To say Okotoks native Chase Weigel is a natural on stage would be an understatement. In his first foray in bodybuilding Weigel took home the 2018 INBF Calgary Natural men’s and overall championship and NPAA Canada Classic novice and open championship in consecutive weeks. “I was really going out there initially as a personal challenge,” said Weigel, a 2004 graduate of Holy Trinity Academy. “To just to see what could happen, what could I look like? You know, to give me a new goal. “I stepped on stage and ended up winning back-to-back professional cards and four titles in two weeks.” At the behest of his older brother, Chase got involved in weightlifting when HTA was located at what is now St. John Paul II Collegiate. “Back then it was Grade 6 to 12 and we all had access to the gym,” Chase said. “I got into it because I was playing hockey in town and my brother told me ‘we’re never going to be tall so you better be strong if you want to make it.’” Sage advice, as it turned out. Weigel transitioned from hockey to long track speedskating as a high performance athlete at the Olympic Oval for eight years where he was a nationally-ranked athlete, just missing out on the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. “In that time I got my teaching degree and was still taking care of myself because fitness became the way I kept from getting hurt, it helped heal all the injuries from years back,” he said. “I was going to do a powerlifting competition this year and my older brother challenged me to do something new and maybe set a new goal to take me out of my comfort zone.” From there, Weigel – a Grade 7 math teacher in Calgary - went on a 21-week journey completely committed to preparing his body and mind for competition. “As far as first time things go I was really lucky and fortunate and it’s really an example of hard work paying off,” he said. “I made myself pretty anti-social during the time, was clean eating seven times a day, working out 2 ½ hours a day six days a week. It was a rough one, but definitely worth it.” Under the guidance of fellow Okotokian and bodybuilder Aaron Wiebe, training, nutrition and every possible angle was mapped out. “I let him look after my nutrition and dieting and spent a good 21 weeks giving him the handle,” Chase said. “Overall it was a bit of a changeover. I’m used to training for strength and athletic ability and now we started thinking about an aesthetic quality where the rep numbers changed and the rest.” The nutritional component was no different. “Then cutting every bit of sugar out of my diet to the point where I wasn’t even eating fruit was pretty interesting and brought some pretty fun moods out of me at the start,” he said with a laugh. “I was actually eating more than I was for powerlifting. I thought I was eating a lot, it turns out when you cut out all the garbage you have to eat a ton just to increase the numbers. “For me to compete I went from 190 pounds and I thought I was pretty lean in November to stepping on stage at 158.” The aesthetic quality judges are looking for include muscle size, symmetry on both arms, legs as well as muscle striations. As Weigel put it, they want you to look like a human anatomy chart. “Coming out of being a professional athlete in a previous sport my thing is full on win or nothing,” he said. “Coming into something where I was being judged one hundred per cent on how I looked, not how I performed was going to be a changeover. “At first I thought if I can get on stage and not come in last I will be super pumped. As we got closer to the event and my results started to show expectations quickly switched to I want to win.” Both the INBF and NPAA events are for natural bodybuilders with strict drug testing. Weigel underwent both a polygraph test and urine sample. The competitions have the bodybuilders paraded on stage where their bodies are compared side by side to other competitors in four relaxed poses, followed by mandatory flexing poses. The second round of competition brings out the personalities of competitors, with 60 seconds to pose, show stage presence, charisma and work the audience. “I’ve always tried to be the centre of attention,” he said. “Stepping out of your comfort zone can be a little different when it goes from being in front of a classroom like my job as a teacher to stepping out in a very revealing ‘mankini’ to show your stuff. “It’s a little frightening, but also very exciting to experience it.” It’s a good thing he’s comfortable on stage because the stage is only getting bigger for the Okotokian. Weigel qualified for the world championships held in Los Angeles in November.
