THE HEALTH | OCTOBER , 2022

What she said next changed how I chose to live my life a little bit . With much innocence , she asked : “ Why do you look like Daddy Pig ? Your tummy is so big .”

She caught me completely off guard . I was not expecting this brutal honesty .

For those who do not know , Daddy Pig is a fictional character from a delightful little children ’ s cartoon called Peppa Pig . Daddy Pig did have a vast and round tummy , and in my mind , no way did mine bear a close resemblance .

Anyway , with my pride beaten , I decided to look down , to point out to her that she was delusional .

As I did , I noticed that this six-yearold girl wasn ’ t just cuddled in my arms . A significant part of her bottom was resting on my tummy . It was then that I realised that she was right , and something had to change .

I started to visit the gym a little , watch my diet a lot more , and do all kinds of exercises . It wasn ’ t easy . I wasn ’ t sure what I needed and how to achieve my goals . It took a lot of googling and experimenting to finally come up with what works best for me . I am sure many others have faced similar experiences too . Wanting to lose body fat and gain muscle mass is never easy . There ’ s a lot of science involved in practising correct gym workouts to achieve a specific type of physique while also trying to prevent unwanted injuries .

As I am no expert on the matter , so I decided to track down a couple of experts . Kumareswarren Pillai is a bodybuilder and personal trainer at the Body Factory gym . He was also recently crowned Mr Malaysia 2022 Heavyweight champion .

He gives us his insight into the sport of bodybuilding from an athlete ’ s perspective . For a more scientific take on the matter , Dr Arvin Raj will provide us with his expert views . He is a Sports Physician and a Certified Sports and Conditioning Specialist who also happens to be a bodybuilding / powerlifting enthusiast .

The three of us discussed what it took to achieve a fitness goal . We will dwell in detail on the topics of training and nutrition . Furthermore , the injuries in this sport and Covid-19-related health issues will be discussed .

TRAINING KUMARES How much must I train to become a bodybuilder ? It differs from individual to individual . Some athletes have stepped up on stage in less than a year of weight training , and some also took a few years to compete . It all depends on their genetics and their foundation . One key factor is how athletic they were at a younger age .

Is resting as crucial as training ? Definitely , growth takes place when we are resting . We need to recover well before our next session .

How much should I carry ? Is weight or reps more important ? This is also very subjective . Weights and reps are equally important but more important is the form of the exercise being performed . The eccentric movement has to be in control , and the

BONE TO PICK

mind over muscle connection is critical . Bodybuilders aren ’ t weightlifters or powerlifters . It ’ s not about how much you can lift or break your personal record . It ’ s about developing the muscles with balance and symmetry .

How do I know if I am pushing enough ? For beginners , it ’ s most important to stick to their plan and not do more than advised . Just focus on perfecting the form .

Can I lose fat and gain muscle mass at the same time ? Yes , it is possible . Although it ’ s two separate things , they can happen simultaneously .

Is cardio training as necessary as weight training ? Yes , it is .

DR ARVIN How are bodybuilders able to gain such muscle mass ? It is because their training , nutrition and lifestyle are muscle hypertrophycentric . You have to train a certain way , eat a certain way , and lead a particular lifestyle to maximise that potential .

Does genetics play a role in gaining muscle mass ? Of course . The top one per cent of bodybuilders are gifted , but that doesn ’ t mean they train any less or do not bother about their nutrition . If anything , they owe it to themselves to harness that genetic potential . On the other hand , numerous successful bodybuilders may not be as gifted , especially with some body parts , but they work hard to make up for it , which carves a different kind of success story .

What is muscle hypertrophy ? Muscle hypertrophy is the increment of muscle mass ( weight ) and crosssectional area ( size ).

Will I lose muscle mass if I stop training ? Detraining affects individuals differently . The extent of muscle loss can be just a matter of reduced stored muscle glycogen which happens within the first 2-3 weeks of cessation of training . As the period of detraining prolongs to months , this affects dry muscle mass as well . The effect of detraining is more apparent in those who are bedridden or hospitalised for prolonged periods . This is known as muscle atrophy .

What are concentric and eccentric exercises ? Which is better for mass gain ? Concentric and eccentric movements are phases of muscle contraction , with concentric being the shortening and eccentric being the lengthening of muscle fibres . Most forms of movement tempo for hypertrophy give equal attention to both . For example , two counts up and two counts down . It is when the rhythm is focused on either phase of the contraction . We name it concentric or eccentric focused movement .

Kumareswaran Pillai in training .

Does the number of reps or weight matter more ? Both . Weight of 30-90 per cent one repetition has shown to induce hypertrophy . That roughly translates to 4 – 30 repetitions ( Schoenfeld et al ., 2021 ). However , the lighter the loads are , the closer you need to train to failure . This has been shown in multiple research papers ( Grgic et al ., 2021 ). However , another essential factor for hypertrophy is training volume , which means the number of practical sets ( sets done close to failure ) done per week for each muscle group .

Do I get bigger as I lift weights or when I rest ? Both . The training stimulus is equally as important as the emphasis on adequate recovery . This varies from person to person . So , poor planning leads to poor results .

NUTRITION KUMARES Must I calculate my food intake calories ? Yes , if you are a competitive bodybuilder . It ’ s advisable to know how much