Bodybuilding in Cambodia

God this picture is gross.

Here I am, practically inhaling a bag of boiled peanuts, still sweating on my newly made up bed, waiting for the air con to kick in after a massive workout at the local gym. Fortunately I have to shell the peanuts otherwise there would just be an empty bag and only vague memories. Trying to get some protein and pack on some lean mass. Resting on my bed trying to grow.

Please don't believe me. Those days are gone. I am sweating because I did just workout, but there was nothing massive about it. I am also eating peanuts, but not for the protein. It was what was available on my bike ride back to the hotel and will tide me over until dinner. Peanuts, papaya, fried rice, mango salad, beer....is that a good diet? I don't really care to be honest, it tastes good and it fits my budget.

I just found my third local gym. I'm trying to get in better shape after nearly eight months of the occasional pushup and some half-assed leg raises in the hotel prior to eating a late breakfast. My triceps were sagging and my hips were getting way too big and it's hard to look desirable in an undersized t-shirt. So, with lack of anything better to do in the midday heat here in Cambodia, I have sought out a place to get it all back. I'm pretty sure my mind is playing tricks on me.

The first place I found was a dinky little gym next to my hotel. It was $2 to use the gym, which was basically an assembly of rusty, ancient equipment that remarkably still functioned. I got a towel and it did the trick. The other locals sharing the gym were usually shirtless and quite lean and I would have gone topless myself if I wasn't a bit self-conscious about the relative flaccidity of my abs.

I went there twice and decided to seek out other options. I found another place, a proper gym, with a big sign saying so. The place was called GYM. It was a bit farther of a pedal, but so much better. Still no air conditioning or fans, but it was only $1 and had better equipment. There were more shirtless dudes, mostly friendly, and it was a cheaper, better workout. I just didn't like the relatively dirty floor, which easily found its way onto my drenched clothes.

I worked out at the second local place a couple of times and the novelty wore off. I decided to find a more upscale place, possibly a gym within one of the many five star hotels. At least then I might take to the treadmill or the exercise bike being in an air-conditioned environment. And I also might meet the right people who could provide possible job leads. It was a win-win really.

The only problem was that most of these "gyms" were less equipped than the ancient, this-machine-is-going-to-break-on-you local places and they were way more expensive. The best one had an enormous pool and a modern air conditioned gym for $130 a month. The others ranged from $50-110, which I don't really need to say is out of my price range. I'll just sweat it up at the local places, I thought.

I had heard of a few other local gyms and today I thought I'd venture out and find the one near the Crocodile Farm. I had been out a couple days ago and couldn't find anything that resembled a gym, but I found it helped to ask. I motioned like I was lifting weights and pointed in various directions and soon I was going over the bridge by the farm, veering a slight left and there she was, right next to the ping pong club. And I'm talking table tennis, not the ping pong one finds in Bangkok.

This gym was even better equipped than the last two and had even more shirtless dudes, some of them might even be in the picture posted above. Best of all, it was only 2000 riel. That's 50 cents. I got a towel, a bottle of water and away I went. There were at least double the number of folks partaking in muscle building and a couple of other foreigners. I ignored them as they did me, which seems to be the usual tendency in situations like this, for whatever reason.

The best feature in this gym, aside from the various bodybuilding pictures posted on mirrors throughout the gym was one piece of equipment that had a missing seat. A bicycle seat had been installed in it's place. I think I'll bring my camera next time. I have to say the people weren't as friendly, which is typical of meatheads. The more serious people are about bodybuilding there seems to be a greater likelihood they might be an asshole. But perhaps I was taken to be an asshole too.

What I also noticed in Cambodian gyms is there are practically no women. The first gym had a couple girls manning the front door, taking money and handing out towels. The second gym had one female patron and she didn't stay long. And today's gym had a couple women also taking money, handing out towels and guarding the beverage display. Not surprising considering none of these gyms had much cardio equipment or yoga classes and because they probably don't want to be gawked at. And they would have been, by me.

Anyway, I suppose I will continue to throw some weights around by the crocodiles until the next best place comes around. However, I doubt I'll find one better for that price. So, I've got my gym sorted. Now I need transportation and an apartment. I think I can sort out a bike tomorrow morning for around $40 and I hear an apartment for $100 a month is not unheard of. I'm not terribly enthused by the first three I saw yesterday, but I have a feeling things will get better. And then, all I'll need is a job. Slowly but surely...