
5 muscletricks to get Gannon ripped granite condition ?
Prep is key-Always ensure you prep meals.
Consistency- some people think bodybuilding is about the 12 weeks of dieting and tend to forget about the other 9 months of the year.
Discipline-Missing your training or fall off your diet means you are only hurting yourself at the end of the day who is stood in their pants !
Train clever- Get the most out of every session you can by planning your sessions and staying focussed on yourself not others.
Rest- Get plenty of it as you can easily overtrain which will only be detrimental to your physique.
From under 80kg to under 90 kg in a year ?
Simple -I was overtraining, too much cardio. After reducing the cardio and intensity while increasing my carbs i made the gains needed to step up! I also kept my diet consistent all year round.
Social media … Saint or sinner?
Used in the right way i believe that social media can be a positive step forward, despite the current trend of everyone appearing to have a opinion or know it all on all the threads.
If theres a secret Richard what is the Richard Gannon secret?
Bodybuilding is not life or death. Be focussed, determined and consistent , but you should also make it fit your life as this makes the whole experience easier and more rewarding.
photo credit Lee Archer photo-flex
