WEEK TWENTY-FOUR :: Why Would Somebody Want To Compete In A Bodybuilding Contest?

[admin]

TOPIC: Why Would Somebody Want To Compete In A Bodybuilding Contest?

For the week of: April 28th - May 4th.

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Competing in a bodybuilding contest is one of the hardest things a person can do. Why would somebody want to put themselves through that when the most they can hope to "win" is a small trophy?

If somebody was thinking about competing, what would you tell them to convince them to do it or not to do it? Why do you or don't you compete? What are the benefits of competing? What are the negatives?

BONUS QUESTION FOR COMPETITORS: What was it like competing in your first show? What made you want to do it? How did you feel afterwards? Did this experience help you in other parts of your life? Are you going to continue competing in the future?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $75 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it. Become famous!

Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

[msclfrk]

Competing in a bodybuildng contest is obviously a major undertaking, but it is well worth it. First of all, why would somebody want to put themselves through that when the most they can hope to "win" is a small trophy?Actually that's not all they win.The most important thing that they win is the self satisfaction. Anyone who has competed knows what I'm talking about. when the contest is over, you have the most amazing feeling just knowing what you've achieved and what you did to get there. It's not just the trophy, it's what the trophy represents. And even if you don't win a trophy, it doesn't matter,you can still find great satisfaction in the fact that you did your best. that makes you a winner.
A far as someone who is thinking about competing, my first question to them would be how much do you really want to compete? Do you really have a passion for it? You have to have the desire, or it's not going to work out for you. Believe me, if you don't have that burning desire, you won't be able to do what it takes to go all the way. You have to have extreme motivation to be able to get through 12-20 weeks of dieting and daily training and cardio. Not just anyone can do that. But if this person does have the desire, I'd say absolutely you should do it. It will be one of the best experiences of your life.
As I already said, the major benefit of competing is the self satisfaction and the feeling of knowing you did your best. there are alot of negatives, but that is not what you focus on. If you have the right mindset, the diet and training can actually become enjoyable. The pros definitely far outweigh the cons.
My first time competing I was only 15 years old. I debated whether or not to do the show, but I figured, heck, I have nothing to lose. So I did it, and it was an absolutely incredible experience. I ended up placing fifth in a pretty competitive teenage division, and won that fifth place trophy. It was an amazing feeling. I was flying high. Most of the other guys were 18 of 19 years old, and just knowing that I stood on the same stage with those guys and actually beat some of them was incredible. I was really happy just to have made it into the top five. But I was most happy about how I looked, and what I did to get there. It was an incredible journey, and I'm so glad I made the choice to compete. As far as the future, you can bet I'll be up there competing. Bodybuiliding is my "thing". eeryone has their "thing", and bodybuilding isn't for everyone, but if you have the passion inside you, there is nothing that can stop you. Bodybuilding is truly an amazing sport, and can have an impact on all areas of your life. It has a huge influence on the person you are, and though competing isn't for everyone, it sure is a great experience for those who decide to give it a shot!

[dzL p Hr Ea K]

This is true, competing in a bodybuilding contest IS one of the hardest things a person can do. You are taking off most of your clothing in front of tons of people so that they can judge you!!!

It isn't all about winning a small trophy....thats the very minor part. You want to get your name out and know that you've done something good with your body. To know that you're on the right track and that you look amazing.


FACT
Bodybuilders who compete make much better progress than those who do not compete and it shows. This is because of the constant change of diet and workout routines. Between cutting and bulking and also other things. They also are more experienced in competing than others who do not. They meet more people in the bodybuilding business and can get much further than others.

A bodybuilder's first competition
If someone has never competed in their past then this could be a very crazy time for them. They have to do different things that they have never done before. Like changing their diet, taking different supplements, exercising differently and changing around their whole lifestyle for the competition. This is where all bodybuilders get started. It helps them to know where they are at!! Bodybuilders learn something new from each competition. They learn what they are up against, how the whole competition idea works from the bodybuilder's perspective, and what to do in each situation while up on stage.
If someone does not do good in their first competition then they will want to become bigger and better. They will work harder to achieve their goals and will get closer and closer to being winners.

The Judges
You should always be watching the judges. Look at their expressions. Look at who stands out to them. Look at what excites them and impresses them the most. Also watch the audience to see what music choices get them alert and interested while others make them bored. There is prejudging for competitions which will mainly be in the morning of the competition date. This is a rehearsal of the real competition that evening. The judges get a preview of what they will be seeing that evening and will see who will be there. Many times the judges will choose the winners at the prejudging and you will see what is expected of you on stage. There are three different prejudging rounds.

