When did bodybuilding/IFBB lose it's "magic" for you?

[VaughnTrue]

When I first got into this sport, I was obsessed. I bought every magazine, joined every forum, and was excited for each and every show. After ~3 years I started to realize how much nonsense the IFBB was full of, but I was still convinced I loved the sport itself.

At about 10 years into this sport, I had a realization 2 weeks ago(right after pre-judging at the Arnold) that I think the IFBB is an absolute joke, and I get no excitement/joy from following professional bodybuilding any longer as a result. I currently have no plans on following/watching upcoming shows.




The first instance that showed me the IFBB may not be so great was in '07 when I believed Victor got shafted at the Olympia. After that there have been so many ridiculous placings given out that I've lost count.






RIP Professional Bodybuilding. You were once an amazing achievement. Now you are an absolute joke.

[Unbiasedfan]

Last year when kai didn't get a single point. Took the excitement right out of the top 2 placings for the next years.

[NVious]

I've been a **** talking ******* for ages

[AnabolicAnimal1]

I haven't lost interest as a competitor being that I'm young (25). I haven't necessarily lost interest in the IFBB, as I feel the controversy drives the sport in a way. Ridiculous, I know, but the unpredictability of it all keeps us coming back.

The one thing I have lost, however, concerns identifying with being a 'fan.' When I was younger I considered myself a fan of individual bodybuilders, which isn't any deviation from the norm. As I grew older, though, I began to see that as being a bit immature and in essence irrational.

I mentioned in another thread that I have prepped with Ben Pakulski for multiple shows. One day during prep I mentioned that "I have no delusions of thinking I can turn pro." Ben reassured me that with my genetics and structure, I in fact could. That resonated deeply with me not only as a huge compliment but it also marked the end of my fandom. Why would I spend time (as a grown man) being a fan of another grown man, especially when I could be doing the same thing? I needed to stop looking at these pros as being so 'other worldly' and realize that if I dedicated my time and allocated all of my concentrations in that direction, I could join them. Some people on this board work just as hard as IFBB pros. The only difference is the genetic component (drug response, structure, etc.) and to a lesser degree resources. I think that a lot of people could benefit from investing more time in their own abilities as opposed to being concerned to a huge degree with others. I still enjoy the IFBB, but I don't really consider myself a 'fan' of any one individual, that's all.

[masthead716]

I think Reservoirdog was pretty on point with the way I look at it these days when he said that he just watches to appreciate the physiques, and that there are physiques that appeal to him, but worrying about placings or expecting any kind of consistency is pointless.

[Larfleeze]

2013 O, when it became obvious the winners are predetermined.

[AnabolicAnimal1]

I think Reservoirdog was pretty on point with the way I look at it these days when he said that he just watches to appreciate the physiques, and that there are physiques that appeal to him, but worrying about placings or expecting any kind of consistency is pointless.

This is also similar to what I was going for.

[bartosh]

Been following since 2008. It lost it's magic at the 2012 O for me

[MaximusPlatypus]

I don't care to ponder why, exactly, but I think 2013 I really stopped caring very much. Maybe even as early as just after 2012.

I care enough to look at pictures of the latest events and that's about it. Also me and my gym buddy will still watch the Olympia together if our schedules line up.. but it's not a big event like it was from 2008 - 2011 ish

[tom11]

when kai lost at 2012

[TBU720]

It lost its magic when Jay Cutler stopped winning and it will regain its magic when the next truly great and admirable human being starts winning the Olympia.

[jahaa]

I still like to follow some competitors on social media and videos etc. But after like 2012/2013 Olympia i stopped carrying about placings at bodybuilding competitions. I still hope for every show that everyone will show up at 100% because its cool to watch but i understand placings don't really have anything with how good someone looks.

[Bokula]

Started following professional bodybuilding somewhere in 2004 when I was in high school.

Im still following these boards and few bodybuilders on IG, but I lost interest last year. Dont know why exactly, I think its mostly because Im seeing all the same people all these years without anything new interesting

edit:
And I think these ****ty placings all the time are the other thing that made me like IFBB less

[alex070707]

Never hqs because I never cared about placings, I follow it because of physiques I like.

[B-Neva]

Levrone will live on forever

[SammyJr]

placings feel rigged at times, paying dues BS, and a lot of people in the fitness industry seem to personify the meathead stereotype and act like morons (ex. jeremy burnedia,jeff seid, gustavo baddell, lots of instagram male/female whores)


also it annoys me that natty bodybuilding is kind of an oxymoron/ no one cares about it, and is very frustrating to 99.99% of people without doug miller genetics

Levrone will live on forever

this

[203mh]

I'm gonna take the middle road.

When I first started following it was around 2009 when Kai and Phil were rising, Dexter was Mr. O and Jay was on the hunt (Great time imo)

To this day I still admire their physiques, watch their videos and all. I love this sport.

BUT once the political side opened it was a bit disappointing.

First you had the John Romano and Lee Priest VPX show exposing a lot.

Then you had guys like Branch winning The Arnold, Kevin English winning the NY Pro, etc and Bob Chick going on record saying there are NO politics in the IFBB it's like "Really?"

