This year’s bodybuilding season has been bittersweet for Caymanian star Robert Thompson Jr., who has been winning competitions in honour of his friend who succumbed to her mental battles this year.
Though Thompson’s popularity continues to grow following a pair of wins at the BNBF British Final and the 2024 Cayman Muscle Mayhem, he said his victories pale in comparison with the attention that needs to be paid to mental health issues.
He told the Compass that he was not planning to compete for a number of reasons, including the passing of his friend, who had also been his client, but opted to carry on as a tribute to her memory.
“I had a client that committed suicide earlier this year and the last thing she told me was that she wanted to watch me compete and that was my driving factor to get [back on] the stage,” Thompson said, adding that though his friend wasn’t there in person, he felt her presence.
“I believe people that have passed on will watch over you,” he said. “So, being on stage, I felt like that was something that meant a lot for me, because I felt like she was able to watch me.”
Thompson, who is a personal trainer outside of prepping for competition, has previously highlighted that he works to help people in the gym overcome insecurities and break through barriers.
This year, he has coached eight athletes to compete at a local bodybuilding show, all while focusing on his own preparation for the world stage.
“I went over [and] won the British finals. That was my first time competing there after I got invited and ended up winning the pro men’s bodybuilding [category],” he said.
Thompson added that he was happy to then return home and win again in front of family and friends at the Muscle Mayhem event on 5 Oct.
“That’s two of four; I have Mr. America this weekend, so I have to go back and defend that title, and I feel very confident with what I have put together and I’m hoping everything goes as planned,” he said.
From there, Thompson will travel to Munich, Germany to defend a second title on 20 Oct. – the DFAC World Finals – which he won last year in Australia.
Painful preparation
He said preparation for his latter events has been much better than several weeks ago as he was recovering from bone splints and dental extractions, which forced a change in his diet.
“I had a bone splint that went through my quad, and I would have very disruptive pain when I was squatting or doing any leg movements.”
He managed to fix the issue as he was determined to finish what he had started for his friend, but then another problem arose.
“I had wisdom tooth surgery during prep,” he recalled, which led to lingering pain, and left him unable to chew chicken, which he relied on for his protein intake.
“I switched to fish because it was a lot softer on the gums; eggs, white potato, sweet potato, a lot of oats. And I have protein powder as well which sometimes I put in my oats to give it some flavour, with some blueberries for additional nutrients.”
He has also been listening to his body more, he said, and is being smarter with his sleep schedule, something that has allowed him to achieve positive results.
With his friend in his thoughts, though, he said,“It was a sad way to go about prep, but it actually fuelled me this year and this is the best I’ve ever looked in all of my competitions throughout the years. I got a stretching coach which has been aiding my performance when I am posing on the stage.
“I have set certain standards for myself in relation to when I compete and it’s either that or I have to do more.”
As Thompson looks ahead to his third competition of the season, he also took time to thank those who have supported him throughout his journey and implored people who are struggling with mental health issues to seek help.
“Money brings temporary happiness, people bring temporary happiness, but your mental health is what actually gives you long-term happiness,” he said. “If you are not happy mentally then you can’t be happy physically and you can’t be happy at all throughout life.
“I appreciate everyone being behind me – my friends, my family, the gym members that are around me who keep encouraging and pushing me … I feel like it would’ve been impossible without having them there.”
Mental health resources
If you, or others you know, are struggling with issues similar to those raised by this article, there are resources available to help.
- In an emergency, call 911.
- Mental Health Helpline. Call 1-800-534-6463 (MIND) Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The helpline was established during the pandemic to provide support.
- The Alex Panton Foundation. The nonprofit facilitates support groups and offers resources on grief. For information about support services, email [email protected] or visit alexpantonfound.ky/resources.
- Alex’s Place. Offers walk-ins and referrals to adolescents ages 10-20. Located in the Cayman Islands Hospital or call 244-7856 or 949-8600.
- Department of Children and Family Services. For non-critical services provided by the department, email [email protected] or call 949-0290 in Grand Cayman and 948-2331 in Cayman Brac, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.
- The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. The charity provides support to all victims of domestic violence. Call the 24/7 crisis helpline at 943-2422, and kids’ helpline at 649-5437.
- There are a number of private health care providers offering counselling and support, such as Infinite Mindcare and The Wellness Centre.
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