84 MUSCLE & FITNESS JUNE 2016

ABS

Not many guys can claim that they’re

in better condition at the age of 42

than they were at 21, but Ricky Beckford

is an exception. Beckford, a police

dog handler and UKBFF physique

competitor, barked up a few wrong

trees before hitting on the winning

formula that enabled him to unveil his

abs and sculpt a stage-worthy physique.

“I was reasonably fit, but my six-pack

was always covered up by a layer of fat,”

he says. “I had to learn how to bring

it out.” At age 39 and staring at one

of life’s biggest milestones, Beckford

decided it was time to make it happen.

THE TURNING POINT

Beckford attended a bodybuilding

competition and was awestruck at

the conditioning of the competitors

in the men’s physique division (which,

opposed to men’s bodybuilding,

focuses more on symmetry than

building freaky size). “I walked out

of the theatre and said, ‘This time next

year I’m going to compete,’” he recalls.

“I thought it could be my last chance to

really get in shape and get something

back for all those years of training.”

The prospect of standing onstage in

just a pair of shorts and being judged

was all the motivation he needed to

overhaul his approach to training and

nutrition. Staying true to his word, he

lined up onstage the following year at

the 2014 Kent Classic. He finished a

respectable third, but his mission to

get lean had only just begun. Later that

year, he became the first British men’s

physique masters champion for over

40s. In 2015, he successfully defended

his title before placing third at the IFBB

World Championships in El Salvador.

In less than a year, Beckford had gone

from being a moderately fit guy in his

late 30s to owning one of the best bodies

in the world in his early 40s. “It shows

what’s possible if you have the right

mindset and determination,” he says.

Of course, not everyone wants to get

onstage and compete. Still, the same

keys Beckford used can also apply to

those on the latter side of 35 who are

hungry to make a drastic change with

their physique. “Most guys get to their

late 30s and think they’re over the hill,”

he says. “They’re wrong. This is the

best I’ve ever looked, and there’s no

reason others can’t do the same.”

THE CARDIO COMPONENT

The goal was to achieve a 28-inch

(71cm) waist, and cardio became

crucial to getting there. “Like a lot

of people, I used to just go to the gym

and lift weights,” hesays. “Now I do

fasted cardio in the morning, and the

difference it has made has been amazing

• I feel energised, and it burns fat.”
  Accompanied by his explosive-sniffing
  dog, Beckford does an hour of brisk
  walking first thing in the morning in

Getting into the best shape of your

life isn’t easy – but it is possible.

Just ask Ricky Beckford.

a country park near his Essex home,

about 40 minutes from London, opting

for hillier routes whenever possible.

He does this every day pre-contest and

four days a week during the rest of the

year. He also does 15 minutes pre-

workout and 10 minutes post-workout

on a cross trainer or incline treadmill

in the lead-up to a contest.

Firing up your metabolism at

a time when it wants to slow down is

fundamental to getting lean. “You have

to find what works for you; for me, it’s

steady- state cardio,” says Beckford.

He also micromanages his meal

portions. “It is no longer just about

having the right food,” he says. “It’s

about having the right amounts of the

right foods. I can’t eat too much or too

little. I have to get the right ratio of

protein, fats and carbs.”

Beckford follows a simple diet when

preparing for contests. He begins the

day with turkey mince , an egg white,

green vegetables and coconut oil; then

he has six more meals throughout the

day. Four of the six consist of chicken,

more green vegetables and sweet

potatoes; one is a post-workout meal of

whey, white rice and raspberries (the

sugar in the raspberries speeds the

uptake of whey protein); and his final

meal is oats and beef mince.

Three years ago Beckford tipped the

scale at 80 kilos. Now he competes at

71 kilos and hovers near 75 in the off-

season. Yet despite shedding weight,

the added definition allows him to look

even bigger than when he was heavier.

“It’s an illusion,” he says. “I have lost an

inch [2.5cm] off my arms, but they look

much more muscular.”

BECKFORD’S SPLIT

Beckford follows a rolling five-day split

where he takes a day off when he feels

he needs it (usually once every two

weeks). “I treat abs no differently from

any other muscle when it comes to sets

and rep ranges,” Beckford explains.

“I never do another muscle group

then just throw in abs at the end.”

It’s also as important to know what

not to do with abs as what to do with

them. “The two biggest mistakes are

going too heavy and having too much

rest between sets,” says Beckford. “I go

a lot lighter these days, concentrate on