The Forum LIfe!!!!! A CALL TO ARMS

[npcdusty]

Guys and Gals,

As many of you have noticed the forum traffic is way down and has kinda gone cold. Now for me the forum is a everyday log in and stay place. Luckily my job allows me to be on most of the day and in and out as needed. I have been a member of the forum for a long time and this has always been my place to chat, ask, goof etc. With IG, facebook and other ways now, more instant ways of communicating have taken over. I would hate to see the forum DIE!!!! For a lot of us the forum is our place, deep, dark, and sacred! Where the "elite" and tried and true come to chat and have conversation outside of the free world. Yes anyone can join in and from time to time we have the troll account slip in, which for a short time can be amusing and then banned! The reason I bring this up is well, lets call it a CALL TO ARMS folks! I want to see the forum grow again and improve. We have a wonderful tool at our finger tips here and no other company has what we have!!!

What can we do to bring up the forum life?
Why have folks left ?
Would more be interested if the forum members had a first glance before IG, facebook, social media on things, events, products and such?
Should the forum be advertised more? yes that opens the door to less true but keeps the heart beating.
ideas on making it more stream lined or viewable?
Any other ideas, interest?

Animal to me has been not only a lifestyle but a family. I know a lot of us feel that way. The only way to continue our family traditions is to grow our family! I love the forum and what it is and allows us to do. Help me figure out ways to bring up this tradition guys!!!

Please keep this thread going!!!!

[MRmichael.hooker]

This is something I posted in my journey a week or 2 ago:

"Going through old posts in my own journey (that I created 7+ years ago) and man the Forum has changed. Not really 'changed', but the amount of daily interactions have fell off drastically. There use to be so many people in here constantly posting and talking back and forth and checking in on each other's journeys. What changed? It seems like it's the same 10-15 guys in here daily and that's it. I remember signing in at any given time and there would be 30-50 guys/gals, easily. Now that there's such a larger social media presence, I know it has helped push the company but I wonder if it's a little at the expense of the Forum. NO fault to anyone at U/Animal, trust me I understand making great products is awesome but so is pushing marketing & making money. Not trying to sound any sort of negative way. Just sort of realized that this place use to be flooded with people & company reps daily and that seems to have gone away for a large part. Just, was almost weird reading my own journey from 2011-2013 and seeing how much it has slowed down."

[MRmichael.hooker]

What can we do to bring up the forum life?
Why have folks left ?
Would more be interested if the forum members had a first glance before IG, facebook, social media on things, events, products and such?
Should the forum be advertised more? yes that opens the door to less true but keeps the heart beating.
ideas on making it more stream lined or viewable?
Any other ideas, interest?

I know folks come and go, such is part of it. Seems more like people aren't really 'coming' anymore. I honestly don't think pushing more sales/deals/products/etc in here is going to help anything until traffic is higher. Like, I got an email the other day for 10% off of the restock sale because I had signed up for emails from Animal. "Why would I need to log into the forum if I'm getting emails and IG posts about sales/promotions?" I think would be a valid thought. I do think the forum should be advertised more if the company has interest in beefing up the forum again. I also think the amount of company reps in here being almost non-existent these days impacts a little. There use to be replies/posts from U-Rep, Animal Rep, J-Dawg, Natural Guy, etc etc daily and I think that helped. You felt like you were part of the company. Don't get me wrong, I communicate with Jay pretty much daily on FB/IG, so I think some of the traffic has moved to social media because we're getting the same responses/communication there and not here any more. Bad? Good? Neither. Just is what it is. Like, the Forvm use to be a 'thing'. ABCs were huge, Cage interns picked from here were a thing. The forum doesn't really seem to be nearly as big of an importance any longer.

[Rex]

I have noticed the same thing. I check the forum EVERY DAY and make a contribution. Even if it´s just a minor comment in order to encourage someone on his journey thread or something like that...
If we want to keep this alive we should care more about what others are doing, get on their threads and contribute. It takes 5 minutes to make 2 posts.

Also, I see a lot of posts die because the person who started it asking a question never comes back to actually respond to the guys whi have given their advice and insights. That´s frustrating for these people and it will eventually make them stop giving a shit answering questions.
If you start a thread, go back and interact with people that are spending time trying to help you out!!!

[npcdusty]

exactly. Thanks for adding to this Rex. Its not hard to take a few min everyday to jump in and check things out. I also agree on the posting, if your going to start or ask at least follow up on it!

