PAUL DE OCAMPO

Founder of Body N Beauty.

Paul de Ocampo is going through a whole range of movements and using varied weights in the gym, and with a fascinating sense of concentration, he grips hundred pound dumbells in each hand and with the help of a spotter, proceeds to do some exercises for his chest and arms. In half an hour, he has pulled cables and lifted steel with enough intensity to maintain his good physique.

It’s the same kind of focus that has moved him to strike success in his work as a trainer and, yes, as a champion bodybuilder. Paul, who migrated to Australia from the Philippines, is 5′11″ and 210 pounds and has won several “Natural” (without the use of steriods, that is) bodybuilding competitions.

Among his proud titles are:

Mr. Western Australia under 75kg Champion – 1993
Mr. Western Australia under 80kg Champion – 1994
Mr. Western Australia under 90kg Champion – 1995
Mr. Philippine National Games, Heavyweight and Overall Champion – 1997
Mr. Western Australia over 90kg Champion – 2003
and
Mr. Australia (Heavyweight)Champion – 2003

(Paul meets Arnold)

Through the years, he has met respected personalities in the sport like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno and Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates.

But more than working at developing muscles for showing off, Paul has a mission: promoting fitness among the youth. Like his fitness hero Arnold, he has shared his expertise in weight training, fitness and nutrition through lectures and seminars among youth groups in Canada, Australia, Philippines and the U.S.A.

Although he has built the impressive mass and symmetry envied by many guys who are deep into weight training, Paul reveals that his winning physique can’t exactly be attritubed to superb genetics. Paul says that he, too, used to be one of those scrawny guys that we often laugh about in old comic books, the ones that get sand kicked in their face by well-muscled bullies on the beach.

(Weakling 70 kgs)

“They said it couldn’t be done.” he recalls, “Bonewise, I was small,
I was a 70kg weakling. Musclewise, other guys were much bigger.
But I said, ‘I’m going to prove you wrong.’ I’m going to study
the mental side of the sport, what it’s all about, the risks, correct
nutrition and the right way to exercise. I have the drive and I love the discipline.”

In Australia, where he has since lived with his family, Paul wakes up at 5:30 in the morning, “it thrills me, I drvie my car to the gym, and it’s so cold during the winter, the bars stick to my hands, and I still workout. That sort of mental drive is something that I’ve put to good use in the other aspects of my life – in my family life and career, for instance.”

Like any disciplined fitness enthusiast, Paul prepares his own meals. When he is training for a contest, his typical protein-packed diet includes eating 12 egg whites plus a serving of toast for breakfast. After his morning workout, he has 2 cans of tuna in water and about five cups of rice. For lunch, it’s two chicken breast and broccoli. For dinner, it’s either steak, chicken or fish, plus vegetables.

Equally important amongst “Natural” bodybuilders, he says, is psyching up for the contest and getting proper nutrition. He observes, “It’s a sports that’s all illusion. Once you’re on stage, you’ll never know who’s really big. That’s why when I prepare for an event, I do it in a professional manner. First, I measure myself then calculate how much protein I need.

(Paul’s First Win – ‘93)

“For a 210-pound bodybuilder, for example, you protein requirement is times two of your own weight. I measure everything scientifically. As for my diet, I get my amino acids from steaks and egg whites. Carbohydrates, I get from lots of rice, bread and pasta. I eat lots of vegetables, especially for dinner. I get enough sleep and I live a simple life.”

With companies forever cashing in on the business of weight loss and looking good – with exercise gadget, food supplements, fad diets and drugs, it is easy for the body conscious to fall prey to these so-called miracle products guaranteeing quick results.

Although bodybuilding has helped him develop discipline and self-confidence, Paul always gives himself a reality check. He adds, “I always make sure that I’m honest with myself. It’s bodybuilding, not ego building. I face the mirror to check my progress, to see whether I should build my chest or my shoulders. It’s like studying, you concentrate on what needs to be improved. First I skim through the easier routines, then I exert my full effort on the more difficult ones.”

Does Paul’s daily routine sound too severe for a bodybuilder wannabe? On the contrary, he says, a muscle man’s life is really far from boring. He adds, “A lot of people think that bodybuilders don’t have a life. But, the truth is, they do. In my case, for example, I still go out for a date or with my friends, I drink beer occasionally, I have fun when I want to. but I also train hard when I’m in the gym.”