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Giant Killer
02-20-07, 3:39 pm
this is a read, if your interested, bored, or curious
I have seen a lot of questions on this forvm-"How do I become a bodybuilder?", "How do I get into bodybuilding?", etc. hopefully this will answer those questions and inspire you at the same time.

What makes a bodybuilder different from a weightlifter? By weightlifting, I mean someone who lifts weights, but doesn't LIVE IT. I think we were all weightlifters at one time, but through education and motivation, we became bodybuilders. What came from that change? How do we affect this change? How are we different?

It starts with a goal, motivation, a picture in your minds eye. Whether it be your favorite pro, or an image of yourself alone- it's a model you intend to fulfill. "I will have a gorilla chest." "I will have wheels like Tom Platz." "I will have a physique like Arnold."

Thus, the fire is kindled. What comes next? Weight, a resistance, the iron. Whether you work on shining machinations, or lift buckets of water tied to a stick-you fight against gravity, you rage against resistance. You know that the only thing that will cause you to reach your goal is a battle. The weight is your arch-enemy, and your best friend.

Now you know to recover from these battles, you need fuel. Six quality meals a day, about 2-3 hours apart. You know a house needs wood & stone, a sculpture needs clay, your muscles need protein to build-2 grams per pound of bodyweight, give or take. Whole food and powder, you pound it down with each meal because your dream depends on this structure. Add to this supplements. Supp's are by nature, supplementary. This means you get your shit from whole food sources, but there are those little gaps that when filled, will give you the edge on your dream.

Finally, a bodybuilder must have a record, a journal, consistency. They must have a place to see & reference what they have done before. This is so they always move forward. Never backwards, never spinnin' their wheels. Consistency is key. If you work a part once a week, you have only 52 opportunities a year to improve. Fuck complacency, if you skip one workout, you're down to 51 opportunities, and so on. That shit adds up-stops you short from that goal in your minds eye.

In the end, to be a bodybuilder, you have to BE A BODYBUILDER.
Train hard my brothers.

Arbalest
02-20-07, 5:29 pm
Wow bro.. you are right on! thanks for this post.. its awesome

txpower
02-20-07, 5:31 pm
tru dat

Bam Bam
02-20-07, 6:49 pm
Wow that was a read. You speak tha truth. Great post.

COLE
02-20-07, 6:57 pm
Hell Yeah! Fuck... its my off day, but now I want to go to the gym. I also know my body needs to recover to grow so I will save all the energy and want to for tomorrow's on day with the Iron.

Good post giant_killer

musclealchemist
02-20-07, 7:06 pm
very good post, sums everything right up. good job.

Liftbig21
02-20-07, 10:19 pm
Great job and Great wake up call...every once in awhile we all need a kick in the ass and a dose of reality ...thanks for giving it to us...Much respect bro.

Lawman
02-21-07, 1:40 am
The man speaks the gospel.

hjayss
02-21-07, 3:27 am
3-4 star post nice.

Giant Killer
02-21-07, 10:50 am
thanks, never thought I'd get that many people to read through it-good to see my brothers inspired

Argos
02-21-07, 11:05 am
True inspiration...plain and simple. Very nice.

For the pain...

Giant Killer
02-24-07, 11:33 am
How many times have you looked at the mirror and seen that little man staring back at you? The deflated muscle bellies, incomplete physique, fat & water, lack of thickness. If you're an animal I'm sure you've suffered this, maybe everyday. I know I do.

It's so hard to see how far you've come when your expectations are so massive. Everyone says "Damn you're gettin' big!". Yeah right, you laugh uncomfortably and shrug. Can they really see it? Of course they can. They've got no expectations for you. They have no complex. They don't envision your drive for freakish mass & strength.

What do you do about it? Nothing. As long as you're not being stupid, not doing some self-destructive shit to get there.

I never want to be satisfied. The day that I say "Ok, I'm done, I look badass & huge." BURY ME IN MY FUCKIN' GRAVE. "My masterpiece is complete, there is no way I could improve on this perfection." What the fuck? No way no how.

I'll keep building this house 'til my last breath. I pray every time I look in the mirror, I see that little man laughing back at me. It's just fuel for the fire, the big ass bonfire, and I will never run out of fuel.

hjayss
02-27-07, 4:07 am
We are our biggest skeptic arent we and why ? We all want ot hear that one word freak, monster or have that one person say why do you look like that aww I dont like it that you look like that.

