Most college professors start their spring semesters re-energized from the holiday break with memories of family gatherings and stories of whirlwind vacations.

Dr. Rodney Perry Gaines is heading back to Hampton University with something quite unique under his belt: The titles of Mr. Universe won in December during the American Natural Bodybuilding Federation’s Natural Universe Championship in Key West, Fla.

The 52-year-old won the titles in the Male Open Bodybuilding category for all age groups and in the Men’s Bodybuilding masters for his age group of 50 and older.

“My body is a lab. I love working out,” says Dr. Gaines, who began competing in body- building events more than 30 years ago.

In addition to bodybuilding, he also competes in the sport model, classic physique and physique categories.

In 2019 alone, he entered 30 competitions, winning nearly 50 events, including 10 world titles.

Those are just the most recent achievements for Dr. Gaines, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Hampton University.

In April, he won the ANBF’s Mr. Virginia title, which he’d previously clinched 24 years ago. In May, he also won titles during the One World United Mr./Ms. International USA Championships.

His wins are evidence of a renewed commitment to what he calls “my utmost passion at this time in my life,” after a seven-year hiatus from the sport.

Bodybuilding, he says, is “art, science, drama, strength and power, nutrition, cardio, resistance training, flexibility, performing arts, strong optimism and self-esteem all in one.

Born in Richmond and raised in Essex County, Dr. Gaines’ interest in the sport began at a young age, spurred by en- couragement from his parents. His mother purchased a weight set for him when he was an 85-pound ninth-grader, while his father encouraged him to pursue physical education as a college major after seeing him jog to the bus stop while he was in high school.

Although Dr. Gaines first pursued an undergraduate degree in business finance, he later earned a master’s in physical education at Virginia Tech while teaching weight training at the university. He began work on his doctorate in 1998 while working full time in the university’s Department of Recreational Sports.

After leaving Virginia Tech in 2002, Dr. Gaines used his knowledge, skills and expertise in a variety of roles and positions at Virginia State and Norfolk State universities.

“I enjoyed helping others learn and I enjoyed the authentic approach of demonstrating, modeling and helping others to learn a lifelong skill,” Dr. Gaines says.

While Dr. Gaines continued to earn accolades in a variety of bodybuilding competitions around the globe during this time, he left the sport in 2012, more than a decade after being diagnosed in 2000 with rheumatoid arthritis. He also left Virginia to teach at the University of Rhode Island in 2016.

However, substantial weight gain and issues with his arthritis and asthma that he attributed to the colder climate drove Dr. Gaines to return to Virginia in early 2018 and to reassess his choices. He once again committed himself to a healthier lifestyle that was reflected in his bodybuilding. He returned to competition in 2019.

Dr. Gaines cites a highly structured schedule as key to how he balances his work and his passtion. He starts with pre-dawn weight training and jogging that flows into full days teaching Hampton University students and nights doing security work or preparing healthy foods. The packed schedule keeps him active and energetic, while setting a good example for those he instructs.

“I tell my students, ‘If you can’t do it, you can’t teach it,’ so I feel obligated to be in the best shape for my students,” Dr. Gaines says.

Dr. Gaines is preparing now for the AAU World Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships in October.

“I know a lot of people are looking and watching to see if I’m going to put all that weight back on,” Dr. Gaines says, “so I’ve got to be Mr. Virginia every day now.”

But Dr. Gaines doesn’t seem too worried by those expectations. He says the decades have given him a great amount of “perseverance and discipline” and a philosophy he often imparts to his students: “Stay the course and eventually the fruit of your labor will come forth.”

Meet a true champion and this week’s Personality, Dr. Rodney Perry Gaines:

Date and place of birth: June 6 in Richmond.

Current residence: Norfolk. Occupation: Assistant professor of kinesiology at Hampton University, and part-time armed security officer for Guardus in Virginia Beach.

Latest honors: I won the titles of Mr. Universe in the American Natural Bodybuilding Federation’s Natural Universe Championship in December in Key West, Fla. I won in the Male Open Bodybuilding for all age groups and in the Men’s Bodybuilding Masters for my age group of 50 and older.

Community involvement: I serve on the bodybuilding and fitness special interest group for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. I also run marathons for charity.

Education: Bachelor’s in business finance, 1989; master’s in physical education, 1996; and Ph.D. in education, curriculum and instruction, all from Virginia Tech.

Family: Single, with one brother, Wayne Gaines, and three sisters, Sharon Washington, Glenda Holmes and Darlene Dillard.

