Father-Son Bodybuilders’ Message
For the past 12 weeks, Michael “Mikey” Monis Jr. has been training for his first bodybuilding physique competition, the Paradise Cup, which took place this past Saturday at Sheraton Waikiki.
The 21-year-old entertainment activities host at Aulani is the son of bodybuilding champion Michael Monis, but never got into fitness himself until this past year.
“I want to bring back that drug-free message my dad left when he was bodybuilding,” explains Mikey, a 2010 graduate of Waianae High. “I have never done drugs, but I did grow up with family members who went down that path. One was really big into modeling and became the face of a big local fashion company, but she hung out with the wrong group of people and her modeling career went out the door. It was hard to watch.
“And then you turn on the TV, and there are so many people going down drugs and alcohol paths. So I wanted to get into bodybuilding as a way to reach the youth about being drug-free like how my dad did.”
Dad Michael, who retired from bodybuilding in 2007, led an “It’s Cool To Be Drug Free” campaign for many years. Businesses and organizations also supported the cause by hanging posters of him, along with other local celebrities and professionals, reminding Hawaii’s youths that they have a choice to stay drug-free.
In preparation for the Paradise Cup, Mikey trained hard every day for three months and has been on a very strict diet. His intense workouts included 160-pound chest presses at 30 sets of 15 reps every other day.
“I’ve been running off of egg whites, broccoli and tuna,” he says. “Physically, I’ve noticed my skin got a lot better because of the diet, and I feel a lot more energized. Also, the big change I’ve seen is I lost 30 to 40 pounds (he’s 5-foot-4 and now weighs 135 pounds). That was a big accomplishment because I never thought I could get a six-pack.
“Win or not, where I’m at today is amazing, and it’s because of God and my dad.
“My ultimate goal is to start this huge drug-free campaign, and get other bodybuilders and physique people on board to get the message out there of what drugs can do to someone. If you choose the path to not do drugs, the possibilities are endless.”
yting@midweek.com