What also irritates me is guys who show up looking 3-4 weeks out always on social media saying they got screwed, nobody trains/diets harder than them etc

[endurancell]

when kai lost at 2012

Pretty much this, when he didn't get a single point against Phil in 2012 and still hasn't to this day.. I just watch the shows to appreciate the physiques as someone already said

I think also when fitness and lifting became more of a fad than anything about 2-3 years ago, it gave me a slight disdain for the entire industry/image because of all the ****ty annoying people it attracted which translated into some shows

[FAN0FdaSport]

lost interest sometime mid last year...

pros today make very little progress for shows
everything non Olympia is boring
cant stomach the liars in the industry
politics
also the forums go through the same content/discussions all the time, just too boring (I lurk once a week maybe)

[flangmasterj]

When Brian Dobson parked his macro-made jean shorts over Branch Warrens forehead while flat benching and said "lets go out for buffalo steaks then head back to my place for hot pockets".

[NVious]

When Brian Dobson parked his macro-made jean shorts over Branch Warrens forehead while flat benching and said "lets go out for buffalo steaks then head back to my place for hot pockets".

Sounds like someone's a bit jelly they don't have a hot jean wearing hardcore Christian friend to go hog hunting and buffalo steak eating with....

[guestsaint]

Yates never appealed to me as Shawn Ray.. until i seen the vid of Yates easily beating ray.. and I'm talking about the whole look

[mm394006]

It is a hard sport to root for. In most sports you have a team or teams you root for. Even in individual sports like Nascar or golf, you find your guy and you root for him. Maybe it is the up and comer who suceeds on the field more than his talent should allow. Maybe it is the favorite going out to do be dominant and take on all comers.

Regardless, you have your guy and you hope he shows up on gameday and during the game outperforms his opponents. IFBB is different because the show is pretty much won as soon as it starts. You aren't going to have a 14 seed knocking off a 3 seed like you do in March Madness. Auburn isn't going to have a come from behind victory over rival Alabama.

At the end of one year to the start of the next only a handful of guys actually have a chance to claim the Olympia. By the time they step on stage it might only be 2 or 3. Heck, it could be a lock before prejudging. There is no real excitment. Plus it is hard to be a fan of a guy and hope he wins, when as a fan of the sport, you know another guy deserves to win more. To me this goes to the effect of hoping the guy I like doesn't win because that wouldn't be fair.

I just follow to mire the physiques. I like the 8-10 week out look better than stage conditioning anyways.

[AniMaLizTik]

same OP, 2007 made me realize the best physique does not win. Then, it seems, judging just became mostly based on who was the most well known or had the best contract.....

Interest was lost in the IFBB as a legitimate org

Que the fitness fad explosion beginning with Zyzz in 2008-2009 and now everyone just wants attention, money, is a "personal trainer" (lol), a bunch of followers, etc...so I began to loath the whole front line scene. Dleted all social media except this account and only compete for myself and the process. I really could care less about placing or exposure as long as i grow as a person through the experience, as should the rest of you.

[flangmasterj]

I honestly still enjoy it despite the dubious judging. It's the excitement of seeing how these monsters show up to the competition.

Sounds like someone's a bit jelly they don't have a hot jean wearing hardcore Christian friend to go hog hunting and buffalo steak eating with....

[Unbiasedfan]

I think also when fitness and lifting became more of a fad than anything about 2-3 years ago

I used to get looks when i took my post workout shake. Now, everywhere i go, people who know absolutely nothing about diet are talking about fuking protein shakes and sups. Don't know why but it pisses me off. Curiously now i simply don't use protein shakes, because im not as strict as i was back then, and meeting my protein goal for the day is quite easy with just food.

Supp companies laugh all the way to the bank.

[flangmasterj]

Oh I didn't read the title properly. It lost its cool when every Tom, Dick and Zyzz started going into the gyms, training for two months, began cycling then started posing in the mirrors like it was totally acceptable.

I like to think of myself as a gym hipster. I started lifting before it was cool. When finding a copy of Pumping Iron meant ringing around the video stores asking who had a VHS copy rotting away somewhere.

Now you have casual lifters calling themselves "athletes" on ********. It used to be about grinding away in the background and not drawing attention to yourself apart from when the time came to get on stage and show off your hard earned physique. These days it's in your face 24/7. It's ****ing sad.

[SammyJr]

lo

pros today make very little progress for shows
be)

i agree with everything u said but especially this. 99.9% of the time, and seasoned pro will look nearly the same as last year. notable exception was '12 kai

Que the fitness fad explosion beginning with Zyzz in 2008-2009 and now everyone just wants attention, money, is a "personal trainer" (lol), a bunch of followers, etc...so I began to loath the whole front line scene.

exactly. makes me want to blow up and have them mire

although i started in 09 hehe, but i have no book of the face/instagram/twaddle, and am pissed when i hear everyone is a person trainer and every girl who works out posts pics everyday of the struggle in the gym and selfies then they go out with the juiced up guy who only started working out 6 months ago

[yas360]

Got into it in 2011. Lost it's magic last year now there is zero content out there.
When i first got into it there were posing videos and long training videos regularly, now there's nothing.

In terms of points/placings, it's an effing joke. I just watch the O to see what package they bring but everyone know's Heath will win

[LimitBreak]

Don't like the IFBB ? Start a new federation !! Add something new and exciting!!