The Twist and Turn between Fitness and Bodybuilding.

Just imagine a scale, stretching far east to west. At east corner stands ‘Functional training to improve handling of physical tasks’. At the other one, it says ‘Repetitious-like training to increase aesthetic in terms of muscle proportion in size and definition’. When talking about fitness, one would have the mindset of the east corner. When one wants to build a beach-body or fight-club’s Brad Pitt one would think about the west end instead. So, can one have an aesthetic body which functions just like a world class athlete? Well, can a doctor go for a lawyer’s degree? Yes, it is possible. It depends on how much time and effort one puts in. The comparison was stated. Yoga stands towards the functional athletes’ side. All those hot models who did yoga didn’t tell you they have training experiences with other sports and even if they did achieve such body through yoga only, it took quite long. The effort versus result are not justifiable in my sense.

I have been approached, confronted and consulted many times like these.

• Mythical believe 1: Eh! You build so big then become not flexible already la.
  Fact is: Firstly, I’m not big. You have yet to seen better and bigger ones. Secondly, flexibility and muscle doesn’t contradict each other provided a simple add-on is done at every training session. It’s called stretching exercises. World class gymnasts are the greatest examples.
  
• Mythical believe 2: Eh! You build so big, you can run ah?
  Fact is: Which one is faster, a lawn mower’s engine or a Ferrari’s engine? A Ferrari’s engine is many times bigger and even more times faster. Muscles = Power = Sprint = Speed. Nuff’ said.
  
• Mythical believe 3: You take steroids ah?
  Fact is: If you really thought I did, I’ll sincerely take it as a complement. It’s like asking a super model with a pretty face and nice boobs if she has done any plastic surgery, when the truth is she doesn’t. I used to feel offended. Now, I’m rather flattered. =)
  
• Mythical believe 4: You take a lot of supplements ah?
  Fact is: Yes, last time. Now, no. I have been using the staples like fish oils, protein powders and multi vitamins only. Progress is better now actually. I used to be like a rich, spendthrift tycoon investing in every investment plan there is out there to profit the most and fastest. Now, I like to think of myself as rich, very stingy tycoon who emphasizes on strategies, planning and minimizing the expenses. When it comes to the body, more isn’t better. The body is a survival tool. Anything above their limits will be dealt in terms of excretion and suppression.
  
• Mythical believe 5: You go gym only 2.5 years ah? Really ah?
  Fact is: My membership is turning 3 years old in few days time. I had 6 months of lay off due to an emotional breakdown. 2.5 years also accounts for the period I had to start below par. So to say, 2.5 years is actually a comfortable speed.
  
• Mythical believe 6: You strong ah? Let’s arm wrestle.
  Fact is: Yes I’m strong. Much stronger than an average person. Sitting at a comfortable 67kg bodyweight, I bench 120kg easily for a rep. But I don’t arm wrestle. Arm wrestling requires training of proper techniques. Failure to achieve proper techniques and coupled with brute strength only lead to a bone-breaking, friend-laughing experience.
  
  And my personal favourite,
  
• Mythical Believe 7: Your arms too big for your body already la. Your head looks small.
  Fact is: In Malaysia, it is common for guys to have smaller limbs, smaller torsos and bigger heads. That sets the standard for a Malaysian body built. However in Iran, my so-called big arms are quite common among them and there have been news like a 15 years old already own such arms. Why should we submit to things like ‘their genes different mah’? See, I’m a fighter, I’m a challenger. I don’t submit so easily. Not even after getting rolled over by a car (for those who didn’t know, I really did get rolled over at the arm).