Pete flexes his muscles for world crown at 62
WHILE most people begin winding down when they reach retirement age, Pete Jackson is beefing up.
That’s because the 62-year-old, who took up body building just two years ago, has set his sights on becoming one of the world’s best bodybuilders.
Pete, who lives in Macclesfield, will oil up his bulging muscles, don his skimpy bottoms and march onto the stage at the World Bodybuilding Championships in Rome next month.
Whether he wins or not it is a remarkable achievement for Pete who only took up the sport after his 60th birthday.
And it’s no easy feat for Pete, who is in the midst of a gruelling regime to get into peak condition. It involves six meals a day of fish, chicken, broccoli, spinach and lots of protein drinks.
He said: “I won’t lie, the eight weeks before a competition are very tough, which is why so many people try but fail to make it.
“Eating 250g or fish or chicken every single meal is mundane but it’s what you have to do to get to your best.
“You get into a situation where there is hardly any water or fat in your body and the mindset where you are frightened to death of a piece of cheesecake. It is ridiculous what we put our bodies through in this game.”
Pete was always physically fit growing up on a farm in Flash and for many years he was involved in both the Macclesfield and Bosley tug of war teams.
Then when he turned 55 his son Tom encouraged him to start weightlifting with him. After five years of training to different gyms Pete decided to open his own, ToneZone on Melville Road, Macclesfield.
Dad-of-one Pete said: “The idea was to use the gym as way of retiring, but it didn’t turn out that way. I was there to help the lads train and give advice but I started to get press ganged into training hard and entering competitions.”
Pete’s first competition was Mr Liverpool in 2015 where he came second in the over 60s section.
He returned to Liverpool in May this year and won the over 60s title and followed that up with a second place in Mr North- umberland qualifying him for the British finals. There he got third place and won his spot at the World Championships.
He said: “It was very daunting, standing up there in a spotlight, unable to see the crowd and having to give it your all with these poses, while hearing your mates cheers you on. But it was a buzz and now I am hooked.
“I don’t know when I will stop. I only just got started. But the way I feel at the moment I could keep going until they throw dirt over me.”