New Faces – Brent Felstead

About a month ago, I was having coffee with a well-known magazine publisher. He was lamenting the fact that in contrast to the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, most of today’s pro bodybuilders have very little to say that’s worthwhile. As a result, when you read most articles about them, you find they are usually about nothing more than how much the bodybuilders weigh, what they eat, and how long sleep. Frankly, that’s not at all interesting or inspiring to readers.

That’s why when I started SeriousAboutMuscle.com I wanted it to be different from all the other magazines. We have training articles that are useful and there are general-interest articles that are timely and relevant. Furthermore, we publish write-ups about people who either have something interesting to say or have a story that’s inspiring. Obviously, though, given what I just said about my conversation with the magazine publisher, it should be no surprise that most of the people we write about aren’t pro bodybuilders. Rather, we tend to focus on amateurs.

This article is about Brent Felstead, a 42-year-old natural bodybuilder who is featured on our cover this month. Brent is a Lead Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Technologist for Canada’s Department of National Defence. He works out of Ottawa, but the job also takes him all over the world. Brent is also the father of two (ages 10 and 3). He coaches both his sons’ soccer teams and he helps his oldest son with homework every night. Furthermore, he also helps to care for his father-in-law who is stricken with Alzheimer's.

With such a busy schedule, most people wouldn’t have time to do much else. But Brent not only manages to train five to six days per week, he also competes. Last year he won the Masters division (over age 40) at the Ontario National Qualifier (Natural Ontarios), a win that qualified him for the CBBF National World Qualifier, Canada’s qualifying event for the various world championship that are sanctioned by the IFBB and held in many different locations worldwide. This year’s Qualifier is being held on June 14 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Brent plans to compete there.

But being over 40, along with having a busy job and a couple of kids, isn’t everything that makes Brent’s story about getting himself to a national-level competition inspiring. Instead, there’s one more thing: In 1999, Brent had one of the scariest experiences imaginable that changed his life forever. Brent recalls what happened, "I was almost completely paralyzed in my right leg, partly blind in my left eye, and had no feeling through most of my lower torso." When he went to the doctor to find out what was going wrong, he learned he had multiple sclerosis.

When Brent found that out, he obviously thought that his competition days were over. However, it was one of his friends, Brian Robitaille (one of Canada’s premier natural bodybuilders), who encouraged him not to just continue training, but to compete as well. In 2000, they both went into the Ontario Physique Association’s drug-tested provincial championships (the Ontario National Qualifier, aka the Natural Ontarios) where Brian placed first and Brent placed fourth in a class of 15.

Since then, Brent has competed numerous times, but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing – his MS has certainly caused some setbacks. According to Brent, "Over the years I have had to completely rebuild my right rear delt three times and front left deltoid head once. I have been paralyzed in my right leg twice, lost partial sight in my left eye, lost all sensation from the tips of my toes to my hips on both legs, and lost all the feeling through my torso. Each of the ‘attacks’ last from two to four months, symptoms coming on and leaving slowly. After my relapse two years ago, I thought my competitive days were done."

Luckily, Brent’s competitive days are not over yet. After that last attack a couple of years ago, his doctor convinced him to change his medication. He now uses a product called Rebif, which he has to take three times per week. Each time Rebif is administered, it results in flu-like side symptoms that last for 24 hours; however, he hasn’t had an attack since he started to use it. As a result, for him, the benefits far outweigh the negative side effects and now he simply times his hardest and heaviest workouts so they don’t take place on the day after he takes his medication. Furthermore, the maker of Rebif, Serono Canada, is sponsoring him for the CBBF National World Qualifier competition.

Pro bodybuilders might not have much to say these days, but if you look around you can find interesting and inspiring stories in the amateur ranks. Brent Felstead’s story is one of them. Having MS has certainly been a huge hurdle for Brent, and I can imagine that most people would have given up on their dream of competing. However, with perseverance, Brent has found ways to overcome this tremendous obstacle. Furthermore, he credits an all-natural bodybuilding lifestyle for keeping him strong and helping him to work through it.

We wish Brent good luck at the CBBF National World Qualifier on June 14.

...Doug Schneider, Publisher
das@seriousaboutmuscle.com

Doug Schneider is the publisher and chief photographer for SeriousAboutMuscle.com, BodyBuildingLive.com, and SeriousAboutFitness.com.