Sweating it out with my gym buddies

(First of two parts)

You may or may not admit it but a lot of us love star gazing. These days, a good way to see the stars up close – pores, sweat and all – is to enroll in one of those fancy gyms.

I go to Gold’s Gym – at Robinsons Galleria and Glorietta – and this fitness center really lives up to its claim: The gym of the stars.

In the US, all the big-name Hollywood stars – led by Arnold Schwarzenegger – go to Gold’s Gym. Here in the Philippines, I get the opportunity to sweat it out with the most glamorous of our celebrities. Here are just some of my gym buddies at Gold’s:

Dingdong Dantes – I’d like to think that the muscular physique you’ll see when Atlantika is launched on GMA 7 on Oct. 2 is not just the result of good genetics. Dingdong also worked hard for it and I saw that a few months ago when I would go to Glorietta’s Gold’s Gym to work out. Dingdong is just quiet in the gym and tries not to call attention to himself, but anywhere you put him, he’ll surely stand out and you’ll easily spot him when he slaves it out on the treadmill.

Zsa Zsa Padilla – When I checked my form on the mirror while doing my side raises sometime ago, I saw a divine reflection and when I checked, it was the Divine Diva herself, Zsa Zsa Padilla. Without make-up, she looked even prettier. She was then on the floor with her personal trainer and was working so hard to sculpt her body to perfection. Now there is talk that she is anorexic and I find that unfair. She may be losing weight, but she is still doing it the proper way. Unfortunately, work gets in the way – like shooting endlessly for Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. I guess that also contributed to the weight loss. But I don’t think she has anorexia.

Rico Barrera – A product of Pinoy Big Brother from the other network, I never had the chance to meet him until we bumped into each other at Gold’s in Galleria. He is shy, but friendly. And definitely polite. On TV, he looks bulky, but in person he is lean and with the flattest abs I’ve seen.

Ana Capri and Alicia Meyer – They are like twins when they are at Gold’s in Robinsons Galleria. They work out together and use the same equipment – alternating with each other. Of course, to the male members they are also twin delights because they are very shapely especially in their workout outfits. Of course, they are also a distraction. But then, unless you are doing circuit training, you also need to rest in between exercises and Ana and Alicia provide the relaxing sight – double at that.

Rudy Fernandez – If Lorna Tolentino is my best friend in Startalk, then Rudy Fernandez is my best friend in Gold’s. Daboy and I go back a long way – from the time we were working out in Excellance that was owned by the family of Lorna’s best friend, Telly Garcia (now visiting from Canada). Rudy works out late, but had to stop when he went through a delicate operation early this year. Of course, some may say that the workout was useless because he got ill anyway. Well, some ailments happen to the best and healthiest of us. Rudy’s being in shape and fit actually helped him pull through during that operation. If he were any less healthy, heaven forbid what could have happened. But he is healthy as a bull now and I’ve seen how he had sweated it out to enable him to maintain the figure of a great action superstar.

(To be concluded)