Abstract:
This studys objectives are 1) to explore pattern of body building, meanings of masculinity, sexuality and pain which are related to body building, health problems and their health seeking behavior; 2) to explain how meanings of masculinity, sexuality and pain related to body building have influenced patterns of body building, health problems and their health seeking behavior. The study is qualitative research and study site is one government fitness center in the Bangkok area where the researcher has attended for two years to do body building. Research methods are participant observation and an in-depth interview with 10 young men who has done body building. For data analysis, content analysis is used with theoretical concepts on hegemonic masculinity, gender and sexuality. The young men in this study gave the meanings to his masculinity as a man who healthy, is strong and has big muscle. The healthy, strong and big muscle is defined as sexually attractive to other people who interact with him. They also believed that the effective way to build muscle is to have pain after the weight training. The words used in this study is No pain, No large muscle . Patterns of body building include forms of weight training, various types of nutritional food intake, types of resting and sleeping. The meanings related to masculinity as a man who has large muscle body and the effective weight training requires the pain to build muscle and has resulted in pain and chronic injury for some young men in the study. These young men had engaged in prolonged health seeking practices, quit body building and spent a lot of money for their treatment.