The Fitness Scene In My Country

This is going to be my first post on this blog related to health and fitness. You should know that I care very much about the field. One of my greatest dreams in life is to start a gym and to show beginners their way around weights. The country I’m from, India, has a lot of stigma towards bodybuilding and weight training in general.

I’m happy to see it getting dissolved, the past few years. I really appreciate fitness enthusiasts like Mr Tarun Gill, Mr Nipun Jain, Mr Guru Mann (Even though I don’t agree with some of his views) whom I have looked up to in my country, who are slowly but steadily bringing bodybuilding and fitness to the masses. Teenagers, young people and even some middle-aged men and women are getting more and more interested in the field, both as a career and as a lifestyle choice.

Of course, Bollywood has had a lot to play with it. Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman and John Abraham are few of the stars that young people look up to. But the enthusiasm usually subsides with the hype of that particular movie (Remember the 6-pack hype of the "Om Shanthi Om" period?). That’s when the roles of people like Mr Tarun Gill and all come to play. They build on this hype and like I have already said, they have been instrumental in this sudden consciousness of the field by the masses.

One of the most important developments over the past few years is the massive increase of women in the weight training and fitness scene. I have always been a proponent of the FACT that women should do weight training. All the people I know, I mean every single person I know, believes in the myth that weight training can ruin a woman’s body (by building muscles?). So, in their opinion, the best way for boys to lose weight is running, and girls is to dance, do yoga or walk (Running is an absolute NO for girls). Zumba and Power Yoga are some of the most profitable businesses in India, and they are filled with womenfolk. And I’m not saying that they are not effective. I would go so far as to say that they are VERY effective. To quote Eugene Sandow, one of my idols, “Life is movement. Once you stop moving, you are dead. Choose life.” So I will say that any kind of movement is good for the body. But all I’m saying is that the myth that women should only stick to exercises like these should be abolished!

The International Bodybuilding scene and especially YouTube and the other social media has influenced the field more than anything in my country. People have more and more access to good content, diets and training regiments. They can watch their favourite bodybuilder hitting up some heavy-ass weights in the weight room. It may sound silly, but the whole thing has hugely helped the scene here in India.

Also the brands, the Indian brands of supplements, they are a huge help to young Indians who just cannot afford the International ones, which costs a huge chunk after the import taxes and stuff like that. I can only vouch for the Indian brands I have used, and as you can probably imagine, I’m in no way associated with any of the brands. I have used them extensively in the past and they have helped. Muscleblaze, Six Pack Nutrition are two of the brands I have used for a long time. They work. I have used a variety of supplements from both of them and they are not that expensive at all. But the protein supplement I have used the most would be the insanely cheap Davisco Raw Protein and any person who tells you that they don’t work is lying to you. It definitely takes some time for the body to get used to it (3 days for me. Even lesser for some of my friends who have used it), but after it starts working, it never stops. I’m emphasizing this brand because it is the cheapest out there. The most trustworthy people who sell these are Mr Nipun Jain and A.M Healthtech. Go check their prices. You can see for yourself.

There are still a lot of ignorance and bro-science that is going around in the fitness scene in India. Most people are still averse to the use of protein supplements, and they mistake it with steroids somehow. I still remember my father advising me not to drink the water (Yes, you heard me right) they offer you at the gym, as they may contain “powder”, which basically translates to steroids in the Indian scene. This has to end. It is like an epidemic. People should understand the need for protein. People in the international scene achieve bodies like they have, not by injecting steroids into their bodies (Well, some of them do). They have good P.E programs in school. They workout from a very young age. They take their protein, carbohydrates and fats seriously. They take their hormone levels seriously. I don’t know many people in my hometown, Trivandrum, who knows the importance of testosterone levels, except for some of the good trainers here. Some of the trainers know it as the drug they take when it’s time for a competition, but that is a different story.

The thing is, there is a lot of stuff to be learned and the material is out there for free, accessible to all. Internet sites like Bodybuilding.com, Muscle and Strength, Muscle and Fitness and all have tons and tons of information. Read those. Educate yourself. I’m not saying that I’m an expert or anything, but I try to educate myself as much as I can because I’m passionate about this field. I would like people in my country to do the same thing. People who really care about their bodies and fitness, women and men.

With this blog, I’ll be trying to get as much information to you as I can, from the many articles I have read in the past. I will be very frank with you. I will only post about things I have personally tried or am hoping to try in the future. I really hope this blog helps you in some way. All kinds of comments are appreciated. I just hope you understand my intent towards creating this blog. Thank you, and have a nice day.