BigTruck
02-27-07, 4:14 am
How many times have you looked at the mirror and seen that little man staring back at you? The deflated muscle bellies, incomplete physique, fat & water, lack of thickness. If you're an animal I'm sure you've suffered this, maybe everyday. I know I do.

It's so hard to see how far you've come when your expectations are so massive. Everyone says "Damn you're gettin' big!". Yeah right, you laugh uncomfortably and shrug. Can they really see it? Of course they can. They've got no expectations for you. They have no complex. They don't envision your drive for freakish mass & strength.

What do you do about it? Nothing. As long as you're not being stupid, not doing some self-destructive shit to get there.

I never want to be satisfied. The day that I say "Ok, I'm done, I look badass & huge." BURY ME IN MY FUCKIN' GRAVE. "My masterpiece is complete, there is no way I could improve on this perfection." What the fuck? No way no how.

I'll keep building this house 'til my last breath. I pray every time I look in the mirror, I see that little man laughing back at me. It's just fuel for the fire, the big ass bonfire, and I will never run out of fuel.

good words...i like the little man metaphor. drive on

MO_500057
02-27-07, 4:32 am
True words. Shit I know I'll never be happy. I set goals reach em make new ones. 10 more pounds will always be wanted. You're right in my eyes I'll always be little. Do you think thats how we all see ourselves?

darkside64
02-27-07, 6:05 am
I love how they label it "bigarexia". In my opinion we just need to stay grounded and be secure with ourselves. I'm not going to lie there are days where I'm like "damn Im the best thing since sliced bread" then there are "those" days. Where you want to break the fucking mirror cuz you hate what you see. To the common crowd we all look sick(at least I do LOL). However the common crowd is not who we are doing this for, therefore we should never be content when they say a dumbass comment like"oohh your getting big".

never_2_big
02-27-07, 6:20 am
when people say that "you're gettin big" who do they compare us to? themselves, the normal people who eat their mcdonalds and their curly fries? there is always someone out there bigger than you and we will always want to be bigger, its using that fuell the right way that makes our kind different from the rest of them. thr fight with ourselves in the mirror is spurred on by the little man syndrome...
we need more muscle, we need less fat and we are the only ones who know that the only person we need to be bigger than in ourself yesterday.

Jason762
02-27-07, 7:07 am
How many times have you looked at the mirror and seen that little man staring back at you? The deflated muscle bellies, incomplete physique, fat & water, lack of thickness. If you're an animal I'm sure you've suffered this, maybe everyday. I know I do.

It's so hard to see how far you've come when your expectations are so massive. Everyone says "Damn you're gettin' big!". Yeah right, you laugh uncomfortably and shrug. Can they really see it? Of course they can. They've got no expectations for you. They have no complex. They don't envision your drive for freakish mass & strength.

What do you do about it? Nothing. As long as you're not being stupid, not doing some self-destructive shit to get there.

I never want to be satisfied. The day that I say "Ok, I'm done, I look badass & huge." BURY ME IN MY FUCKIN' GRAVE. "My masterpiece is complete, there is no way I could improve on this perfection." What the fuck? No way no how.

I'll keep building this house 'til my last breath. I pray every time I look in the mirror, I see that little man laughing back at me. It's just fuel for the fire, the big ass bonfire, and I will never run out of fuel.

I get this too.

I remember clearly I was working out hardcore for a LONG time and my best friend/roommate's girlfriend came over and she looked at me wide eyed and said, "You're getting BIG!"

I chuckled uncomfortably and said "Not really..."

Yesterday a coworker of mine saw me while I had my sleeves up and he said, "Damn you got some guns!" but I look and see a small 20 oz soda can.

My buddies all say I have bigorexia/muscle dysmorphia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigorexia). I just say, "Yeah, so? Your girlfriend likes it"

ghost
02-27-07, 7:12 am
im glad i look small to myself. keeps me from gettin cocky.

Nas
02-28-07, 7:35 am
Yeah, f*** bigorexia! We are not satisfied because we LOVE what we do. We live for it.
Every day someone will ask me "when will you stop?" and every day I'll aswer "When will you start?". The answer is the same for both of us: NEVER!

