Masters of fitness

Perfect lighting, stripped down to almost nothing and all oiled up, most people would be a little uncomfortable to have so many eyes on them at a time like this, but for Reed Masters, it’s just all part of the competition.

Masters, of Odessa, after years of preparation, recently earned himself the official title of the Master’s National Bodybuilding Champion — and he’s more than 60 years old.

“I was in the 60-plus lightweight completions which is 176 1/4 pounds or less, and everyone over that competed in heavyweight,” Masters said of his first competition. “You have to have a lot of help to prepare for something such as this.”

Masters said he didn’t start training for bodybuilding competitions until 2003. At 56, he really needed a lot of help.

Masters found his help in the motivations and training techniques of Mitchell Lee, a personal trainer with Fine Fit of Odessa. Lee, however, said he was just only a small part of the equation that landed Masters the championship.

“I’m just the trainer, I just see him a couple times a week to torture him,” Lee said with a laugh. “He’s the one who has to get up every day and train and eat right, that’s all him.”

Masters, who still holds a regular job as the main shareholder of Carter Tool Co,, said the process to prepare for a national bodybuilding competition is grueling.

“The main thing you do to prepare is work out with weights,” he said. “You also have to concentrate on your diet and make sure you don’t eat too many fatty food or overload on carbs.”

Masters said bodybuilders tend to try and stay in a specific weight area and consume food loaded with protein.

“I’m a natural bodybuilder, as opposed to the big muscle-monster type you see on TV,” he said, explaining that he utilizes many natural muscle-gaining substances like protein and kryotine.

And while the competition is called bodybuilding, Masters said a bodybuilder has more than just his body to prepare before a competition.

“You also have to practice your presentation, so that you will have the appearance of as much muscle fullness and as much leanness as possible,” he said. “There are mandatory poses that you must do and then there are a few optional poses that you can do to your own selection of music, which usually last 60 to 90 seconds.”

Masters said that at one point, all of the competitors — 12 in his division — come out on stage at one time.

“They compare all of us while we are side by side,” he said.

Masters said the detailed diets, training and even tanning to give his muscles the ultimate sleek look was worth the effort.

“When I found out about this competition years ago, I decided I wanted it to be one of my number one goals,” he said. “My goal was just to do the best I could do.”

And while he carries home the title, he stays humble.

“I accomplished my goal, but I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it without all the help I received and abundant blessings,” he said.