While many people begin to wind down as they approach 60, looking forward to the prospect of retirement and a slower pace of life, the thought has not entered Lisa Hendry’s mind.
The soon to be 56-year-old local woman took up bodybuilding at the tender age of 49, and made a name for herself in women’s bodybuilding competitions in the figure category before moving up to the physique division.
Hendry turned even more heads last month in the bodybuilding division at a regional competition in Mississauga, Ont., where she won two firsts and an overall, which qualified her for the provincial Ontario Physique Association championships in bodybuilding 10 days ago.
A first in Grand Masters for women 45 and over, a second in the Masters Division (35 and over) and a second in the Open Division at the provincials in Toronto earned her a berth at the Canadian Nationals bodybuilding competition next summer.
So much for slowing down.
The best is yet to come for Hendry.
“I’m ecstatic because I qualified for the nationals,” said the five-foot-two, 135 pounder. “I’m just like on Cloud Nine. This is the big one.”
It will be her first competition at the national level.
And she’s not taking anything for granted.
Hendry will train for the next year for the prestigious competition, giving her legs special attention.
She wants them to look “more shredded” by the time the championships are held.
Is it a grind to train six-days-a-week, two-hours-a-day to tone and sculpt your muscles so they look just right?
Not for Hendry. She’s having the time of her life.
“I am. I’m loving it,” she says. “The 50s are great … I’d love to be a pro before I’m 60.”
Her husband gave her a Christmas gift when she was 49, the services of a personal trainer at Goodlife for five months, which inspired her to begin competing in figure bodybuilding.
After a few years Hendry moved on to physique competition, where the look is a little different with a bit more muscle and symmetry.
This year she moved up to bodybuilding, where even more muscle is needed.
The training journey has changed since making the jump to bodybuilding, she says. Not only has her focus changed, but more discipline is required.
In the run-up to competition she’s in the gym nearly every day using heavier weights and doing more reps.
She is bigger and she also feels stronger, said Hendry, who tipped the scale at 162 pounds at one point while training for a competition.
“I bulked up big time. You lean out towards the end.”
As she nears competition her diet and routine change and she drops weight.
“I’m having way too much fun with this. This is a passion,” she said.
“I love doing it and I like seeing the changes … I don’t feel 56.”
Personal trainers Chris Muncaster and Sam Antoine, owners of Xclusive Private Personal Training Studio, have been a very big help the past few years, she said.
“I couldn’t have done it without them. They’ve been just awesome,” says Hendry, who works full-time at the Group Health Centre.
Courtesy of: Sault Star