Fitness, in general, is no easy feat. In fact, going to the gym in itself can already feel like a chore. Bodybuilding as a sport entails so much more than just dedication to going to the gym. You need the discipline to watch what you put in your body and know exactly what to do to get that perfect body. If you want to learn a thing or two about dedication and discipline, check out what these Filipino bodybuilders have been able to do.

Let These 28 Filipino Bodybuilders Show You What Discipline Can Do

28. Edric Barcenas, 28, @ejbars

Edric Barcenas started bodybuilding early at 16 years old, but he has yet to compete on stage. For the most part, he considers himself a casual lifter aiming to achieve the highest amount of muscle mass with the least body fat percentage. Edric started his journey by going to their neighborhood gym to get fit. That’s where he developed a real passion for working out and transforming his body. “It became an art form for me to do movements that would define the parts of my body that I wanted to work on,” he shares. While it is an art form, he was also motivated to continuously study the science behind bodybuilding—human anatomy, hypertrophy, and most importantly, nutrition. “I have been religiously tracking my macros to ensure optimal aesthetic results,” he says.

Apart from strength training, Edric is also a CrossFit L1 trainer and I teach at CrossFit Salcedo and CrossFit Taft. His passion for fitness and nutrition has also led him to various business ventures including opening a gym in Cavite (BARS Fitness Center) and delving into the retail business by producing wrist wraps for athletes across the board (Muscle Wraps). He is also a stock trader and a financial consultant for Pru Life UK.

27. Joshua Pusta, 30, @puuusta

After suffering from two unfortunate injuries from playing basketball—a dislocated elbow and a fractured finger—Joshua Pusta’s mind temporarily checked out from the sport and he ended up looking for other ways to maintain an active lifestyle. This is where bodybuilding came in.Joshua started going through the process of bodybuilding seriously in late 2013, and he has embraced the slow, up-and-down grind ever since.

Considering that Joshua was only at 145 pounds when he started lifting weights, his humble goal was to just put on decent mass. 65 pounds and 5 years later, he still thinks he has a long way to go. Nevertheless, he says the progress and process has been extremely fulfilling. Joshua has recently started experimenting in the kitchen, as well, all thanks to binge-watching Masterchef episodes.

26. Ronald Lorenzo, 41, @daddyboom

Ronald Lorenzo started bodybuilding back in January 2003. At first, he just wanted to lose some weight. However, once he realized he was good at it, he decided to set a goal to achieve a better physique.

Right now, Ronald is into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He’s actually a blue belt under Deftac Makati. While he is still into lifting weights, his programs are mostly for strength, endurance and power. He is a project manager/system support for ISSCORP.

25. Jed Encarnacion, 27

Jed Encarnacion has been bodybuilding for 3 years now, but he actually started going to the gym at 20 years old because of how thin he used to be. Apparently, his friends used to bully him for his weight, so he decided to lift weights. At first, he was only doing it to gain some muscle. Eventually, he started going to the gym religiously, even waiting outside the gym in the morning for it to open.

One day, his friend Je Torio noticed the improvements in his body and invited him to join competitions. In 2016, Jed joined the Shawn Roden Classic. Before bodybuilding, Jed was into sports like rugby and football, where he was part of the local team.

24. Cholo Isungga, 29, @alterstar

Cholo Isungga has been bodybuilding for 9 years, mainly for improvement when he plays sports, but also for overall health wellness. He is a photographer and filmmaker/cinematographer, as well as a huge gamer.

23. John Paul Melosantos, 37, @jippiemelo

John Paul Melosantos lives in Paranaque and works in Quezon City as a freelance scriptwriter. John Paul has been working out since college, but only seriously got into bodybuilding last year. “I have always wanted to be be a bodybuilder since college,” John Paul shares, “but work and schedule did not permit it.”

“I might be old, but I was inspired by Hakim, who started competing when he was 43,” says John Paul. “That’s the goal!” JP loves swimming and going to the beach. He also enjoys traveling, learning, trying new things, and meeting new people. “I appreciate it when people ask me for fitness advice and I get to share my experiences,” he adds.

22. Nolin Ralph Peregrino, 27, @nolinfitness

Nolin Ralph Peregrino been going to the gym since 2011. He joined his first ever bodybuilding competition in 2014. Nolin admits that he really didn’t have any plans to pursue bodybuilding; he just fell inlove with the weights, the gym and the environment. After quite some time, however, he started looking for something to increase his motivation to improve his physique – and that’s where competing came in.

Nolin does online fitness coaching, as well, and he is also a mechanical engineer.

21. Richard Morilla, 33, @richard_morilla_the_champ

Richard Morilla has been bodybuilding since he was only 13 years old after being influenced by his first coach in 1999. He taught Richard everything and he started competing at the age of 15. “When it comes to bodybuilding, I also study everything about bodybuilding,” Richard explains. “I also kept learning at a British school in Dubai to become one of a Level 3 personal trainer and nutrition coach, which is very rare in the Philippines.”

