The NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia, which is the longest running and most prestigious natural bodybuilding show in Pennsylvania, returns this Saturday, April 13, in Trevose at the Radisson Hotel Northeast.
“Fitman” Eric Brown, who after a 12-year journey won the overall title at the 2022 NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia to earn his pro cards in natural bodybuilding and classic physique, will compete in both professional divisions.
Success Requires Struggle
Fitman is the owner of The Fitman Performance & Physique Center in Roslyn, an Abington High School alumni, and a NGA Pro Natural Bodybuilder. He made his professional debut in the NGA at the 2023 Mr. Natural Philadelphia competition and placed second in open bodybuilding and classic physique.
“I brought the best physique of my life so far to Mr. Natural Philly in 2023 and it wasn’t good enough to win,” Fitman said. “I don’t like to lose but that’s life. You can do everything right and things still may not go your way. The important thing though is how will you respond?”
“The only way you truly lose in life is if you quit when you get knocked down. There are many life-changing lessons to be learned whether you win or lose. But one truth in life is that you cannot win unless you lose. It took me 12 years of losing to eventually become a champion and earn my pro card. I wouldn’t have it any other way because I learned so much about consistency, discipline, and overcoming the odds during that 12 years.”
“Success requires struggle,” the 2022 NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia winner said. “I don’t possess the prototypical natural bodybuilder physique, but that never stopped me from pursuing my deepest passion in life which is promoting health, fitness, and building the physique.”
Fitman’s Natural Bodybuilding Journey To The 2024 Stage
We asked Fitman a few questions to get some insight on his competition prep for the 2023-2024 natural bodybuilding season.
How long have you been prepping for this competition?
“I officially started this contest prep on October 1st. I actually started earlier this year and it has absolutely paid off. I always aim to give myself more than enough time to get shredded which for my standards is getting myself to under a true 7 percent body fat (Dexa Scan). I was about 7.2 percent body fat one month before this show and I’m even leaner now, so I’ve been ready to dance for some time!”
What are the keys to losing body fat?
“Fat loss all comes down to creating an energy deficit. We can create an energy deficit by doing more activity to burn more calories (harder) or we can decrease the amount of food we eat to bring our energy intake lower. Trust me when I say it is much easier to subtract 100 calories from your daily diet than to try to burn them through hard training, so the dietary changes are of extreme importance during contest prep. Nobody can out train a bad diet and end up in great contest shape.
Are there any special workouts you do to build more muscle during contest prep?
“There is a train of thought that when contest prep starts a natural bodybuilder should drastically change their training program. But that mindset is a myth and the absolute definition of smoke and mirrors. A natural bodybuilder should still lift in a way that promotes muscle growth. And that means continuing to focus on making objective progress in your lifts for as long as your dwindling caloric intake will allow. Your lifting workouts should not turn into cardio type workouts or you will lose even more muscle mass along your way to getting stage lean. Let your lifting build your muscle and physique. Let your diet (primarily) and cardio take care of the fat loss. And let your sleep and stress management take care of your recovery from training and the overall fatigue that accumulates during contest prep. This is all easier said than done!
Are there any advanced supplements that you take to burn fat?
“The only way to lose body fat is to create an energy deficit through eating less food or doing more activity. Supplements like creatine, glutamine, and certain vitamins and minerals can improve your performance in the gym and improve your overall health and recovery, but none of them are the magic pill for fat loss. There is no magic way to lose body fat. You’ve got to put in that consistent, quality effort over time with your training, diet, and recovery in order to build a championship physique.”
2024 NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia Details
The 2024 NGA Mr. Natural Philadelphia, promoted by NGA Hall Of Famer Warren Egebo of Pump Promotions, will take place Saturday, April 13 at the Radisson Hotel in Trevose. The doors open at 10:00am and tickets will be available for the general public. Prejudging begins at 11:00am.
Will Fitman be able to win both pro divisions in bodybuilding and classic physique?
To see Fitman and the rest of Philadelphia’s top amateur and professional natural bodybuilders compete make sure you are there this Saturday!
- Event: 2024 NGA Mr/Ms. Natural Philadelphia
- Venue: Radisson Hotel Philadelphia Northeast
- Location: 2400 Old Lincoln Highway, Trevose, Pa. 19053
- Time: Doors open for the general public at 10am. Prejudging begins at 11am and Finals begin at 3pm.
- Website: http://www.naturalphillybodybuilding.com
Prediction
We asked Fitman one final question: What is his prediction on who will win the pro divisions?
“Natural bodybuilding is a subjective sport. You never know what the judges will do on a given day but that’s why your focus has to be on objectively improving your physique every year. The only thing you have control over is making positive improvements to your physique. If you adopt this mindset you will eventually rise up in the rankings.”
“I’ve done everything I can to put myself in the best position to win the pro divisions. I haven’t missed any meals or workouts and I’m bringing my best package ever to the stage. There will be some excellent competition in the pro division. The best man will win and I believe that man is me,” Fitman said with hearty laugh. “Living the natural bodybuilding lifestyle is what connects us. I have a deep respect and admiration for all my iron brothers and sisters because contest prep is an arduous process and not for the weak. But my confidence in my ability to win is always sky-high!”
Follow Fitman
Fitman is on multiple websites and social media platforms. Fitman is also an internationally published author of 3 eBooks. To get the unvarnished truth about natural bodybuilding, athletic performance, fitness/health, and to purchase his eBooks, follow him at:
Books:
FitmanClassicBodybuilding.com/Books
Websites:
FitmanPerformance.com
FitmanClassicBodybuilding.com
Social Media:
Instagram: @FitmanEB
Tik Tok: @FitmanEB
X: @FitmanEB
YouTube: @FitmanEB
Facebook: @Fitman
For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.