SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – A Siouxlander has made history in the world of competitive bodybuilding.
Growing up in Hawarden, Iowa, Austin Bultman always had a passion for the gym and bodybuilding. In 2016, he went to Big Iron Gym in Sioux City hoping to get into better shape and get diet help, he ended up getting more than he bargained for.
“I grew up, you know, dreaming about being like these guys. As a kid, I read every magazine,” said Bultman. “But when you’re in Iowa, you don’t have that information at your fingertips. So luckily, I just bumped into the right guy at the right time.”
That guy that Bultman ran into was Shawn Frankl, owner of Big Iron Gym in Sioux City. Who said he’d help him take that next step in his training, under one condition.
“I said I’d be willing to help him as long as he would commit to doing a bodybuilding show,” said Frankl. “He took up the challenge and said, ‘Okay, I’ll be willing to give it a shot.’”
That agreement was made 8 years ago, and in 2024, the now 41-year-old Bultman has been working to take his bodybuilding to the national level. Since then, he’s been training nonstop; that’s not only physical training, but it also meant hours spent in front of the mirror, ironing out every last detail of his routine ahead of the largest amateur bodybuilding competitions in the United States.
“If you don’t get the right turn to show the perfect angle, you’re just not going to show your muscles correctly. And honestly, that’s what the shows come down to. I mean, you can win a win or lose a show just by not twisting your waist a quarter of an inch, and it’s little fine details, and you’ll never see that yourself,” said Bultman. “You’ve got to have a coach, a good person that you trust, to just see those little details, and someone who knows the sport well enough to say ‘Hey, that’s your best look at this angle.’ Or, ‘we got to do this, or we got to do that.’ So ultimately, that came down to Shawn’s expertise.”
And all of the training paid off, Bultman went into the National Physique Committee’s USA championships in Anaheim, California and finished as the competition’s overall champion. He also became the first Iowan to win the title of Mr. USA.
“That was the greatest moment. You know, really, words can’t describe it,” said Bultman. “It’s just an incredible feeling, all the work over all the years that you do, and it all culminates into one moment. It’s hard to describe what you feel.”
In addition to being named Mr. USA, Bultman also won his pro card at the competition, making him eligible to compete on the professional circuit. This means we just might see him compete in esteemed competitions like the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia in the future.
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Publish date : 2024-08-07 12:07:00
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