62-year-old bodybuilder defies stereotypes about aging
Rick Newcombe, 62, shows what’s possible at any age
Regular doses of inspiration are as important to overall health as good hydration and fresh vegetables. That’s why stories of folks like Rick Newcombe must be circulated.
In July, the local 62-year-old won a bronze medal at the Canadian National Championships held in Quebec and hosted by the Canadian Bodybuilding Federation. That’s a laudable feat, but even more impressive when you consider Newcombe has only pursued bodybuilding for three years.
The Journal caught up with Newcombe at the west end location of LA Fitness to find out what motivated him to take on the challenge of body sculpting well after most people his age have retired to the couch.
This interview has been edited and condensed. Q How did you decide to take up bodybuilding ?
A I got married in 2011 and didn’t like the photos of myself at the wedding. I saw a short, fat guy losing his hair. I had gone beyond a dad body. I was going backwards. So my wife suggested we join a gym together. In the beginning, we just came and did the weights and the treadmill. But then I started seeing this guy, Sam, at the gym, and that was a turning point for me. He’s five-foot-eight, and 240 pounds of solid muscle. I asked him if he would help me, and he did.
Q Was it hard to get started?
A I had always been athletic. I did my first Ironman Canada competition in 1985. But I’m not gifted. I have to work for everything. But now, at this age, I find that I keep getting better, and nobody is beating me. I started out at 197 pounds, and the first time I stepped on stage, nine months after I had started at the gym, I was 160. All those tiny muscles were hiding underneath.
Q You recently won bronze at the Canadian National Championships. What drives you to compete?
A I like to compete in order to give myself a reason to get better. I take part in the Men’s Masters 55 plus, a category within the International Federation of Bodybuilding. I was at the competition in Laval in July and I’m already training for the national show next year.
There are strict diet and exercise routines to be followed; it’s not a balanced lifestyle. I train five days a week for 90 minutes, and for 12 to 16 weeks before a show there is serious dieting. You work for a year to compete for 17 minutes. It’s really a beauty pageant.
Q What does bodybuilding do for you?
A I like it. I think it’s fascinating. It drives me every day. And having muscles pays a compound dividend. You get accolades from strangers, and an immediate respect from employers. It also makes it easier to take out the garbage.
Part of my fight was against ageism. I worked as a systems analyst in IT for 25 years and then I was downsized and spent 11 months looking for a job in my field. I kept getting turned down for jobs and some people even said, ‘Look Rick, this is a young man’s game.’
I thought, darn it, not everything is a young man’s game. Now, I work for the city in road maintenance. When I applied, and they asked me if I could do the job, I literally threw up a bicep.
Sometimes you have to look through a different window. Q What advice would you give folks who are thinking they might like to sculpt and shape their bodies?
A You need a buddy system. I’ve met a bunch of people at the gym; I call us the Grey Iron Army. And you have to set some goals. And if you want to compete, having a coach is very important.
In the beginning, it’s easier to be motivated because you get lots of newbie gains. But then you’ll plateau, and it starts to get harder and people lose their motivation. That forces discipline to kick in.
Q What’s with the spray tans? Do you have to get one to compete?
A Yes, you absolutely do. The stage lights will wash out all of your definition, the lines between the muscles. The spray tan literally helps the judges demarcate where one muscle ends and another begins. In a nutshell, it makes you look much better under the bright lights.