5 off to Guam bodybuilding meet

Tristan Ecalnea, Gerald Galang, Jun Riodique, Aaron Tomokane, and lone female participant Chom Star Gordon will leave Saipan tomorrow in time for the 2pm weigh-in and check-in also at the Leo Palace.

Ecalnea and Riodique will be joining the bodybuilding event, while Galang and Tomokane will be competing in the physique event. Gordon is entered in the women’s bikini contest.

Ecalnea, Galang and Riodique said in unison that they’ve been training hard almost every day for the competition. They added that following a strict diet is the hardest part of their preparation since they could just not eat anything.

“Our diet is composed mostly of more protein and carbohydrates and less fats. I try to stick with the caveman diet where everything is freshly prepared,” said Ecalnea. “I also lift heavier weights and push myself hard.”

Galang, who added more sets and volume with his training, said that even if they train individually they are always there for each other, motivating and helping in whatever way they can.

“I usually train with Aaron at the gym. But most of the time we train individually and there are times we see each other at the gym. We help each other out through motivation. Just seeing everyone at the gym working out really hard will inspire you to do the same,” added Galang. “What works for me, also works for them. We compete in different weight categories but we all want to achieve the same thing.”

Galang, who got into lifting weights as a way to relieve stress when he was in the Army and deployed in Iraq in 2010, added he wanted to influence people to have a healthy lifestyle.

“Lifting weights became a daily routine then a part of my life. With all the health problems that we have, we want to influence people. ‘If this guy can do it, I can do it also,’” said Galang, who also served in Afghanistan last year.

Riodique, who is aiming to get bigger because he plans to join the heavyweight division, said he now follows a different program.

“I want to gain at least 10 pounds since I want to enter as a heavyweight. That’s why I’m lifting heavier weights every day. If you want definition you need to do more repetitions with less weights,” said Riodique.

Though sometimes his work schedule gets in the way of his training, Riodique makes it a point to go to the gym religiously.

“I feel sick if I don’t go to the gym. It is sometimes hard to work out if you’re tired the whole day. Well if I have a lot of money, I won’t work anymore. I just spend most of my time inside the gym working out,” he said laughing.

“We can’t achieve our goal of getting bigger like the other guys who compete. They work out morning and night at the gym. While us, we only spend one or two hours every day.”

Meanwhile, Guam is also using the tournament for its national championship and the host’s bets have the option to join the international division. Those competing in the international category, however, are barred from joining the nationals.

Bantamweight (143.30 lbs. or 65k), lightweight (154.32 lbs. or 70k), welterweight (165.34 lbs. or 75k), middleweight (176.36 lbs. or 80k), and heavyweight (Over 176.36 lbs. or 80k) are the tentative list of men’s bodybuilding weight classes. (Jon Perez)