Skip to content

Ladysmith bodybuilder flexes his way to first place at two competitions

Cam Rasmussen wins his divisions at events in Vancouver and Toronto
31025369_web1_221116-NBU-ladysmith-bodybuilder-2_3
Cam Rasmussen shows off some the spoils he’s won at recent bodybuilding competitions. (Photo submitted)

BY DUCK PATERSON

There is a building boom going on – bodybuilding, that is.

The sport has been rewarding recently for Cam Rasmussen, as the 25-year-old Ladysmith resident earned top honours at competitions last month in Vancouver and Toronto.

At the Canadian Physique Alliance’s Westcoast Iron Vancity Showdown in October, Rasmussen took first overall in the physique category ahead of nine other athletes in his division.

That top-three placing allowed Rasmussen to compete in the Canadian National Pro Qualifier in Toronto later in the month.

At the Vancity Showdown on Oct. 1, Rasmussen earned first in his height class before going on to be named the overall winner category. At the national qualifiers Oct. 8, Rasmussen finished first in the F class for bodybuilders over six feet tall.

“I’ve placed four times at the regional shows, but I didn’t go any further back then,” Rasmussen said. “My coach … felt that my build wasn’t quite ready at the time. My coach has totally transformed me and we feel I am really ready.”

Rasmussen started bodybuilding when he was nineteen. He got into it as a way of keeping fit and then realized he had made quite a few friends along the way and it just put him more and more into the training.

He said while the training is obviously a lot of physical activity, a large part is diet.

“Sixteen weeks before a show, I can consume up to 3,000 calories every day,” he said.

Bulking refers to the muscle-building phase and involves creating a calorie surplus to support muscle growth.

“By the Toronto show I was 215 pounds, but now, after only a month I have moved to 240 pounds,” Rasmussen said. “It’s the carbs that makes the muscles rounded and built up.”

Rasmussen weight-trains five days a week – Monday to Wednesday, then a rest day, then back to it Friday and Saturday. Each day he trains a specific part of the body.

The athlete’s goal is to turn pro.

“Having a sponsor is a huge plus, but I need to have more of a record before that can happen,” he said. “I do have a supplement supporter, which is a big help, but as you move forward it takes a lot more exposure. When a guy is pro, he can make a lot of money.”

Before that, though, he intends to take a year off from competition to put in the time and put on another 50 pounds of weight. So for the foreseeable future, Rasmussen is going to continue with his bulking and training and weighing what the future has in store in a very distinctive sport.

READ ALSO: Nanaimo woman wins four titles at bodybuilding regionals

editor@ladysmithchronicle.com





Secondary Title