Lifting the standard
Brayden McFarlane turned the opportunity of weight training into professional competition.
When Hamilton Boys High rugby player Brayden McFarlane got asked to start bulking for the season, he decided to take a different approach.
“First of all, previous thought of weight training was to get bigger and stronger for rugby. Even in high school, I was looking for something else.”
Brayden decided to turn the opportunity of weight training into bodybuilding and powerlifting as opposed to rugby and has not looked back since.
Because Brayden’s father, Brian McFarlane, has been an active bodybuilder, personal trainer, and powerlifter for the last 30 years, Brayden was able to be coached by his dad for his first bodybuilding competition in 2017.
Training and working at local gym Fit Figures that Brian owns, Brayden was able to prepare, build up, and work hard for his long road ahead. He ended up winning his age class, even though it was his first bodybuilding competition.
“Bodybuilding and Powerlifting are pretty much the complete opposite. Bodybuilding is all about putting muscle on and trying to look as good as possible and then with Powerlifting, it’s all about strength. It doesn’t matter what you look like or how big you are, it’s about the results you put out on the day.”
Most recently, in 2018 Brayden competed in the INBA (International Natural Bodybuilding Association) Universe Championships. Placing first in team men, and second in novice men bodybuilding and novice classic physique, Brayden has never felt more motivated for the future to come.
Natural bodybuilding is a term used for those who wish to pursue the art of bodybuilding and\or powerlifting without the aid of illegal muscle-enhancing substances, which then allow people to enter competitions such as the INBA and powerlifting competitions.
When being asked where the training and coaching are leading to, Brayden replied with the Natural Olympia in 2020 which is hosted in Las Vegas, where the best of the best bodybuilders travel to compete in various shows in order to be placed Mr or Mrs 2020 Olympia.
Until then, as a personal trainer at Fit Figures, and with a Precision Nutrition Certificate in Exercise Nutrition, Brayden McFarlane works day and night to educate the Waikato community about health and fitness. Working alongside Brian, Brayden continues to work towards his goal of the Natural Olympia whilst helping others in our local community work towards their own fitness goals.
