Former national bodybuilding champion Devonshire Pillay will again put his body through all sorts of challenges in preparation for his debut appearance at the Ben Weider Worldwide Classic in the United Kingdom next year.
Pillay competed at the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Pro League Muscle Mulisha Grand Prix in Johannesburg earlier in 2018 and claimed the title in the Men’s Physique over 178cm division.
He has now set his sights on amazing the crowds with his tanned and toned physique on the international stage.
“One of my biggest dreams is to pose on a Mr Olympia stage and the Ben Weider Classic is one step away from me reaching my dream of standing on one of the biggest stages in the world,” the 35-year-old said.
“To compete at such a prestigious event [as the Mr Olympia], I cannot put into words what that would mean for me – all the dieting, daily training routines and just doing everything I need to do for that one special moment on stage.”
Pillay, who was formerly a member of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness SA, is now a member of the IFBB Pro League, which he said was the only way for him to reach the Mr Olympia stage.
He said the Johannesburg show was a regional event and in order to realise his ultimate goal of standing on the Mr Olympia stage, he would need to win the overall title in his division to get his pro card and to book his spot at his dream show.
“I felt very confident going into the Muscle Mulisha Grand Prix,” he said.
“I had worked very hard in the lead-up to that event, and most importantly, I was in a good space mentally.
“That carried over on to the stage and everything just came together on the day,” he said about the Johannesburg competition.
“The way the fitness industry has been going, this is an awesome opportunity for the guys who have been dreaming of going to stages like this.
“And now there is finally a way for guys to go over and compete on some of the biggest stages in the world.”
About his preparations for the Ben Weider classic, which will be held on March 31 2019 in the UK, Pillay said he was still in the off-season.
However, the hard work and strict dieting would get under way on Monday.
“We are changing my whole package – my coach, Mubeen Bassa, has worked out a great programme for me.
“We will be looking to add more size to my back area, to thicken it up, and just to bring more size to my body,” he said.
The 16-week programme Pillay will follow will see him bulk up for the first eight weeks before the “cut” begins where he will look to tighten everything up to get show-ready, he explained.
“Obviously I will be going up against athletes from other countries who will be working just as hard on their physiques, so it will be a tough competition, but I know if I work hard, anything is possible.”
A member of Elite Human Performance, Pillay said his coach had a wealth of knowledge and science on how to build a stage-ready physique.
“There is a lot of science involved in this sport.
“When we started working together he [quickly] found out what does and does not work for me,” he said.
“We have been working together for a little over two years now, and I am quite excited to see what the next 16 weeks hold,” Pillay said.
Asked about his aims for the Classic, he said: “That is not something I like to talk about, but I always compete with the aim of winning – my main aim is to do the best I possibly can, bring the best package to the stage and hope for the best.”