Wong Hong – Complete Profile: Height, Workout And Diet

Wong Hong is A Malaysian retired IFBB Pro bodybuilder, fitness trainer, and entrepreneur. He is best known as ‘The Beast from the East’ because of his massive physique. Hong is one of the earliest South-East Asian bodybuilders to compete in the IFBB Pro League. This article explores his biography, workout routine, diet as well as statistics.

Wong Hong (Bodybuilder)

Born: April 4, 1970
Birthplace: Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Residence: Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Nickname: The Beast From The East
Height: 5′ 9″ (175 cm)
Competition Weight: 220 lbs (100 kg)
Off Season Weight: 240 lbs (110 kg)
Neck: 20″ (51 cm)
Arms: 21″ (53 cm)
Waist: 31″ (79 cm)
Chest: 53″ (135 cm)
Thigs: 30″ (76 cm)
Calves: 19,5″ (49 cm)

Wong Hong Biography

Early Life

The youngest of ten children in the family, Won Hong was born on April 4, 1970, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Growing up, he was involved in sports and other physical activities in school. Hong had great athleticism and was determined to make progress in the right direction.

Given his massive potential and unparalleled work ethic, Wong Hong became a part of his school’s track and field team. At 18 years old, he started training in the gym to get physically stronger and improve his performance.

While there was no conscious effort to turn towards bodybuilding during the initial training phase, the Malaysian started making rapid progress in the gym. He gained 20 lbs in a little over six weeks of training and was amazed by his body’s capacity to handle training. Hong soon got hooked on training in the gym and it changed the course of his life.

Wong Hong decided to make bodybuilding the singular focus of his life and started pursuing it as a serious career option. He has not stopped training since that time and continues to train and get better to this day.

Early Career

Wong Hong trained religiously to build a massive physique and with just six months of training, he participated in the first bodybuilding competition of his life. The successful debut saw him walk away with a win in the junior category. The Malay bodybuilder was still new to the sport and had a very primitive understanding of training, nutrition, and bodybuilding lifestyle overall.

However, that changed when he started schooling at the Colorado State University in the USA. Hong learned a lot about bodybuilding during his time there and immersed himself in books as well as other study materials about training and nutrition. He had not looked at bodybuilding as a serious career option up to this point as he only trained for fitness and performance.

Hong was not aware of his abilities and wondered whether he had the genetics to become a massive bodybuilder. But when he attended NPC shows in the USA, the Malay bodybuilder was convinced that he wanted to become one of them and stopped doubting himself.

Hong returned to Malaysia after getting a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition and returned to Malaysia. He was determined to make a name for himself in the regional scene before setting foot on American soil again.

Bodybuilding career and venturing into entrepreneurship

The 53-year-old dominated the Malaysian bodybuilding scene from 1995 to 1999 and won several bodybuilding competitions. After he secured the 1999 IFBB Mr. Asia trophy, Wong Hong knew that he was ready to extend his dominance in the USA and returned to the West in the year 2000. Within two years of returning to America, Hong became one of the earliest Asian bodybuilders to earn the IFBB Pro Card. He sustained himself by working as a fitness instructor in New York City and enjoyed a decent level of success after turning pro.

Wong Hong was at a crossroads where he had to choose between a career in professional bodybuilding and venturing into business to employ his knowledge to help people. He chose the latter and returned to Malaysia in 2005 to start his own business. The 53-year-old opened a gym in Kuala Lumpur and continues to impart bodybuilding knowledge.

“Opening a new gym is one way I can educate and pass on my knowledge of what I have learned from my 15 years of experience in the bodybuilding and fitness industry, my Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition, and four years as a competitive bodybuilder in America.

Although Wong Hong retired from competing, his desire to improve his physique has not faded by any stretch of the imagination. He continues to train hard, learn new things, and stay on par with the industry as one of the foremost bodybuilding experts in Asia.