And once again because I pretty much like it : f*** bigorexia!

invictus1
02-28-07, 7:39 am
Yeah! Wooooohoooooo! Great Article To Wake You Up In The Morning! (forget Coffee) Todays Going To Be A Good One Gentlemen!

ghost
02-28-07, 9:49 am
lol.!! nice

Guardian
02-28-07, 10:42 am
I'm pretty sure Ron Coleman feels small once in a while, you know, imagine him sitting in the corner of the gym, feeling inferior, with his head down....
LoL!!
But sometimes it's just what keep us going and going.

paintrain69
02-28-07, 10:47 am
yeah i def. have them days...but then them days i look great...but everyone always is tellin me i keep gettin hell of a lot bigger and stronger...but idk who they compare ourselves to...maybe they compare us to ourselves before and maybe we actually just don't notice the growth we're actually making...idk...

ned
02-28-07, 11:04 am
Ive gained 40 pounds over the last few years and I still feel small as hell at 185. I have always said "ten more pounds". Shit, now I realize that 40 more will still leave me feeling small. I also hear alot of people bashing the small guys who come in and dont know what they are doing. Give them a break, none of us had any knowledge when we started, we all had to learn. Those who are in it for reasons other than being an animal will fade anyway.

Giant Killer
02-28-07, 11:33 am
Those who are in it for reasons other than being an animal will fade anyway.

This definitely rings of truth. The only way to pay your dues is to pay your dues-and not worry about others hate and slander.

gnoll5
03-01-07, 3:09 pm
everyday i see a skinny little fuck staring back at me in the mirror. i am 6 feet tall and used to weigh 160lbs. now i weigh 215-220 and still see the same twig in the mirror. it constantly pisses me off and drives me, and probably will for the rest of my life. i hope so, because i don't ever want to look in the mirror and say 'ya, perfect, i'm done now'. fuck that. i will never rest easy until i am 6 feet under the earth, and even then it better be a heavy load cuz i'm gonna push my ass outta the grave.

Jeff
03-02-07, 4:10 am
I hope I never see what others see because I'll never be satisfied with what I see, there lies the ANIMAL in me. Fuck skinny/fat I'm in it for the muscle, but you gotta admit it feels good when people make comments about how big we are!!!!!!!!!!

NickSP
03-02-07, 12:13 pm
We ain't got a syndrome, or some fuckin illness. What we have is 3D vision. Drive. Dedication. Desire. We see through the shallow commercial world, to a whole other dimension. We see beyond the world of opinions (including our own) and expectations to a world without either. All there is in this world is more and more drive, dedication, and desire to be better. Always getting better will always be the only thing we know. Always getting better is the only expectation in this little world of ours.
There is work to be done...there is always work to be done. That is the beauty that is known as Animal.

Joe D'Amato
03-13-07, 11:28 pm
im young almost 15 i eat train and sleep like all you other animals. Spend more time working out and thinking about it than anything else. Iv been doing it for a wile but iv only done it constantly since jan 1 of this year, taking my sups, protein and food day by day. I was gaining for a wile now im gonna start cutting down and toneing my body (i went training for all 5 week days for a wile then turned it down to only 4days)...so my question again how is a bodybuilder determined? i hate when i talk or even say im a bodybuilder and one of the little immature fucking girls always has to let out a giggle or some shit. If im not then tell me id rather be told from a real body builder than be laughed at by little fucks who have never lifted a weight in there life.
Peace brothers

Praetor
03-13-07, 11:35 pm
I'm 18 an I aint even smart enough to post a new thread. How you get that done

ironshaolin
03-13-07, 11:49 pm
It has been said that bodybuilding is a marathon, not a sprint. Especially at 15, you really shouldn't start taking any supplements other than a vitamin and a whey protein. Calm down and relax, most men don't reach full muscle maturity until around 24-25 years of age. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about bulking/cutting, I'd just go in and lift and take it slow. Think about it-at 15 if you could put on as much as 5 lbs of muscle a year, you'd have 15 extra lbs of muscle by the time you graduate high school. Thats pretty damn good, then I'd suggest maybe starting to take a few supplements, but your body is still growing right now and taking supps might effect how your body is supposed to be naturally developing. Just my opinion.

IronLeague
03-14-07, 12:45 am
Stay with whole food for now bro... your body is still going through it's natural growing stage. No neeed to add any suppliments into your routine. Eat as much as you can and train each body part once a week...then rest it.

Stay with the basics and let your body grow naturally, take it slow brother...You ARE a body builder, let them laugh.

Respect,
IronLeague

danlerno
03-14-07, 1:40 am
Like everyone above, lift heavy with good form, eat smart and just wait. I started in the game around your age and the gains came slow. Went from around 125-130 to 160 in 3 years then i just fucking took off. I've gained about 30 lbs in the last 3 months at age 19. Just be patient the gains will come as you get older and ur body matures. By the time u hit senior year in high school the same little punks who are ripping on you now will be worshiping u just stick with it.