I have noticed the same thing. I check the forum EVERY DAY and make a contribution. Even if it´s just a minor comment in order to encourage someone on his journey thread or something like that...
If we want to keep this alive we should care more about what others are doing, get on their threads and contribute. It takes 5 minutes to make 2 posts.

Also, I see a lot of posts die because the person who started it asking a question never comes back to actually respond to the guys whi have given their advice and insights. That´s frustrating for these people and it will eventually make them stop giving a shit answering questions.
If you start a thread, go back and interact with people that are spending time trying to help you out!!!

[npcdusty]

im def hoping to make it more of an importance again!!!! I know Jay and Eric have been moved in some more demanding areas so I can understand. I'm hooping to get some of the newer folks involved and we get the forum rolling more for all of us.

I know folks come and go, such is part of it. Seems more like people aren't really 'coming' anymore. I honestly don't think pushing more sales/deals/products/etc in here is going to help anything until traffic is higher. Like, I got an email the other day for 10% off of the restock sale because I had signed up for emails from Animal. "Why would I need to log into the forum if I'm getting emails and IG posts about sales/promotions?" I think would be a valid thought. I do think the forum should be advertised more if the company has interest in beefing up the forum again. I also think the amount of company reps in here being almost non-existent these days impacts a little. There use to be replies/posts from U-Rep, Animal Rep, J-Dawg, Natural Guy, etc etc daily and I think that helped. You felt like you were part of the company. Don't get me wrong, I communicate with Jay pretty much daily on FB/IG, so I think some of the traffic has moved to social media because we're getting the same responses/communication there and not here any more. Bad? Good? Neither. Just is what it is. Like, the Forvm use to be a 'thing'. ABCs were huge, Cage interns picked from here were a thing. The forum doesn't really seem to be nearly as big of an importance any longer.

[Cellardweller]

I've been noticing this too. Like Hooker said, back in the day there was alot of guys on here supporting and razing each other. My Journey would fall to page 11 in 24 hours. There were also some big personalities like Machine posting up. I don't know if its a sign of the times that places like IG get more traffic. but there's little knowledge passed around there. Animal IG is more about the sponsored guys and, of course, the products. The FORVM is where the fans are. This is where ABCs get organized. Have ABC events diminished? It was always cool to go to an ABC and get to train with the guys you talk to all the time and occasionally a sponsored athlete. I don't think gimmicks or give aways are the answer, but advertising the FORVM is a good idea. How do people find out about this place? I would never have found the FORVM if I hadn't torn a tendon in my ankle. I had to sit on my ass for 3 months with a boot on my foot. I just googled Animal Pak out of boredom while flipping through MD magazine. Now you can't get rid of me LOL. How did the rest of you find the FORVM? It can't just be a secret.

[LayzieBone085]

Forums are a dying breed due to the demand and popularity of Social Media.
You should see if you can somehow link the social media to get people to join the forums through various Q&A with some of the pro's or athletes on the team.
This way they can get on here, engage, learn, and also live the animal lifestyle.

[Nmowery]

You know...I met mike Wolfe a couple years back at the very first meet I did. He was there coaching and handling some guys from his gym, and I mentioned to him that I was familiar with him from seeing him bench in the cage, and his posting on the forum. He lamented even then that no one really posted on there anymore - he even said this used to be “the spot” for all the best PL info. I think some of the reduced traffic is definitely due to other social media platforms, but also with bodybuilding and powerlifting becoming even more popular, there’s more sources of information, and more ways to connect with great lifters and coaches than ever before.

As far as pulling traffic back in here...#1 would be to make promos/sales available thru the forum only - but animal seems to prefer posting stuff on IG - which is understandable. #2, I’d recommend really putting a public emphasis on the “ask the animals” section. Every time dan green posts an IG video, he gets flooded with comments and questions, and refers people to the forum. It seems very few ever do sign up on here...but I bet many more would sign up and check in if they realized what can be gleaned by interacting with the sponsored athletes on here.

Example...I saw recently where a pretty big name PL was offering online assessments of ones squat/bench/deads...for $175 per lift. This wasn’t coaching - it was this dude watching a video of your lifts, and giving you a critique. This individual is very knowledgeable, and I’m sure can give helpful info, but $175??? Anyone here can link a YouTube vid and have the BOSS do the same for free! Might take a few days to respond or whatever, but it’s 100% worth the wait.

[spartan300]

I'm a 62 year old guy who has 62 year old guy issues. No 20 something year old wants to hear about how I'm trying to deal with my age related problems. I loved coming here but very few offered any real insights relevant to my specific age related needs.

