Bodybuilder Kevin Topka

Kevin Topka: Driven

I’d like to take this chance to introduce myself. My name is Kevin Topka and I am a personal trainer and competitive natural bodybuilder from Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I am 29 years old and was born in Liberia, a small country on the West Coast of Africa, and moved with my family to the United States when I was 13 years old. I am 5’-11” and in my off-season I weigh 225 pounds and compete in the heavyweight division around 206.

I have always been a big dreamer especially when I was growing up, I despised living in such a little depressed country in Africa. I didn’t want anything in my life to be little. I wanted more out of life and to be part of the big action. Everything in the U.S.A. is BIG! That’s what I enjoy about this country - there is no monkey business here - what I mean is, you really have to make an effort to be little here.

At the age of 13 I moved to the United States with my Family, which consists of my mother, four brothers, and one sister. I attended Shea High School in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and I was a member of the football team the Shea Raiders. I played nose guard and tackle. After finishing high school I went on to C.C.R.I. (Community College of Rhode Island) where I majored in Criminal Justice. I continued to play football on a Semi-Pro Team the Randolph Buccaneers. While football training and conditioning I starting getting into bodybuilding workouts then after a serious football injury and surgery for knee reconstruction my football career was over and I continued weight lifting.

When I started weight training at age 16 it was more for strength and power and football conditioning. I really had no idea how to properly develop a muscular physique, yet I still felt driven to. I’ve always had a tremendous hunger and desire to improve myself. My drive was just there - I feel it is a combination of my upbringing and heredity - the competition I had among my friends and the frustration of growing up in a country plagued with problems.

In 1997 I met Al Thurston the N.A.B.F. (North American Bodybuilding Federation) chairman at a gym in Rhode Island and he introduced me into the sport of bodybuilding. Al helped me prepare for my first contest and we are still good friends to this day.

I guess in order to train and diet for many bodybuilding competitions you must have some kind of craziness inside you? I guess this bodybuilding stuff is strange to some people? In a way I must be somewhat crazy to walk back into the gym five times a week to workout on top of me being they’re all day training clients at World Gym Plus in Seekonk.

Some people just don’t understand it and they think it is all nonsense but to me I’m training for A World Championship Title! This drives me want to be the best and creates my strong competitive spirit. I see myself as being the best and I tell myself everyday that I am the World Natural Bodybuilding Champion. I feel I have all the perseverance I need to overcome all obstacles. I am determined to be the best and if things go wrong, as they sometimes will, I’ll keep fighting!

My goal is to become the greatest bodybuilder in the sport of natural bodybuilding. I want the opportunity to promote myself as a personal trainer and help people with workout programs, nutritional advice and supplementation programs to be motivated to achieve their personal fitness goals.

I’m training for the Musclemania New England in Boston this October and the Musclemania World Championships held in Redondo Beach, California in November 2003. Check back soon and I will update you on my progress.

- Kevin