Is is worth it competing at all?

[Themachine01]

That was an awsome post BigCracker!

I dont mean to flame you by saying this but, if you are thinking like that you dont have the heart for the sport.
To me its a passion, a way of life, and a hobby. Thats the most important part..being a hobby. A hobby is something you have fun doing. If your not having fun then its a job. Do you think i would go to the gym and bust my ass and do all the things you have to do to prepair for a show if i wasnt having fun. I love every second of it.

Yes i agree you have to spend alot of money. This is probably the reason why more people dont do it. In this sport its all about who you know. I have a hook up at a health store i get all my stuff at cost..and i have credit too. I have a good source for gear.

I am sure there will be a point when i stop doing comps. Most likely when i start a family. Because ya im not one of the few that have freak genetics and will make it big. I probably wont ever make a dime from BB. But what i will get is focus, dedication, commitment, self pride, and the knowlege to pass down to a younger generation so the sport never dies.

It is a passion and i will never stop doing it!

Are you trying to tell me that because I dont compete I dont have passion for BB, nor focus, dedication, or commitment because I dont step on stage and compete, your completely wrong bro.

 

[GeneticFreak18]

theres all these replies on the money spend. Lets think about this now....dieting may cost about what $200 a week? at the most? I know people who dont compete nor bodybuild who spend that one night at the fucking bar! For the money you put into it, you sure as hell reap the benefits IMO. Nothing is more satisfying than winning a show or walking through your local grocery store and having people stare and point at you. Or what about going to the beach? Tell me your not more confident looking sick and ripped than like the average joe blow with his trucks half off his ass, crys as you walk by and all HIS women look and stare at you in awe. As far as not getting paid. No shit your not getting paid for it, if your not a pro then why should you get paid. YTou think one pro just stepped on stage one day and started making money? Hell if this were the case then lets start paying little league players while we're at it. Its all about sacrifice. You need to sacrifice the good for the great and then yes, you will get paid. And to most of us its not even about the money, even for me (i do get paid) i do it because i love the sport and everything that has to go with it. The money, fame, and women, who wouldnt want that? fact is your start at the bottom and work your way up and dont bitch about spending that hard earned cash on some supps or juice. It takes time.

 

[BigCracker]

That was an awsome post BigCracker!

I dont mean to flame you by saying this but, if you are thinking like that you dont have the heart for the sport.

I had plenty of heart before I had a reality check. At my last show I remember being at the weigh ins and dumping my clothes to step on the scale. There were about a dozen other competitors standing around along with a couple judges, stage hands, etc. I step on the scale and I hear at least 2-3 different voices saying shit like "there's the overall winner right there." Even though I wasn't quite ready to take anyone's word for it, it was a real confidence booster before prejudging. My only concern was a guy in my class that I knew had strong ties to the show's promoter. I was harder than him, had better symmetry, and way more vascular. All he had on me was bigger guns-which were all synthol. Anyway, hwts get called back to the pump up room. I'm back there warming up and out of the corner of my eye I see a writer from Musclemag conducting an interview w/ synthol arms. This would've been fine by me if it were after prejudging-but it was fucking before! As if he had already won!?! I was the one people were talking about at the weigh in, and now it's looking like synthol arms has already won before he's even been on stage. Welp, you guessed it. I placed fucking 2nd, and synthol arms won the hwt class and the overall. In the past, other shows I had done there were times I was surprised that I did as well as I did, so I'm not one of those delusional guys that thinks he's better than he is. I believe bodybuilding success is largely contingent upon one's ability to critique themselves(both strengths and weaknesses) because you can't fix what you don't acknowledge. Anyway, sure enough about 3 months later I'm reading synthol arm's quotes in Musclemag-that were all taken from his interview before he even went on stage. I'd have liked to have thought he did a post show interview after the night show, but I was backstage right next to him the whole time and there wasn't anybody but competitors around. So unless he did a post show phone interview, all his quotes were taken before he even competed. Yeah, this sucks. But I'm not through. I go out on stage at pre judging, and at the judge's table I see this guy I beat in a small show in Tucson a couple yrs earlier-and he was one of the fucking judges of my class!!! Like he really wants to see me qualify for nationals by taking 1st place after I schooled his ass 2 yrs ago? After the show I never even asked to see the judges scorecards because I was afraid I might have freaked out and killed the guy if he score-fucked me. After that show is when I really started questioning my sanity because for years I had based my self esteem on my BB contest success. I felt as if I was only as good as my last contest, and that means if I was a loser today, I was a loser for a whole year before I had the chance at self redemption by competing again. This show was what I needed to really make an honest evaluation of my efforts. I'm glad I did because living that way really fucked with my mental health.

