Physique champ James targets pros

Bermudian bodybuilder and recent Sun Guy Hafid James is on a mission to get his pro card after retaining his Men’s Physique title at the Night of Champions bodybuilding competition on Saturday night at Ruth Seaton James Auditorium. 

James will now take part in the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) bodybuilding competition next month for the second time and a win will earn him his coveted pro card. 

James told the Bermuda Sun: “It’s been a whole year [since I last competed], so with the amount of knowledge I’ve gained going in I feel confident. 

“To get my pro card, I would need to win the overall competition. I had to win this championship to qualify for CAC, so now if I win the overall physique at CAC I’ll get my pro card.” 

James took a bit of time to celebrate his win, but starting Tuesday he will be back at it as he trains for the upcoming competition: “I took three days off of my diet just to enjoy, but starting tomorrow I go back to eating the way I would normally eat, training, and just gearing up for the competition. 

“When I’m getting ready for a competition I probably lift weights five to six days a week, sometimes twice a day. I’ve done this competition before, I was at the CAC last year, and it was a fun time.” 

James placed fourth in the Physique: Men’s B Class competition of the 25th Arnold Classic in Ohio in March, finishing ahead of more than 50 other competitors. 

“My coaches had me do the Arnold competition in March, and that was just to get some experience against some more experienced guys just to make sure that I’m ready to win this CAC and get my pro card.” 

With the added experience and year of training, James is hoping for big things at the CAC this year. 

“I feel confident, but I don’t want to sound overly confident. In my mind I always put myself as the underdog just to make sure I train as hard as I can, but I definitely think I’m better, way better than I was last year, so hopefully that’s good enough.”