Darvin Hinkle came to the Bay Area from Louisiana when he was 14 because his family felt there were better opportunities here. At that age, he played the saxophone. He took two years of vocal lessons from famed vocal teacher Judy Davis and formed a music group.

He didn't start bodybuilding until he was 23. He worked for the Oakland School Districtt, and bodybuilder Diego Chairs, who also worked there, suggested that Darvin take up the sport.

One of the things about bodybuilding that appeals to him, compared to his days of appearing with a musical group, is that in bodybuilding you don't have to depend on other people who either do or do not do what they're supposed todo. You don't have to arrange to meet others to practice and then have them not show up. In bodybuilding, it's all up to you.

Darvin started bodybuilding weighing 179 pounds. In his first contest in 1984, he didn't even make it into the top five in his class. The day after the contest, he went back to the gym and began working out again. The next year, when he weighed approximately 185, he took second in the novice tall class in the Western USA. At 188 the next year, he took first in the novice tall class.

He continued competing every year until 1991, and every year, as he slowly gained weight, he took first in his class.

At that point, he began to feel that drugs were taking over the sport and that it was becoming almost impossible for a natural bodybuilder to compete successfully, so he retired from competition. He did a certain amount of modeling, and he stayed in competitive condition at a weight of 205.

Her then appeared in a number of ABA shows, particularly the Silver and Black, in which he has appeared three times.

On September 9, 2000, he participated in the men's open heavyweight division of the Internet Bodybuilding Championships in Oakland, California, and on November 1, 2000, when the results of the worldwide voting are announced, we'll tell you how he did..

Darvin has valuable advice for aspiring bodybuilders.

Stay away from drugs, he says. Treat your body like a temple. Eighty percent of success lies in proper diet. Just as you wouldn't put dirty or inferior gas in your car, don't put unhealthy food in your body. Beyond the 80% importance of diet, the remaining 20%, he says, consists of being dedicated to regular, intensive training and getting lots of rest.

At his age—he will be 40 on the 14th of November, 2000—it isn't possible to make gains in muscle mass as rapidly as younger men in their twenties can. However, he still expects to gain two to three pounds of solid muscle a year. You haven't seen the last of him yet in competition.

Darvin earns his living as a personal trainer. His business, Personal Fitness, is located in Concord, California, and he can be reached at (925) 340-1635.