Bodybuilder Amotti on Life After Winning Physical 100: Season 2

If you’ve watched Physical 100: Season 2 – Underground (and if not, why haven’t you?) you would know that Amotti was initially eliminated after the inaugural team challenge. But he made a surprise comeback when he was later handpicked by Olympic gold medallist Jung Ji-Hyun, from a pool of eliminated contestants, to become a part of the Avengers team. Amotti had a long uphill battle ahead, but he would emerge victorious at the end and ultimately be declared winner of the season.

Physical 100 has done incredibly well since the first season came out last year, quickly dominating the global top 10 charts for non-English TV shows and becoming one of the most highly viewed reality series. There’s something about watching men pitted against one another in a battle for the strongest; and as the challenges roll one after the other, we discover, along with the competitors, that winning often has less to do with brute strength, and more about mental strength, strategy, teamwork and luck too.

Read more: Physical 100 Season 1 Winner Choo Sung-hoon’s Long Game

And Amotti has all this in abundance. The professional bodybuilder, CrossFit athlete and lululemon ambassador sits down with Prestige to talk about his favourite moments in the comPetition, what he’s done with his winnings and how he hopes his story can help inspire others to take on life’s challenges.

Amotti, congratulations on winning Physical: 100 Season 2! What inspired you to join the competition?

I get really inspired by taking on new challenges. When I was preparing for a bodybuilding comPetition, I started wondering what other challenges I could attempt. When Physical 100 contacted me, I thought to myself: “let’s see how far I can go from here,” and that is how I decided to apply and participate. As a non-Celebrity, it was an honour to work out with Olympic gold medalists whom I’ve admired in my childhood, and celebrities. I feel fortunate to participate in the comPetition.

Were you sporty when you were young? How did you discover and fall in love with CrossFit?

I’ve always played different Sports as hobbies before becoming a professional athlete, and I originally quite enjoyed playing soccer. Part of the reason I decided to get into CrossFit because I was inspired by the singer Rain and I wondered what it would be like to exercise with him as he is known for being diligent. But mostly it is because I know my strengths and they suit CrossFit quite well.

What do you like to do when you’re not doing sports?

I usually like to relax by lying down at home while watching YouTube or Netflix.

How did you prepare for the competition? Was there anything that you had to give up (e.g. favourite foods, favourite activities etc)?

I worked out 3 times a day in preparation for Physical 100 – CrossFit in the morning and afternoon and bodybuilding at night. I am grateful to have the support of the community around me at the gym and from lululemon as they have been supporting me in pursuing different opportunities since 2021.

Now that the show is over, what is your usual workout like?

I start my daily workout in the morning at 9am and continue exercising until 2pm with a personal training session in between. First of all, I base my workouts on CrossFit. However, I don’t stick to just one type of exercise. I mix in some functional training and weight training with the aim of developing my entire body.

What did you expect when you arrived at the competition, was the race what you imagined it to be or different?

When I entered the hall filled with competitors’ torso sculptures, I never imagined I could secure first place. I also initially thought everyone would go in as competitors, but we ended up being able to make friends and broaden our circle as a supportive community. So in more ways than one, I left the competition having gained a lot more than I could have ever expected.

You looked a bit disappointed when you first saw your own bust. How come? Now that you have won, do you look at your torso differently?

I must admit that I was disappointed at first because my body did not look as good as I thought it would. The bust was made 3 months before filming and you need to sit for an hour during the process so it was difficult to maintain a cool form. But my bust is now something that I treasure and keep safely at home.

Competing is just as much about physical ability as it is about mindset. What was the mindset you had during your harder challenges on the show?

I think that having a strong mindset to keep pushing forward really helped lead me to victory. It’s important to stay positive and believe that you can do it if you keep calm and stay patient, and this is also what allowed me to have fun while comPeting. I think having a support system around me also helped me cultivate and maintain my mindset throughout the comPetition.

What was your most memorable moment on the show?

My most memorable moment was when we competed against each other within the Avengers team. At first, I thought we would go quite far together as a team, and each person played their own role within the team. So, it was quite impressive watching the different strengths of each member go up against each other.

Are you close with the other contestants? Who are you close with and why?

I was already quite close with some of the contestants because of our similar interests in CrossFit and fitness.

You shared your prize money with Hong Beom Seok, and you also purchased exercise equipment for Jung Ji Hyun when he opened his gym. What motivated you to do that?

I thought it would be a shame to keep the winnings to myself as I developed a close bond and deep respect for both of them during the show. I heard that Hong Beom Seok hurt his leg during the final too and I felt quite empathetic as it was a big concern that I had too.

How has your life changed after winning Physical 100?

I’ve met good friends and my community has grown even larger. I thought that we would all start and end as competitors, but we’ve started working out together and becoming even closer.

What does it mean to you to have the recognition and support from a brand like Lululemon?

I’m honoured to be a lululemon Ambassador and I want to help others experience the amazing innovation and community created by lululemon. Since we began our partnership in 2021, lululemon has been supporting me throughout all my activities and the new challenges I take on, which has been a great help over the years. Through my YouTube channel and Instagram page, I also want to share this mindset of my favourite brands together.

How do you hope your own journey will inspire your followers?

My journey has had its own ups and downs, so I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can help encourage people to keep doing their best without giving up. I want to show people the benefits of CrossFit and taking care of their wellbeing overall. Pursuing and protecting your physical, emotional and social wellbeing is an essential part of living well and this is something that I hope everyone can achieve.

What are your ambitions for the future?

I hope to stay as happy as I am now because I’m not sure how long it will last, so my goal is to live happily with my family.