Brundidge body builder Buddy Carter won first place in the over 40 age division of the Vulcan Classic in Birmingham on Saturday.

Carter also placed third in the novice division.

For Carter, it was his first body building competition. Although he has been working out for eight years, Carter had trained extensively for the Vulcan Classic for 16 weeks.

“My diet was fish, fish and fish, asparagus, broccoli and green beans,” Carter said, with a smile. “It was a tough 16 weeks but it paid off on Saturday when I got the trophy in my hand.”

Carter said the competition was stiff and he did have a few butterflies early in the day.

“But, as I went though the poses, I gained more confidence,” he said. “By the end of the competition, I was relaxed and really enjoyed competing.”

The competition included a variety of poses and Carter said he had been instructed on all of them by his personal trainer at Walt’s Gym, Brian Arrington.

“About eight years ago, I started working out as a way to get healthier,” Carter said. “I didn’t feel good and I thought that working out and paying attention to my diet would help me feel better. Brian started working with me and the more I worked out, the better I started to feel and the better my body began to look. I lost fat and gained muscle.”

As Carter progressed, Arrington suggested that he might want to consider entering a body building competition.

“I had competed and, I told Buddy that it was tough getting ready for a competition but I thought he would be a good competitor,” Arrington said. “I told him, too, that preparing for a body building competition can be stressful on the family and you have to have the support of your family or you won’t make it.”

Carter said that he had the support and encouragement of his wife, Tanya, his daughters and all his family.

“It was hard on my family because it took a 100 percent commitment on my part,” Carter said.

Sixteen weeks before the competition, Carter had done all the “muscle” work and it was then all about diet – pumping in the protein and monitoring the water intake.

Carter said his family and Arrington gave him the support and encouragement he had to have to stay the course.

“I worked long and hard and I had accomplished what I set out to do – to be prepared to compete,” he said. “When I went out on the stage for the first time, I wasn’t sure I could do it. I was nervous and my confidence was shaky. But I gained confidence as I went along. That first place trophy was the reward I had hoped for and it did feel good to get it in my hands.”

Arrington said the Vulcan Classic was a National Pose Competition so it was a highly rated body building competition.

“Buddy said he only wanted to compete once but he might change his mind now that he’s tested the competition and won,” Arrington said.

Carter didn’t say yes or no, only “Krispy Crème donuts sure do taste good.”