Building up to gold

A Cavanman hopes to take a bodybuilding competition in the UK by storm when he hits the stage next month, writes Michelle Taite...

Stephen Gallacher will attempt to wow the judges with his lean, muscular physique on September 23, at the Arnold Classic Bodybuilding Competition in Birmingham, England.

Having trained tirelessly for months in preparation for the show, Stephen is confident he will give the other contestants a run for their money.

“Expectations are very high at the Arnold Classic. Professional and amateur athletes from all around the world will be attending this show, so the nerves will be high on the day for sure. Standing on the biggest stage in front of the biggest names and thousands of people is a crazy experience,” he says. “I have only competed once before at this level.”

Stephen started preparations back in September 2021 by bulking up. During this phase, the athlete trained hard while consuming infinitely more calories than he was burning to increase muscle mass. After eight months of bulking, he then began his shredding phase, which he will continue until performance day. Stephen is focussing on losing as much body fat as possible by setting his calorie intake level much lower than his body demands. His cardio workouts have increased to seven days a week, while also aiming to reach 20,000 steps a day.

“Not many people understand or know what it takes to compete in bodybuilding and physique shows,” says Stephen of his intense lifestyle. “Unless you have competed before or have had a coach with experience to advise and guide you through the process, it can be a daunting experience for many.”

Due to the intensity of prep time, some athletes turn to steroids to get them over the line. The supplements increase muscle mass and allow the body to recover more quickly post-workout. However, they also have many possible long-term health side effects, which can make their use dangerous.

“Bodybuilding at the elite professional level is probably where steroids are used the most. Knowing or assuming that others I am competing against could be using them is something I’m aware of even before signing up. I would prefer to stay as fit and healthy for as long as possible before thinking of that.

“I am only starting off my bodybuilding competitions with very little experience and continue to see great progress while staying fit and healthy without steroids. It’s down to personal choice but, like everything else, there would be risks and it’s up to each individual to weigh the risks against the benefits.”

Competitors who place in the top two will be deemed a professional, receiving a Pro-Card, which enables them to compete with the best of the best in worldwide competitions.

Stephen is a relative novice at the sport. He has only compete in two competitions in his short career, and just once at the level of the Arnold Classic.

“My first physique competition was with the Pure Elite Federation held in The Helix in Dublin in 2019. I entered the amateur fitness modelling category and placed first to win my Pro Card with Pure Elite. There was a long 20-week preparation for this show and gave me great experience and a taster of what it’s like to compete.

“I then competed in my second competition two years later, the Arnold Classic in 2021, and placed fourth in my first ever IFBB Men’s Physique show.”

With these encouraging experiences, Stephen knows exactly what to expect from the upcoming competition and is pulling out all the stops in an effort to secure gold.

“There have been many improvements made this year to my physique so I will be aiming for that first place win this time!”

Stephen has always been into sports and fitness, having played numerous sports in Scotland where he grew up. However, as time went on, other commitments took priority and Stephen’s dedication to fitness decreased. Once he moved to Ireland, he change his lifestyle and got back to what he loved doing.

“I decided to do a 12-week training programme at the Fitness and Strength Camp in Virginia with Shaun Conaty. Seeing the progress I made, and everything I learned with Shaun within those 12 weeks was simply amazing and I then chose to make fitness and health my lifestyle. Soon after, I went on to finish a personal trainer course to help others achieve their fitness goals and compete on stage in physique and bodybuilding shows.”

He now runs the Fitness and Strength Camp where he offers personal training sessions to people of all ages and abilities.

“I absolutely enjoy my job as a full-time personal trainer. Helping others achieve their health and fitness goals is so rewarding to me. Hearing my clients’ feedback from week to week on how much they are improving and how much better they feel about themselves is a great feeling and makes me want to continue helping more.”

The gym, which is based just outside Virginia, has been renowned for bodybuilding success in recent years, with many members of the gym having received their pro status already.

One of these pro status bodybuilders is Stephen’s partner, Lisa Smith, who also runs classes at the same gym.

“Lisa absolutely knows what’s involved and the discipline it takes to prepare for a bodybuilding show. Lisa has competed in bikini fitness international shows like the WBFF and Pure Elite. She is well aware of the preparations needed to get to a high level, conditioned physique.”

The couple work together to juggle both their fitness aspirations, as well as their personal lives. They have two boys, Ryan (17) and Darragh (10) who also share a keen interest in sport.

“Both boys are very athletic having enjoyed rugby, swimming and soccer in the past, but Gaelic with Killinkere GFC is their main focus now.”

For Stephen, his main focus now is the Arnold Classic and the possibility of a Pro-Card to compete against the world’s best.