Olympic medalist David Cal goes from superhero physique to ordinary guy
Olympic medalist David Cal has reappeared with striking weight gain. Genetics, steroids or neglect: the debate over retired athletes' bodies is raging.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
What happens when an Olympic medalist leaves sport behind
The question many are asking after seeing the recent photo of canoeist David Cal is obvious: how can a superhero body turn into a billboard for a sedentary lifestyle? The change is dramatic, and social media has exploded with theories ranging from genetics to chemistry.
The genetics of the 'ordinary guy'
Behind the phenomenon is the mesomorphic somatotype, which makes it just as easy to gain muscle as to pile on fat. Those who back this theory point out that the same ease with which he could show off abs is the ease with which he loses them. Obesity becomes the wall of the forties, and quitting training without adjusting your diet sends the scale soaring. A retired athlete who goes on a diet can get back in shape, but it takes discipline.
The ghost of steroids
Another camp points to performance enhancers: the substances that helped athletes peak also leave consequences once you stop. Hormone therapy falls out of balance and the body responds by storing fat. There is no evidence in this case, but the stigma trinc many former Olympians. The reality is that most, like Cal himself, simply stop training and keep eating as before. The result speaks for itself.
That an Olympic champion ends up looking like an ordinary guy is neither a personal failure nor a health scandal. It is the chronicle of a retirement foretold, where abs give way to comfort. There will always be those who prefer to blame chemistry rather than the donut count.
The question many are asking after seeing the recent photo of canoeist David Cal is obvious: how can a superhero body turn into a billboard for a sedentary lifestyle? The change is dramatic, and social media has exploded with theories ranging from genetics to chemistry.
The genetics of the 'ordinary guy'
Behind the phenomenon is the mesomorphic somatotype, which makes it just as easy to gain muscle as to pile on fat. Those who back this theory point out that the same ease with which he could show off abs is the ease with which he loses them. Obesity becomes the wall of the forties, and quitting training without adjusting your diet sends the scale soaring. A retired athlete who goes on a diet can get back in shape, but it takes discipline.
The ghost of steroids
Another camp points to performance enhancers: the substances that helped athletes peak also leave consequences once you stop. Hormone therapy falls out of balance and the body responds by storing fat. There is no evidence in this case, but the stigma trinc many former Olympians. The reality is that most, like Cal himself, simply stop training and keep eating as before. The result speaks for itself.
That an Olympic champion ends up looking like an ordinary guy is neither a personal failure nor a health scandal. It is the chronicle of a retirement foretold, where abs give way to comfort. There will always be those who prefer to blame chemistry rather than the donut count.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (43 replies).
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