Joe D'Amato
03-14-07, 8:42 am
thats all that iv been hearing my question isn't about supplements!!! i heard it over and over again. all im asking is what is your defination of a bodybuilder???

Korg
03-14-07, 8:54 am
thats all that iv been hearing my question isn't about supplements!!! i heard it over and over again. all im asking is what is your defination of a bodybuilder???


Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fibres through the combination of weight training, specific caloric intake, and rest. Someone who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder

Jaymafin
03-14-07, 9:04 am
[QUOTE=Korg;50545]Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fibres through the combination of weight training, specific caloric intake, and rest. Someone who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder[/QUOT

Jaymafin
03-14-07, 9:14 am
my bad fucked up that last one........

my definition of a bodybuilder is how you live your life. it is just that a lifestyle. constantly seeking knowledge, lifting with dedication and hard work. eating and planning with dedication and hard work. setting realistic goals and checkpoints to meet along the way. this website and this forum is essentially the sum of what a bodybuilder is and should be. you do not have to step on stage you do not have to be 240 and ripped you just have to live the life and then you can call yourself a bodybuilder. fuck what some 15 year old chick says, fuck what everyone negative says. if you live the life then in the end or maybe sooner you will have the last life. trust me bro you are WAY ahead of the game. I wish i had this resource (Animal) at my disposal at your age.

Grantski
03-14-07, 12:55 pm
Dont let others define who you are. You will know if your a body builder in your heart. Dont ask for others tot tell you if you are one or not. That means you are unsure....if you are unsure maybe you should sit down and think about it. Your young maybe you want to wait awhile before becoming serious. Or maybe youll find that your ready now. Either way decide this yourself and stop asking others to define you. Goodluck

Dingo
03-14-07, 2:33 pm
Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fibres through the combination of weight training, specific caloric intake, and rest. Someone who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder

according to ^ you are


Dont let others define who you are. You will know if your a body builder in your heart. Dont ask for others tot tell you if you are one or not. That means you are unsure....if you are unsure maybe you should sit down and think about it. Your young maybe you want to wait awhile before becoming serious. Or maybe youll find that your ready now. Either way decide this yourself and stop asking others to define you. Goodluck

but ^ nailed it.
let no one but yourself define you!

Joe D'Amato
03-14-07, 2:37 pm
alright brothers thanks thats what i thought.

dbbeast
03-14-07, 2:42 pm
bodybuilding is a lifestyle...and a dedicated one at that! it's about focus in all aspects of this game, lifting, eating, sleeping and repeating. the great thing about it is that there never comes a day that someone will come up to you, slap you on the back and say "congrats you are now officially a bodybuilder". that happens the moment you decide to dedicate yourself to this lifestyle. when people ask me if i want to be a bodybuilder all i can say is yes. there is no way i could explain to then that i already am, that it's not all about looking like the guys in the magazines but working and living like them (they are the hardest working people in the world and i can only hope to reach their level of dedication). so good luck and congrats to you for finding this great sport as early as you did.

Maccabee
03-14-07, 3:19 pm
I said this before and I will say it again. Bodybuilding, Animal, or whatever you wanna call it is a lifestyle. If you wake up everyday thinking about bodybuilding and livin the Animal way of life, then my young brother you are a bodybuilder. Its all in your mind. You must believe it in order to become it. I wont lie to you bro every morning I wake up I check out my schedule and plan out what time I am going to train, what times I will eat, and how many shakes to take in, and so on. My schedules are always different with college, work, etc... But overall its all about dedication.

Natron
03-15-07, 3:29 am
Simply said, Heart is what makes a bodybuilder man.

darkside64
03-15-07, 5:46 am
people always laughed back when I was in high school when I said that I was a bodybuilder. One day I decided that I had enough I went on a bulk fringe, eating 3lbs of meat a day. When I came back to the school everyone was in awe. Bottom line I was a bodybuilder even before I looked like one. Consistency, passion and above all endurance is what makes a person a bodybuilder.

brandonA
04-11-07, 4:17 pm
Got anymore gems bro? Keep'em coming....(in you free time..lol)

-B

karmazon
04-11-07, 4:18 pm
Someone who builds his body.

