Buda Anchah recently made the country proud again by winning two gold medals. The veteran professional bodybuilder is currently preparing for an upcoming championship. In an interview with New Sarawak Tribune, he discusses his 28-year career as a sportsman.
Eat lean, lift heavy, aim high
What is desired is often hard to obtain. However, with hard work and determination, everything is possible. For bodybuilder Buda Anchah, his journey to countless championships and medals was paved with the stepping stones of his dedication and perseverance.
Today, the 50-year-old is still working hard to keep his muscular physique. He began working out in the gym in 1994 and started working on his appearance throughout his service in the air force.
“There wasn’t much to do at our base camp in Penang. But there was a gym nearby where I could spend my free time. Having watched action movies like Rambo and others when I was younger, I also had a desire for a muscular body.”
During his time at the gym, his friend realised that he has the ability to go further in bodybuilding. With that bit of advise, Buda went to a gym in Butterworth to train.
“There, I met my coach, who encouraged me to participate in competitions. So, I did in 1996.”
The young man had then won numerous local and national championships. He entered his first international competition in 2006.
Buda, who is from Sri Aman, said he thought of the gym as his second home. The Iban man said that he would train three times a day, every day, during the period before his competitions.
“I’ll get up at 5.30 in the morning and do cardio from 6am to 7am. Then I’ll start my two hours of training at 10am. In the evening, I’ll work out from 5pm to 7pm.”
On off-season, he would go to the gym daily but just train once a day.
“This is when I’ll let go of my tension. I’ll eat anything I want and engage in whatever activities I enjoy doing.”
When asked what other challenges he faces, Buda said that following a strict diet is the most difficult.
“It mostly has to do with food. Prior to competitions, I will need an intensive diet to build lean muscle and shed fat. I need to eat five to six times a day. I have to eat a lot of protein-rich foods along with adequate carbohydrates and fibre.”
Buda added that his strict diet usually begins three months before a competition. During this period, he would only consume boiled, steamed, or grilled foods.
“I don’t mix any seasonings. It’s usually not tasty, but I’m used to it.”
Despite eating unappetising meals, Buda said that he has to do so in order to attain his goal of having lean muscles.
“When I go out with my family, all I can do is salivate while eating my packed food from home.”
During the off-season, Buda said he eats a moderate amount of sugar and fat. On these days, he would satisfy his greatest craving from the days of restriction.
“I will eat peanut butter spread on bread, chicken curry, and McDonald’s burgers.”
His time in the gym is used for more than just building up his physique. Buda said that there were times when he went to the gym to relieve stress.
“Such stress comes in the form of a financial burden for me when it comes to funding supplements that I need to consume while bodybuilding.”
As he works out at the gym, sweat trickles down his temple, and he knows that everything in his mind gets released the instant he lifts weights.
“It motivates me to look forward. And when I look in the mirror, I’ll be satisfied with my appearance. At the same time, I plan to work hard on what my body is lacking.”
His wife and two kids are another source of inspiration for him to go further in the sport. He made it to this day with their support.
“Especially my wife, who is familiar with the basics of bodybuilding despite the fact that she is not a bodybuilder. She also helps me in properly preparing my meals,” said the retired soldier, adding that his wife has previously judged several bodybuilding competitions.
Gym then and now
Buda had been doing bodybuilding for almost three decades and had gone through many phases in the gym industry. Buda, who has been dealing with gym equipment on a daily basis since the mid-1990s, noticed that the technology between then and now is vastly different.
“The gym equipment was operated manually back then. Last time, I used to carry a dumbbell or barbell. I have to manually adjust the angle depending on which muscles I want to work on. Nowadays, each exercise machine at the gym is designed to focus on the muscle you want to work on,” he said.
Despite the technological differences, he recalls that, while it was a hassle, it did not become a hindrance for him when bodybuilding.
“We were able to build lean muscles. With today’s cutting-edge gym equipment, we are less likely to hurt ourselves because we can set the machines up to our maximum capacity.”
Aside from that, Buda said that when he was younger, learning about bodybuilding was much more challenging.
“Today, we have access to the internet for information. We also have personal trainers on hand to help us. Back then, we had to purchase a magazine called ‘Flex,’ which cost RM50 per book, if we wanted to learn more about bodybuilding. It’s quite expensive, but this is where we learned how to bodybuild.”
Most recently, the athlete earned two gold medals at the 54th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in the Maldives. He triumphed, defeating competitors from Vietnam, India, and other countries in the Men’s Bodybuilding Up to 65kg category and the Men’s Masters (Age 50-59 – Up to 80kg). During the interview, Buda revealed that he is currently getting ready for the upcoming Mister World Championship, which will take place in December.
Buda hopes that as a Malaysian athlete, he can help the country win medals in bodybuilding championships. However, he conceded that his body isn’t what it used to be.
“After the SEA Games next year, I intend to take a long break. My body is no longer in its youth. The rate of recovery slows down as we age. It used to take three days to recover from a muscle sore caused by training. Today, getting better could take longer.”
Despite the challenges and constraints, the man with the chiselled physique said that, after taking a break, he would be willing to carry weights on behalf of Malaysia if necessary. With his bodybuilding abilities, he will add to the medals he has already earned. On another day, we’ll be waiting for him to return from championships with good news.