 

[BigCracker]

theres all these replies on the money spend. Lets think about this now....dieting may cost about what $200 a week? at the most? I know people who dont compete nor bodybuild who spend that one night at the fucking bar! For the money you put into it, you sure as hell reap the benefits IMO. Nothing is more satisfying than winning a show or walking through your local grocery store and having people stare and point at you. Or what about going to the beach? Tell me your not more confident looking sick and ripped than like the average joe blow with his trucks half off his ass, crys as you walk by and all HIS women look and stare at you in awe. As far as not getting paid. No shit your not getting paid for it, if your not a pro then why should you get paid. YTou think one pro just stepped on stage one day and started making money? Hell if this were the case then lets start paying little league players while we're at it. Its all about sacrifice. You need to sacrifice the good for the great and then yes, you will get paid. And to most of us its not even about the money, even for me (i do get paid) i do it because i love the sport and everything that has to go with it. The money, fame, and women, who wouldnt want that? fact is your start at the bottom and work your way up and dont bitch about spending that hard earned cash on some supps or juice. It takes time.

PM me when that happens for you. I may need to borrow some money to buy gear. And bodybuilding in some way shape or form has always paid my bills by being a trainer, bodyguard, and getting sponsored-but I could barely afford gear and rent, and I sure as fuck wasn't driving to the gym in a bling bling Benz. Do me a favor and give me a list of 10 pro BB's that make over $300K/per year. Even if you do this, it represents like 1%-2%(maybe even less?) of the guys that compete as pros-and how many pro bb's are there? Not nearly as many as there are in any mainstream pro sport-and most guys in mainstream sports will never be pro athletes either. Who knows? Maybe you're in that 1%-2% percent that will be a pro BB someday? But you'll still never get paid the same as a pro baseball player that really sucks. Personally I think winning the lottery would be easier than becoming a pro BB and take up a lot less time.

As far as the attention you get, that's great if that's what pumps your nads. And granted, it will get you laid(which is probably the biggest BB perk) But when you consider the source of these compliments-99% of them come from people that have no clue what kind of efforts are involved in looking like you do. It's like some poor white trash in a hooptie telling a guy in an Exotic New Ferrari that he's got a nice ride. I'm not flaming you at all-as long as you're happy doing what you're doing that's all that matters. I tell people that smoke crack the same thing.

 

[LftHndPwrHouse]

Are you trying to tell me that because I dont compete I dont have passion for BB, nor focus, dedication, or commitment because I dont step on stage and compete, your completely wrong bro.

Time out...where in my statement did i say if you dont compete you have no focus, dedication or comitment....I believe i said..that is what I GET OUT OF IT!!!!!!!! I am a better person for what I do. I went through alot of stuff earlier in my life. I started to drink alot..never did drugs but i drank not to the point of being an alcoholic but way to much. And i got back in to BB. And it changed my life. I knew if went out and drank I would be waisting my money and time for everything im trying to achieve. Thats why i get focus, dedication, and commitment.

And yes everyone has there reality check. I believe my check will be when i start a family. I have priorities my family and raising my child to the fullest and giving him or her everything in the world. I will not short my family because i need to spend 25000 in contest prep. Right now though I make more then enough to support this little habbit called bodybuilding.

There is a fine line between a "reality check" such as family or living your life financialy comfortable. And what was originally said...IM not doing it becuase all i get is some PLASTIC TROPHY and i dont get any money. Im saying if that is why you dont do it then you dont have the HEART!

 

[BigCracker]

Damn, this thread is dropping like a bomb. I hope I didn't shatter anyone's dreams with my candidness and honesty. It truly wasn't my intent. If I wasn't still passionate about BB I wouldn't post on here. I love the BB lifestyle, but the realities of competition can get pretty ugly. Getting on stage or competing in powerlifting events can be completely rewarding as long as you are aware of the variables involved and you don't allow them to fuck with your head.

 

[riverrock]

BigCracker: Your posts are excellent and this is the kind if debate thats encouraged on this forum. Your points are excellent and don't be one bit afraid of being totally honest in your opinions. Thank you for doing so.