Bodybuilding Championships To Showcase Body Perfections
On July 20 at the Von Braun Center, the fifth annual Tennessee Valley Bodybuilding Championships will take place with an array of body types, ages and confidence levels on display for all to see. Two of those eager to hit the stage and show off the results of their hard work and dedication to build their bodies to what many call perfection are Annabelle Bryars and Austin Adair. Both are local former multi-sport athletes who are in their second year of sculpting their bodies and minds with one goal in mind- winning.
“I’ve always been a girly-girl, but never entered beauty pageants, but last summer I found out about bodybuilding and thought it was a muscle beauty pageant and a how you look sport,” said the 19-year old Bryars, a one-time four-sport athlete at St. John Paul II Catholic High School and current student at Samford University where she is studying business marketing with an Air Force ROTC scholarship.
“My mother was a bodybuilder so I was in a weight room as a youngster as I’ve been working out consistently since age 13 and I always wanted to be bigger and stronger,” said Adair, who has worked as a senior consultant contractor for the past six years on Redstone Arsenal and was a five-year strength and conditioning coach at his alma matter Grissom High. “This is my first official competition starting from ground zero.”
Bodybuilding competitions require physical and mental discipline including sculpting the body and having the mindset alongside to help get nutrition in line with the physical workouts. Enthusiasm and drive are needed to keep the competition training on track and then perfecting the posing needed to show off every inch possible of your physique. There is no room for hesitations.
Bryars is 19, stands 5-foot-3 and tips the scales at a mere 116 pounds. She will compete in the open class C competition. She began being what she termed a “gym rat” just after COVID in 2020 as she consistently began going to the gym to workout. She fell in love with the process and became smitten with the quiet time where she could “work on me.”
“As I started out, I weighed 136 pounds and I wanted the potential to make myself to look good so I began the process and it’s now striking to see myself change,” said Bryars. “At first, I had no idea of what I was doing. I was a complete beginner, but I saw the huge change in myself. I was going through workouts, without knowing what I was doing, but bodybuilding helped me learn more about my body.”
At 5-7, 175, Adair began heavy training and diet change in early 2023. He tried some powerlifting competitions but not a lot of opportunities to excel in that sport came about, so he turned to bodybuilding where he has shaped his body into what could be an award winner. Seeing his body change has given him confidence. “My best body part has to be my Abs. I don’t have big shoulders so my Abs easily show out. I like having a strong core,” said Adair.
Now 36, Adair was a two-sport athlete at Grissom High where he played football and was a wrestler. He also played trumpet in the school band and found out as a sophomore he could possibly receive a college scholarship to Jacksonville State as a musician. He attended JSU for a year before he transferred to the University of Alabama and became a section leader for the school’s Million Dollar Marching Band. He also played a trumpet solo in the 2011 National Championship Game where Alabama defeated LSU 21-0. Two weeks later, he chose to be a walk-on player for the Crimson Tide where he was on special teams and was a cornerback on defense. He did not see any action for the Tide during the 2012 season where Alabama won its second consecutive National Championship by defeating Notre Dame 42-14. Transfer rules would not allow him to see action in any of Tide’s games.
“I came home and attended UAH where I have a business degree,” said Adair. “I coached at Grissom, played three years of semi-pro football and got into CrossFit competition for eight years. I was ranked 54th in world rankings in my age division, but saw that was as far as I could go in that sport. I soon got into bodybuilding.”
In the last few weeks of training, both Bryars and Adair have honed in on specific muscles to help make those changes necessary to compete at a high level. Bryars added, “Having confidence on stage is extremely important. In competitions for women, hair and makeup are also important. I’ve been working on things to amplify my looks.” She had her first competition in November of 2023 at the Birmingham Iron City Championships where she placed second in teen and qualified for the U.S. Nationals. She also finished second in the open division and third place in the novice division. She added, “My quads are my best body part, but I like my shoulders and back the most. Having well defined calves comes from my years playing soccer, basketball, cheerleading and volleyball. My rear end (glutes) I did not work on until I began bodybuilding. I’ve been working a lot on my posing and feel confident.”
Adair will hit the stage with full support from his wife, Abby. They are expecting their first child in November. He will compete in the men’s physique age 35-plus, 183-pound division.
Both Bryars and Adair will face the competition and crowds with the knowledge they made changes in their lives, bodies, mindsets and the knowledge of who they are and how they feel.