JMC
04-11-07, 4:23 pm
I don't know about BODYBUILDER'S, but I do however know about
BOB THE BUILDER....he's a beast!

k1usa
04-11-07, 4:42 pm
to me...its feeding the beast inside..he wants pain...he wants to grow...he wants to eat....so...I feed it

Giant Killer
04-11-07, 6:19 pm
I wanted to post a rant from my journey since this thread is hot again....shit brandona like you said I need to crank out some more of these when I'm not doin' shit else...I like keeping my philosophy developed as well as my physique.

Giant Killer
04-11-07, 6:19 pm
"The man that can truly live the self-sufficient life without the rest of society is either a beast, or a superhuman."
-Aristotle

"Solitude sits by me like an old friend."
"So when you see me standing alone and doing things differently from the group, don't judge me too harshly. I must remain focused. I hunt alone."
-Machine

I thought about solitude recently. About the constant withdrawal from society that my lifestyle leads me to, or is it society withdrawals from me? I train alone, I live alone, I relax alone. Naturally, even before bodybuilding, I was not the gregarious sort. I much preferred the time to think and clear my head that silence provided. Utter, stark silence. It is such a beautiful thing to me.
If I had to choose an activity to pass the time, that I could not divert from for the rest of my life, it would be staring at a blank white wall. With the medium of creativity, and the canvas of the wall, I could imagine anything I needed to occupy myself.
When I sit at the cafeteria table at work, I am surrounded by people, yet I am alone. Some of these people care about me, and I care about some of them. However, my thoughts are far from any of theirs. The mound of eggshells lying in front of me is far from their stack of pancakes saturated in syrup. My thoughts of how I can improve my lagging bodyparts is far from their thoughts about sick patients, PTA meetings, and post-workday brewski's. How can I relate? I have tried, and got the "smile-and-nod", or the "change-the-subject".
I am deep in introspection. I am examining the surface of my psyche for any minute crack that could grow the seed of doubt. I am digesting the thousands of clean calories that came before this time, and planning for the thousands that will be consumed after. I am like so many, but unlike so many more.
I am not vindictive, boastful, or sarcastic. I am well-liked by all I come in contact with due to my constantly mellow demeanor. And yet, I am focused.
Many things can be in focus, but to focus can only include one point in space. I am that anchor. No one else. I motivate myself, alone. I grasp for that elusive physique alone.
I hunt alone.

brandonA
04-11-07, 6:31 pm
there you go bro...got to excersie the mind as well as the body....nice rant...

-B

Carpe Diem P.T
04-21-08, 3:08 am
I hear the term used a lot around here but it would be good to see peoples personal definitions of what a body builder is.

Is a person that plays football but lifts weights 5 days a week to get bigger, a body builder? he is building his body.

is the average joe that never wants to compete in a competition but trains day in and day out to get himself bigger a body builder?

whats your thoughts?

sanga
04-21-08, 3:33 am
Well to me its someone whose life is consumed 24/7 with bodybuilding, thats training, eating, sleeping, dreaming, talking and reading bodybuilding, I`ve just described myself pretty much.

But I guess you can call anyone wishing to build him/herself up to be a bodybuilder to an extent, its where that person takes it that counts IMO.

DetroitMuscle
04-21-08, 10:21 am
Its anyone that is devoted to taking there physique to the "next level" which is a never ending journey.

Cstlfx
04-21-08, 1:59 pm
I have to say that anyone trying to mold their body using weight is a body builder. But then there are subsets. Those who compete and those who dont. When you compete you're a competitive bodybuilder, or a powerlifter, or a strongman, etc, etc. Then there are others who do it for no once else, and nothing else but the joy.

Maharg
04-21-08, 2:06 pm
I think that a bodybuilder is someone who does follow the lifestyle. They plan their meals, they know nutrition, and how to rehab a injury. Someone who just lifts to get big but doesn't follow any of the other golden rules, is just a weight lifter.

Enforcer
04-21-08, 2:11 pm
Animalpak = bodybuilding

houseofpain
04-21-08, 2:11 pm
Anyone who is consistent with their training, diet and supplementation and has the mentality of trying to better themselves physically, mentally and spiritually. Anyone with the attitude of "Go Hard or Go Home" or anyone who is dedicated, disciplined and respects the given laws of The Iron. They take nothing for granted and train like everyday is their last on this earth. They know the benefits of hard work and what that can bring them. I'm going to copy a couple of quotes that sums up a bodybuilder:

"I don't believe in luck. Luck comes to men of action"-Tom Platz

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again…who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."-Theodore Roosevelt

Cellerator65
04-21-08, 2:13 pm
bodybuilding is a lifestyle... so a bodybuilder is someone that exemplifies the lifestyle

USNA2011
06-09-08, 6:35 pm
Here is a question that's been buggin' me bros...and i know i'm not the only one here that asks themself this:

When do you actually consider yourself a bodybuilder?

