Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Weightlifting wonder Hayley Biddle is blazing a trail for women in the kingdom as she continues to inspire those around her with her powerful lifting exploits.
Biddle, who is from the Gold Coast in Australia and moved to Bahrain in 1999, keeps fit and healthy by taking part in rigorous CrossFit activities when she isn’t busy raising her three daughters, aged nine, 11 and 12.
The 41-year-old, who lives in Riffa Views, said she was inspired to take up bodybuilding from a young age.
She said: “I got into bodybuilding at a very early age, when I began lifting weights in high school at the age of 16 as part of my competitive rowing training. I lived in a very small coastal town and the only gym was a 30-minute drive away. As I was only young, I did not have a driving licence so my father would drive me down after school so I could train and he would wait for me there.
“I continued to lift weights throughout my adulthood, but not focused on bodybuilding, but rather as a way of keeping fit and strong and active. During this time, I also became a personal trainer and fitness instructor. I continued to train and keep fit throughout all my pregnancies but it wasn’t until after my third child that I began training for bodybuilding in a competitive way.
“It gave me my strength and my personality back after a few hard years of having three pregnancies and new-born babies for three years in row! So when I went to the gym to train, it was my way of having ‘me time’ away from the demands of being a full time mother, and from this my passion for bodybuilding grew and within a few years I would compete in my first bodybuilding show in the Figure division. I was hooked!”
Biddle cites Arnold Schwarzenegger as her weight lifting hero, and she follows a regimental diet supported by supplements. She trains two hours per day, six days a week, which consists of both heavy strength training and high intensity cardio conditioning. Therefore, she eats a higher concentration of carbohydrates than normal to fuel her workouts, while consuming a lot of protein for recovery. She also consumes lots of fresh berries and green vegetables throughout the day.
After establishing herself on social media and through word of mouth, Biddle is now aiming to inspire other women in Bahrain to take up the sport and break the taboo of women bodybuilders.
She explained: “I would encourage all women to incorporate some form of resistance exercise into their weekly exercise regime. The benefits of doing weight bearing exercises are numerous for women, including burning more fat faster, burning more calories, making you mentally stronger, boosting your flexibility, strengthening your bones and combat osteoporosis, and more!
“You will enjoy a healthier heart and ease joint pain, never mind making you a better runner if that’s what you’re interested in. Do not be fooled by stereotypes; weights do not make you bulky and look like a man. Women do not have enough testosterone to develop the muscle mass a man has. On the contrary, it will change your body composition making you have more lean muscle mass and less fat and this means your overall size will be smaller as fat takes up more volume on your body as the same weighed amount of muscle does.
“I am pleasantly surprised at the amount of positive support I have received from the local Bahraini community. Female bodybuilders are not as common here as in Australia, so I guess I stand out a bit and whether people think that’s good or bad, that’s their opinion and they are entitled to think whatever they like!
“I don’t think it’s for everyone and not everyone would desire a muscular physique, but if you put that aside, most people admire the dedication and commitment and handwork that has gone into it. The bodybuilding community in general has been very supportive, especially my dear friend and coach, Abbas Khudair. Abbas pushed me to reach a new level in my physique these last couple of years and without him it would not have been possible.”
Currently, Biddle can deadlift 150kg, bench press 80kg, back squat 140kg and front squat 105kg. She is setting her sights even higher and improving on her records, and now has motivational help from her children even while at the gym!
She explained: “My children love that their mother is strong. Sometimes they get annoyed at how much I train but in general they are happy seeing me being sporty all the time. They have started coming with me to the gym when I have light cardio and they walk with me on the treadmill, which makes me so happy.
“The other thing they often comment about is how when we all go out for burgers and chips for a special treat, that I always order a salad instead. They think it’s pretty funny! At the end of the day, I’m just glad that my children see me as just ‘mum’, not Hayley the bodybuilder.”
