‘It’s my sanctuary’
Bodybuilder Chris White to compete at the world championships in Toronto
Chris White has a poster board in his home that’s covered with names that accompanies the slogan “do it for them.”
He counts nealy 150 people from all walks of life that at one time or another have wished him well in his endeavours in the sport of bodybuilding. Among those names are those of the young athletes he trains out of his North Sydney home through C Jack’d dryland fitness classes, including his 12-yearold son, Jack.
White feels he has plenty of people behind him as he prepares for the 2018 National Physique Committee (NPC) World Championships in Toronto, June 1-2, but it’s the kids he trains where he draws the most inspiration.
“There’s never been a pro card given to anybody from Cape Breton,” said the 35-yearold, originally from Bras d’Or. “I looked at it as a chance to inspire these kids that I train and the kids around that they can do anything they want to do.
“Am I excited? Absolutely. Am I scared? Just the same. I don’t know what I’m going against. It’s open to anyone in the world, so I don’t know anybody I’m competing against.”
White trains under the guidance of coaches Barry Gwynn at Moxham Fitness in Sydney River and Jonni Shreve, an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) pro from Halifax. He qualified for this year’s worlds after winning the Nova Scotia Amateur Bodybuilding Association men’s heavyweight title in 2017.
“I feel confident that I’m way better than I was and I’m way bigger and leaner than I was when I won my last show,” he said.
“I’m 17 days out and I’m very confident in my ability to get to where I need to be at this point,” he added. “I’m looking forward to getting it over with.”
The man they call “The Machine” comes by the nickname honestly. He’ll train for up to seven hours per day, alternating between cardio and weights. His diet is just as diligent, sticking to his strict regimen with machine-like precision. The 6-3, 284-pound athlete’s body fat percentage is below five per cent.
White said the gym is his personal haven. He began bodybuilding in January of 2014 after being a gym regular for 15 years. As the result of an 11-year career in the navy, he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. The iron jungle is his escape.
“If it wasn’t for bodybuilding for me, I’d be a mess,” he said. “It’s my church, it’s my sanctuary. When I walk into Moxham Fitness, no matter what’s going on in my head, when I leave, I’m a different person.”
But although his military career has caused him some anguish, it’s also helped White in the sport.
“Bodybuilding may have saved me from my PTSD but being in the military made me a better bodybuilder,” he said. “In bodybuilding, where it’s all systems, schedules and systematic in the way it’s run, I used the discipline and systems I learned in the military to maximize my workouts and to maximize my time.”
White leaves for Toronto early next week to train early with Shreve. You can follow his progress on Instagram by searching for the username bodybuilder_chris_white.
“My long-term goal is to put bodybuilding on the map in Cape Breton. That could be me competing and doing it, or helping others compete and do it,” he said. “My short-term goal is to get my pro card and win this. And if I don’t win it, I’ll reassess. Even if I win it, I’ll reassess. I do take it show by show because I put everything into it.”