Bodybuilder certified trainer, and fitness expert.

Suliman Abdeljwaad began his fitness journey at the age of 18. He just wanted to understand what it meant to head to the gym and sweat. “It was a new world for me, a curiosity you can say, and it actually made me feel better about myself. With time I started to notice other benefits starting to kick in.

Suliman’s take on fitness misconceptions

“Unfortunately there are many misconceptions, but I would say the top two are: First, that supplements are bad for your health. Not just that, but the belief that they harm you, is completely wrong. Supplements are made to provide your body with whatever you are missing from your food intake, so it actually makes your health better.”

Second, “Carbs are bad for you or you should cut carbs if you want to lose weight. I bet you’ve heard that so many times which is absurd, carbs are our main source of energy. Is the fuel to get us going and enhance our performance whether it’s at the gym or just to get by our day. It’s all just about balance and portion control.”

“My sleep pattern got better, my diet shifted, my body started to look better and the community I am in started to look at me differently. It’s like they appreciate me more.”

This curiosity not only led Suliman to dive deeper into the field but resulted in him being a certified trainer and a fitness expert. Suliman also previously held not one, but two Guinness world records. One for the most side jump push-ups and another for archer push-ups.

As a bodybuilder, Suliman believes that the industry has come a long way. “Light was shed on it in the past couple of years and things started to progress. It was slow at the beginning because we had to fight a lot of misconceptions and it was harder for the older audience to change their perceptions. Don’t get me wrong – we are way ahead, and we have exceeded, but still, the war isn’t over.”

In conclusion, Suliman says, “In the future, I truly believe that we will be one of the leading countries not just in bodybuilding or fitness but in every sport because there is so much potential in the young generation that will definitely bloom. The Kingdom is investing a lot in athletes, and it is our duty as coaches to support them by all means necessary. Nothing will make me more proud than seeing a person inspired or helped to hold the gold medal.”

His Routine while training for a competition

“I wake up around 5 am and start my day by drinking one liter of water to freshen up the body system. After that, I do my morning cardio session, normally it’s between 30-45 minutes. After that, I have breakfast, which usually consists of oats, eggs, toast, and peanut butter. Oh and for what it’s worth, never skip breakfast. It really is the most important meal of the day.

After that, I take a shower and get ready for work. I’m an engineer and work from 7 am – 4 pm, so I prepare a snack which is usually a banana or mixed berries with yogurt. Lunch is where I go heavy with rice or potatoes as a source of protein. Then there is the pre-workout meal which is usually cream of rice with a protein supplement and peanut butter.

After that, by about 1-2 hours I have my weight lifting session and my second cardio session of 30-45 minutes on the Stairmaster. Then I have my post-workout meal which is the same as my pre-workout meal. Finally, I have my dinner, which is the same as lunch but I add a bowl of salad to get in those fibers, and that would be 1-2 hours before bedtime.”

SULIMAN SAYS
Fitness Newbies, listen up

Take your time to learn. Don’t rush the process.

Have patience. You will not reach your goals overnight.

Read and make sure of the information you receive since there is a lot of wrong material online.

Dieting is key. Without it, you won’t reach your goals, and it is the hardest part, so don’t get frustrated if you can’t stick to it the first time. It will take a while for you to change your habits.

Don’t get obsessed with the weighing scale. Sometimes it can be your worst enemy, so don’t get paranoid and check your weight every minute. Measure with your mirror and your clothes.

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