{"id":19900,"date":"2026-05-11T21:25:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T21:25:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=19900"},"modified":"2026-05-11T21:25:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T21:25:55","slug":"aspen-bartender-and-bodybuilder-shares-competition-success-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldbodybuildingnews.com\/?p=19900","title":{"rendered":"Aspen bartender and bodybuilder shares competition success | News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Akshay Indira Sanjay Wagh celebrates winning two medals at the Organization of Competition Bodies Eclipse event on April 11 in Denver.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Bartender by night and bodybuilder by day, Aspen resident Akshay Indira Sanjay Wagh in April brought home two \u201cmen\u2019s physique\u201d medals from a national Eclipse competition held in Denver.<\/p>\n
It was Wagh\u2019s fourth time competing at an Organization of Competition Bodies event over the past three years, and his sixth and seventh medals.<\/p>\n
Every time he steps on the stage, Wagh says, he is overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude \u2014 gratitude in being able to follow his dream and pursue a career in hospitality in the United States, gratitude for the life he\u2019s built in Aspen, and gratitude for the support of God and his family and friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI get emotional when I step onto stage,\u201d Wagh said. \u201cI ask myself, look where you came from and where you are today.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0Wagh grew up in the city of Pune, India, where he studied hotel management. He moved to Aspen in 2020 and has since worked as a bartender at the Hotel Jerome\u2019s J-Bar.<\/p>\n
Wagh brings an inspiring passion and intensity both to his bartending and bodybuilding.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To get his body in competition-level shape, Wagh describes his approach as \u201cnatural and basic\u201d \u2014 he doesn\u2019t work toward the same muscle bulk as many other competitors.<\/p>\n
However, the dedication, work ethic and thoughtfulness he puts into his workout routine are of the highest level.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to do it my way, and not to excess,\u201d Wagh said.<\/p>\n
The preparation required for competition is demanding, he said, describing his routine of eliminating carbohydrates and salt from his diet for 40 days in advance of an event.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For two days ahead of the event, he limits water to a few swishes around in his mouth.<\/p>\n
Wagh stresses the critical importance of good sleep \u2014 not always easy on a bartender\u2019s schedule.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Akshay Indira Sanjay Wagh curates \u201ccocktails with purpose for health, too\u201d in his job as a bartender at the Hotel Jerome\u2019s J-Bar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Bartending is also physically demanding, he noted, and he must very intentionally balance his job and workout schedule to avoid burnout.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wagh, who doesn’t drink, brings his penchant for healthy living to the cocktails he crafts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He uses fresh fruits, spices and natural sweeteners, and he knows the health benefits of every liquor. Whiskey helps control blood sugar, tequila helps balance stress and cut down on body fat, and rum has anti-aging properties, Wagh said, adding that beer can assist gut health and wine can detoxify.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wagh also brings his unparalleled hospitality training from India. Attentiveness to the needs of guests is deeply rooted in Indian culture, religion and philosophy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The foundational hospitality-oriented phrase originating in ancient Sanskrit, \u201cAtithi Devo Bhava\u201d translates to \u201cThe Guest is God.\u201d<\/p>\n
After working for a Marriott in India, Wagh\u2019s first foray into American hotels was at a Hilton in Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While there, a friend working for the Hotel Jerome encouraged him to come to Aspen, and Wagh said he was immediately impressed with the historic property and dedication to its clientele.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wagh said he loves bartending, primarily for the customer service aspect and the people he gets to meet from around the globe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe moment someone steps into my bar, from that first point of contact I want them to feel happy until they leave the bar. I want them to remember their experience for life.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Crediting the sacrifices and support of his parents to his success, Akshay Indira Sanjay Wagh visits his family in India as often as he can. The Wagh family is pictured here. From left to right: Dad, Sanjay, mom, Indira, Akshay and brother Anurag.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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He considers Aspen \u201cone of the greatest places in the world,\u201d and expresses deep gratitude for the fresh air and clean water and peace he finds in nature.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The water in Aspen, he said, is a big part of his health regimen. Whenever he returns to Aspen after traveling, \u201cthe first thing I do is drink a lot of water.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Wagh moved to Aspen, he said he quickly fell in love with the outdoors and four seasons of weather.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He has always enjoyed sports, but found skiing wasn\u2019t for him. So Wagh hit the gym, first with a collection of weights in his living room before moving to a bigger space and building more of a home gym.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Wagh, working out is much more than a hobby, just like bartending to Wagh is much more than a job.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His physical fitness routine is an outlet for stress and critical for his mental health, Wagh described. It boosts his confidence and pushes him \u201cto always go beyond my abilities.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wagh has a unique awareness of every muscle in his body, and how they are affected both by an intense workout and by rest. \u201cAfter resting up, that\u2019s where the magic happens,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wagh knows exactly how every bite of food and sip of liquid will change how he feels and his appearance on stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Akshay Wagh, on the right, shows off medals from a bodybuilding competition in Denver next to his friend Atin Udaseen, whom he calls his support system.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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He also knows how bodybuilding practices can have negative health impacts, and for him, working out is more about his health than competing. For that reason, in addition to the demands of his job, Wagh isn\u2019t sure whether he will compete again.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Regardless, \u201cBeing in good shape has always been a priority part of my life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
For Wagh, whether on stage at a bodybuilding competition or behind the bar, it\u2019s about pursuing passion, being present, and being grateful.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By living in Aspen, one of the \u201ctop places in the world … I don\u2019t have to travel \u2014 I can see the world from here,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wagh describes a small but supportive Indian community in Aspen, and co-workers and larger community of which he\u2019s found wonderful to become a part. Of his home in India, Wagh said he misses the food, tropical weather and his family, but visits nearly every off season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gratitude is a deeply intrinsic part of who Wagh is.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In bodybuilding, he has immense gratitude for the support of one particular friend who goes with him to competitions, his longtime coach Moin Inamdar in India, God always showing up, and his family who cheers from afar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He credits the support of and sacrifices made by his parents for getting him to where he is today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In bartending, it\u2019s the expressions of genuine gratitude from his customers that keep him going, Wagh said \u2014 much more valuable than any tip.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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