Wayne

Male

23

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Petroleum Engineer

Mar, 2005

I was extremely skinny and tall as a teenager, I looked fragile, as though a mild wind was enough to blow me away. Everywhere I went, friends and relatives would either joke about my being skinny, or asked questions along the line of 'why are you so skinny?'. My neck looked long, and I had postural problems in that my shoulders always tilted to one side (slumping to the left), and my elder brothers would always tease me. One day i just had enough of all the name-callings and crap that I was getting from so many people, and decided to pick up the weights. My first weights were a pair of 4 kg plastic dumbells (that was in 2003). I didn't have any knowledge about lifting nor nutrition. I thought I would get bigger just by lifting something and drinking weight gainer shakes. Got my shakes and dumbells, and for the next 2 years, I would use that same weight and did the same exercises every week, drinking my shakes only occasionally. I came across this website in 2003 as well but was busy admiring other members' physique than making researches. In 2004 I started to get more serious with my food, looking back now it was still a crappy diet but better than the first 2 years and I was still using the same pair of dumbells can you believe that??! I knew what to do by then but just didn't have access to any gym. It wasn't until I entered University in 2005 that I started going to the University's gym and started lifting correctly and improving my diet. I was one of the smallest kids in that gym and was so timid and shy to even speak to anyone. For the next 2 years I would lift alone and then only started to feel confident enough to mingle and get advice from people at the gym. Overall, 4 years of multiple mistakes, injuries, consistency and dedication, i finally got to where I am now. I am now one of the bigger guys at the gym and people now come to me for advice..i'm always happy to give a tip or two as I know how frustrated one can be when they just started out and is clueless about what to do..I definitely still have a long way to go to reach my goal, but I am now a happier person, knowing that I am on the right track.

It is my stress-reliever, something I'd do to unwind after a long day. It's also a rewarding activity because the results of your hard-work and dedication will show physically, and it's something that money can never buy. Personally, it gave me a lot more confidence in my social life and when i'm out walking about I know people stare at me and I love that! Reminds me that I have come a long way. As an extra benefit, bodybuilding helps me stay healthy, focused, disciplined. These qualities resonate outside of my bodybuilding lifestyle as well, and i'm always motivated to finish something that I've started. I am glad that I picked up the plastic dumbells 6 years back, even if it took 2 years before I had sufficient knowledge to lift and eat correctly.

I think of my goals, and then I think of those who used to laugh at me.

None yet. Planning to enter some competitions in the future but before that, I have a lot to work on. Not saying that I have to win something but I want to know that when I enter a comp, that I will be able to at least put up a good show.

We only live once, stand out, don't blend in.