Meet the women bodybuilders of Mumbai

Bodybuilding! The very word conjures images of bulked up men, tanned to perfection and flexing their chiselled bodies. But women bodybuilders are breaking that worn stereotype as they strike out on their own and make their presence felt in what was earlier a male-only preserve.

Fortune favours the brave. And Mumbai's women are proving the maxim. As gender barriers blur, women have entered the traditional male bastion of fitness and bodybuilding with several taking it up as a profession.

The trailblazers

Like Mumbai resident Karuna Waghmare, who was always interested in sports and confesses to a fascination for bodybuilding. For 12 years between 1996 and 2008, she worked as a gym instructor in almost every fitness centre across Mumbai and also ran her own gymnasium. But she knew her calling lay in bodybuilding.

"I once came across the headline 'Mother of Six with a Six-Pack' in Oxygen magazine. That hit me hard. I thought to myself that even after spending more than 10 years in the fitness industry, I don't have a six pack!" she says. Thus began her journey into bodybuilding.

Then there's Shweta Rathore, a name to be reckoned with in the fitness and bodybuilding industry. Having won a slew of titles in competitions such as Miss India 2015 Sports Physique, Miss Asia 2015 Fitness Physique and Asian Championship 2015 Fitness Physique, Rathore takes pleasure in busting the popular myth that lifting weights will turn women into men.

Lifting weights will only make you stronger, she clarifies. "Women need to understand that they require more strength and stamina than a man due to the hormonal changes their bodies go through in life."

A penchant for fitness is what spurred Shwetha Bhatia to participate in the Indian Body Builders Federation (IBBF) championship last year where she won a bronze medal in the fitness/bikini category. The win was not only a big boost for Bhatia as it was her first attempt at the competitive level but it also dispelled the common misconception that women cannot compete in the sport.

"It is an emerging sport as women are becoming more conscious about weight training (as opposed to cardio training) and competing, over the years," says Bhatia, a clinical nutritionist, sports nutritionist, registered dietician and owner of Gym and Tonic. She is also among the few dieticians recognised by the Indian Dietetic Association; Mumbai has only about 200 registered dieticians.

Industry speak

The fitness industry has welcomed women bodybuilders with open arms, says Bhatia. Rajesh Rai, Managing Director at JERAI Fitness Pvt Ltd, India's largest gym equipment manufacturer, agrees. "Indian women are known for their strength and beauty across the world through various sports and beauty competitions. It is high time they make India proud in the field of fitness too," he says.

While previous competitions have had 'Women's Physique' as a main event, Rai says that this year's All India Jerai State Tour will introduce four new categories for women — Figure Diva, Fitness Diva, Commercial Diva and Bikini Diva. "With these new categories, Indian women have far more variety of competitions suiting their interests and body types."

Having said that, the sport has several drawbacks. It is expensive, irrespective of gender. Given the difference in hormones between men and women, it is also more challenging for the latter because they need to work harder to build muscles.

There's also societal disapproval to deal with. Family and friends are known to frown upon women who take up bodybuilding as a profession. The fear of losing the effeminate look as women bulk up and increased aggression due to the sheer competitiveness of the sport are cited as some of the reasons why women are averse to bodybuilding.

There are plenty of sacrifices too. "In a way, you have to live a saint's life—you cannot eat wrong, you cannot party through the night, you cannot miss your workout…because ultimately it will all show on your body," adds Waghmare, who had to sell her possessions in order to finance her profession.

In spite of these challenges, an increasing number of female body builders are signing up for competitions. "It makes me happy to see so many women take up bodybuilding today, despite the challenges," says Waghmare.