Sangram Chougule is India’s most famous bodybuilder after winning Mr World in 2014, and he came to the UK for the Body Power Fitness Expo in Birmingham as a special VIP guest.
Yet despite these milestone successes, the road to glory has not always been easy for Sangram Chougule In 2013, Sangram was struck by a leg injury where a major muscle got torn, and he was forced to take time away from bodybuilding for nearly two years.
He spiralled into depression and began to believe that he would never regain his previous levels of fitness. Sangram is a world-class athlete, having won Mr India in 2010 – a title which he has now won an astonishing seven times – and winning Mr Universe in 2012.
Being forced to take such an extended time away from his bodybuilding ambitions was a blow to him and the stress began to take its toll. But by 2014, after working to regain his previous levels of fitness, he won the globe’s most prestigious bodybuilding competition, Mr World.
After he appeared at the Body Power event, sports correspondent Abdul Khabir had the chance to catch up with Chougule in an exclusive interview for Asian World.
So Sangram are you competing here at BodyPower?
‘I am here to do guest posing, as a guest not as a competitor’
You have won Mr India since 2010 which was the first one. For 7 years you have won this competition which is unprecedented. You have won every single one…first of all Congratulations, what is the recipe of your success?
‘Thank you very much. Recipe is dedication and hard work because without those things you cannot to do anything. If you want to be a fitness freak and if you want to do something in fitness you need to take care of three things – your diet, your workout and your rest. If you follow this triangle and set your goal you will be successful.’
You had an accident unfortunately on your leg, how did that set you back as I believe at one point you were going to give it all up, what made you come back?
‘Actually I won my first Mr Universe in December 2012 in Bangkok. I was the first Mahrastrian to win one of these titles which was great achievement for me. After that I was guest posing on stage as I was splitting my legs I tore my muscles. After that I could not do anything for 3-4 months. But fitness is my core and being a hard core bodybuilder I could not see myself doing nothing. There were some rumours on social media that Sangram is nowhere now and cannot come back. There were also people who wanted me to come back. Those were the fans that motivated me to come back because of them. If you get anything first people think it is luck when you win it again that is hard work and you won it. That was on my mind so I came back.’
What made you get into bodybuilding in the first place, you didn’t just wake up and start lifting weights?
‘Actually form childhood I was an athlete. In my town it is a small town and there were no other facilities we just had big grounds and the whole day we just played on the ground and built our muscles. It was not planned to be a bodybuilder. In 2001 I came to Pune for aeronautical engineering then I saw people doing bodybuilding and then I decided to develop my muscles. In 2006 I met some people who helped me and then I decided to become a bodybuilder.’
So Aeronautical is all about space and the universe. In a way you got there as you are Mr World and Mr Universe.
‘Chuckles.’
Back home in India around you are more and more people going to this now with people looking at you thinking ‘I can do this?’
‘This is happening. There are many people thinking bodybuilders are doing something secretive. I am touring the world and talking to people about fitness, I gave 20 years in this field and I want to educate people to tell them that this is not something different. We just do things differently. That’s what I want to say to people – whatever you want to do in fitness you must first decide your goal whether it is body building or athlete or modelling main thing is fitness focus on that and then change the diet. If you increase the diet you will develop muscles if you maintain the diet you can change the category.’
Amir Khan in Ghajini or Salman Khan in Sultan who has the better body?
‘I think they both have very nice bodies. Because of Salman Khan I came in this field he is the man who took fitness into the movies. If you think of Amir khan he is a perfectionist. In Ghajini he did a nice role he just wanted to develop his body there was no need to do it with the character but he did it and people just followed it. In Sultan, Salman Khans character was a wrestler. At the age of fifty Salman started wrestling and he showed people you can do this. Body is one part but you have to have a strong mind. If you ask whose body is better they are both different.’
Which one do you prefer?
‘Obviously I prefer Salman Khans because Salman is known for his iconic personality not known for his acting. He is a hero. I am not an actor so I can be a hero. Amir Khan is a perfectionist he is an actor. Everyone has their own qualities.’
Bollywood calling?
‘Yeah Bollywood called me but I was injured. I am not an actor so I have to prepare my core which is my body I did not want to go into this field with a dirty body. People would come to see me for my body not my acting and then I would go there with my bad form and it would make my name bad. Now I am not injured I am ready for that call. Last fifteen years I did things in bodybuilding but if I get tired I would change my field.’
Any other advice you would give to our readers?
‘Yes I want to tell them not to go for shortcuts. Many people want their ideal body in two to three months. This is not possible as to develop your muscles the muscles are made from small tissues and they develop from what you eat. If you eat proper food like carbohydrate, protein, fat all things are really important. If you go for these thing you will develop your muscles. But if you want to get into the fitness industry you will need to look at macronutrients. Like vitamins which are very important and protein powders as you cannot fulfil your requirements with natural foods. 80% should be natural food like eggs, chicken, any sort of protein the rest from food the rest from supplements. First eat the food then go for supplements.’
