Super man

By Elizabeth Kelly

Kevin Ferrell generates his share of double-takes from new clients. Chalk it up to all that imposing physical geography, starting with the uninterrupted skyline of his shoulders and the rugged landscape of a classically sculpted physique — not the stereotypical image of a CA.

An award-winning amateurbodybuilder, the 31-year-old Oakville, Ont., resident and formersenior tax manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Mississauga,Ont., started lifting weights in high school.

“When I started lifting weights my body responded very well. Af-ter attending some competitions as a fan, I decided it was something I had to try.” He entered his first competition in 1997. After coming first in the super-heavyweightcategory at the 2006 Canadian National World Qualifier bodybuilding event,he competed with Team Canada last month at the international level. Typically,he trains five days a week with a 30-minute cardio session at 5:30 a.m., 90 minutes of weight training in the evening, followed by another half-hour of cardio. “Bodybuilding is not just about size, but shape, symmetry, muscularity and conditioning,” he says. “It requires motivation, dedication, confidence and perseverance.”

In Ferrell’s view, the rigours of bodybuilding and the demands of accountancy aren’t mutually exclusive. “Bodybuilding is about setting goals, developing a plan to achieve them and sticking to that plan,” he says. “Exercise is the best way to relieve stress, which keeps your productivity level high. When you are physically fit and eat properly, you feel like you can do anything; nothing can keep you down. The self-confidence as well as the physical presence achieved through bodybuilding is advantageous in both business and in one’s personal life — when you speak, people listen.”

While working as an independent contractor providing tax services, the 230-lb. 6'2" body builder is in the process of establishing a personal training business and consultancy designed to help businesses and their employees develop a healthy way of life through exercise and nutrition.