Pardon the little triathlon departure, but I wanted to take a moment to congratulate Kurt Weidner and Vaughan Twigger for going 1-2 at the WNBF Pro Universe Show in New York this weekend (read more here). Kurt (left) won the overall just edging out Vaughan (right). This is a fitting reward for these two natural bodybuilders who train together at Blacksburg Health and Fitness at the Weight Club (where I work out too). I train with Kurt weekly and can bear witness to his work ethic, discipline, positive attitude, knowledge and life balance that allows him to be in this sport for the long haul and to be so successful. The same is true of Vaughan. These two are so humble and I think very few people at our gym even know what impressive bodybuilding resumes they have. They aren't walking around in showy muscle shirts and shorts and they don't talk about what they are doing. They just work smart, work hard, and are patient with their development.
Kurt's athletic background includes soccer, track, and hockey and he has a master's degree in economics. He's the definition of the lifelong learner that we, as educators, want students to become. He is constantly adding to his knowledge of strength training, nutrition, rehab, and recovery. Then he shares it liberally as a trainer and bodybuilding coach.
I've been working with Kurt since spring and he's taught me a lot about how to manage strength training as an endurance athlete so that it is complementary and does not compromise performance. It's been a great season with quick post-race recoveries so clearly it is working.
I'm blessed to be around Kurt and Vaughan. They exemplify the traits that are necessary to be a successful bodybuilder or triathlete - discipline, focus, courage, and balance -- with a healthy dose of humor and fun!
Congratulations, Kurt and Vaughan!