Mr. & Masters Olympia Results

Never competed

The Titles Won

1996 – IFBB Mr. Malaysia
1999 – IFBB Mr. Malaysia
1999 – IFBB Mr. Asia
2002 – NPC New York Metropolitan
2002 – NPC Eastern USA
2011 – WBPF Mr. Asia
2011 – WBPF Mr. Universe
2012 – WBPF Masters World Champion

Wong Hong Workout

Wong Hong has adhered to a strict training regimen for decades to build the impressive physique that he is known for. He is a student of bodybuilding and has studied training systems devised by the likes of Mike Mentzer and Peary Rader, among others to enrich his knowledge and get the most out of training.

Training Philosophy

Wong Hong believes in the meticulous planning of his training program. He lays out the methods to achieve the goal he sets out to achieve. The Malay bodybuilder believes that when you set a goal and lay out the plan of action, your mind will be in a constant state of awareness and help you get there quicker.

Separating wheat from the chafe is another thing that’s necessary to get the desired results. Doing things that may not be optimal for progress is akin to sabotaging own growth. Wong Hong constantly experiments with the type of exercises, rep range, number of sets and exercise sequences, etc.

This helps him figure out things that work the best for him while being able to eliminate those that offer little in terms of gains. Additionally, making slight changes to the training routine can help break out of a monotonous routine and keep things interesting in the weight room.

Training routine

Wong Hong dedicates a full training session for each muscle group. He typically trains at a frequency that ensures that his body gets enough rest between training sessions to avoid fatigue.

Hong believes in getting quality training instead of breaking the body down with a constant onslaught of exercises. He warns against overtraining and recommends training a muscle only after the soreness from its previous training session has completely subsided.

Being an advanced stage bodybuilder, Hong employs several techniques like drop sets and supersets to increase the training intensity. He uses compound and isolation exercises to build muscles while also improving functional strength.

Hong’s training routine is suitable only for advanced-level athletes. He strongly recommends beginners and intermediate-level athletes build the necessary attributes and make the requisite progress before attempting his style of training.

Here is an example of Wong Hong’s training split:

Chest

As mentioned before, Hong employs several intensity-building methods for his training sessions. His chest training includes different variations of pressing and flying movements.

The chest training session typically includes:

• Superset – Flat Dumbbell Press and Flat Bench Chest Flyes – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps for each exercise
• Superset –  Low Incline Dumbbell Press and 45-degree Incline Flyes – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps for each exercise
• Superset – Decline Dumbbell Press and Pec Deck Flyes – 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps for each exercise
• Giant Set –  Cable Crossover (3 sets of 10 to 12 reps), Incline Parallel Dumbbell Press – Dumbbells touch each other (3 sets of 10 reps), Dips with torso leaning forward (3 sets of as many as possible reps), Pullovers with heavy weights – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps

Shoulders

Hong carefully devised his shoulder training to focus on building the anterior and lateral delts. He clubs posterior deltoids with back training and here is how his shoulder training looks:

• Superset – Military Olympic Bar Front Press and Alternate Front Raises with Dumbbells with palms facing up – 4 sets of 10 reps for each exercise
• Superset – Smith Machine Behind-the-Neck Shoulder Press and Dumbbell Lateral Raises – 4 sets of 12 reps for each exercise
• Superset – Super Wide Grip Olympic Bar Upright Rows and Bent Over Dumbbell Lateral Raises – 4 sets of 10 reps
• Dumbbell Shrugs – 4 sets of 10 reps

Abs

Being massive is great but being massive with an impeccable set of visible abs is a difficult feat to achieve. Wong Hong gives special attention to training the core, not only for aesthetics but also for functional strength. Core muscle strength transfers incredibly well to other heavier compound lifts as it helps stabilize the body during heavy training.

“I train abs all year round. Off-season three times a week. Every day for the last 4 weeks before the contest. I wanna stress again that abs are only visible if not hidden under layers of fat. Everyone can be big. Not many can be big with 6 packs! Cheers.”

