BBC Sport's Kieran Fox reports on Phil Vickery's journey from England Rugby World Cup winner to competitive bodybuilder. Backstage at the Physical Culture Show in Hull, Vickery described the same nerves he felt before major rugby matches. "It reminded me of being in the changing room before the big game, your nerves," he said. "I've done the work. I've done the graft."
The bodybuilding ambition began with a challenge from his friend Lee Powell. With support from his trainer Dave Campbell, Vickery started entering competitions at the age of 50. He said the sport has a singular, isolated nature. "It's you against you. It's not about anyone else," he said. "You are stood on stage. Your physique is a direct reflection of your effort."
Vickery won 73 caps for England and five for the British and Irish Lions. His victory at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia was the peak of a career that also included business and winning Celebrity MasterChef. He has also faced personal struggles, including a diagnosis of probable CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), for which he is part of ongoing litigation. He said the gym helps his mental health and his body, which he described as broken.
He struggled after retiring from playing, finding it hard to find a reason to train. He said the bodybuilding show gave him a plan to commit to and complete. When he took the stage in Hull he weighed about 99kg, lighter than his playing weight of 118kg to 135kg. "You look the best version of you that you could look, but you feel the worst," he said. Training now involves three or four weight sessions a week.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing