Page 24 - NGA NATURALmag 2025 Spring/Summer

Spring - Summer 2025
MOTIvATOR’S
CORNER
BY JOHNNY “THE MOTIvATOR” CARRERO NGA CHAIRMAN CA PROFESSIONAL FITNESS TRAINER WWW NGA-CALI COM @JOHNNYMOTIvATOR/ FITNESSINMINDMOTIvATOR@GMAIL COM Motivator’s Corner Highlights Roger Benton
Iwas promoting the the 2018 NGA True Natural Olympian and I saw a a a a a a man at prejudging with a a a a a camera and a a a a a huge zoom lens in the audience Since I I have a a a a photography spon- sor I had to to ask the man to to put his camera in his car He understood and did just that As we spoke for a a little bit I found out he was interested in in in in competing the following year I gave him my card and he became a a a a a client His name is is Roger Benton
Roger began weightlifting with his brother Mike while he he he he was in in in in in junior high school in in in in in the the the late 70’s He He took up powerlifting in in in in the the the military from 1982-86 He He had the the height and and weight and and it it just felt right to to him He did okay in in in a a a a a a a few contests but was competing in in in the the heavyweight division where there were were lifetime lifters who were were much stronger than he he he he he he was Roger said he he learned a a a a a a lot during those training sessions Roger trained as as an an Olympic lifter in in 1985-86 and was coached by Guy Carlton the the Bronze Medal winner in in the the the the 1984 Olympics At 6’2” 265 pounds he he he he he he just could not get the the the techniques down and move the the the kind of of weight he he he he needed in in order to be competitive at a a a a a a a a local level So he he he he entered a a a a a a a a small handful of of contests but didn’t feel he he he was able to get the power or techniques In 1989 Roger said “I realized I I I was too heavy for my knees and and back but wanted to to continue lifting weights and and and be be part of that community ” He began training as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bodybuilder and and and taking his diet seriously After about a a a a a a a a a a a a a year he went to Quincy California and and competed in in in in a a a a a a a a a bodybuilding open contest He said “I was so proud of of myself for losing close to 40 pounds and maintaining a a a a a a a a a a a lot of of my my strength ” But when he he he he got on
stage he he he he he he he he realized he he he he he he he he was not as as as prepared as as as all the the the the the other people there yet he he he he he he he he he learned a a a a a a a a a a a a lot from the the the the the the process and and and over over the the the the the the next 30 plus years he he he he he he he he was was lifting off and and and on
and and and his diet was was all over over the the the the boards until he he began competing in in in the NGA The following is what Roger said about how he he he started competing in in in the NGA:
“I went to to the the 2018 NGA Natural Bodybuilding show in in in Folsom California and talked to to to the the promoter Johnny ‘The Motivator’ Carrero about bodybuilding He was was open knowledgeable and took time to to to share information even though he he he was was running around making sure the the athletes and their family/friends had a a a a a a a a a a a a a great experience at at at his show He said to to come by the gym in Sacramento and we we could talk more about what we we can do as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a team I was excited to to to begin but had a a a a a a a a a a a very busy work schedule that took me out of town a a a a lot over the next few months “In February of 2019 I I I called Johnny and set up a a a a a a a a schedule I I I was still working a a a a a a a a lot but had breaks throughout the month He worked with me me every time I was available We trained a a a a a a a couple weeks a a a a a a a 24 NGA NATURALmag