Big Man On Campus in Mr University finals.

Charlie McGing, a 20-year old Sheffield student, has reached the finals of a new competition that’s taking the nation by storm: The Mr University male beauty pageant.

Charlie is a postgraduate Bio Engineering student at the University of Sheffield, but has been bodybuilding since secondary school. The Tab met up with Charlie to talk bodybuilding, protein, women and all things testosterone.

Charlie enjoys man activities like changing lightbulbs. We’re saying nothing about that t-shirt

How long have you been doing bodybuilding and how did you get into pageanting?

I’ve been training for 3 years but this is the first time I’ve ever done a competition.  I got into competing after a friend at the gym recommended I try it out.

I only found out I was in the finals a couple of weeks ago but so far the prepping has been really fun. You have to cut down body fat quite quickly for stuff like this so I’m shredding at the moment.

A normal day’s diet is pretty detailed. I take a lot of supplements to help me cut down fat. Right now I’m doing 2 days without carbs and one day on, so I have enough energy for the next few days workouts.

Shredding brah

You said you use dietary supplements. Does that mean you’re on steroids?

I’m not doing anything like steroids because I want to build muscle naturally. But I’m a fan of protein shakes. On a no-carb day I’ll have about 250g of protein and when I’m on carbs it’s more like 180g.

What sort of preparations do you have to do for pageants?

Well last night I spent all evening shaving for this photoshoot. You have to be shaved all over for pageant stuff. I’m completely hairless!

Breathe in…and out… No, out. Oh c’mon.

Lovely…anything else?

I’ll have to wear fake tan for the event so my muscles stand out more, but my sister is going to help me with that. She’ll help me fake tan my whole body on the day.

What sort of exercises do you do?

When I train I do lower reps and high weights. I don’t really have the energy to use up on lower resistance stuff so that’s how I build muscle. My favourite exercise is probably decline bench press, that does your chest, but at the moment I’m really enjoying legs.

Do you even lift?

How many times a week do you go out?

I go out normally about 5 times a week. Not drinking. Now I’m preparing for the competition I don’t drink at all, but even before I’d only have one or two. It’s a problem when I’m too hungover the next day to eat properly or go to the gym.

I go to similar places really. I love Wednesday Corp but I go on Mondays too. Tuesday is Plug, Thursday is Carver Street (I’m a promoter for Carver Street), and Friday I go to Leadmill.

Has bodybuilding helped with pulling?

That’s a debatable one. I think it has more of an effect on how you are with people than the fact that you’re big and more attractive. I think that someone who goes to the gym a lot and pushes themself just a more attractive person in that respect.

Do you think you’ll carry on pagenting and bodybuilding?

I think so. I enjoy going to the gym and I’ve liked the whole process so far. I have my own website where I blog about my own progress and fitness tips, which is fun. I’d love to carry on so we’ll see how it goes.

I think the whole competition has been character building. Because you’re putting yourself up on stage you’re giving away your whole self-image, and you can’t hide from that. I think if anything it’s given me less ego.

Strike a pose…

Would you rather have arms for legs or legs for arms?

I think I’d have to say arms. You’d look pretty weird but you’d be able to make tea and pick stuff up at least. Plus you’d have more biceps and that’s never a bad thing.

Arms are useful for manly things like opening jars.

What do you go for in a girl?

Fun adventurous and loyal.

Like a dog?

Like a dawg.

What’s your view on the student bus fare hike?

I don’t think it’s a serious problem but I don’t exactly think it’s a positive thing. Some people do have to travel a long way into uni so it’s not great.