Amin Rasuad with some of the trophies he has won at international-level competitions. — Bernama
THERE are two legendary bodybuilders in the country, Datuk Abdul Malek Mohamed Noor (better known as Malek Noor) and Sazali Samad, who brought the country international glory.
Interestingly, both of them hail from Batu Pahat, Johor.
The district has now produced another bodybuilding champion, Amin Rasuad Sidek, who secured fourth place in the 70kg category at the 57th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship in Thailand last month.
Amin Rasuad, 46, said his involvement in the sport started during his primary school years as he used to accompany his father, Sidek Yahya, a bodybuilding coach, to their family owned gym in Tongkang Pechah.
“I watched him train Batu Pahat district and Johor state athletes.
“That’s how I developed an interest in the sport.
“I began specific training at the age of 16 and it took nearly a year before I was able to develop suitable muscle definition,” he told Bernama.
Amin Rasuad said his hard work began to pay off when he was crowned champion of the junior category at the Mr Johor 1998 championship at 18.
This was a platform that enabled him to compete at the national level.
He became a national athlete in 2022 after competing in the Asian Championship Bodybuilding in the Maldives, where he placed fourth in the Bantam Weight 65kg category.
Through the Malaysian Bodybuilding Federation, Amin Rasuad had competed in several international competitions.
His highest international achievement had been competing against world-class bodybuilders and winning second place in the 65kg category at the 15th WBPF World Bodybuilding & Physique Sports Championship 2024.
To prepare for competitions, Amin Rasuad said he consumes more chicken, eggs and fish, and also eats brown rice in addition to supplements.
“I also have to train every day, that is, two hours in the morning and another two hours in the evening or at night.
“If I miss even one day, it will affect certain muscle groups and fat may develop in those areas,” he explained.
Amin Rasuad added that he was also continuing his late father’s legacy by running his own gym to nurture the next generation of bodybuilders.
He is also training his second child, who is 18, to follow in his footsteps.
In addition, he is training four Johor state athletes, one of whom, Mohammad Hakimi Othman, 27, managed to secure third place in the Mr Malaysia competition in 2023 and 2024.
Amin Rasuad said he hoped that bodybuilding would receive greater public attention as Malaysia has the potential to produce more champions.
He observed that the biggest challenge for bodybuilding athletes was securing sponsorships to enable them to progress in the sport.
