Building a reputation
SAXONBURG — As Kyle Walters gets older, his body gets better — or builds better.
Walters, 38, of Saxonburg, recently won first place in four categories at the National Physique Committee (NPC) Elite Physique Bodybuilding Championships in Pittsburgh.
He won the novice lightweight, novice overall, men’s masters and men’s open welterweight divisions. There were 12 to 15 competitors in each.
“I’m 38 and I can still compete in the open classes (against any age),” Walters said. “But in bodybuilding, my age plays to my advantage.
“All of these years, I’ve been injury-free. Your body develops better as you age. So does your knowledge and experience. I’ve trained my body for years.”
Walters was a high school wrestler at Armstrong Central and also competed on the mats at Indiana (Pa.) University. He competed in cross-country and track and field in high school.
“I won more than I lost as a wrestler, but unless you’re Olympic caliber, there’s not much you can do in that sport past college,” Walters said. “I still wanted to compete.
“I’ve always been faithful to the weight room. Once I didn’t have to worry about what my weight was with wrestling, I started to develop my body.”
Walters did not get heavily involved in bodybuilding until his late 20s. His first competition was the 2012 Steel City Classic at Penn State University.
Walters won the novice bantamweight division at that show. He’s been involved in 12 competitions over the past 10 years and never placed worst than second.
“I was always a well-conditioned athlete,” Walters said. “The muscle tone and symmetry came natural to me. I’ve always had a solid work ethic, so the transition into bodybuilding has been smooth for me.”
Purposely, Walters has rarely competed in more than one bodybuilding event per year.
“It’s like prepping for and running a marathon. Your body has to regenerate,” he said. “I only do one competition per year to put less stress on my body. I want the longevity.
“I see no reason why I can’t maintain my standing in this sport well into my 40s.”
As successful as Walters has been on the local stage, he has never stepped up into a national competition.
That may change before long.
Walters is attaining his master’s degree in exercise science from Pitt. He taught high school for a long time, is a certified nutritionist and a personal trainer with roughly 35 clients.
“To compete at the national level, you have to back away from other stages of your life and I haven’t been ready to do that,” Walters admitted.
But he plans on entering the NPC Mr. Pittsburgh competition, a national qualifier, this spring. The winner of that event receives an invitation to compete in a national show.
“If I do well there, I may go for it,” Walters admitted. “The Mr. Pittsburgh competition is one of the most competitive bodybuilding shows in the country. It will give me a good idea where I’m at.”
