Meet Yusuf Rabiu 'YR' Bamidele, a fitness consultant based in Lagos and one of Nigeria's most promising physical culture athletes!
He got introduced to the sport of bodybuilding in the year 2011 and has not looked back, despite initial discouragement from family and close friends. "I was told severally that bodybuilding is detrimental to health, especially in old age. But then, after a Google search, I discovered that not only is the sport healthy, but that I would actually be doing myself a lot of harm by not eating and sleeping right to complement my efforts in the gym. This knowledge, together with disapproving comments by loved ones, was all the fuel I needed to push myself even harder."
Bamidele considers adequate after-workout recovery as well as (discipline in adhering to) a properly structured nutrition plan (as prevailing financial circumstances allow) as critical to success in moulding that ideal physique. All things being equal, a typical day for him comprises of 5 meals: Meal 1 consists of 150g oatmeal, a tablespoon of honey, a handful of groundnut, a small banana and three eggs. Meals 2, 3 & 4 comprise 400g of rice, cabbage and shawa (herring) fish, while Meal 5 consists of potatoes and three eggs.
One of Bamidele's aims is to effect a change in the way physical culture is perceived by a large section of the populace. "I plan to help individuals and even athletes realize how much they can achieve with what they have around them, set and achieve realistic goals through personalized training programs, nutrition plans and recovery strategies, all without sacrificing their jobs or other life concerns. My motto is, 'Yes you can!'" He has already taken a huge step towards this by enrolling for and achieving ISSA certification as an elite personal trainer, nutritionist as well as a specialist in bodybuilding. He plans to build on this foundation by setting up a consultancy, YR Coaching, and has started taking on clients already.
Bamidele is available for consultation and can be reached via his social media platforms: Yusuf Bamidele (Facebook), @YRCoachingNG (Twitter) and email: yrcoachingng@gmail.com
The NBD
