September 6th, 2015: What started out as a means of getting fit has transformed Canadian University Dubai (CUD) student, Ali Omar, into an international competitor, as he prepares to take on the world’s leading amateur bodybuilders at the British Finals of the International Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (IFBB) competition in the UK next month.
In just two years, Ali has transformed from an overweight sixteen year-old, into a lean and physically fit performer, who has wowed the bodybuilding competition circuit with his astonishing physique and charismatic stage presence.
Ali said, “I started going to the gym because I knew I needed to lose some weight, but once I got there I became motivated to go a bit further. It has taken a lot of discipline and focus to reach the stage of competing internationally in such a short time, but because these events are judged on personality alongside physique, it’s an enjoyable experience as well as a challenging physical pursuit.”
Having competed in a number of events worldwide, Ali has already earned himself an armful of medals and trophies. He was the youngest athlete to take part in this year’s Men’s Physique category of the Arnold Sports Festival in Ohio, USA, and then went on to qualify for the upcoming IFBB British finals by scoring a top two position in the Scottish Championships in May.
As a student of e-Business at CUD, Ali sticks to a strict regime in order to keep up his studies, training, and even meal schedules. “Around 80% of the regime is nutrition-based”, he explained, “So it’s important to focus on eating and well as training plans.”
He continued, “Every day I wake up early and head to the gym for forty minutes of fast cardio first thing in the morning. I’ll then attend university, and return to the gym after classes for a further forty minutes of weight training.”
Ali’s performances, in what is a highly competitive sporting community, have been so impressive that he has already secured sponsorship from a nutrition manufacturer, and has been invited to take part in the IFBB Amateur Olympia later in the year, which is widely renowned as a platform for moving into the professional field.
In the meantime, however, Ali is focused upon the British competition finals to be held in Nottingham, on October 3rd and 4th, and of course, combing his second year of Bachelor degree studies with his demanding training program for the event.
Gallery
