“I think I need to do a few extra crunches
today,” says Ali, lifting his shirt and briefly
running his fingers across rippled abs, “I
had a little too much to eat last night”.
Hanuth a 30-something finance
consultant, nods in agreement, pinching
his own ‘love handles’ around the waist.
“This is depressing,” he says. “ All that
effort and nothing’s changed.”
For the past six months, Ali and
Hanuth have been religiously visiting the
club, rarely missing a session, spending
at least one hour a day, five days a
week, doing bench presses, crunches
and cardio sessions. Both single, they
complain about the continuously mounting
pressure to have the desired body,
claiming how women are becoming more
‘picky’ when it come to looks.
“Back in the day, we had beauty and
the beast,” Ali says with a comical smirk.
“Now it’s beauty and beauty: Adonis and
Aphrodite.”
Hanuth sits on a stool and raises both
legs, getting ready for a quick crunch.
“Beauty comes in proportions,” he says.
“It’s not about your face, it’s about your
body. You can’t fix your face, but you can
do a lot for your body.”
It sounds vain – to be driven by one’s
looks – but a quick glance at fitness clubs
across town will disprove the theory that
beauty is reserved for women only. Gone
are idolised images of the ’60s, ’70s and
’80s where men were expected to be
burly, hairy and scruffy. Today’s male icon
is more chiseled and buff than Michelangelo’s
David.
In Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Think author Gordon L. Patzer
describes the Adonis Complex. “Bombarded
by idealised male physiques on
magazine covers, in underwear ads and
in action movies – all of which feature
men with rippling abdominal muscles and
bulging biceps, deltoids and pectorals
– many men have grown increasingly
insecure about their appearance.”
These are beliefs that have survived
the test of time, even to this day. They
were present in the views of the five men
I observed that evening. Very different
characters, they spoke with one voice
about men’s roles and responsibility.
Their philosophy was to be (a few)
good (men).
Patzer also cites various studies
showing that in recent years, male exotic
dancers, models and even male action
figures like GI Joe have become steadily
more buff to represent the muscle-bound
definition of ideal male looks.
“Times have certainly changed,” says
a fitness instructor. “What was once considered
emasculating has now become a
trend: men apply anti-aging cream, drink
protein powder to look buff, and – note
this – have conisderably less body hair.”
However, beauty often comes with a
price. Just as women have been subjected
to eating disorders, unhealthy
body-image obsessions and low selfesteem,
men are gradually falling into the
same patterns. Eating disorders among
men are not rare, yet their reluctance to
get help has made it difficult for them to
receive treatment and for the world to acknowledge their problems. According to
a US study reported in Psychology Today
in 2006, about 10 per cent of anorexics
and 20 per cent of bulimics are ‘average
Joes’ who also display symptoms of
binge eating at one point or another.
“I always tell my clients that health
comes first,” says Ishan. “ A picture –
perfect body doesn’t happen overnight,
and having buns of steel at the expense
of one’s well-being is not worth the ounce
of fat you burn per minute.”
Instructors also share their personal
recipes for attaining the desired body: “Eat
well, sleep well and keep your body on
the move. There’s no such thing as a bad
shape, there’s only good and bad habits”.
Nevertheless, temptation looms :
deprive men of their monthly subscription
to male-oriented fashion magazines, and
they will find their motivation elsewhere,
by stealing glances at each other, comparing
one another’s muscle-to-fat ratio,
guffawing in locker rooms and talking
about work, traffic or the weather, before
moving on to the new Calvin Klein ad,
the protein shake, the energy bar, the
weight scale outside.
“Damn,” says Ali, looking at the
needle on the scale, “I gained half a kilo
from last night’s supper.”
Hanuth lets out a quick laugh, pushing
Ali gently off the scale and getting
on it himself. A second later, he takes
off his shoes and gets on it again. He
frowns. “How is it possible that my weight
remains the same as it was last week
?” He steps down, checks whether the
scale is working properly, gets on for the
third time – same results. “ That’s it, I’m
going on a water and cracker diet”.
“Take it easy, man,” Ali consoles his
friend, slapping Hanuth’s back. “Love
handles are cute.”
Hanuth shoots Ali a menacing look,
jumps off the scale and playfully catches
his friend in a deadlock. They wrestle
for a while, on the mat, before walking
toward the treadmill. They set the same
speed, same distance, same elevation
and begin to run side by side.
|
A typical day at this Fitness Club
begins after sundown, previously
known as ‘cocktail hour’,
as young business executives
file into the gym area and
check themselves out in the mirror before
starting their workout session. Dressed in
sleeveless shirts and training pants, they
scrutinise their pecs, abs, biceps and
calves. A triumphant laugh follows a
nervous giggle, as they measure each
other’s progress throughout the week.
