The Mythical Buff Asian Guy

“Damn, look at that super buff Asian guy!” …said no one ever.

Well, that’s probably not true, but it can be agreed that it’s not a commonly heard phrase. Why is that? What is it about a buff Asian guy that throws people off? Why is it that Asian men are never cast in the roles of leading muscular men, but only relegated to martial arts roles? Why can’t there be an Asian Conan the Barbarian, or an Asian Rocky?

Perhaps it can be explained in the culture of Asian men. Asian men generally have ectomorphic body types, which means that they’re of a slimmer and more slender stature. A prime example of this is Bruce Lee. Consider his body type. Although ripped to shreds and cut in places that you probably didn’t know you could be cut, his small stature and lack of bulbous muscles kept Lee from being the main hero, aside from his martial arts roles.

Even in present day, in Asian countries, the feminine look for men is sometimes ideal. In Korea, the slim, effeminate male who wears “guyliner” is the man of interest for most women in the country. Being large and muscular is not the main goal of these men.

However, many Asian American males are starting to break this stereotype of the wimpy Asian man. They are picking up weights in an effort to add mass and get buff. There is a general negative stigma towards Asian men and muscularity, but it seems that the stigma is being reversed in Asian cultures.

For example, take Hidetada Yamagishi, the first and only Asian bodybuilder to ever have competed in the Mr. Olympia contest. Although he is only 5’5”, he has competed with the best of the best on the grandest stage of them all. However, he has never placed higher that 5^th place. 

This is also another interesting concept. He may have proven to be worthy of competing with the best bodybuilders in the world; he is still miles behind the current champion, Phil Heath. Is this an issue of race? Or genetics? Either way, his prominent rise to fame in the bodybuilding world has prompted many Asian men to begin lifting weights.

Culturally, it’s difficult to focus on the gym, as many Asian parents see no value in bodybuilding, because it is not considered a viable career because it’s does not have a definite income. Many Asian parents prefer their sons to focus on education, rather than “wasting time” on the idea of fitness.

Either way, as an Asian male, I personally believe that there’s a need for more Asian bodybuilders, because we are severely underrepresented in the demographic. This potentially travels into media, because of the lack of Asian leading men in action roles. Either way, Asian men need to keep working out to make gains. Happy lifting!