I would love to here the feedback for this question.

"Self-improvement is masturbation, but self-destruction is the answer." - Tyler Durton

jer
06-09-08, 7:30 pm
Here is a question that's been buggin' me bros...and i know i'm not the only one here that asks themself this:

When do you actually consider yourself a bodybuilder?

I would love to here the feedback for this question.

"Self-improvement is masturbation, but self-destruction is the answer." - Tyler Durton

When you find yourself carrying a cooler of food around with you almost every where you go. lol

zanderfever
06-09-08, 7:33 pm
If you stick to the training and dieting like a bodybuilder, then your a bodybuilder. Theres more to bodybuilding than just stepping on a stage. When you get on stage, then your a competitive bodybuilder.

BrotherInArms
06-09-08, 8:29 pm
Love the bodybuilding life.. Loved the article.

Wasteland
06-10-08, 10:12 am
I think everyone has their own unique notion of what constitutes a "bodybuilder".

Firedrake
11-27-09, 3:08 pm
This is a question that has been building for some time with me. At the end of the first "Iron Contest", though I was delighted to win, and am really enjoying the 20 lbs. of muscle I added (and which I'm adding to), I was not initially satisfied with my pictures. I didn't think I looked "enough" like a bodybuilder. I was still too fat around the waist. My arms and legs were too small compared to my torso. My chest needed thickness. The only progress I was really pleased with was my back.

Then, other things started happening. I got compliments at the office; I got requests for help with training and diet from people who hardly ever talked to me. There was a sense of respect from others for what I had accomplished.

So I started thinking about it: what IS a bodybuilder? What defines one? There are those who say this is a narcissistic sport, driven only by ego. We've all known bodybuilders like that, many of whom have egos all out of proportion to their physiques. Yet, for the majority of our Animal kin, they're not in the gym day in and day out just to fill out the sleeves of their shirts or strut around with ILS ("Imaginary Lat Syndrome"). They are in the gym, doing the work, forcing their bodies into new growth, staying on monotonous diets or cramming huge amounts of food down a protesting gullet just to add a pound of muscle . . . because they LIKE it.

Yes. Because they LIKE it. They like the effort, the sweat, the strain, and even the mental and physical discipline it requires to do this thing we call bodybuilding. Whether they ever step on a stage or not, they enjoy making the changes happen. It's a matter of control and power, I think. Control of the mind to make the body do the good and necessary things to add muscle, lose fat, and generally get healthier. There's a sense of power that comes from knowing your body can rise to any challenge you ask of it. There's an obscure pleasure in confusing doctors who think you're "too old", "too injured" or are doing "too much" when they look at lab tests and see how beyond-the-norm healthy you really are.

So, then: bodybuilders are people who have the mental and physical discipline to make their bodies bend to their will. They learn about physiology, diet and nutrition to take their physical efforts to levels "normal" people neither understand nor desire. They strive day after day to become something MORE. "Average" isn't good enough. "Normal" for a bodybuilder isn't. Whether it's diet or effort . . . or the amount of laundry you have to do because you're in the gym five and six days a week, bodybuilders do more.

As this realization began to grow on me, I went to a business lunch on Wednesday, and an attractive young lady (young enough to be my daughter) began peppering me with reasonably knowledgeable, insightful questions about my training and diet. She couldn't believe I was 55 – she thought I might be 40 (bless her!) She wanted to know everything I had done to get this far, and now wants to come to my contest next July.

Then, yesterday morning, on Thanksgiving Day, I walked into my gym about 8 a.m., to a surprising cacophony of clanging of iron and steel, man and machine. The place was CROWDED. It was then that it hit home. I was where I was supposed to be, and there was no place I'd rather be, but with a bunch of like-minded people doing What Was Necessary to make their bodies better, even on a holiday.

At dinner, at my sister's house, an old friend who I hadn't seen in awhile spoke to me of getting back into shape, after spending much of the last five years caring for a dying wife. There was a fire in his eyes about taking HIS life back. He wants to get back as far as possible toward the shape he was in when we were fighting together 20 years ago, or when he was a Minor League baseball player. He'll do it, too.