Which are:

1. Symmetry Round

This is when the bodybuilders are asked to stand up on the stage and be in a relaxed state with your hands to your sides. But it isn't good to be relaxed! Keep all of your muscles still flexed while they ask you to do different things. They will evaluate you from the front, then ask you to turn to your side so that they can evaluate you from there, then they will ask you to turn to your back so that they can evaluate you from there, then they will ask you to turn to your other side so that they can evaluate you from there and finally they will ask you to turn back to your front and face them. This is when they give you a final analysis. In this round, the judges are looking for proportion, definition, and symmetry. Of course they are also looking at muscle size but that isnt the most important part of this round.

2. Compulsory Round

This is when you show the judges your size and what you have done with your body. There are 7 different compulsory poses each showing the judges the different aspects of your physique.

They are:

1. Front Double Biceps
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mike4.jpg

2. Front Lat Spread
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/nasser11.jpg

3. Side Chest
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ray08.jpg

4. Side Triceps
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/taylor09.jpg

5. Back Double Biceps
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/franc102.jpg

6. Back Lat Spread
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/demayo25.jpg

7. Abdominals And Thighs
http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/wheele122.jpg

The judges now compare you to the other bodybuilders and ask 2-3 of the bodybuilders to pose together. They keep going untill all of the bodybuilders have posed.

3. The Free Posing Round

This is for your prepared posing routine that you will show to the judges. A lot of the time, the judges vote based on the audience's response. A big part of the posing routine is the music that you choose. It must suit your size and looks. Upbeat dance music will get the audience involved so it is a great choice. If you have a powerful physique, heave metal music is a great choice. The heavyweights often choose heavy classical music but this does not match all bodybuilders, be certain of that.

Make sure that before you ever compete you watch many other bodybuilding competitions over and over again because this can help you visualize your routine. Be creative with yours, and never copy anyone elses.


If somebody was thinking about competing, I would tell them, "go for it, you have absolutely nothing to lose!!" Because this is true, what do they have to lose?? If they dont win, then hey, they will lift harder and be more dedicated to what they do, which will make them better. If they win, then they will just keep up what they are doing to maintain their physique and also get much bigger for their next competition.


I do not compete because I have not yet reached where I would like to be with my physique. Once I get to my goal size then I will begin to compete frequently and I hope to do as good as possible, but even if I don't do that well, I will know what to improve.

I think I have already said the benefits of competing but I'll say them again.
Everything that is done for competitions is beneficial. It helps tell you where youre at in your body and you know what you have to improve, if you have to improve at all. It shows what you are up against for your age group and your weight class.

I firmly believe that there are no negatives at all in competitions for bodybuilding. Everything seems to be a plus to me and it will improve your physical and mental state as a bodybuilder.

[Trapzillaoo7]

I have been asking myself this same question for the last 14 weeks. Through the endless cardio, the resisting all temptations, the constant training, posing and just the overall toll this takes on your body. I guess I can answer only for myself. I am competing in a bodybuilding contest for the first time tomorrow. I almost quit 5 times this week, needless to say.

I have always dreamed of being on stage like the Arnold, Haney, Yates and other greats. I have been training and loving this sport for the better part of my life, over 15 years now. I was always on a mass gaining quest and really did not pay attention to how good of "shape" I was in. I just wanted to be HUGE. Well, I got huge. I got up to 251lbs at 5'10" about a year and a half ago. Then, I saw some pictures and realized how FAT I had gotten. I then went on a journey to just cut weight and cut I did. I dieted for about 3-4 months and got down to 196 with a pretty low bf%, around 8% I'd guess. I decided I would let my diet go for awhile until I felt like cutting again.

Well, it was that time, January 27th. I started this time at 214.5lbs and did a pre-competition type diet with the intention of seeing how good I could look by the end and if I would ever be competition ready. I fought through all the holidays, my birthdays, the drinking fests my friends went on and everything else. I had one drink in 3 months which is phenomenal for me. About 4 weeks ago I knew my body was going where I never thought it would be. I had veins everywhere, a great six-pack and striations sprouting out everywhere. I started gathering contest info and got a call one day from a man asking me if I wanted to enter his show. Well, I thought about it a bit and came to a decision. "Yes" I said, "I'll do it!". I knew I had a pile of work to do to prepare. I had not been posing and hadn't really had my pre-contest diet dialed in yet. So, I went on a crusade to get in the best shape I could. I dropped my sodium and carbs. I hit the treadmill 2, sometimes 3 times per day. I went pretty crazy. I busted my BALLS frankly. I think my wife is ready for a divorce after the umpteenth coat of Pro-Tan and the grocery bills. Anyway, my contest is tomorrow and I feel as ready as I will ever be. I guess I will know after tomorrow if all the hard work was really worth the 10-20 minutes on stage. No, I guess I can tell you now. It was DEFINITELY worth it. I learned so much about myself during this journey. I realized my mind was stronger than I ever could have imagined. I pushed myself farther and harder than ever before. So, I guess that is why I chose to compete. It was a personal challenge!!!

