Fit minerdigs deep

As far as debuts are concerned, they do not get any better than that of Hedland body builder Thomas Makin.

The resources worker was named the winner of the National Amateur Body-Builders’ Association and World Fitness Federation WA State Title in Perth in the novice category in his first competition earlier this month.

But the glory did not end there.

The 31-year-old’s major achievement qualified him for the men’s overall category, where he was able to beat some of the biggest names from across the State, making him eligible for the organisation’s national contest.

Working 12-hour shifts each day in the mining industry, Makin said he was forced to apply himself wholeheartedly to achieve his goal.

“It was a fantastic experience — I’ve been lifting weights for a long time with a background in the army, but I thought it was time to test myself,” he said.

“It is all about prioritising, working out what you want and once you do that, there are no excuses.

“My wife Kelly fell quite ill once and that was what taught me that we are capable of moving heaven and earth when we need to.”

Makin said his training schedule was difficult, but it was just as much a mental journey.

“In the end, I was training twice a day, with one cardio session per day as well,” he said. “The focus was also on eating and resting, finding that balance, but I was always modelling myself against the very best ... there was obviously a lot of mental training for me as well.”

Makin said he was struggling from a minor injury, but would rest for six to eight weeks before getting back into training.