Pump Up

By Marcus Vela

Shawn Teamann wants to pump you up.

Shawn Teamann was born in Anna and played football for Southeastern Oklahoma State University while earning a Bachelor of Science in Health and Physical Education. When his gridiron career ended, he took up natural bodybuilding.

His mother, Jan Thomas, was an amateur bodybuilder in the lightweight division during the eighties, and Teamann said that he got his love for the sport and his physique from her. “My mom has great genetics. She stays a lot leaner than I do.”

For the past seven years Teamann has worked for Nautilus Sport and Fitness Centers in Texoma, starting as the night janitor before becoming a physical trainer. Now he is a partner with the local chain’s founders, Jim and Teresa Hall.

Mixing his vocation and avocation, Teamann has excelled in his sport, winning the top title in the middleweight division of the Professional All Natural Bodybuilder Competition in 2007. Competitors in All Natural competitions shun steroids or any other illegal substances banned by the National Physique Committee or Ironfish Athletic Ministries Fitness organization. “All natural bodybuilding is just dieting, exercising, and hard work,” he said, and the hard work part means vigorous training five to six days a week for about an hour to an hour and a half a day.

Competition is the payoff for Teamann, despite having to wear a Speedo in front of thousands of onlookers. “You get out there and your heart is pounding, the lights are beaming on you, and you feel like you’re on top of the world.”

Judges at bodybuilding competitions look for models with the most symmetry in their physique, for physical size, and for the least amount of body fat. To stay lean, Teamann diets for eight weeks prior to competitions, noting that, “It takes years to perfect the right diet for competitions.”

It’s worth it though, and Teamann plans on competing for the rest of his life. “For me it is an out—it’s my Zen place. Some people like to read, or watch movies. I go to the gym.”

Photos by Adam Medders