Here is the abs / core workout that Wong Hong follows:

• Weighted Crunches (with two 25 lbs plates held against the chest) – 3 sets of 25 reps
• Rope Crunches (hold 2 seconds at the bottom for maximum squeeze) – 3 sets of 20 reps
• Hanging Leg Raises (Knees at 45 degrees) – 4 sets of 25 reps
• Twisting with the Lat Pulldown bar for 10 minutes

Legs

Legs are one of the strongest parts of the Malay bodybuilder’s physique. He splits leg training into two distinct parts. While one focuses solely on the quadriceps, the other one targets the hamstrings and glutes.

High-volume sets of leg extensions are Wong Hong’s favorite way to warm up. He then proceeds to perform several quad-focused compound and isolation exercises to stimulate this muscle.

While there are several effective hamstring-focused exercises in Hong’s training routine, stiff-leg deadlift is the go-to exercise for him:

“For hamstrings, the stiff-leg deadlift is a must, as this is the meat and potato exercise for mass, shape, and details.”

Typically, the leg training session in Wong Hong’s routine looks like this:

• Leg Extensions – 2 sets of 40 reps (with moderate weight for warm-up)
• Leg Press – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
• Hack Squats – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
• Leg Extensions – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
• Walking Lunges – 3 sets of 50 reps (using dumbbells for added resistance)
• Lying Leg Curls – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
• Seated Leg Curls – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
• Standing Leg Curls – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps
• Stiff-Leg Deadlifts – 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps

Wong Hong Diet

Wong Hong holds a Master’s degree in nutrition and the knowledge reflects well in his dietary practices. He carefully tracks the caloric intake and ensures that he is eating the right amount of food depending upon the bodybuilding phase.

He avoids calorie-dense foods that are laden with fats, simple carbohydrates, and sugar. Instead, he chooses high-quality fat from foods like fish, nuts, and olive oil.

To keep his energy levels high, Hong eats frequent but small meals spaced throughout the day. To replenish the water lost through intense training, the 53-year-old drinks plenty of water

Typically, a full day of eating in Wong Hong’s routine looks like this:

Meal 1

• 2 Cups of Oats in Water or Low-Fat Milk
• 5 Eggs (preferably boiled) and 2 Egg Yolks
• Coffee / Tea / Low Fat Milk

Meal 2

• Tuna Salad – 1 can of Tuna with Vinega and Olive Oil
• 1 Fruit (any)

Meal 3

• 1 Cup White / Brown Rice
• 2 Grilled / Steamed Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Cup Boiled Vegetables

Meal 4 (Pre-workout Meal)

• Same as Meal 2

Or

• Egg Salad (5 to 8 hard-boiled egg whites)

Or

• Whole Wheat Roast Beef Sandwich with minimal dressing

Post-workout Shake

• Whey Protein – 1 scoop
• Creatine – 5 to 10 grams
• Glutamine – 10 grams

Meal 5 (Post-workout Meal)

• Same as Meal 3

Or

• 2 Medium Sized Boiled Potatoes
• 2 Grilled Chicken Breasts / 1 Steamed Whole Fish / 300 grams Lean Steak
• Mixed Salad
• 1 Fruit

Meal 6 (Bedtime snack)

• 5 to 8 Egg Whites

Or

• Protein Shake with Whey Protein Isolate or Cassein

To Conclude…

Wong Hong is the perfect example of someone who not only trained hard for bodybuilding but also used his knowledge to make a career outside of competitive bodybuilding. He amalgamated his educational background as well as fitness and training knowledge to extend his legacy far beyond competition. 

“There were many ups and downs in my bodybuilding career but I kept on believing in myself and refused to give up to get to where I am today. I am grateful that I can make a living doing what I love, BODYBUILDING.”

Wong Hong Image Gallery

---