[MRmichael.hooker]

im def hoping to make it more of an importance again!!!! I know Jay and Eric have been moved in some more demanding areas so I can understand. I'm hooping to get some of the newer folks involved and we get the forum rolling more for all of us.

Right, and I don't take anything away from them/not trying to diss them at all because I totally understand that. And their social media presence has tripled in the last several months. I just meant more in general. There was a large push of employees & athletes in here. As someone else stated, the "Ask the Animals" sections use to be crazy with people posting all the time. Now it's pretty much Dan's & Rex's that get posted in regularly and that's it. You've got Boss, Rex, John, Jay and Chris who are the only consistent athletes in here. Again, NOT BITCHING at all because all these guys (sponsored athletes) are busy with day-to-day lives and seminars and training and etc, I totally get it. I know there's more athletes Animal/U sponsor who do a great job spreading the company on FB/IG. Plus now you've got the "Animal street team" guys on IG/FB. Just comparing to how it use to be I guess. Now you have 3-4 guys trying to hold it down in here and answer all sorts of stuff. Round tables, Ask the Animals, ABCs, stuff like that could help push this back up. Maybe promoting these on social media platforms could help. Instead of asking joe-schmo on IG who has 100K followers but doesn't know shit, you can come here and talk with REAL athletes at the top of their profession.

I've been noticing this too. Like Hooker said, back in the day there was alot of guys on here supporting and razing each other. My Journey would fall to page 11 in 24 hours. There were also some big personalities like Machine posting up. I don't know if its a sign of the times that places like IG get more traffic. but there's little knowledge passed around there. Animal IG is more about the sponsored guys and, of course, the products. The FORVM is where the fans are. This is where ABCs get organized. Have ABC events diminished? It was always cool to go to an ABC and get to train with the guys you talk to all the time and occasionally a sponsored athlete. I don't think gimmicks or give aways are the answer, but advertising the FORVM is a good idea. How do people find out about this place? I would never have found the FORVM if I hadn't torn a tendon in my ankle. I had to sit on my ass for 3 months with a boot on my foot. I just googled Animal Pak out of boredom while flipping through MD magazine. Now you can't get rid of me LOL. How did the rest of you find the FORVM? It can't just be a secret.

Right. When I was reading through my old pages from 2011-2013, I'd see a workout posted, a damn page of comments (both serious and messing with each other) and then another workout posted. Now it's like, 15 workouts, maybe 1 comment, and then 15 more. The forvm use to be more of a brotherhood than it appears to be these days.

[npcdusty]

I can see your point to a degree, however we all have issues that may or may not relate to another member. Im almost 37 and my issues dont really apply to the newer 20s either but there are a lot of folks here they can still relate to these things in someway. We have more of a relationship here than some random post on IG where any moron can butt in and give you the next great advice. A lot of the guys here are professional trainers, coaches, or work in related health fields, so it does help to have the forum to turn to, to get a more in depth response. I agree age can way on that but the forum had in the past had a wide range of folks from young to old, I would love to get that back for everyone!!!

I'm a 62 year old guy who has 62 year old guy issues. No 20 something year old wants to hear about how I'm trying to deal with my age related problems. I loved coming here but very few offered any real insights relevant to my specific age related needs.

[MRmichael.hooker]

We have more of a relationship here than some random post on IG where any moron can butt in and give you the next great advice.

Right. I've legit met up with many people in here for workouts, ABCs, etc, in real life. I met someone who became a good friend of mine (and his wife) who happened to work 2mins away from me because of here. I can pull up my phone any given moment and text De if I need to. Back years ago when I got divorced, the only people I talked to about it was Funky, Guns, and De, all 3 people I never would have met if it weren't for the FORVM. It really is a lot more than just a random post on IG.

[Nix0r]

I love this place. It's been my home for nearly a decade. I'd hate to see anything happen to my baby.


When we had regular ABCs going on across the country, those were the golden days; I'd love to see that come back around eventually.

I also do think that there should be some kind of mini-priority for folks here to get some kind of information ahead of schedule, especially for things like the Arnold. Having that form for the free Cage Concert T was always one of the biggest perks for folks; I remember year after year it was a mad dash to the Cage for folks at open to be one of the first 50 each day. But now, when that kind of information is just spammed across all social media, any schmuck with a printer who just wants the free hand out can get it.

[MRmichael.hooker]

I love this place. It's been my home for nearly a decade. I'd hate to see anything happen to my baby.