No matter where I go, it seems to be "noticed", even when I'm not trying. I may not think I look "enough" like one yet, but it's apparent.

My name is Jim, and I'm a bodybuilder.

charlievanriper
11-27-09, 3:37 pm
Nice to meet you Jim, I'm Charlie and we are 1 Bodybuilders together my brother.
Awesome Jim Totally Awesome.

GJN5002
11-27-09, 3:57 pm
Good post.

You know when woman complain that the skinny women of hollywood and the runway having unattainable physiques that most will never come close to? Well bodybuilders are the same. Many people put themselves down or doubt what they are doing because you look at a magazine and see how ridiculous the pros are and think they arent doing anything worthwhile. As long as you this is something that makes you happy and a better person, being a bodybuilder is all about that drive a dedication we all have inside no matter how big or symetrical you are or how much you can bench.

andrewT
11-27-09, 4:09 pm
very cool post Jim!

ghost
11-27-09, 4:36 pm
Jim, GREAT post. i guess i am glad to be of the Powerlifting frame of mind hahahaha. While i do care what i look like, i want a HUGE bench, squat, and deadlift. Having spoken with Rage on a number of occasions in regards to the up coming Iron Contest, I have decided that no matter what, I am sticking to the routine he outlines, bodybuilding or not. and kicking my own ass as much as humanly possible.

BBWifey
11-27-09, 5:01 pm
Amazing post Jim.. as usual, well put. I can honestly say that I am the definition of a bodybuilder... Now, in a woman's point of view and in the usual competitions that I personally would do... you could say that I'm a "figure" competitior.... But, non the less if I am the definition of a bodybuilder, then I am one.... And damn proud of it.

Mr. Dead
11-27-09, 5:17 pm
Amen!!! Definitely a great post!!! And... You ARE a bodybuilder!!!

Firedrake
11-27-09, 5:28 pm
What's everyone ELSE'S definition?

What does being a bodybuilder mean to you, whether your goal is muscles, fitness or figure?

Why do you do it? What do you get out of it? I put that up there because I want to see how everyone else defines it and feels about it.

Mr. Dead
11-27-09, 5:36 pm
What's everyone ELSE'S definition?

What does being a bodybuilder mean to you, whether your goal is muscles, fitness or figure?

Why do you do it? What do you get out of it? I put that up there because I want to see how everyone else defines it and feels about it.

Sorry, had a busy day, and will post my answer up later... Started my day at the gym, then came home, downed a protein shake, then chopped some wood, then hauled out all of the wife's Christmas decorations, fixing meals, taking care of the boys, and plotting out tomorrow...

BBWifey
11-27-09, 5:40 pm
well shit.. for me personally, it's a silent competition between DBOY and I. :) He doesn't know it yet!! But I definatly do it because I've always been fit... Then I popped out 3 kids, and I LOVE it when I people say, "There's no way YOU have 3 kids!!" I also do it because I'm making my mark in life... Hopefully I can make a big enough mark, so that my kids can be proud of me. First I'm a mommy/wife, then I'm a bodybuilder. But trust I make shit happen!

AZN-BEEF
11-27-09, 5:49 pm
What's everyone ELSE'S definition?

What does being a bodybuilder mean to you, whether your goal is muscles, fitness or figure?

Why do you do it? What do you get out of it? I put that up there because I want to see how everyone else defines it and feels about it.

IMO i think EVERYBODY is technically a bodybuilder. Everybody "builds their body" in their own way.

everybody on this FORVM goes to the gym multiple times a week, eat 5-6X a day, get 8hours of sleep, etc. Because we do the things we do we look the way we do. we build our bodies in our own way

others eat/drink whatever they want, arent active enough, etc. they are building their body in their own way.

some just "build their body" in a healthy way and others build it in more of a destructive way.

MR.TeachFreak
11-27-09, 6:15 pm
Awesome definition.

I always thought of the Weider definition of what is a bodybuilder. It was a old M&F that had a small interview with him about what is his definition of a bodybuilder. The gist of his definition was that anyone with the drive, the motivation, the dedication, and the will to change their own body and their own lifestyle can be considered a bodybuilder. In his eyes it could be anyone from the person trying to get healthy, a person training for a triathlon, to those like us on the forvm and elsewhere, and all the way of course to those whose job is to be competitive bodybuilders.

andrewT
11-27-09, 7:28 pm
I was too embarassed to say I am a bodybuilder before

but now I say " i used to bodybuild" since I have been out for so long from my injury. I always say " I bodybuild, well I try too" because I don't feel I look like one at all.

but if you aim to build up your body in the best way possible I think that counts!!

