Ripped: Cosmo is the youngest competitive bodybuilder in the UK and started training at just 11 years old
With
his ripped, striated physique and on-point stage routine, Cosmo, from
Inverness, Scotland, could easily be mistaken for a bodybuilder twice
his age.
He
started training at just 11 years old and as the youngest competitive
bodybuilder in the UK, Cosmo lifts weights for an hour every day.
He also does cardio before school to help keep his body fat below eight per cent.
And as the youngest member of a super-fit family of four, he enjoys firm support from his biggest fans - his mother and father.
Cosmo
says: 'My dad's a bodybuilder and he's always been my inspiration. Ever
since I was a little boy, all I've wanted to do is step on stage.
'Dad has encouraged me every step of the way- he's my coach, my gym buddy and my training partner.
'My
sister comes to the gym with us too - she's a competitive power lifter
and has even won gold medals - I'm really lucky to have such a good
support network around me.
'Next
year all three of us will all be competing in the same season - mum
will help to prep our food and will be there to support us at our shows.
'The
gym is my life - I love lifting and I love the buzz I get when I hit a
personal best or see growth in my muscles. At the moment, I weigh 73kg,
but eventually I want to hit around 90-95kg.'
Discliplined: The 14-year-old, who trains constantly, could easily be mistaken for a bodybuilder twice his age
Cosmo competed in the Silver City Classic Bodybuilding show in Aberdeen on November 9.
The
competition was his very first, and was a 'test' to determine whether
bodybuilding is the sport he wishes to pursue long-term.
While
some parents may think Cosmo is too young to train as a bodybuilder,
his mother Florence and father Andrew believe he has everything it takes
to be a star in the sport, and prepare his meals accordingly.
Florence says: 'Cosmo is on a very strict diet to ensure he is the best he can be come competition time.
'Bodybuilding
is a very unforgiving sport, and every muscle in Cosmo's body must be
developed to demonstrate size, symmetry and condition.
'He currently eats four meals a day, consisting mainly of lean meat, brown rice, sweet potato and oats.
'Cosmo
snacks on chicken and salad throughout the day at school, and whenever
he can he will come home for lunch so he can have a hot meal too.
'Andrew
(his father and coach) gives him one cheat day a week - which means
he's allowed to eat whatever he wants - after all, he is only 14 and
still growing, and we have to recognize that.
'Cosmo's body fat sits at around 10% which is extremely low for a child of his age, so we have to be careful.
'It will come down even further for the day of his show, but during the off season it will probably go up to around 12%.'
A
keen swimmer, BMX rider, and skateboarder, Cosmo enjoys pursuing a wide
range of physical activities during his time out from the gym. But when
he does push iron, there's no messing around.
Cosmo says: 'I can bench press more than my own body weight but it's not all about how much you can lift.
'Bodybuilding
is not all about size and strength- it's an aesthetic sport so you have
to train all your muscle groups to complement each other correctly.
'For example, it's no good having a huge chest if you have no arms- that'd just look weird.
'My
favourite muscle groups to train are arms because I tend to see quick
progress in those areas, and my worst is back- I need to work on that
some more.
'It
can take years and years to build a good physique, and there's always
room for improvement- there is no 'perfect' body- plus, it's a very
subjective sport and you never know what the judges might be looking
for.
The teenager competed in the Silver City Classic Bodybuilding show in Aberdeen on November 9
'The
day before my shows I cut my water right down to dehydrate myself -
this helps to bring my muscles to the surface and give me a vascular
look.
'It's amazing how much you can change your body through making small tweaks like fluid intake.
'My friends at school are fascinated by my physique because most of them haven't started going to the gym yet.
'They ask me questions all day long about how to get bigger arms and how to pump up your chest.
'Some of my male teachers laugh and joke about how they'd love to have a body like mine too.'
Despite having no shortage of admirers, Cosmo insists he's still too young for love.
He
said: 'I don't have a girlfriend at the moment, but the time will come.
At the moment I'm too focused on my diet and training to think about
dating girls.
'I'm only 14 - most of my friends don't have girlfriends yet either.
Family business: Cosmo is pictured with his sister Bronwyn, 16 - who is a prize-winning power lifter
'When
I do meet someone they will most definitely have to be into fitness,
enjoy going to the gym and most importantly- impress my mum and dad.'
Cosmo's proud mother Florence said: 'We are extremely proud of Cosmo for having achieved so much at such a young age.
'His body is earned, not given, and his hard work and dedication has certainly paid off.
'Both our children are extremely active- his sister Bronwyn is a very successful power-lifter- it's how we encourage them to be.
'Some
parents might think Cosmo's regime is radical for a boy of his age, but
it's his choice, he absolutely lives for his training.
Fan club: The bodybuilding schoolboy's biggest supporters are his parents Florence and Andrew
'He is extremely mature for his age, both physically and mentally.
'His
father Andrew is particularly looking forward to competing with him at
the British Natural Bodybuilding Federation show next spring - they will
be a father and son duo.
'We
will always support Cosmo in whatever career or sport he decides to
pursue as an adult and can't wait to see him up on stage.'
Graham
Park, organizer of the Silver City Classic event said: 'Cosmo is
certainly the youngest competitor we've seen, and to my knowledge the
youngest competitor in the sport to date.
'He
competed against men seven years his senior in his class, which is very
ambitious. No matter how good your genes may be, it takes years to
build an impressive physique.
'I don't foresee any health problems with someone of Cosmo's age competing.
'I'd
encourage more youngsters to take up the sport- it's certainly better
than living on crisps and chocolate like many school kids seem to do
nowadays.
'The
great thing about bodybuilding is we get people come to us of all ages
and it doesn't discriminate against the young or the old.
'It's the friendliest, most welcoming sport you could ever take part in.'
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