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| Wes Norton has overcome Asperger's syndrome to enter the world stage as a middleweight bodybuilder. |
When Wes Norton puts his mind to accomplishing a task, the sky becomes the limit.
The 21-year old bodybuilder, who trains out of Xtreme Muscle Gym in Hampton, has achieved more in just three years than many of his counterparts will in their lifetime. And as ironic as it seems, Norton had to learn to slow down in order for his bodybuilding career to speed up. Next task on deck – winning a world championship.
For Norton, the key to finding success was about channeling his energy toward a defined objective. However, that was not the only obstacle.
Years ago, the Zuni native was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. Named after the Austrian pediatrician who discovered the disorder, Asperger’s is similar to autism, and characterized by a number of symptoms, including difficulty with social relations and odd patterns of behavior. By nature, Norton is quiet and reserved. Yet, the more intriguing symptoms include an intense ability to pay attention to details, as well as a heightened capacity to memorize data. When Norton sets a goal, all of his focus goes toward achieving that one thing.
Coping with Asperger’s is a balancing act. While one aspect of a person’s daily life may thrive, other elements may suffer. Norton, who generally trains for 90 minutes three or four times a week, thrives at bodybuilding because of his singular focus to the sport.
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| Norton deadlifted 425 pounds for nine reps during the course of our interview. I believe this was #7 |
As Cheryl Piercy, one of Norton’s fellow competitors, attests, “It’s the other 23 hours (of the day) we have to worry about.”
Fortunately, other areas of Norton’s life have taken shape. He earned his GED, completed certification as a personal trainer and nutritionist, and next month, will go to settlement for the purchase of his first house, which will require a move to Smithfield.
With typical modesty, Norton says, “I’m very determined, and thankful to be going places.”
Five years ago, Norton was not thriving. He had recently dropped out of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, shortly after starting as a tenth grader. Few things interested him, and his life had become empty – no school, no job, no hobbies, and no aspirations. Depression began to settle into the teenager’s psyche.
Nevertheless, Norton, an avid reader, discovered one book, Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, an 800-page tome, written by Arnold Schwarzenegger, that outlines every aspect of the sport. The book caught his attention, and in 2013, Norton decided to take up weightlifting.
However, without a mentor or a lifting plan, his progress was stagnant.
“I was doing too much,” said Norton in a moment of reflection. Indeed, the routine of working out the same body parts every day without a pause was stunting any potential development. Coupled with carrying 140 pounds on a 5-foot-7 frame, there was little sign that the young man had grown any significant amount of muscle.
It took eighteen months of improper training before Norton sought outside help. Mother Brenda worked at Langley AFB, and a colleague referred her to Kevin Parrott, a certified trainer, and owner of Xtreme Muscle, just outside of Langley’s east gate on North King Street. Norton pulled up to the parking lot of Xtreme and waited outside the door for an hour before summoning the courage to step inside the gym.
“I told him that he was doing too much,” said Parrott, who also owns Body Sculpting Inc. in Newport News. “He had to learn not to work out as much – to slow down. Muscles won’t develop unless they are allowed to rest.”
Armed with a new plan, and an enhanced intensity, Norton quickly went back to work.
“I learned my lesson, and started channeling my energy into working out and taking better care of myself.”
Norton’s ascent as a bodybuilder was rapid. Within three months of linking with Parrott, Norton was fully entrenched in competition. He won the middleweight category of his first program. Moreover, in his first year, with only five shows under his belt, Norton has already won a division championship, a best overall title and earned his pro card as a middleweight.
His second season will begin on Saturday with the 7th Annual WNBF (World National Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Qualifier, which is promoted by Parrott, and held at the American Theatre in Hampton. Last year, Norton placed second in the Men’s Open Short Class. This year, he will compete in the Novice and Open categories.
Because it is a pro qualifier event, the competition will come from near and far.
“As we speak, there is someone in San Diego getting on a plane to come here and compete on Saturday,” says Parrott. “In Scottsdale, Arizona, someone is getting ready to come here for Saturday’s competition – Illinois, Maine; we will have 91 athletes from 12 states.”
The screening process is rigid. Every competitor must pass a polygraph test before getting on stage, with questions focusing on the use of muscle enhancing drugs. And as Parrott adds, ”Once we announce the seven winners who will earn their pro cards, they are escorted off stage and straight to a bathroom where someone will watch them pee into a cup, and that sample is sent directly to the testing site – that day.”
For Norton, Saturday’s show will be the start of an aggressive 2016 campaign, albeit one with only three competitions.
“He’s ready to go to the World Championships,” declares Parrott, adding that competitors who earn their card merely qualify for the pro events, but have three years to “get ready.”
Norton appears to be ready. Prior to his workout, he poses in his competition singlet, sporting bulging leg muscles and a well-defined chest and back. Shortly thereafter, he begins his training routine, and at one point, the now 166-pounder dead lifts 425 pounds for nine repetitions, a personal best.
But patience is not a virtue for Norton, a fact that becomes more evident as Parrott starts describing his trainee’s competition schedule for 2016.
“He will be competing in the Yorton Cup World Championships (in Washington D.C.) this October.”
However, there is another World Championship in Hungary, which will be held in June, that Norton is aiming for.
“He’s still working on me,” discloses Parrott. “He hasn’t convinced his trainer yet.”
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