St Albans hosts first Muscle Mania body-building competion (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

St Albans hosts first Muscle Mania body-building competion

6:29pm Sunday 5th September 2010 in

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Flexed muscles and a high volume of tanning oil filled a St Albans theatre this afternoon as competitors gathered for the country's first Muscle Mania body-building competition.

Men and women travelled from all over Europe for the event, at the Alban Arena, in Civic Close, hosted by one of the sport's largest federations.

Body building, though a popular sport in America, is still finding its feet in the UK, but competitor Mehmet Edip, 27, says it is steadily getting bigger.

“It can be hard to find federations running competitions over here but it is gaining interest. I have been training for 11 years and this is my first competition in the UK. The interest is out there and people are getting more involved.”

Contestants are judged on muscle size, tone and definition, though there can also be points awarded for showing charisma and personality.

Vikkie Kryzanowski, entering her second competition, said she followed a strict diet and goes to the gym every day to keep herself in shape.

“The diet means I eat fairly boring food sometimes and I am in the gym at least an hour a day but it is competitions like this that make it worthwhile. A lot of people think women body builders are going to be big and muscley but it is often more about tone.”

The competition ran throughout the day, with the winners announced on Sunday evening.