Witness The Fitness

SOCIETY
Double trouble:
a patron of Angkor Muscle
Gym carefully observes his
form in front of a mirror
while working on his arms
The
clang of metal on metal
rings out, adding to the
cacophony of grunts and groans,
soundtracked by pop tunes blasting
from a stereo. Across the room, an
elongated mirror reflects a parade of
flexed muscles and taut bodies that
attract admiring smiles and more
than a few selfies. For the more resolute,
the posing swiftly ceases and it’s
back to body business – bars are thrust
overhead in determined displays of
power and strength.
Welcome to Angkor Muscle Gym, one
of the oldest gymnasiums in Cambodia’s
tourist town of Siem Reap – and one of
the few where the unmistakable odour
of sweat competes with the pungent
smells emanating from the kitchen.
Launched in 2001, this family-run
operation is owned by Sok Sour and his
wife Iv Kimsay. The gym is essentially
just an extension of the couple’s home,
hence the culinary whiff. However, any
resemblance to its humble beginnings
ends there.
“The gym has changed quite a bit
over the years,” says Sour. “We started
with nothing. I designed my own exercise
equipment from studying YouTube
videos. Everything was homemade.
Our gym was very simple.”
“I was worried that no one would
come,” adds Kimsay. “Fitness in
Cambodia was a new concept. We
started with very few members.”
Despite Kimsay’s fears, the idea of
regular exercise caught on in Siem Reap.
Sour’s homemade equipment – concoctions
of bricks and wood – have since been
replaced by modern cardio and weight
machines, and the gym has expanded
to accommodate the rising number
of customers.
“We are not business people. We just
go with the flow,” Kimsay says. “But the
gym has exceeded our expectations.”
Angkor Muscle Gym is also the official
gym of the Angkor Bodybuilding
Association (Abba). Enthusiasts convene
daily to share tips on diet and how to
work on particular muscle groups. When
they are not lifting weights, members
hang out in the newly built office.
“It’s become a community,” says
Rocky Lee, a co-founder of Abba. “We
all help each other.”
Lee, with the support of Sour, aims to
promote bodybuilding in Siem Reap,
using the gym as a base for interested
parties. However, Sour is quick to note
that it’s not all about bulging biceps and
titanic triceps.
“We have classes for children and a few
cardio machines,” says Sour. “Everyone
is welcome here.”•
76 May 2014 Sea GLOBE Sea GLOBE May 2014 77