Looking to the ‘future’ rather than ‘regret’: the story of IFBB professional bodybuilder Choi Jae-sang
In April of last year, a bodybuilder stood in front of a monster gym camera that took pictures of athletes at the Monster Gym Arena located in COEX, Seoul. His expression was full of confidence, and his bright eyes even contained his will to beat all the bodybuilders in the world. That was the first impression of Choi Jae-sang, the ‘shortest person’.
However, the pro card was not caught as if it could be caught. He came out with confidence, but the reality was more grim than he thought. A shocking report card lay in front of him, which was difficult for him to accept. It was an ordeal in his own bodybuilding life.
The time of training came again with self-reflection that he had been too conceited and conceited. I reached the threshold of my dream, but it wasn’t easy to stand up again from a frustrated situation. The undeserved love he received as an amateur bodybuilder and the pressure of having to reciprocate the love were also weighing on his shoulders. However, in order to become a pro, all these difficulties and pressures had to be endured. So Choi Jae-sang started to build his body in earnest with the goal of the Tokyo Games in November, Japan.
He said, “The process of preparing for the Japanese tournament after that was more difficult than not getting the pro card. He had a sense of pressure to become a professional no matter what, and a sense of responsibility to repay the love that many people gave him.
Responsibility for creating IFBB Pro Choi Jae-sang
Choi Jae-sang, who liked to exercise as a child and started to become a full-fledged bodybuilder. With the title of IFBB pro he had dreamed of since childhood approaching, he had neither the time nor the intention to give up.
So he endured for three months. He grew his muscles by consuming various proteins, from egg protein to chicken breast and beef. It was a time when I ran with one passion for pro card and tenacity for bodybuilding.
And he finally did it. He won first place in a Japanese competition and earned the IFBB pro card he had dreamed of since the day he started bodybuilding. The moment IFBB Pro was added to his name, he hung his head and cried. It was the tears he shed as he recalled the complexities of achieving his dream that he had cherished since childhood and the hardships of the past.
The beginning, not the end, Choi Jae-sang’s bodybuilding
However, Choi Jae-sang says that the pro card is not the end, but the beginning. Because he still has his ultimate goal of becoming one of the best bodybuilders in Korea. That’s how he grabbed the barbell again, went on a diet, and played rock-paper-scissors with himself.
After a short break, in 2023 he is ready to play again. This time it’s a professional show, not an amateur. Now he can feel the pride of being an IFBB pro bodybuilder in his smile as he realizes he has become an IFBB pro when his only competition is left to compete is the pro show.
The IFBB pro stage will be a series of challenges for Jaesang Choi. In the meantime, monster-like players who are incomparable to his competing players will be blocking the front of Choi Jae-sang or running beside him. However, in his bodybuilding life, which has always been a series of challenges, he says it is an honor to be able to compete with the best athletes.
What is his goal as an IFBB pro? The first is to become a ‘professional pro’. Olympia Choi Jae-sang’s challenge will continue without stopping because he believes that not only having the title of a pro, but also going to pro shows around the world and achieving good results is the attitude of a true professional.
And the second goal is to become one of the top 212 bodybuilders in Korea. Choi Jae-sang dreams of becoming a 212 bodybuilder who can perform well on overseas stages and go to Olympia, not a frog in a well. And we will always move forward to achieve that dream.
” Preparing for the competition is something I chose. But I think it’s unprofessional to talk about how difficult it is while preparing for the competition. I think it’s my duty to show it to a lot of people, and since I’ve become a professional, I’ll prepare hard.”
His life looking toward the future rather than regrets안전놀이터
Coming August, Choi Jae-sang will board a plane to Texas, USA. To compete in the Texas Pro, which will be his full-fledged pro debut. The road to Texas and then to Olympia may be more difficult and arduous than the path of bodybuilder Choi Jae-sang has walked so far.
However, instead of regretting the past, he looks to the future. Because he is the ‘shortest bag’ who loves protein and loves exercise. With loved ones, friends and fans, he will never be lonely on the path to becoming an IFBB professional bodybuilder.
“Have you ever regretted starting a workout? Of course, there are times when I suddenly think of it while preparing for the competition. However, I gained a lot of things and gained a lot of people through bodybuilding. I just did it because I liked this sport, but seeing that many people like me, I think I started thinking about the future rather than regretting the past.
As a true professional, I will continue to work hard to improve myself as a true professional so that the gap between the best human being and the shortest bodybuilder does not widen.”