Right now, Richard is a freelance trainer around Makati and Ortigas while waiting for his visa to work in a big and popular gym in Kuwait. He hopes to be an athlete of the Kuwait team, as well.

20. Rovin Santos, 26, @rovsantos

Rovin Santos has been bodybuilding since 2009 and training at the gym has been part of his daily routine since then. Rovin decided to get into bodybuilding because he wanted to prove that a skinny kid can achieve a muscular physique and become physically strong.

Rovin is a registered nurse in Los Angeles and Chicago. In his spare time, he usually spends it with his wife, family and friends. He enjoys watching movies and playing video games, and consider himself a car enthusiast because he finds cars fascinating. In the future, Rovin would love to put up his own gym because fitness is truly his passion. This 2019, he also plans to join his first physique competition in Venice Beach.

19. Ardiel Lapid, 24, @ardiellapid

Ardiel Lapid has been going to the gym since 2013, but he didn’t focus on bodybuilding until 2017 when he decided to push himself to get a better physique. “My goal back then was just to have a beach body,” he admits. So he dieted and worked out with discipline. After hitting the beach, things started to feel like a routine for Ardiel, so he decided to join a bodybuilding competition with the help of his friend who coached him. “I was given another goal to pursue,” he recalls. “There were a lot of sacrifices along the way, but it was all worth it.”

After winning his first show, Ardiel got hungrier for more. Ever since competing, he made the choice to keep getting better and keep beating his previous physique every and any way he can. This 2019, he vows to go full throttle with his competition prep. “I’m gonna go all out and give it my all,” he says. “That is why I consider myself a competitive bodybuilder and not just for lifestyle.

It gives me a challenge in life and it gets me out of my comfort zone. At the same time, bodybuilding taught me a lot about focus, hard work, and discipline; so it didn’t just help me grow inside the gym, but also outside the gym.”

18. Julius Agustin, 27, @ja.agustin

Julius Agustin has been in the fitness industry since 2009. He started bodybuilding four years ago. Julius shares that he has  always loved working out and living a healthy active lifestyle. However, he truly became inspired in his fitness journey when he started joining different fitness groups and meeting new people involved in bodybuilding industry. “We lifts weights to get that kind of strength and conditioning,” he says. “Lifting weights becomes a part of our life and many people who lift not only wish to be strong, but look strong, as well. And that has given me confidence to become a bodybuilder.”

17. Jose Antonio Aguilar, 32, @tontonaguilar

Jose Antonio Aguilar has been bodybuilding since October 25, 2011, to be exact. He got into it for health purposes and wanting to spend more time with his kids. “Diabetes and heart problems runs in the family and I really wanna get in shape,” he explains.

Ton Ton is passionate about helping others get into shape, leading by example through real fitness and staying in shape while enjoying all of the food he wants to eat. He also loves to cook healthy dishes. He is currently the fitness manager for Anytime Fitness in Moonwalk.

16. Justin Hernandez, 25, @justigas

Justin Hernandez started bodybuilding in 2009 to get strong, and has competed once as a novice in 2014. Now, he does bodybuilding as a supplement to Crossfit. He coaches at Skyhigh Fitness Gym in Marikina and he does Crossfit (weightlifting, gymnastics, conditioning), too.

15. Rowell Co, 28, @broweeco / @idofitnessph

Rowell Co started working out at the age of 12 when his dad got him a lifetime gym membership. He started bodybuilding in 2006 at the age of 15 and stepped on stage for my first competition in 2008. Rowell shares that he was a fat kid at 210 lbs. At 14 years old, he actually saw myself in the mirror and didn’t like what he saw. “I worked on my body and lost 70 lbs without a coach,” he shares, proudly. Then, one day at the gym, one trainer asked him if he wanted to join Slimmers World Great Bodies. He did and went on to compete for the next 10 years.

Rowell is a real estate agent by profession and while he is a self-confessed introvert, he can talk with other people for hours on end. He also loves to travel (mostly to eat) and is also an online coach who likes helping others with their fitness goals. During his free time, he reads business books that give him insights and lessons that he can apply in his entrepreneurial endeavors.

13. Rylo Tumbokon, 21, @starboy.rylo

Rylo Tumbokon has been into bodybuilding as a sport for three years and as a hobby for six years now. He decided to get into bodybuilding when he knew he had what it took to be one of the best in the country. Now, he wants to take his talents internationally.

Rylo is very passionate about finishing what he starts, regardless of what it is. “If I tell myself it needs to be done, it gets done,” he says. Although Rylo rarely has time to do anything between jobs and training anymore, there are rare occasions you might find him having a drink or two with good friends.

