Paignton postman's mail workout helps on road to contest

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PAIGNTON postman Scott Chaplin doesn't mind hoiking a heavy bag of letters over his shoulder now and then.

It's all good training for his bid to become a British bodybuilding champion.

Now Scott will be joining his training partner Kelley McCourt in the quest for glory at the Natural Physique Association's national championships.

The NPA emphasises natural bodybuilding and imposes rigorous drug tests to prove its athletes are clean.

Scott and Kelley won through to the finals in Coventry in October thanks to their performances at the recent South West Championships in Taunton.

Scott was placed third in the novice section in what was his first competition.

Kelley was third in the trained figure section. She started competing last year, and will appear in three British finals this year run by different bodybuilding organisations.

Both train at Winners 2000 gym in Paignton.

Thirty-year-old Scott said: "Winners encouraged me to enter, and I was really surprised to finish third.

"It's the first time I've ever done anything like it. I just wanted to do something a bit out there because I'm usually a bit of a quiet person. I thought about being 30 and never having taken any risks!"

Scott has been training since he was a teenager but had never competed before.

He added: "I thought I was too small to compete but people said I should try it as I might do well.

"I'm sure the post round helps. I end up running up and down steps for about three hours a day. I don't have any trouble with the heavy bags."

Diet is vital for Scott, too.

When in serious training, he gets through five cans of tuna a day, along with the occasional jacket potato or helping of brown rice.

Kelley, 42, pays tribute to coach Paul Scarborough for his part in her success.

She said: "The natural aspect of the NPA is important to me. It's important to be lifetime-clean.

"I just love the whole healthy aspect of it.

"I'm a Pilates teacher. I love training and I love keeping fit. I am always out training."

On stage at the Taunton event both Scott and Kelley had to go through a series of routines aimed at highlighting proportion, symmetry and definition.

Scott said: "Because I'm such a quiet person I thought I'd be absolutely terrified, but in fact I couldn't get enough of it."