- Published
It could have been deep in the bowels of English rugby's national stadium in Twickenham.
uncertain
It → publish → Twickenham
Instead, Phil Vickery was backstage at the Physical Culture Show in Hull, waiting for his moment - but this time as a bodybuilder.
asserted
Vickery → wait → bodybuilder
"It reminded me of being in the changing room before the big game, your nerves - are you going to be sick, you're happy, you're not happy, I can do this, this is raw."
asserted
this → remind → this
Vickery says just recalling that moment earlier this month makes his hair stand on end.
asserted
hair → say → end
All the girls and boys can relate to that, because that's the same at whatever level of sport you play.
asserted
you → relate → sport
"I'm questioning myself, should I even be there?
asserted
I → question → myself
But then you go, actually, do you know what?
asserted
you → go → what
I've done the work.
asserted
I → do → work
I've done the graft."
What started as an ambition to get fit has ignited a passion for mental and physical fitness, and for Vickery being the best version of himself.
asserted
Vickery → do → himself
Then came a challenge from his friend Lee Powell and, with support from his physical trainer Dave Campbell, Vickery entering bodybuilding competitions at the age of 50.
asserted
Vickery → come → 50
"What it probably did for me is ignite that ex-pro rugby player in me of detail, discipline, turning up when it's dark and dingy and cold, competing, and we went from there," Vickery said.
"What I've fallen in love with, with the bodybuilding, it's a very singular, isolated sport, because it is you against you.
asserted
it → ignite → you
You can't hide behind a keyboard.
asserted
You → hide → keyboard
You are stood on stage.
asserted
You → stand → stage
Your physique and what you look like is a direct reflection of your effort and what you have done, and that is quite scary.
asserted
that → look → what
"
Diagnosis for probable CTE
The former Gloucester and Wasps prop won 73 caps for England, five more for the British and Irish Lions.
asserted
prop → win → Lions
Victory at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia was a sporting zenith in a career that includes being a businessman and a Celebrity MasterChef winner.
asserted
that → include → career
But personal struggles and a diagnosis for probable CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), for which Vickery is part of a continuing litigation battle, means he has had to manage his mental health.
asserted
he → continue → health
"We all deal with things differently.
asserted
We → deal → things
I think having the gym and having that space to be able to work is really important for my mental health, but also for my body physically, because it is broken, so I use it in that sense.
asserted
I → think → sense
I think the one thing I really struggled with when I finished playing is I trained to play and I couldn't find that reason to train afterwards.
asserted
I → think → reason
And although you should train for yourself or your wellbeing, it probably took a low point or something to actually trigger it.
asserted
it → train → it
"But, probably, the bodybuilding - or doing the show or doing the original transformation - I have to close the circle.
asserted
I → do → circle
You know, you have a plan, you make a plan, you implement it, you commit to it, see it through, and then it's over and it's done.
asserted
it → know → it
And then you move on."
asserted
you → move → ?
When Vickery took to the stage in Hull, he says he weighed about 99kg.
asserted
he → take → kg
More defined, but lighter than his playing days when he said his weight would range between 118kg and 135kg.
asserted
weight → define → kg
"[On stage] you look the best version of you that you could look, but you feel the worst.
uncertain
you → look → worst
It's kind of a silly sport but it's amazing what the human body can do.
asserted
body → do → what
"Age, for me, doesn't bother me at all.
asserted
Age → bother → me
I still think I'm 27.
asserted
I → think → ?
My body tells me different."
asserted
body → tell → me
Training now involves three or four weight sessions a week, combined with daily walks (fasting cardio) and a protein-rich diet.
asserted
Training → involve → walks
He hopes more shows will follow in the future.
asserted
shows → hop → future
I can't do what I used to do and I think the battle for me, certainly when I finished [playing] and even to this day, is you cannot get back those feelings that you had when you used to do what you do.
asserted
you → do → what
I think doing things which can get you outside, test you physically and mentally, and put you in those uncomfortable positions.
asserted
which → think → positions
It's repurposing the skills that you've learned.
asserted
you → repurpose → that
You've just got to use them in a different way.
asserted
You → get → way
Vickery is known for his openness.
asserted
Vickery → know → openness
He posts regularly on his social media channels about his health and fitness.
asserted
He → post → health
But he's not comfortable with being labelled as an "influencer".
asserted
he → label → influencer
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