12. Wil Clemente, 28, @WilClemente1

Wil Clemente has been bodybuilding for four years now. He started because he got so fat, he got bullied and lost his self-esteem. Wil used to work in a local bank. Now, he is an investment and insurance specialist, and a part-time commercial and print model. He also loves to coo

11. Kiko Neri Mojica, 32, @kikomojica

10. Yuri Chan, 26, @themassivechan

Yuri Chan started bodybuilding six to seven years ago because he was tired of being the fat kid in high school. At first, he just wanted to lose weight, but then he noticed that every step of his physical progress came with his mental transformation, as well. “I was addicted to becoming bigger and better everyday,” he admits.

Yuri thinks he is one-of-a-kind because he became the most competitive in bodybuilding during his law school years. “In four years, I achieved success (and failure) in three competitions,” he shares. “However, I’m most proud to say that I finished the 2018 Bar examinations last November. And I will, God willing, be admitted to the integrated Bar of the Philippines by May 2019.”

9. Carl Matthew Cruz, 20

Carl Matthew Cruz has been into bodybuilding since he was 17. He started lifting because he wanted to overcome his shyness and focus on his health and body more. He also wanted to prove to himself that he could do well in an individual sport since he wasn’t much of a team player in basketball.

Carl shares that he was inspired by Jeff Seid on YouTube, who has an aesthetic physique and goes to rave parties shirtless. Carl also does TV commercials, print ads, and brand endorsements.

8. Prince de Guzman, 22, @Prince.DeGuzman

Lifting has been Prince de Guzman’s lifestyle for six years now. He decided to get into bodybuilding after he was bullied a lot in high school. Eventually, it became a lifestyle. “Now, I do it because I feel good and I feel healthy,” he says. Aside from being an events host, actor, and model, Prince is also a blogger and a YouTuber. He also does prosthetics and special effects for monsters. Check out his YouTube channel: Prince de Guzman Transformations

7. Juan “Mico” Resurreccion, 27, @thefitjuan

Mico Resurreccion has been training for 12 long years now, though the first few years were mostly just bodyweight training, using light dumbbells, and bench pressing. In the beginning, bodybuilding was something Mico merely wanted to do for himself. Now, he shares his journey with others, so that they may benefit and learn something from it, as well.

Mico has a blog and YouTube channel called Fitme.ph with his girlfriend, where they talk about flexible dieting in the Philippines, fitness tips you’ve probably never heard before, and ways in which you can improve your health and physical appearance. “I believe that the only way to fully enjoy life is to put yourself in uncomfortable situations,” Mico says. “Trust me. You’ll surprise yourself when you get out of your comfort zone.” Mico also co-owns an online shop called Booty Bands PH, which sells fitness accessories and provides content for home and gym workouts.

6. Christopher Gabriel Certeza, 25

Christopher has been bodybuilding for about six years now. “Bodybuilding has been my stress reliever ever since,” he shares. “And it makes me feel good and happy about myself.” Apparently, people used to see Christopher as a chubby kid, turning into bullying and very low self-esteem. “Bodybuilding served as my escape from it,” he says.

While Christopher is a flight attendant by profession, he admits that he wishes he could just lift all day. Still, while it may be difficult to manage time between work and lifting, he always makes it a point to spare time to hit the gym whenever he can. Christopher also likes music, and enjoys singing and playing the guitar.

5. Ming Jereza, 24, @mingjereza23

Ming Jereza has been into bodybuilding for seven years now. He started because he experienced bullying at an early age because of his appearance. He was a shy boy and very thin back then, and his dad and brother encouraged him to train. “I thought that I wanted to improve my physique thinking that I wouldn’t be bullied if I’d at least help myself to improve,” he shares. Ming’s fitness life started when he was 15 years old. When changes started to show, working out has been his life since then. “I was inspired when I started watching some bodybuilding videos and I thought that I could become one someday,” Ming recalls. He has been competing for four years now.

Ming’s hobbies are playing computer games and playing basketball. By profession, he is a fitness coach who also does online coaching.

4. Hero Francisco, 31, @heroxfit

Hero Francisco started lifting when he was 24, but he stopped because “it wasn’t always that great”. After joining another gym and studying about the art, he saw progress and got addicted to it until it became a lifestyle and he kept looking for ways to improve. By the end of 2016, he went on to train to compete. He competed 2017 and loved the experience.

“My father has always been active even up to now in his 60s,” Hero shares. “He has a lot of sports that he’s competed in and won at. He has then focused on windsurfing and has won a lot of competitions over the years. I learned to windsurf from him and I’ve recently gotten into Kitesurfing.” Hero’s passion, though, is in the creative industry. He was a director/editor/manager at a production house he started. “I like what would be defined as “beautiful” and express it through picture or film,” he says.

3. Miguel Chanco, @miguelchancofitness