Pumping Iron

"The back is worse than the front!"

- Danny De Vito to Arnie in the movie Twins when Arni removes his shirt in the supermarket

What is the connection between balley dancing and body building? Both of them have an elaborate posing routine. I didnot know that until I saw "Pumping Iron". One of the very first movie-documentaries starring a young Arnie (Arnold Schwarzenegger). The movie traces the journey of body-building's all time greats contesting for Mr. Olympia title. Arnie competes with body builders from around the world including his buddy Franco and a young body-builder on the circuit called Lou. The Mr. Universe title winners all compete for Mr. Olympia - The title that stands for "Best of the best". The movie documents their preparation for the contest, their travel to the location, the contest itself and finally the victory lap. The movie also includes a brief biogrpahy on each of the body-building greats. It is hard to belive that a frail kid grew into Arnie! So is the case with the rest of the guys. It has lots of interviews with the contestants and there is one especially with Arnie where he admits that he would do anything to win the title including sabotaging the others with tactics like talking them out or offering them bad advice. Arnie demonstrates that the sport is as much about mental shape as is about physical shape. He psyches others contestants out. Young Arnie was so ambitious about winning Mr. Universe that he eliminated all distractions. He didn't attend his father's funeral when the latter passed away just 2 months prior to the contest. The movie ends with the retirement of Arnie from professional body building circuit. When somebody asks him if he drinks milk to remain healthy he naughtily replies "Milk is for boys! Men should drink beer!" Body building is compared to the art of sculpting. They say that in sculpting you can always chip of the disproportionate part using a chisel but in body building you need to do it the hard way - by pumping up. The definition of "pumping up" given by Arnie in the movie was much the same as what I posted on the blog when I started working out. "The experience is awesome! The feeling is as though every muscle in my arms and torso is trying to rip itself free from the shackles of the skinny exterior that holds it. Never felt better in recent times!"