When we had regular ABCs going on across the country, those were the golden days; I'd love to see that come back around eventually.

I also do think that there should be some kind of mini-priority for folks here to get some kind of information ahead of schedule, especially for things like the Arnold. Having that form for the free Cage Concert T was always one of the biggest perks for folks; I remember year after year it was a mad dash to the Cage for folks at open to be one of the first 50 each day. But now, when that kind of information is just spammed across all social media, any schmuck with a printer who just wants the free hand out can get it.

Couldn't agree more with all of this. If you notice, there wasn't even a CAGE 2018 main thread page created this year. Guys were just posting in the 2017 one

[Altered Beast]

I love this place and will never leave PERIOD! This is where I learned of EVERYTHING! Raw lifting, equipment to use, supplements and EliteFTS. I'm going nowhere!

Dusty, there are three things that I noticed that have had a massive impact on traffic here:

1. G Diesel left Universal/Animal and has started his own company. He ran this place and did everything he could to keep it populated. Who's replaced him? Exactly, no one.

2. Legendary Powerlifters and IFBB BBers came on the FORVM. I noticed after this started happening, all of the small fish (the majority of FORVM traffic) that used to come on here and beat their chests have disappeared. I guess they find it intimidating? I can't imagine why, but I guess in today's day and age everyone is a bit too sensitive?

3. Unviersal/Animal people started enforcing censorship. This preceded #1 & #2. There were a lot of nuts on here and the regulars complained so strict rules were enforced and for a while, you really couldn't post anything without people complaining. For fuck's sake, I got a WARNING on my boy Nix's journey in 2013!!!!!!!! Give me a break! We are supposed to cut up, jack with each other and motivate one another! Can't do that with strict censorship. There were many posts in different areas that would get flat out deleted! This started the downfall if you ask me.

I mean cmon! JDawg and Naturalguy never post anymore for example. Hell, only a few Universal/Animal people post anything anymore that aren't sponsored athletes!

Just giving my two cents....

[Altered Beast]

It needs to be decided if this place is going to either be completely open to all discussion with ZERO censorship or keep it a cold, corporate entity strictly for advertising purposes with minimal day to day participation.

*I don't mean to be brash, but this needs to be said!

[Nix0r]

3. Unviersal/Animal people started enforcing censorship. This preceded #1 & #2. There were a lot of nuts on here and the regulars complained so strict rules were enforced and for a while, you really couldn't post anything without people complaining. For fuck's sake, I got a WARNING on my boy Nix's journey in 2013!!!!!!!! Give me a break! We are supposed to cut up, jack with each other and motivate one another! Can't do that with strict censorship. There were many posts in different areas that would get flat out deleted! This started the downfall if you ask me.

I mean... pretty certain I had to hand out that infraction, lol.

[Bean]

I still remember when I stumbled onto Animal by way of big on a budget on YouTube. Started to watch Animal videos and thought it was so cool to be able to interact with guys I saw on the videos. Even when I didn't like Rex's advice to cut beer out of my diet...I still appreciated his honest response and taking time to give advice to the "little guys". To be honest ...the threads I enjoy are the unique ones that talk about the lifestyle, food, and other random issues. I have trouble getting into the daily workouts of someone I don't know and will never meet unless I see something or have a question about a certain lift they are doing but that is rare. I don't know where I am going with this but just wanted to hop in on the thread and say I am here and not going anywhere.

[npcdusty]

Well I can kind of see your point however censorship is a must. This is not a open to all forum. There are plenty of those out there for that. The FORUM has never tolerated everything. We have to keep it civil and clean. This is not a place to come bash someone, fight, call out etc. This is not a place for drug talk, protocol, who takes what and how much. The forum is a gathering place of like minded to come and talk, uplift and goof around. Everyone likes Animal and IG make sit easy for that, but for those of us that LOVE it the forum holds a special place. The forum rules have been the same and you are asked to read them and agree when logging in, we don't wont to shy away from that side of things. I don't want to see it go "cold" but would like to get it back rolling more with more of us on daily. You may not see the corporate guys sign in but trust me there are some on here and I appreciate that! We don't want things to get out of hand and the direction the forum was supposed to be used by opening it up to zero censorship, then we will lose it..

It needs to be decided if this place is going to either be completely open to all discussion with ZERO censorship or keep it a cold, corporate entity strictly for advertising purposes with minimal day to day participation.

*I don't mean to be brash, but this needs to be said!