by 
PEORIA — Robb Walker has worn a great deal of hats as a result of truth he grew up in Peoria and went to Woodruff Vital College.
Larger college band member, taking part within the flute. Shade guard member, the one male in a Peoria larger faculty color guard unit on the time. Maritime. In an extra yr, a brand new title — Dr. Walker.
And acceptable now, at age 49, champion bodybuilder.
“I simply critically hook as much as bodybuilding opponents,” reported Walker, a 1991 Woodruff graduate now working and coaching in Austin, Texas. “I competed last 12 months and did not get very first, so I did not make my skilled card.
“In a method, that was a blessing, primarily as a result of it nonetheless left a horrible type for me, genuinely pushed me.”
Sports activities-centric:6 causes the sports activities whole world may know Peoria
The 5-foot-6 Walker educated beneath Oregon-primarily based mostly coach Bleu Taylor — and with Washington level out-centered posing mentor David Paterik — and got here again with a vengeance to dominate the 2021 Nationwide Physique Committee Masters Usa nationwide opponents in December at Scottsdale, Ariz.
The NPC gives divisions for ranges of competitors within the sport’s 3 sorts: Bodybuilding, Physique, and Conventional Physique.
Walker gathered his skilled taking part in playing cards in 5 occasions, ending initially in Males’s Widespread Physique Masters 45+, 40+ and 35+, and firsts in Males’s Bodybuilding Masters Welterweight 45+ and 40+. He completed 2nd within the Welterweight 35+.
“My intention was to win one specific class and get my skilled card,” Walker defined. “However they simply saved contacting my determine, and bringing me once more to as much as the section. I imagined I used to be turning into pranked.
“For me, I admire the odor of spray tan backstage, acquiring equipped. I really like the competitors from folks coming from distinctive websites. I benefit from the impediment of creating changes to your physique.”
If you wish to observe Walker’s occupation, he’s on Instagram at txranger39_ifbb_professional. Paternik is at davidpaternik_ifbbpro. Taylor is at bleutaylorifbbpro.
From the Warriors to the Marines
Walker grew up in Peoria, carried out the flute within the Woodruff Vital School band, suggests he turned the one male to hitch a color guard unit between Peoria superior academic services and uncovered out how a lot he cherished the journey no concern what path he took.
He was within the Marines from 2002-2006, which is the place he commenced concentrating on his well being and health.
‘It is what we do’:Marines scorekeeper watches Peoria Rivermen honor armed forces with a earn
Walker is a few 12 months from incomes a Ph.D. in prison justice/Homeland Stability at Liberty College.
He’ll work as a employees options officer IV, an assistant to the deputy authorities commissioner on the Texas Wellbeing and Human Corporations Price.
Fish, fish and much more fish
Walker claims his schooling routine is 20 weeks main as much as a gift. Within the early interval, he eats seven meals a working day, loading proteins and greens and ingesting way over a gallon of water per day.
Exercises are only one hour, and half-hour is put in on cardio.
Because the weeks go by, the workout routines increase in depth.
And the meals stuff? “We’re usually modifying what I attempt to eat and the exercises based mostly totally on the seem of my physique,” Walker claimed. “In weeks 10-15, it’s actually virtually nothing however whitefish. Possibly a pair rice meals. However yeah, it’s 10 weeks of consuming solely tilapia or cod. Man, that was difficult. However my system was ready for it.”
Illinois bodybuilders:Again again-to-again COVID-19 deaths precede this powerlifter’s hall of fame induction
How he uncovered bodybuilding
Walker was in Gold’s Health heart in Austin one specific day when a girl acquaintance talked to him about bodybuilding and physique competitions.
These individuals are two numerous courses within the NPC exhibit construction. He is competed in each of these.
“I knew about bodybuilding, however I did not know there have been distinct sorts,” Walker reported. “She guided me into it. I tried bodybuilding exhibits, switched in extra of to males’s physique exhibits.
“Then I obtained main concerning the bodybuilding group displays in 2019. My coach and I did the do the job. Now I’ve skilled place, and I’m going to compete in knowledgeable nationwide show in Baltimore in October.
“I similar to performing this.”
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sporting actions columnist, and handles Bradley males’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve athletics column for pjstar.com. Obtain him at 686-3206 or [email protected] Keep on with him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
