Mumbai women get ready to compete in the Bikini Fitness competition

Kuhu Bhosale a 20yearold participant at the bodybuilding championship working out at an Andheri gym PicsRane AshishIts a Thursday evening when 20yearold fitness coach Kuhu Bhosale walks into an Andheri gym wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans At five feet one inch she cuts quite the petite figure She heads to the changing room and reappears within minutes this time in gym shorts and sports bra But shes no longer the diminutive girl we just met I weigh 52 kg but I lift 60 kg Sometimes even more That surprises most men in the room she chucklesWith rippling muscles little boulders for shoulders and a derriere that could give JLo a run for her money Bhosale is one of the 100 women competing at an upcoming bodybuilding competition organised by fitness expert Sheru Aangrish as part of the International Health Sports and Fitness Festival from October 13 to 15 at Goregaons Bombay Exhibition Centre Aangrish who has rendered services to stalwarts like Jason Statham and Arnold Schwarzenegger was the first to organise Sheru Classic Asias first International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitnesss bodybuilding show in 2011 in MumbaiAdele PrestonBodybuilding is a sport that requires immense patience and perseverance There are many who perceive it to be all about beefedup bodies and consumption of steroids I want to bust this myth he says The Sheru Classic Championship may be in its fifth year but its the first time that they will roll out the Amateur Olympia India a prestigious event organised by the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness event where winners will receive the Amateur Olympia Pro Card which will allow them access to international bodybuilding festivals The total prize money is worth 50 lakh which will be divided among the top three winners in each categoryBhosale however is prepping for the Women Bikini Fitness wherein contestants will work the twopiece bikini in any colour and pattern of their choice Here the assessment takes into consideration the tightness and tone of the skin The competitors should have very low body fat and the physique should neither be excessively muscular nor excessively lean says Aangrish adding that the face hair and makeup should complement the look presented by the athleteAs a model Monica Lalwani used to weigh 52 kgs and now as a bodybuilder her weight is 69 kgBhosale however is confident of making the cut Its highly competitive considering women around the world will be participating But I want to win she says Formerly a marketing manager at a fitness magazine Bhosale quit her job eight months ago to pursue bodybuilding professionally She now spends at least two hours in the gym every day I have tried gyms in my locality but I find that the trainers at Bodyholic are the best at least for me Plus even if I am strutting around in shorts or a sports bra no one blinks an eye she addsTurns out there are many women in the city who have signed up and are readying to set a tough challenge for Bhosale Monica Lalwani whose screen name is Monica Maryjane ndash you might remember her from Channel V show Roomies 2010 ndash is an actressmodel Born in Mumbai Lalwani studied at a military college in Nashik and at 58 12 was often the biggest girl in the room But as a model I had to always look thin And in order to make my round face look sculpted I had to go on many dehydrating diets After a point it got to me she adds In fact at the pageant trainers would often tell her to work on hiding her broad shoulders and biceps to look slender I had to make a choice either go with who I was or go for glamour Her choice is obvious I dont want to look dainty she saysNavreet JosanToday a fitness trainer at an MNC Lalwani starts her day at 5 am calling it a night at 10 pm I work out twice a day and Im on a strict diet That doesnt mean Im not allowed to eat good food she says On a diet of high carbs and protein shakes Lalwani says she eats like a man This extends even to romantic evenings Earlier I would only eat salads on dates These days I wolf down oneandahalf chicken tandoori and if the guy gives me the stink eye Im done she laughsSometimes its the women who also need convincing Jalandar born Navreet Josan argues The 31yearold who will also be participating in the October contest says getting attention for her body is common She often has women coming up to her at cafeacutes and malls asking how she manages to look so sculpted Women are apprehensive of bodybuilding because they dont want to look like men You can have a ripped body and still look beautiful says Josan adding that while its easy to get a fit or toned body a muscular look requires a far more intense workout and nutrition regime In 2014 Josan ranked fourth in the National Physique committees Fort Lauderdale Cup Florida and has since won several laurels at international bodybuilding eventsI remember that was the first time I had to wear a bikini in public I had to break the news to my parents gently she tells us over the phone from Delhi Josans father is an agriculturist and mother a homemaker Fortunately they understood my passion Now they cheer for me at competitions she says Her biggest stumbling block however was finding a coach Initially I couldnt find anybody The male coaches refused because they felt it was more a mans territory she says Her tutoring came from an online source where she learnt how to pose how much body tan is needed and what sort of bikini to wearIts not just about the body its about the confidence you exude and the way you present yourself in the couple of seconds on stage she says Josan wants people to understand that bodybuilding is not all about ripped muscles Bodybuilding isnt just about big muscles Its about achieving symmetry asks looking and feeling goodHer Instagram handle lilrocket ndash with over 54K followers ndash is full of flattering comments While the scene on international competitions is healthy yet competitive it can get slightly ugly at the national level Theres not much money and enough people to dissuade you she says And if that wasnt enough its doesnt come cheap eitherAdele Preston a 20yearold commerce student from Mumbai University will also participate in the bikini categoryIve been an athlete all my life but five years ago I had to put an end to fitness practice after a road accident I couldnt exert myself she says It was in 2015 that Preston picked up the dumbbell once again These days she trains six days a week and has a personal trainer who ensures she doesnt cheat on her diet Her monthly expenditure on the sport is close to 20000 Its an expensive sport If it werent for supportive parents I wouldnt have been able to compete she saysBhosale agrees Hailing from an affluent family mdash her father Nagesh Bhosale owns two production houses mdash help her sustain the workout My mother and brother dont understand why I want to look muscular My father however is supportive says Bhosale who idolises American fitness model Paige Hathaway I want to look like her she saysSheru AangrishSheru Aangrish the organiser of the show says hes seeing more participation from women this year About 10 years ago there wouldnt be more than five Now we have 150 he says Incidentally he had tried organising the same show three years ago but had to back out because of lack of sponsors Now he has several on boardRs 20kAmount Adele Preston spends on training every month