Haji Mahmud, a 55-year-old bodybuilder, is the oldest contestant in the Mister Afghanistan nationwide bodybuilding contest. He has been practicing bodybuilding for one year. He was suffering a chronical sickness some years previously, and a doctor told him to exercise for his recovery, so he tried bodybuilding. “You should try this sport as well, it will be good for you,” says him proudly.

Afghan bodybuilders compete in Mister Afghanistan, a regional bodybuilding competition in Kabul, Afghanistan. Bodybuilding is a very popular sport in Afghanistan in a country where men like the image of being physically strong. It’s affordable for most Afghans and its popularity is growing in many provinces.

Kabul, Afghanistan, 2008