Alva body-builder Jim gets in shape for championships

Body-builder Jim Blyth is aiming for success at the national championships (Picture by Jan van der Merwe)

AN ALVA body-builder is set to take on the best of British next month at the SECC arena in Glasgow.

Jim Blyth will compete at the British Natural Body-building Federation (BNBF) national championships against the country's elite on 19 September.

Jim told the Advertiser, "I will be going for the top three. Of course I'll be out to win it but we'll see how it goes on the day."

The 44-year-old booked his place for the Glasgow showdown by finishing runner-up at the qualifiers held in Manchester recently, making it the fourth time he's reached the national final in just five years of competing.

"I enjoy the discipline of it," Jim said of the challenge presented by body-building. "When you are in the best shape you can be in, it's a great buzz."

To get in peak condition for the Brits, Jim, who has been body building for 15 years, has been taking full advantage of the free personal training provided by Tracy Begg, from Fitsolutions Training, who works out of Validus Gym in Alloa.

"When I started going to Alloa's Validus Gym I told Tracy I was into body-building and she offered to provide me with personal training twice a week - she's been great."

And Tracy, a vastly experienced personal trainer, insists she's delighted to be backing the British hopeful by giving him a free bespoke programme to prepare him for battle.

She said, "I think he is in with a really good shout at the British. We train him three times a week and he works really hard with us. Jim also has to stick to a really strict diet."

The ex-Royal Marine admits it's tough to stick to the diet but says it is paramount he eats the right food if he wants to achieve his goal of three per cent body fat by next month.

Jim admits it wouldn't even have been possible to eat the right kind of calories if he wasn't receiving the backing of Dollar butcher Brian Devlin.

"Brian has been supplying me with all the chicken and everything else I need, at cost price. I couldn't afford the food I need without him."

On the Friday before the SECC event Jim will be drug tested and undergo a polygraph, often referred to as a lie detector test, before he is cleared to compete - the BNBF is drug free.

Jim, who is married with two kids, says he couldn't have made the progress he has without the unwavering support of his wife Susan. The whole clan will be in Glasgow to support him.

And the Alva man was given some great news on Monday when Rene Rowlings, owner of Betterbodies fitness store in Falkirk, agreed to provide all the supplements and clothing he'll need in the countdown to Glasgow.

11th August 2010