Why I became a teacher: I decided during my master’s studies at Virginia Tech, where I taught weight training for the school. I enjoyed helping others learn and I enjoyed the authentic approach of demonstrating, modeling and helping others to learn a lifelong skill. Dr. Don Sebolt, my professor at Virginia Tech, influenced me the most, although we were exact opposites. He was a Caucasian who drove a Harley-Davidson, threw darts and was totally personable. He took time with me during the 1990s when I was one of the few African-Americans in the master’s and doctorate program in this field at Virginia Tech. He gave me the confidence to make it through.

Teaching philosophy: I believe in starting class with a scripture and devotion. I also believe that you have to incorporate technology at every opportunity possible. I often tell my students, “If you can’t do it, you can’t teach it.” My philosophy stands behind a John Maxwell quote:“Don’t just let your learning lead to knowledge, but let your learning lead to action.”

Bodybuilding is: My utmost passion at this time in my life. It’s an art, science, drama, strength and power, nutrition, cardio, resistance training, flexibility, performing arts, strong optimism and self-esteem all in one. It makes me productive in my academic and personal goals.

Who or what influenced my interest in bodybuilding: My mother bought me a weight set for Christmas when I was in the ninth grade and only weighed 85 pounds. She must have seen a need. My dad, who moved us a half-mile in the woods in Dunnsville, Va., used to watch me jog to the school bus my junior and senior year at Essex High School in Tappahannock. He told me then that I should major in physical education. Also at age 17, I saw bodybuilding great Shawn Ray on the cover of a muscle magazine in a convenience store in Center Cross, Va., and that inspired me to want to compete one day.

How long have I been competing: Since 1987 — more than three decades. My first show was the AAU Roanoke Valley Bodybuilding Championships held in Roanoke in May 1987. Although I have now won some world championships, my biggest win was in 1995 when I won the AAU Overall Mr. Virginia Bodybuilding Championships in Hampton during my first year as a graduate student at Virginia Tech. It propelled me to who I am today.

How many titles won: I have won close to 100 titles in body- building, classic bodybuilding and physique championships. How many competitions in 2019: I set a new world record by competing in 30 competitions in 2019.

How many wins in 2019: I won close to 50 first places in 2019 with 10 world titles. I compete in three other categories besides bodybuilding. I also do sport model, classic physique and physique.

How long it takes to prepare for competition: If it is someone’s first time, I would encourage them to take a whole year to get ready for their first competition. As long as a veteran stays within 10 to 15 pounds of contest weight, they can get back on stage within 12 to 20 weeks.

What does it take to be a bodybuilder: It takes about four to five hours a day, which includes early morning workouts starting at 4 or 5 a.m. A typical day of a bodybuilder includes the following:

• Weight training: 1.5-2 hours • Cardiovascular Training: (running,biking,stepping) 30- 60 minutes

• Posing/Music Routine Preparation: 30-60 minutes a day

• Food preparation at night: 2 hours for the next day

How I start the day: Reading my one-year Bible and a devotion and a prayer. For the new year, I have started writing in a journal and I try to write down everything I plan to accomplish for the day. I pick two to three things that are essentials and make sure that they get done daily. I think it is substantial to have daily goals that lead to the destination that we are trying to achieve.

A perfect day for me is: Getting my devotion in, 1.5 hours in the weight room, two hours of cardio at Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach, teaching and advising my students at Hampton University, reading a book on leadership and providing security services in my community.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: I still play with a game that I created in junior high. I created a baseball, football and basketball by putting outcomes on graphing paper, and I cut the little squares out to make a game for each of the sports. I created teams and even today I will play the solitary games. It’s like a lottery: You draw one of the chips and it dictates the outcomes. It’s pretty unique. It’s a whole other world that I can escape to even 40 years later.

A quote that I am inspired by: “If you work harder on your job than yourself, you will make a living. If you work harder on yourself than the job, you will make a fortune.” — Jim Rohn, entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. Fortune is not necessarily money, but is good health, peace of mind, wisdom and happiness.

My friends describe me as: Kind, serving others and a person who laughs and smiles a lot. At the top of my “to-do” list is: After prayer and devotion, weights and cardio.

Best late-night snack: Hot chicken noodle soup and crackers with a Diet Coke.

The best thing my parents ever taught me: Love all people andgetupandgotoworkno matter what.

The person who influenced me the most: My mother because I watched her work 25 years at the Levi Strauss & Co. plant in Warsaw, Va., at near minimum wage and she still help put me through college. She also was a very confident woman with a middle school education, but she taught me how to survive during tough times even today as I become an old man.

Book that influenced me the most: “Your Road Map for Success” by John C. Maxwell. What I’m reading now: “Leadershift” by John C. Maxwell and “Goals: How to Get the Most Out of Your Life” by Zig Ziglar.

Next goal: Obtain a grant for a new exercise physiology lab at Hampton University; write a book on the life and lessons of Mr. Virginia; and compete in the AAU World Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships in October.