I’m a firm believer that no matter who you are in sports, if you train/practice consistently over a long period of time, it will yield pretty decent results. Barring you’re doing things mostly right, improvements are inevitable if you’re putting in the hard work, over and over again. However, to be one of the very best, at any sport, also requires born talent i.e., the right genetics. That’s the reality so many athletes will never accept, hence why only a fraction ever make it to the “big leagues” of sports. Whether it’s the Olympics, a world championship event, or the professional leagues of different sports, hard work and dedication are not the only requirements to get there. You must be, a “one-percenter.”
The year was 1995. I met then teenager, Shavis Higa, at our local gym in Honolulu. All 5’3” and 145 “bulked-up” pounds of him. We were both newbie teenagers at “The Gym” where all the top bodybuilder in Hawaii trained. Instead of working out for free at the university we both attended, it was well worth the commute and the $45/month we didn’t have, to train amongst the best locals of the sport. Little did anyone know at the time, that little Shavis Higa would one day become the GOAT of Hawaii bodybuilding.
One year after we met, Shavis entered the University of Hawaii’s annual bodybuilding competition for students. At a whopping 126 shredded pounds, it was evident by his shape that Shavis had the natural talent to become great at the sport. Shavis was blessed to be what I like to call, “the one-percenters” of bodybuilding.
It would be two years after Shavis’ debut on stage, when I too would take a stab at flexing some muscles on stage. I had the same work ethic as Shavis, and we both got help in training and diet from all the same veterans around us. Yet, although I showed up ready at my first competition with very low bodyfat, I noticed I didn’t posses nearly the same muscle shape as Shavis did. I’m talking about the round muscle shape that creates the illusion of looking larger on stage than reality. That’s something people are born with. I don’t care what anyone says, you cannot train muscle shape, only muscle size. There’s a reason why 10 bodybuilders in a lineup look completely different, regardless of all being around the same height and weight. It’s called genetics.
Regardless of the epiphany I had early on, I continued to pursue bodybuilding side by side with Shavis for another decade. From a measly start of 167 pounds at my first competition, the next ten years of diligent work gave me an additional 35 pounds of muscle added to my 5’9″ frame. Did I eventually end up being a good bodybuilder? I think so. Was I ever great? Far from. I did have nice proportions, and I would always do my homework and show up lean and ready to compete. But again, I just didn’t have the gift like Shavis did to stand next to others who were equal height and weight as me. They just looked bigger on stage. Again, GENETICS…
You see, bodybuilding has four elements for greatness: 1) enough muscle size; 2) extreme muscle definition; 3) proportion and symmetry; and 4) shape (structure, taper, and muscle roundness). I believe I had the first three down, but unfortunately my parents didn’t bless me with the fourth element – round muscle shape. At the end, I was content winning at the state level and I have zero regrets for never pursuing the national level. Why should I have? To maaaybe place top 5 (but never win), over and over again? I never wanted to be that person that we always see, chasing the endless dream year after year, and always losing to the one-percenters of the sport.
I still believe bodybuilding is the most difficult hobby to compete in. And to give so much of your life to a sport where success is more than ninety percent determined by one’s genetics, I was realistic in not having a goal that was out of reach. So it was an easy (smart) decision for me to walk away from bodybuilding in 2008, content and satisfied with my achievements thus far. But more importantly, what I had learned throughout the 10+ years of studying exercise and nutrition, has molded me into the successful athlete, trainer and teacher I am today. I’ll never take that back.
Ok, enough about me. The point I’m trying to make is that it takes God given assets (or the perfect parents) to become the very best in sports. Shavis has that gift, at least in bodybuilding. He is amongst the one-percenters who was born with the genetics required to be dominant. How much so, you ask? Well I’ll just end part one with Shavis’ resume as an amateur, before he finally chose to turn professional. Yes, I said “chose”, as he is one of only two bodybuilders in history to ever win a national title four separate years, in three different weight classes. Just take a look…
1996 University of Hawaii – 2nd Place
1996 NPC Hawaiian Classic – 3rd Place Bantamweight
1997 NPC Paradise Cup – 1st Place Bantamweight
1998 NPC Hawaiian Islands Sate – 1st Place Bantamweight
1999 NPC USA Nationals – 1st Place Bantamweight*
2000 NPC Nationals – 11th Place Lightweight
2002 NPC Designer Body – 1st Place lightweight
2004 NPC World’s Gym Classic – 1st Place Lightweight & Overall**
2004 NPC Nationals – 7th Place Lightweight
2006 NPC Designer Body – 1st Place lightweight
2007 NPC Stingray Classic – 1st Place Lightweight & Overall**
2007 NPC Los Angeles – 1st Place Welterweight & Overall**
2007 NPC USA Nationals – 1st Place Lightweight*
2008 NPC USA Nationals – 1st Place Welterweight*
2009 NPC USA Nationals – 3rd Place Middleweight
2009 NPC Nationals – 1st Place Welterweight* (accepts professional status)
*4x National Titles
**3x Overall Titles
Thanks for reading,
Fran Sur