Hello again fellow readers and welcome to The Reading Bodybuilder! I hope all of
you had a great weekend especially for those who’re in Sunny Singapore. Well,
our guest for today hails from the western side of Singapore, towering high at
close to a height of 1.8m! Known to some as the “Gentle Giant”, though he often
wrecks havoc at the gym with those heavy-weights. Let me present to you, Lex Tan!
Profile
Name: Lex Tan
DOB: 26/02/1988
Marital status: Single
Occupation: Fitness Personal Trainer
Height: 1.78m
Weight: 100kg-110kg (Off-season) 88kg-90kg (Contest)
Hometown: Bukit Panjang
Gym: Fitlion Gym @ Punggol CC / SSC Clubfit Gymnasiums
Team (if any): -
Achievements: 2008 National Juniors - Above 70kg – Champion
2008
National Juniors – Overall Champ; Mr Junior Singapore
2011
MuscleWar - 5th Place
Interview with Lex
Tan
TRB: What’s up Lex? I heard that you’ve been busy with
your PT these days. Well it’s a pleasure to have you here with us at The Reading Bodybuilder! Now you held
the title of Mr Singapore Junior back in 2008. You must’ve started training at
a very young age then right? Share with us how you got into this sport and how
was life like before you became a bodybuilder?
Lex: Hello! Thanks for having me here!
I started training when i was 16 years old, I was actually
inspired by the movie; Commando by Arnold Schwarzenegger when i was 11. Long
story made short, it wasn't until I was 16 where i decided to use the amount of
money i saved up (continue reading to find out how the money came about) to
apply for a gym membership and some supplements.
TRB: I remembered the time when you had to diet for nearly a
year in preparation for the Juniors contest in 2008 due to the change of
competition dates. Could you tell us how did you managed to persevere that long
and stick to your contest diet?
Lex: Yes correct! It was indeed a grueling year, having to
face many disappointments and worry about being called up for NS enlistment
before i even get to stand on stage!
Since i knew it was my last shot in the Juniors category
that year, Determination and the hunger to really win after dieting for so long
were the key factors that made me persevere through. I also wasn't studying
anymore during the time when I started preparing for the show, therefore it
became a daily routine just to stay on the diet and maintain my body until the
confirmed date of the competition was out.
TRB: Well you are known for starting your contest
preparations much earlier than most bodybuilders. What are some challenges that
you have faced during this pre-contest period? How did you managed to overcome
it?
Lex: Usually I'll start preparing at 16 weeks out.
Adapting to changes in lifestyle, packing my meals
everywhere I go and rejecting friends gathering or parties are the challenges I
face time to time.
I'm a person who actually shuts off my mind from the outside
world when I start my contest preparations. To treat every contest that I
prepare for as if it’s 'my last' keeps me driven and motivated to be the best I
can be come contest day.
TRB: You are one tall guy and I’ve seen you get pretty huge
during your off-seasons. How do you deal with unwanted stares when you walk
around in public?
Lex: Hahaha, thanks but I still don't think I'm huge in any
way yet. Back to the topic, I’ve always believed in being humble everywhere I
go, sometimes I’ll just return a smile or achknowledge them by nodding my head.
TRB: I believe there were some occasions whereby you had to
control yourself from trying to knock someone’s teeth out while you were out
walking in public. Now how do you deal with these young punks or troublemakers?
Lex: Haha! I'm definitely not a troublemaker or trouble
seeker in any way but most of the times I'll just ignore these people unless I
feel the need to confront them. I’m sure you and other fellow bodybuilders can
agree that I’m actually a pretty laid back fellow. Most of the time, even if
I’m half way through my workout, I’ll still joke or fool around.
TRB: You would fit the bill of a “BIG brother” image. What
advice would you give youngsters nowadays to keep out of trouble?
Lex: To remain calm and think before acting would be my
advice. The Laws in our country isn’t something pleasant to mess with.
TRB: Your last contest was in MuscleWar 2011 whereby you’ve
presented to us another great physique of Lex
Tan. When can we expect to see you onstage again?
Lex: Thanks! Although I felt I could have done more to be
better. Hmmm, lets put it as MuscleWar 2013 if everything on my side goes well.
TRB: Now, let’s move on to the next question pertaining to
our sport. Do you think there is a need to be highly competitive as a
bodybuilder since it is an individual sport in itself? How much is too much of
a rivalry in this sport?
Lex: I’m sure everyone competes to WIN or to prove
something. Being highly competitive is a must especially when we are doing it
alone. We plan our own training, our meals, our supplementation and we don’t
get paid for all the sacrifices we go through along with it. But, being humble
as we are being highly competitive is definitely something we must have within ourselves.
Personally I feel that when rivalry turns sour and leads to
jealousy or even to the extent of insulting fellow competitors openly is
uncalled for, that is when it is too much in this sport. Poor sportsmanship is
what I’ll call it.
TRB: Let’s say that you’ve had a bad day at the gym, what
would you do to make yourself feel better?
Would you apply the same concept if you didn’t perform as well in a
contest?
Lex: I’ll lie down on my bed, think about the sacrifices and
pain I went through to get to where I am today, I’ll also think about the
people who once looked down on me and didn’t believe that I would step on stage
and of course the thought of people who have been supporting me all along gets
me fired up. It’s the feeling of trying to prove something again so much that
it gets me going all over again.
Hmmm.. As for after a contest, its almost the same concept,
except that I’ll browse through the pictures and hear from my friends first and
then I’ll think about what I could have done or not do to perform better and
start planning on what I should focus and improve on to better myself the next
time.
TRB: Complete this sentence, “If I weren’t a bodybuilder, I
would be a ....”?
Lex: Haha! This is interesting! Here it goes “If I weren’t a
bodybuilder, I would be a scrawny slacker playing online computer games at
home, cycling, drinking and partying with friends”
Since young I’ve always been hooked to online first-person shooter
games and have always wanted to build a high performance PC for the games.
As for cycling, if you did read the 1st question
of this interview, the money which I saved up and spent on gym-membership and
supplements was actually a promise within my group of secondary school friends
that each of us would save for a period of about 6mths to get a mountain bike
which in the end didn’t happen as I was the only person who actually saved up
for it!
And lastly, drinking and partying is what I see majority of
young adults do these days, I don’t understand the fun or thrill behind
drinking though, but I’m definitely not one and will never be one! Haha!
TRB: Any shout-outs to your friends, family or loved ones?
Lex: Firstly a big thank you to you! The man behind
TheReadingBodybuilder! Giving me the chance to be featured and creating a blog
to remember the local bodybuilders.
A big shout out to my family and loved one who have always
been by my side, supporting me and loving me for who I am.
And of course to my friends and training buddies, always
there to provide me with a listening ear when I’m down with problems and
pushing me through my workouts.
Thank you everyone!!!
Now what an awesome interview we have there fellow readers!
I’m sure all of us can’t wait to see Lex
Tan onstage again. Once again, The Reading
Bodybuilder would like to thank Lex
Tan for being with us here today. May all of you have a blessed Sunday!
Best wishes,
Zee (1.4.2012)