Firedrake
11-27-09, 7:35 pm
I was too embarassed to say I am a bodybuilder before

but now I say " i used to bodybuild" since I have been out for so long from my injury. I always say " I bodybuild, well I try too" because I don't feel I look like one at all.

but if you aim to build up your body in the best way possible I think that counts!!

Andrew -- I spent too many years looking like crap because I had severe back trouble, so I understand. The thing is, if you're on the road back, wherEVER you are on that road, you're a bodybuilder. I'm 55, and it's taken me this long to figure it out.

andrewT
11-27-09, 7:37 pm
Andrew -- I spent too many years looking like crap because I had severe back trouble, so I understand. The thing is, if you're on the road back, wherEVER you are on that road, you're a bodybuilder. I'm 55, and it's taken me this long to figure it out.

Yes Jim.
I worked hard to get to 200lbs. Everyone said I looked large and in charge, I never felt big, but looking back I can see my hardwork paid off and I am proud of what I had accomplished. I have dropped to about 173 but quite lean, leaner than I have ever been. It has been 4months. I have an MRI coming up. I DO NOT complain as people the world over are struggling to survive daily, but on here I always whine since this is my home and that is what the back shit has been keeping me away from! my home!

MRI feb 1st!

BBWifey
11-27-09, 8:11 pm
Yes Jim.
I worked hard to get to 200lbs. Everyone said I looked large and in charge, I never felt big, but looking back I can see my hardwork paid off and I am proud of what I had accomplished. I have dropped to about 173 but quite lean, leaner than I have ever been. It has been 4months. I have an MRI coming up. I DO NOT complain as people the world over are struggling to survive daily, but on here I always whine since this is my home and that is what the back shit has been keeping me away from! my home!

MRI feb 1st!

Good luck bro.. I'm sure everything will turn out fine.... and just think, you might have the most kick-ass come-back story to tell....... Large and in charge WILL happen again!!! Trust! You are animal!

andrewT
11-27-09, 8:34 pm
Good luck bro.. I'm sure everything will turn out fine.... and just think, you might have the most kick-ass come-back story to tell....... Large and in charge WILL happen again!!! Trust! You are animal!

Thanks Wifey

back to the original thread! (sorry didn't mean to cry the blues)

Firedrake
11-27-09, 11:22 pm
Yes Jim.
I worked hard to get to 200lbs. Everyone said I looked large and in charge, I never felt big, but looking back I can see my hardwork paid off and I am proud of what I had accomplished. I have dropped to about 173 but quite lean, leaner than I have ever been. It has been 4months. I have an MRI coming up. I DO NOT complain as people the world over are struggling to survive daily, but on here I always whine since this is my home and that is what the back shit has been keeping me away from! my home!

MRI feb 1st!

Good grief! Why do you have to wait THAT long?

You can always bitch about back pain to me -- I struggled with it for 15 long years, till the nerve impingment threatened to take walking away, and then had major reconstruction done. It was the best decision I ever made. It got me back home to the iron.

Good luck!

BryanSmash!
11-28-09, 12:17 am
Although we can use the term 'bodybuilder' to generalize anyone who lifts weights to improve their bodies regardless of goals, I still define 'bodybuilder' as one who lifts weights for physique improvement usually with the intent of competing in physique contests.

I was asked the question, "Hey are you a bodybuilder?" not too long ago, and I responded with "No, I'm just some asshole who lifts weights."
I said it without sarcasm, being dead serious.
My definition of myself is meant to impy that I am a simplistic individual by nature though.

D-NUTZ
11-28-09, 8:56 am
Great article post Jim! I love it!

fatbackgoal
11-29-09, 11:16 pm
Good stuff Jim.

The question is a good one and at the core is what binds us all. I will not consider myself a "bodybuilder" until I step onstage in a competition. I am trying to become a powerlifter as well but both of these pursuits will have to be judged at a later date.

I am a competitive person. I have enjoyed team sports yet the ones I love (hockey and rugby) are a bit difficult for someone my age who has pretty much beat up his body. I now lift weights to burn the competitive fire in me. I could not lift weights just for the fun of it. Like you Jim I have people seeing the change I made and asking for advice and help. I am a bit reluctant as I know the work that goes with it and feel if they don't get the results they want they will blame me.

I am a bodybuilder, I am an Animal!