An Impressive Texas Trio
in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. The three competed in the 1999 Red River
Classic in Oklahoma City, placing at or near the top of their classes.
Jerry, with good symmetry and sharply peaked
biceps, walked away with first place
in the open lightweight class. Paul Fowler, whose most muscular and
arm poses
almost stole the show, captured the novice heavyweight and novice
overall titles.
Todd DeJulius, with an outstanding midsection and symmetry, placed
second to
Paul in the heavyweight novice class. Following are profiles of Jerry
and Paul
based on interviews conducted at The Gym in January of
2000.
Standing 5-4, Jerry will probably never
be the tallest nor the heaviest bodybuilder on stage. But if
hard work, determination, strict dieting and favorable
genetics have any impact on the outcome, be just might walk
away with a trophy or two in 2000, just as he did in
1999. This 37-year-old competitor got his start
lifting for football in high school. He now trains at The
Gym with personal trainer Shawn Alexander. "Shawn suggested to me that I have the
perfect body type for bodybuilding," Jerry explained. "After
I saw how Shawn worked with his bodybuilding clients, I
decided to get into it." He trains with Shawn three times a week
and often crosses paths with Paul at The
Gym. "We see each other a lot and help each
other out, especially when it gets close to contest
time." Jerry's first contest -- about three
years ago -- was a "disaster," he said. "I was nervous. I
let the other bodybuilders get into my head, and I didn't
even make the cut." This past year, however, competing as a
lightweight, Jerry took home two firsts and a
second. A radiology technican by profession,
Jerry plans to compete in the Southwest Naturals in 2000 and
then head to the Junior Nationals in Houston during the
summer; then probably a trip to the NPC Nationals in New
York in the fall. Diet, Jerry said, is the hardest part of
his contest preparation. "Once you nail that down, it's
downhill from there," he added. Legs are his best bodypart, Jerry says,
while chest is his favorite bodypart to train. His other priority for 200 is polishing
his posing routine. "I'm going to really concentrate on my
posing and looking natural on stage." Like many other male bodybuilders, Paul
Fowler first hit the weight room in high school, and
football was one reason he tried to add some mass to his
self-described "genetically lean" physique. It worked. "My junior and senior years I had some
knee trouble, but I continued to lift," he explained. "At
age 18 I entered my first competition and won the show. I
entered another show and won that one. The next two shows I
had to go in the men's open division, and I got
creamed." Paul moved from Arizona to Texas where
Shawn Alexander helped him get into contest shape once
again. Fowler's physique at the Red River in 1999 earned him
first place in his weight class and first in novice men
overall. Paul plans to compete in the North
Texas/Southwest USA this spring to qualify for
national-level competition . Paul trains with his roommate and younger
brother when he's not building and installing those cellular
towers that seem to be springing up everywhere. "I have a very active job. To stay on top
of the game at work, then train two to two-and-a-half hours
a day and eat right -- that's hard to do," Paul
said. Paul competed at the 1999 Red River at
205 pounds. His off-season weight is about 30 to 40 pounds
heavier, and he plans to walk on stage at 220 to 225 pounds
this spring. Diet-wise, Paul's daily protein intake is
approximately 500 to 600 grams, slightly more than twice his
body weight in pounds. Paul said ohers have given him
compliments on his shoulders and biceps. Quads, he added,
are his toughest bodypart to train.
Click here for new photos of Jerry and Paul
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