Lisa Capper, 41, from Bangor spent two years dedicating herself to working out and eating right
female bodybuilder from Gwynedd who used the Covid-19 lockdown to her advantage went on to win 10 trophies this year alone.(Image: Lisa Capper)
A female bodybuilder from Gwynedd who used the Covid-19 lockdown to her advantage went on to win 10 trophies this year alone. Lisa Capper, from Bangor, started her fitness journey in 2018.
The 41-year-old, who works for Anglesey County Council, decided she wanted to get into bodybuilding when she met her coach, Derek Jones, a bodybuilder from Caernarfon, at the gym four years ago. She went on to enter two competitions, but everything came to a stand-still when the lockdown was announced in March 2020 due to coronavirus.
Gyms across the country were forced to close, but Lisa didn’t let this stop her. Using this time to build her strength, she set up a gruelling training regime so that she could come back fitter and stronger, once regulations allowed.
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Speaking of her recent achievements, the mum-of-three said: “When Covid hit everything stopped. I decided to use that to my advantage and luckily had a set up in our shed so I was still able to train.
“When I first started I entered two competitions but I was very new and I didn’t get very far. I wanted to use the downtime during lockdown to better myself in the field.
“It has taken a lot of dedication. I was getting up at six to train, going to work, trying to get 10,000 steps in a day and doing cardio, as well as training in the evenings. It was worth it, but it can be gruelling, especially when you throw the kids into the mix as well.
“The meal preparation in itself can be hard work. It’s not just about physically training, it’s about what you put into your body as well.
“In the lead up to a competition I would keep my meals really simple – oats, chicken and rice mainly. The food matters just as much as the movement.”
Since May, Lisa has May entered the National Amateur Body-Builders’ Association (NABBA) North West competition and won her class in the lady’s toned figure and won ladies overall, as well as best routine. She also won her class in June in the NABBA British finals.
Lisa then went on to win her class in the International Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation in October before winning her class at NABBA Universe and NABBA UK. Earlier this month she also won her class and ladies overall, as well as best presentation in the NAC-UK competition.
She has won ten trophies from the six competitions she took part in. Lisa was also given the opportunity to compete in Germany this weekend but sadly, due to the cost of living crisis, had to turn it down.
She said: “Financially, it just wasn;t the right decision to go. I have also qualified for NAC worlds next year, the NABBA British finals next year and IBFA British finals next year.
“But I might take a year out now and grow muscle to see if I can move up a category. At the moment I compete in the ‘toned’ section, but could potentially move up to ‘atheltic’.
“I just wanted to say a massive thank you to my coach Derek Jones from Caernarfon. I couldn’t have done this without him.
“I also want to thank my children and husband for all their support this year. My daughter has been to nearly every show to support me and I couldn’t of done any of them without my husband by my side.”
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