The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Getting in to the gym to develop more mass as a football player has earned big dividends for Tarran Knowles, who now has the distinction of being one of two Bahamians to hold pro cards in bodybuilding in two organisations.

Tired of being knocked around as a small fullback for the Jets in the Commonwealth American Football League, Knowles ventured into the gym to train. 

The Infrastructure Support Analyst at the Royal Bank of Canada was then encouraged to get into one of the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation’s bodybuilding shows.

“Me being the arrogant person that I was at the time, it was like the kid in me that took it to heart,” said Knowles about making the transition. “I decided to put in the work.”

His debut was in 2014 at the National Performance Arts Center, where he placed last in his category. Undeterred, he wowed to everybody that he would be back.

A year later, after putting more time and energy into his preparation, Knowles began to see his improvement on stage, and it was in 2016 that he won his category, and then made the commitment to go for his pro card.

“At that time, the opportunities became more available to venture out onto the international platform,” said Knowles, who also went on to achieve his certification as an ISSA Personal Trainer and Nutritionist and Exercise Therapy. 

“I would encourage anybody who has the means and the urge to compete in bodybuilding to not just leave it to compete locally.”

In 2019 in Montreal, Canada, Knowles made his international breakthrough, earning his Pro Elite card. That inspired him to continue to pursue the sport and, last month, he captured Pro League cards in two organisations.

“I made this venture personally. I didn’t share any information or tell anybody what I was doing,” said Knowles, of what he called the best kept secret. “Nobody knew what I was doing until last week when I was going into the competition.

“I didn’t want to share any information because the little that they knew, the less they could interfere with your plans.”

Knowles travelled to Tampa, Florida where he captured the overall title and because of the feedback from the judges, who encouraged him to take it further, he entered the Pro League show in Pittsburgh, where he reigned supreme in two of the three categories he entered in.

“I was grateful that I got the pro cards considering that I can advance to the Pro League side of the competition and leave the Pro Elite side,” he said. “I went pro physique twice, which I think on record in the Bahamas, has never been done.”

As a certified personal trainer, Knowles said he wanted to find a gym that would be suitable for him to operate with his TKTHABRAND training programme and Empire fitness Center turned out to be the ideal place.

“Dr Kent Bazard welcomed me with open arms,” Knowles said. “The atmosphere here is cool, there’s no micromanagement and you tend to do what you have to do. It allows my brand to live. That is what I want.”

Bazard said he’s proud to be able to have Knowles associated with his Empire Fitness Center, located in the Sea Grape Shopping Center.

“This gym has always been home to great bodybuilders such as Joel Stubbs back in the mid 90s when we first opened,” Bazard said. “So, we’ve always had great bodybuilders here and Tarran is just carrying on the tradition.”

Based on what he saw from the competition, Bazard said he was impressed with Knowles’ presentation. He noted that it will only serve as an inspiration for those who are watching him train in the gym.

“We have two more professional bodybuilders who work out in this gym, and we have a few more aspiring professionals, including females, who work out here,” he stated.

“But the sport in general is one that we have not really tapped into and there is a lot of potential for it.

“We have a lot of talented athletes who do a lot of work, and they perform very well. So, it’s great to see competitors like Tarran earning a living from what he loves doing. We are just happy to help facilitate that for him at Empire Fitness Center.”

After earning his first pro card at the age of 37, Knowles said he felt that he was nearing the end of his career as a bodybuilder. But now at the age of 40, he’s even more inspired to go on.

“This lifestyle, once you get involved in it, becomes a passion,” Knowles pointed out. “You always want to elevate yourself and challenge yourself. It’s hard to separate that life especially when you are in that environment when you are helping me to transform their lives.

“You always want to go back to yourself and be an example. I had the people behind me. When you are looking to do things, when you have a circle of people who can help you, you can’t fall. This has been a great year for me, and I intend to make my pro debut and see how far I can go with it.”

While he continues to promote his training programme, Knowles said he will take the rest of the year off to spend some time with his family and friends and prepare for his pro debut next year,

“The competition is going to be stiff going into the Pro League, so I want to make sure that I am ready,” he insisted. “I want to make a name for myself and the Bahamas.

“I know there are people who are competing for the Bahamas now, but I don’t just want to say I am going to compete.

“I want to go and compete to win. So, taking eight months to a year off will allow me to see if I can hold some mass before I get too old.”

Knowles is currently trained by Loleta Riley and Chris Guttierrez, who are based in Pembroke Pines, Florida. They work hand in hand to get the job done online, but Knowles said through his own knowledge of the sport as a physical fitness instructor, he’s able to concentrate on the development of his body.

Prior to working with the pair, Knowles credits Natasha Brown, the first Bahamian female fitness pro competitor, for the role she played in his genesis to the sport.

He was also mentored by Kenny Mackey and Joel Stubbs, the federation’s first vice president and president respectively. Stubbs was also a former pro bodybuilder, who was lauded as having the biggest back in the world.

As a trendsetter with his dual pro cards, Knowles said he will encourage anybody who wants to venture into the sport to establish a protocol for themselves and not to get lost into just having fun, but something that you have to maintain for the rest of your life. 

“I speak to as many of the competitors that I can and of course a lot of them are doing very well,” Knowles pointed out.

“But it’s always good to be grounded and humble in this sport.

“One day you could be on top and the next day you could be down. I try my best to be out of everybody’s way, but I try my best to encourage everybody who I come in contact with because I don’t want them to feel like I can’t be approachable.”

Knowles said he felt the whole sport, including the federation, missed the bar when the world went through the COVID-19 pandemic in trying to educate the people on how to stay fit and balancing their nutrition.

“COVID wasn’t about the sickness. It was about getting better and that was what I focused on and that is why I was able to accomplish what I did once we came through it,” Knowles proclaimed.

Although it’s considered an expensive sport, Knowles said if one markets himself properly, he can get the support from the general public. He noted that he compiled his profile, and he provided an expensive report for persons to assist him, especially when he got turned down from one corporate sponsor after another.

He thanked the federation for allowing him to receive the financial stipend from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, which has enabled him to get through some of the emotional, physical and financial roadblocks that he’s encountered in the past.

“God is very important. Without him, none of this was possible,” Knowles stressed. “I am not telling people that they need to go to Church, but I encourage them to have a personal relationship with God or whoever you feel is that significant person to give you the strength.

“I want to thank my mom, Kim Bonaby, who is a big supporter. She cries more than I do.

“You will need people like that to help you especially when things may not be going as you expected.” 

Since earning his pro cards, Knowles admitted that it hasn’t sunk in yet for him.

“It’s humbling. I didn’t announce that I was going to shows so people didn’t know what my plans were,” he said. “In the past, I would have told everybody, but this time it worked out for me. 

“I was silent, and I allowed my destiny to work out for me. I don’t like to dwell on the past.

“You would be surprised to know that I have a Rubbermaid container that I have placed all of my awards in.

“The only thing I have out is the paper pro card because I don’t want it to get mashed up.”

And after returning home, Knowles said he’s been shown a lot of love and appreciation.

He said he knows he will encourage more people who may not like him to respect him and what he has accomplished.