Trapz

[Antoine]

Working out is one thing, but being a competitive bodybuilder is ANOTHER thing. It's what separates the mens from the boys. Bodybuilding competitions are more of a self challenge. You compete for yourself, and yourself only.

Let me tell you, that at my first contest, when your onstage the feeling is unbelievable! All those weeks of dieting, those hours in the gym, those low carb days, the cardio and all that kind of stuff that was hard and difficult physically and also mentally, well in the end its all worth it, when your declared winner of your category! The feeling is unique and exceptional. I think just for that "feeling" of overcoming yourself in the past weeks is part of thereason why you would compete. Well for me at least. The trophy is only something that represents your hardwork for that contest.

I competed because I wanted to prove myself that i could do this, it was "the" thing I chose. Not hockey, not any kind of sports like that. It's the only "sports" (although I dont really consider this as a sport) that you play it 24/7. It never gets old, its a part of me now.

If I had to convince somebody to compete, I would first ask them if they really want to. Going trough a dieted half-assed is just a waste of time. Diet and go in the gym full throttle if you want to compete! But I would tell them about how satisfying going trough those weeks are. I would show them bodybuilding movies, bring them to local contests and such!

Competing is taking bodybuilding to another level. Everybody can lift weights, but less than a minority can step onstage.

[mivi320]

Why Would Somebody Want To Compete In A Bodybuilding Contest?

Strict dieting, purging one's body of water, manipulating carbohydrate and water intake, and loads of cardio is the typical regimen for any bodybuilder approaching a contest. Let's face it, it takes hard work and determination the last few weeks out from one's competition. Why would anyone want to put themselves through this? Read on to find out!

The Benefits Of Pre-Contest Preparation
Bodybuilding is a sport in which you must give it your all, whether you're training to for the Mr. Olympia or for general health and looks. Bodybuilding requires that you must make personal sacrifices, and learn that your obvious shortcomings are completely false the majority of the time. It takes dedication, determination, and focus to truly succeed in this sport and conquer your goals. Even more so when preparing in the pre-contest time period before that big time competition. The extreme dieting, the excessive cardio, and the right mindset all play a key role in one's pre-contest preparation. How does the pre-contest time period benefit an individual approaching a bodybuilding contest? It teaches the competitor important traits and helps develop attributes that will ultimately better the individual in life. Responsiblility, independance, determination, perseverance, dedication, and confidence are great characteristics to have, right? Well, when one is approaching the competition, all of these quality traits are developed in the preparation stage. One has to be determined to meet the goals that they have established. One has to be confident that they will place high in the competition. One has to be responsible and dedicated to stay on the strict diet and supplement plan. In conclusion, the competitor, while in the preparation stage, will broaden his or her's character and traits, meaning the competitor comes out a winner before the actual competition even begins.

Convincing Your Peers to Compete
Do you have a friend who has great genetics, follows a bodybuilding friendly diet plan, and abides by a solid training program, but won't enter a competition? Sure you do. The reason why he decides not to compete may be because he wouldn't know where to start. So how do you convince him to compete? Easy. Ask your friend how badly do they want it. It's about striving for perfection and pushing your body past it's limitations. If your peer is unwilling to strive for perfection, push his or her body past it's limitations, stay dedicated(even on a pre-contest diet), and follow a strict cardio and weight training program, then competition is solely not for your friend. If your friend is convinced he or she can do all of the things mentioned above, then competing sounds like a great idea. Out of all the bodybuilders I have spoken with, they have all mentioned that hearing your name called in front of hundreds of people after putting your all into the sport of bodybuilding and coming out a champion is one of the best feelings in the world. It all comes down to how badly you want it.

What are the negatives of Competing?
As mentioned earlier in the article, competing in a bodybuilding contest offers one with some great traits and characteristics, but are there any negatives to competing? Yes, but they can be avoided if one correctly prepares for the competition. If one follows a precise and sound pre-contest preparation regimen, the negatives of competition will cease to exist. One of the negatives of competing is putting your body through so much training on a large calorie deficit, performing a plethora of cardio, purging your body of water, and manipulating sodium and water levels. This can be extremely detrimental to one's body, if it is not done correctly. Another negative of competing is not placing in your desired position overall, after training so hard for a competition. But, bodybuilding competitions, just like any other game or competition, has a winner and a loser. It is the writer's opinion that the benefits of competing far outweigh the negatives.

What was it like competing in your first show? What made you want to do it? How did you feel afterwards? Did this experience help you in other parts of your life? Are you going to continue competing in the future?
I have not entered a competition as of yet, but I plan on entering my first competition in the year of 2007. I've been bodybuilding for quite some time now, and with the gains I have made, I really have the aspiration to crank it up a notch and compete. I believe that the feeling of standing on stage, after weeks of dieting and other hardships, looking in tip-top shape will be one of the best feelings ever. Competing will obviously improve my life by providing me with determination, confidence, desire, and dedication. Competing will also teach me that if you want something badly in life, you're gonna have to work for it. There are no shortcuts. With this mindset, I believe that I will come out on top when I enter my competition in the year of 2007.

