Building a better body

You are probably wrong thinking the Internet is mostly used by four-eyed, weak people that hold Arnold Schwarzenegger of no account. Estonian bodybuilders often go online to ask for professionals' advice.

Founded three years ago, Estonian Society for Bodybuilding Development (EKAS) includes 70 active members disseminating information on the right way to build a better body.

Although EKAS's members do not visit schools, the society is propagating bodybuilding as a sport among younger people through the Internet.

"From our Web site anyone can send questions regarding the right training routine or anything else and get the answer from the best specialists," said Ott Kiivikas, a society board member and overall bodybuilding champion of Estonia.

One of the priorities of the society is supervising the work of Estonian bodybuilding instructors and maintenance of their database. "We want to eliminate unprofessional instructors that may harm their students with unprofessional methods," said Kiivikas.

EKAS also organizes training courses for the instructors to increase their professional level.

The very first national bodybuilding competition in Estonia was held in the autumn of 1966 in Tallinn. According to Innar Mardo, the secretary of EKAS, Estonians practiced bodybuilding even earlier.

The most recent competition, the 32nd Estonian National Bodybuilding Championship, drew a large crowd in Salme Hall on Oct. 29, but only 23 contestants in eight weight and age groups.

Mardo said bodybuilding is an expensive sport. To be in good shape, an athlete needs one protein pack per week that costs 200 to 500 kroons ($10.8 to $27). That makes about 1,000 to 2,000 kroons per month, and not everybody can afford it, especially younger people, he said.

"It is not reasonable to use simple food instead of protein - the amount of meat and vegetables needed would cost even more," said Mardo.

In general, Mardo said, the event succeeded. "There were two more teams present, but they could not take part in the contest because of injury," said Mardo. They will show themselves in April 2001 in Parnu, south Estonia, where the next national contest will take place.

Kiivikas, who became this year's overall champion of Estonia, said there are two major contests in the near future. "In the first week of November the European Championship will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland, and two weeks after that the World Championship will begin somewhere in Malaysia," he said.

It is possible to take part in both contests, but this is too expensive for most of the athletes including Kiivikas, said Mardo.

Most of the heavyweight contestants come from Europe, and that is why the European Championship has got world importance, said Kiivikas. Besides, representatives of the International Olympic Committee, including committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch, will visit the championship.

The European Championship as well as other contests organized by the International Federation of Bodybuilding are famous for scrupulous drug control. Kiivikas said he has nothing to be afraid of.

"I am clear, and I will compete," he said.

Mardo hopes Kiivikas will reach the semifinals, or top 15. Both Mardo and Kiivikas said they would consider it a great achievement. "Just imagine there might be up to 47 men in one weight group, and reaching the finals sounds like a dream," Mardo said.

The time of Conan-like bodybuilders is over, they say. Being a mass of muscles will not bring a victory at any major contest. "The modern trends are proportion, symmetry and relief," said Kiivikas.