Monday January 19, 2009
After winning election in November of 2008, Barack Obama has already become the United States’ first ever African American president. But now he seeks to become the US’s buffest president as well – and he’ll be doing it with the help of former Mr. Universe Arnold Schwarzenegger!
Most of the men who’ve taken the Oval Office aren’t exactly what you’d call ripped. In fact, most of America’s presidents have been flabby, old men who could care less about working out and are only concerned with their next order of business. Sure George W. Bush liked to go for a run every now and then, but nobody was trying to break down the White House gates to see him with his shirt off.
The man who was president before him, Bill Clinton, was another guy who liked to stay in semi-decent shape by going for morning jogs. But outside of Monica Lewinsky (and maybe Hillary Clinton), no one else was wondering what Bill looked like without his suit on. And the man in charge before him, George H. Bush... I don’t even need to go there. You get the picture that most of the Oval Office men aren’t exactly chiseled, beacons of fitness.
However, that all looks to change with Barack Obama in office. After easily ousting steroid hater John McCain (a guy absolutely no one wants to see shirtless) in the 2008 election, Obama became the nation’s first African American president as well as one of the youngest leaders in the history of the United States. And even more impressive than all of this is that, despite having one of the most hectic schedules of anybody on earth, Barack Obama still manages to find time to stick to his rigorous workout regimen.
Even with one of the world’s toughest schedules, Obama is able to get in the gym six times a week for 45 minutes each day. And Barack isn’t just some nautilus pansy who does a couple of sets on the pec dec machine before using the elliptical machine for 20 minutes. The new US president frequently hits the free weights doing 50 lb. dumbell overhead extensions and 80 lb. calf raises.
It’s been reported that Obama has worked out as long as an hour and a half and he’ll sometimes go to the gym at night only to return in the early morning if his workout schedule requires him to do so. And if you think all of this is impressive then you’ll be even more amazed at the fact that he was able to play participate in basketball practice with the North Caroline Tar Heels basketball team; he’s been known to play basketball elsewhere too (See him in action right here).
This is truly impressive considering that Barack Obama kept this workout routine through grueling fund-raising and campaign trails which included stops in hundreds of different cities and several different nations. Obama’s schedule doesn’t look to get any easier now that he is the president; it will only get harder. His workouts could be getting harder too since Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken an interest in the matter.
Actually, Schwarzenegger’s interest stemmed from the jokes he used to make about Obama being “scrawny” while he was on his campaign trail. Even though Obama has a resting heart rate of 60 and is in far better shape than the vast majority of American adults, his guns could still use some work and he would benefit from adding more overall muscle mass. Schwarzenegger was quick to point these things out and Barack was quick to make a resolution to build a huge gym in the White House so he could bulk up. What’s more is that Obama told Arnold that he might need the former Mr. Universe’s help in the bulking up process.
And Arnold would certainly be of great help to Barack Obama in his quest to add more muscle mass. Of course, even if Obama stays the same build as he is now, he would still be far better off than anyone else who has presided over America as its leading man. And the really amazing thing is that Obama’s wife may be the fittest leading lady ever to live in the White House.
Michelle Obama is as equally devoted to staying in shape as her husband is since she can be found on the workout machines by 4:30 in the morning. And just like Barack, Michelle likes to stick to a routine with hers including cross-training, various cardio exercises, and weight training. This mixed routine usually sees Michelle hitting the gym 3 times a week for a full 90 minutes each time she works out.
With as much as these two like to workout, a gym in the White House would definitely get some major usage. Unfortunately, building a gym in the White House is certain to draw the ire of both the public and the media. And just the fact that the two enjoy to workout period is already drawing negativity from the media.
Barack was bashed by several news outlets in the summer for canceling a trip to US military bases in Germany while on his campaign. Obama decided that it would be inappropriate for him to visit the bases since his campaign was being funded by various sources. Of course there were plenty of online news sites and newspapers waiting in the wings to blast him after he was photographed leaving his hotel in a t-shirt and sweatpants. The reports spoke of how he had time to workout yet he didn’t have time to go visit the troops at the military bases.
And I believe that things will only get worse with the media’s spin on Obama’s workout routine now that he is running the country. I can just see the stories now about how Obama canceled this and that because he needed to squeeze in a workout. And if him and Arnold ever do get together to plan out a possible bodybuilding routine for Barack, it would be a field day for the media.
However, the thing these people need to realize is that Obama is just like everyone else in that he’s human. Just because he is a president doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t have the opportunity to workout just like everyone else out there. Now if he was hitting the gym two or three times a day and frequently being caught flexing in the mirror by White House workers then it might be a problem. But as it stands, I don’t see anything wrong with him getting a 45 minute workout in when he has the chance.
And hopefully, none of the critics or negative stories hurt Obama’s public image and I pray that he will keep on his workout routine despite what others say.
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Originally Posted by rockinred
ok well i like bowling but would way rather play basketball.
