GREENHORN VALLEY
Ben Beck set in the auditorium and watched his grandson, Caleb Hurne, compete in a National Physique Committee (NPC) event last November. Hurne won the 2022 State Teenage title and placed second in the Open Division at the 2023 NPC Mountain West Naturals. But this story is more about his grandfather.
Beck, who was into power lifting in his late 20’s, had always wanted to compete in a body building competition. Now 76 years old, he watched his grandson and marveled at the work and energy he was putting into something so positive.
Beck also cast an eye at the competitors in the 50+ year-old age group and decided he could compete.
Ten months ago Beck began working to make that bucket list entry a reality. Lifting four times a week for between three and four hours each time, Beck, who was already in good shape, dropped 15 pounds and rounded out his muscles and physique.
On November 23, he won the Masters 50+ class physique at the National Physique Community Mountain West Naturals held in Colorado Springs.
Physique is a stepping stone for most to become body builders.
There are several differences.
In physique there is more focus on aesthetics and less ‘strutting your stuff’. Body Building focuses on muscles and size.
Beck shared, “In physique you don’t have to spend money on all kinds of crazy stuff including steroids.”
In physique the contestants also wear shorts as opposed to Gstring like apparel.
In the competition, itself, there are six mandatory poses which you perform in front of five judges. That is followed by a 60second posing routine accompanied by choreography.
Three were scheduled to compete in the 50+ class but the other two bowed out, leaving Beck as the lone competitor and the winner. For Beck, it was anything but a hollow victory, when the man who was running the program told him he received more applause than the guest poser they had hired to instruct the audience on the competitive nuances.
Beck plans to compete again.
The NPC Tokyo Joes Rocky Mountain Championships with be held in Denver on November 11. Beck expects three to four times more competitors because, unlike the competition he was just in, there will be no steroid testing done.