Fitness... the evolution...

Nowadays, one can hardly miss fitness centre or gym in major cities. Even in smaller towns, fitness centres are everywhere. This is contrast with 10 years ago. I've been reading fitness magazine since 2002. Back then. I was just a fat geeky boy. I hope by reading fitness magazine, it would motivate me to a better physique. Imagine those buff beach boys in speedos or board shorts. With washboards abs where one can grate cheese. Pecs nicely form like a slab of steak. Biceps, big enough to carry sexy girls. Yup, back then, one can get orgasm just by looking at the cover of fitness magazine. Models posing, men women alike, they are just sexy. An ugly, out of shape lad can get his eyes turn green from envy. Or lusting to have those hard, ripped body no one can't resist.

So after finishing my O-level (equivalent), my cousin, Abigail and I bought some fitness equipment. The first equipment is 2 pair of dumbbells, 3 kgs and 4 kgs and a Kettler spring rower. We are still learning how to drive so we went to the town by bus. Imagine carrying 14 kgs of dumbbells in a bus during peak hours. I still keep the 4 kgs dumbbells. I gave the 3 kgs to a friend and the spring rower is nowhere to be found although I'll be glad if I know where it is. I miss those things.

Back then gym membership is usually exclusive to bodybuilders or rich gym rats. So with those equipment, we started to exercise. I manage to lose weight but not so much. Metrosexualism is still hot back then.

I like my dumbbells so much, I bring them along to college in 2005. At the college, I was looking for some 'gym buddies' but most of the boys are more into playing sports like football/soccer or well, football. Thanks to all the top football players, everybody has a football fever. Everybody wants to be a Ronaldo or a Beckham or a Totti. However some are into pumping irons. So my dorm is an unofficial gym. At least 5 boys would play with my stuffs. And I accidentally, turn one into a Hulk. Wow! it's unfathomable that me, a fat boy inspire somebody into fitness.

A friend of mine had a unique way to tone her abs. By lying down, and putting dumbbells on her abs. That taking 'pumping iron' too literal. By the way, she is now a seriously into fitness.

Sometimes, dumbbells are not enough. So my friend and I tried improvising a pulley machine. We tired a 15 kgs fire extinguisher with a skipping rope and pass the rope through the transom and pull the rope from the other side. Pretty clever eh?

In the University, I got busier and had no time to exercise. There's a gym next to the faculty, but my friend and I got intimidated by the buff, state bodybuilder. Reflecting back, why are we so afraid of bodybuilders. Maybe if we keep our fear and ego aside, we would be the one representing our state in bodybuilding or at least power lifting.

Looking back, becoming fit nowadays is easier than before with the proliferation of fitness centre, cheaper membership and more potential gym buddy and everybody is doing it.

Now my favourite gym equipment is a Swiss ball, dumbbells and resistance band. But I wish I can buy myself a rowing machine.