Amidst a War, Iraqis still Bodybuilding!

Much like other war-torn areas in the Middle East, the country of Iraq has used bodybuilding as a release from all of the horrors that surround its citizens. Now the sport has grown to be one of the most popular pastimes among Iraqis and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

There are definitely a lot of questions that need to be answered with regards to the war and violence that plagues Iraq. As to whether or not these questions will be clearly answered, we may never know. But amid the uncertainties and conspiracy theories surrounding Iraq and the war one thing has remained constant in the country: bodybuilding. In fact, the sport of bodybuilding has grown to gigantic proportions in Iraq ever since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime.

Now competitions are commonly being held in the country, bodybuilding legends are being idolized, and ordinary citizens now have the freedom to pump as much iron as they want. Want more evidence of the bodybuilding phenomenon in Iraq? How about the fact that, much like its fellow Middle Eastern country Afghanistan, tons of gyms have been popping up across Iraqi lands in order to meet the needs of the increased number of bodybuilders.

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And it is the explosion of the number of gyms in the country that may be the single greatest reason as to why bodybuilding has taken off in Iraq. Under Saddam Hussein’s control, there were strict regulations imposed on the opening of gyms in the country. Anyone wishing to start a gym in Iraq needed permission to do so and this wasn’t easily obtainable due to the scrupulous weightlifting union that presided over these affairs.

The lack of gyms in the country meant that only certain people could lift and these people usually happened to be top shelf athletes or highly ranked members of society. But this all changed after the collapse of Saddam’s regime as permission was no longer needed in order to open a gym. Entrepreneurs are now allowed to capitalize on the growing popularity of bodybuilding in Iraq.

One of these entrepreneurs is Sabah Talib, who opened the Arnold Classic Gym which is named after none other than former Mr. Olympia and current Governor of California Arnold Swarzenegger. Talib frequently competed in international bodybuilding contests, won numerous Asian championships, and was eventually recruited to train agents for Saddam. He reluctantly accepted the position but later fled the country only to return years later to open his gym.

Talib believes that the reason behind the growth of bodybuilding in Iraq goes deeper than the traditional mentality of lifting weights in order to get a physique that’s more attractive to women. He was quoted as saying "Most members are trying to build their bodies as soon as possible to help find a job in one of the security companies. The sport became popular after the invasion for finding jobs."

But finding a job in the ever expanding market for security guards in Iraq is certainly not the only motivation for bodybuilding in the country. The love for competition has struck the Iraqi people just as it does to everyone else. And Sabah Talib knows this better than anyone as he staged a bodybuilding competition in downtown Iraq on Arnold Swarzenegger’s birthday.

There were 27 competitors from 6 different weight classes who took part in the event that was dubbed the “Arnold Classic”. No the stage wasn’t polished and glossy like the ones we are used to seeing in America and some competitors had to use red ink instead of bronze posing oil to coat their bodies, however, the competition was still very, successful.

But while competitions such as the Arnold Classic may draw the cameras and other media attention, it’s important to realize that the bodybuilding craze extends far beyond the stage and to those who may not yet be ready to compete. Guys like Mohammed Jassem, who doesn’t quite have the muscles of a world competitor right now but is definitely working on it. He is a member of the Arnold Classic Gym and has hopes for one day representing Iraq in international competitions. Jassem is also one of many Iraqi bodybuilders who still looks to Arnold Scharzenegger as inspiration as he said, “Arnold is my hero.”

Thanks to the availability of modern weightlifting equipment in Iraq, men like Jassem may one day be able to reach their dreams of making it to the competition stage. This availability of modern equipment in military bases has also helped U.S. soldiers to train with weights while stationed in Iraq as well. Marine Lance Corporal Damion Ricketts is one of these soldiers who hits the weights quite frequently while he was overseas. Ricketts, who worked 12 hour days while in Iraq, would somehow find time to squeeze two hours of weight training into his grueling schedule.

Ricketts managed to pack on 25 pounds of muscle while stationed in Iraq and looks to have a very promisingbodybuilding career in his future. Who knows, maybe one day Ricketts and Mohammed Jassem will find themselves competing on the same stage in an international competition. But that is something to ponder at a later time as for now, their thoughts will reside in the same place as the rest of the world in hoping that the conflict and war in Iraq will soon come to a close and peace will be restored to this struggling nation.
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