How being HIV positive affected one man’s bodybuilding life.
In March of the year 2000, Pradip Singh discovered that he had contracted HIV, and the next few years became the darkest phase of his life, according to Scroll.in.
Physically, he was extremely weak, quickly losing several kilos of weight, looking pale and drawn. Some of the medications darkened his skin. He could not walk or feed himself without help.
Mentally, it was a living nightmare, the man who had once been admired for his fitness and impressive body was a shell of himself, cut off from society and suffering.
Towards the end of 2003, Singh’s health was improving. He regained some weight thanks to a regular diet of fish, chicken, fruits, and fresh vegetables. One morning in the summer of 2003, Singh went to the Eagle Guide Gym and found that some boys were playing cards: a 10-pair game in which the loser had to lift.
Pradip joined the game, and after losing he could not decide whether to risk his health by lifting. He decided to lift only the naked barbell. He did it 10 reps comfortably and the boys could not understand why he was grinning. The next day, Pradip consulted with his doctor who advised him against weight training since he was on ART and his CD 4 count was gradually increasing. Doing heavy exercises could worsen his condition. Instead prescribed a few mild bodyweight exercises.
But on the third day after resuming workout, Pradip went to the gym and tried his hand at a light lifting. He only pumped a few weights for a couple minutes a day, but found that his health had improved considerably after a week.
He became a regular at the gym for the next six months and gathered as much information about food and supplements as he could. For him, bodybuilding was not pursuit of vanity, but of life.
In 2005, some of his training partners suggested that he try a competition, and so he entered himself in a state-level tournament.
November 26, 2006, he won the silver medal in the senior 60 kg category of “Mr Manipur” contest in the All Manipur Bodybuilding Association (AMBBA).
This achievement has sparked Singh’s passion, and he plans to pursue bigger stages. He has written a book “I am HIV Positive, So What” outlining his journey.
