A bodybuilder in Punjab who weighs 9.5 kg
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| Aditya ‘Romeo’ Dev with his trainer Ranjeet Pal at his gym in Punjab |
Phagwara, Punjab: At
Using custom-built 1.5 kg dumbbells, Romeo, 19, pumps iron daily to prove that small is beautiful.
While most dwarfs have large heads compared to their bodies, Romeo is perfectly proportioned, and despite his diminutive stature has triceps, biceps, calves and thighs that would make many a full-grown man blush.
He was recognised by the
Large crowds regularly flock to watch him at his gym in Punjab, where, along with weight-training and push-ups, Romeo is training to be a dancer.
“I’ve been training as a bodybuilder for the last two years, and by now I think I must be the strongest dwarf in the world,” says Romeo.
“I have always been fit, but since I started working out I have become famous for my strength. My size has never stopped me. I train with dumbbells and do aerobics and dance. People are always pleased to see me. I have been invited on TV shows and to dance on stage,” he says.
Ranjeet Pal, Romeo’s trainer and friend, who runs a gym in his hometown of Phagwara, says that Romeo has never let his size get in his way. “Romeo trains more or less the same as anyone else and he’s much more determined,” he says.
“When he first started I insisted he do a month of basic exercises like aerobics, push-ups and basic gymnastics to prepare his body. After that I specially made lightweight dumbbells and taught him basic weight-lifting exercises to shape his biceps and triceps. His size and his weight were taken care of so that he never hurt himself,” he adds.
Romeo’s father is proud of his son’s determination to overcome any difficulties in his path. “He has never been bothered at being so small. He has no inferiority complex. He is the jewel of our family.”
Having made his way into the record books, Romeo wants to go on a world tour. “My dream is to travel a lot. I want to perform in London with my idol,
