UP-CLOSE WITH AMON “DOUBLE-POWER” MUGALA

REGARDED as one of the most influential and fast-rising athletes in the bodybuilding industry, Amon Mugala, best known as, Double-Power who credits his colourful achievements to his never-giving-up attitude, figuring out the importance of keeping fit was an essential process of starting his weightlifting career.

The journey that started off while at his parents’ house, has today, culminated into one of the biggest and impressive stories, that not only points to how far he has come, but also to where he is going, as seen from some of the achievements attained so far.

The Scoop entertainment news recently caught up with the current Mr. Independence 2023 – Men’s Physique Champion.

Scoop entertainment: Briefly tell us who really is Amon Mugala? And how did the name Double Power come about?

Amon: My name is Amon Mugala, popularly known as ‘Double Power’. I am a Christian, born on 25th December, in Lusaka, Garden Compound. I’m the last born in the family of eight which consists of five girls and three boys.

My life is a mixture of moments, some happy moments and others not so much, but regardless, these moments have made me the person who I am today and I don’t regret anything. I consider myself a strong and a very determined person.

They call me ‘Double Power’ because I have a twin brother and, in our community, people call us double while at the gym they used to call me power because of determination and my strength towards weightlifting. Therefore, I decided to combine the two names and come up with ‘Double Power’.

Scoop entertainment: What was the inspiration or motivation behind you choosing bodybuilding? Have any of your family members earlier been into bodybuilding?

Amon: What really inspired me was my brother, our first born. He used to lift weights during his childhood and I grew up watching his old pictures while he was in the gym. As for me I started exercising in 2011 when I was in grade eight at Thorn Park Primary School, with home workouts, no equipment.

I used to exercise on a Mushiniga tree where I could only do the pull ups. Then in November of 2014 after completing my high school at Munali Boys Secondary School, I decided to join a ghetto gym which had weights made from car parts. There was no shelter and it was very challenging during the rainy season and that’s where my bodybuilding career started from.

Besides bodybuilding, I am a qualified radiography technologist. I have done Radiography at Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka from 2017 to 2019 and upon completion of my training as a Radiographer, I have been volunteering at Chipata Level One Hospital.

Scoop entertainment: What are some of your favourite workouts at the gym and why do you enjoy doing such workouts?

Amon: I enjoy doing legs and back workouts because leg-workout maintains good body symmetry and makes the joints stronger. Back workout strengthens the back and improves spinal stability.

Scoop entertainment: Can you tell us any title or titles which you have won that you still consider to be special or close to your heart till to date? And how many bodybuilding competitions have you participated in and which one was your most challenging?

Amon:Marume Classic in Zimbabwe is one of my special titles and it was my toughest in the Men’s Physique Category. It’s one of my special titles because it was my first international competition and I was crowned a champion in two different categories (Men’s physique and open bodybuilding).

I have participated in 10 different competitions and my most challenging one was Mr. Independence 2023 which was in Copperbelt (Kitwe), the competition was starting at 7pm. We traveled the day of competition and it had taken us 11 hours to reach Kitwe, I was very tired. We were only given 30 minutes to rest before stepping on stage. Despite everything, I scooped first position in the Men’s Physique category and fourth in Open Bodybuilding category”.

Scoop entertainment: Anything you would; like to say as we end our interview, and what is your advice to those contemplating joining the bodybuilding industry?

Amon: I would like to thank all those that have supported me to reach where I am today and would urge them to continue. To those contemplating joining the bodybuilding industry, let them not think twice, they should join the industry. It is an exciting industry. But it takes determination and discipline.