AN electrician is hoping to spark an interest at the British bodybuilding UK championships next month, just one year after taking up the discipline.

Joshua Vito Nieli, who lives in Westmill, Hitchin, took up the sport a year ago, despite never having done anything like it before.

Although the 22-year-old used to do kick boxing and martial arts, he wasn’t careful with his diet and didn’t exercise particularly hard.

He’s already proved his mettle in the body building world by winning the Kent Classic - his first competition - and is confident of a chance of a medal at the UK championships.

The 22-year-old, who is trained by former national champion Lee Williams, said: “I want to win it. If I finish in the top three, I would be over the moon.

“The judges look out for different things like proportions, definition and how much fat or not you have.

“You have to do poses and then a routine. It’s almost like a dance routine.”

Joshua, who trains for an hour-and-a-half five times a week as well as daily cardio sessions, has to stick to a strict diet.

“It’s all boring food - chicken, tuna, steak, potatoes and no sugar or alcohol,” he added.

“It’s very punishing and difficult, but I really enjoy it. I still work as an electrician, but there’s not much going at the moment. The dream is to do this professionally.

“I do five days training then two days off. It’s been a hardworking and dedicated year. I have a programme, and we concentrate on different muscles groups at a time, and make sure that I’m in proportion.”