Conclusion

In conclusion, competing is your decision. If your willing to lay it on the line and strive for perfection, then competing is for you. Ultimately, whether you place high or low in your competition, does not matter. Everyone comes out a winner. What matters is that you know you pushed your body past it's limitations and showed up in your best shape ever after weeks of grueling and hard work. If you decide to compete in the near future, I wish you the best of luck with all of your goals!

Best of luck!
Mike

[Jox]

Why Would Somebody Want To Compete In A Bodybuilding Contest?

Competing in a bodybuilding contest is one of the hardest things a person can do. Why would somebody want to put themselves through that when the most they can hope to "win" is a small trophy?
The dieting, training, cardio and years of consistency required to compete in a bodybuilding competition definitely makes it one of the hardest things a human can put their bodies through. In evolutionary terms, the competitive bodybuilder attempts to undo thousands of years of adaptation and destroy the body’s natural tendency to remain in a comfortable homeostasis by forcing it to become big and lean. The human body detests being at a low body-fat level, because body fat was needed to survive famine periods long before the invention of advanced farming methods and supermarkets. It is in the process of wrestling with our own bodies adaptive mechanisms which we can gain new insight into our character, mentality, and truly appreciate how wonderful the body is.

As I have alluded to, the prize for competing certainly is not limited to the small trophy reserved for the winner. The benefits of competing come not through winning, but in the process of getting to a point where competing is feasible. The benefits are many:

Most people lack the dedication and will to even regularly exercise let alone go through the stretches eating phenomenal amounts of food and then miniscule amounts of food which a bodybuilding lifestyle demands. It is because most people can’t do it which is precisely why we should do it. Normality in a day and age where your average person is obese and unfit is certainly not something that I want to be. I want to be abnormal; that is fit, healthy, big and lean. Entering a bodybuilding competition requires doing things which most people refuse to do, the pain, sweat, blood and tears makes the end result all the more enjoyable; at the end you look fantastic!

Time and time again it has been shown that people who enter bodybuilding competitions make better progress than their non-competitive counterparts. This could be because they started out as the ones who had a better capacity to bodybuild, but that is only part of the equation. Having a goal makes you more focused on your daily routine, and decreases the likelihood of sloppy eating, or skipping gym sessions. If know that you’re going to strip down to a tiny thong in front of potentially hundreds of people, you’ll think twice about the bowl of ice-cream, fired chips or pizza! Having the goal of competing on a certain date keeps you focused and dedicated on the important aspects of your regime like diet, training and rest.

The dedication required to eat either so much you’re full all the time, or so little you’re starving rubs off in other areas of your life. The willpower to refuse alcohol when offered; refuse snacks and sugary drinks, and to train balls-to-the-wall hard 4-5 days a week transfers to your daily life and meaningfully builds strength of character. Knowing that you can successfully mold your highly resistant body into an aesthetically appealing form lets you approach other obstacles and tasks with a positive can-do attitude.


If somebody was thinking about competing, what would you tell them to convince them to do it or not to do it? What are the benefits of competing?
I would definitely encourage them to compete. Competition for the above reasons makes you a better person and importantly a better bodybuilder. It confines you to a time period which forces you to get the most out of each meal, each weights session, each cardio session. It acts as the ultimate driving force to allow you to put yourself through the mental and physical anguish which accompany getting down to contest ready shape. The fear of looking normal, smooth, small on stage, and the determination to look big, freaky and lean cannot be overstated in terms of driving forces of motivation in the gym. It allows you to see weaknesses in your physique, and ensures that those weaknesses are worked on. Competing is the ultimate way for a bodybuilder to quickly become ‘real’ about their training, and forces them to assess the why’s and how’s of their training and diet regimen.

Why do you or don't you compete?
I compete to get the most from my body, and to see how far I can take my particular body in terms of size, symmetry, and proportion. It’s that simple.

What are the negatives?
Competing with yourself is one of the benefits, but also one of the drawbacks. Creating a muscular and appealing physique takes time, patients and dedication. It is a painful and occasionally lonely lifestyle. People sometimes don’t understand the reasons behind your desire to compete and try to talk you out of it. Worse still they make it sound like an easy thing to do, and under-appreciate the time and sacrifice it takes to get to a competition-ready state. Things like ‘oh, I don’t want to do weights I don’t want to get big’ will frustrate, but ultimately it doesn’t matter.


The difficulty in competing against your evolutionary body is a hard, painful and a slow process, but ultimately one of the most rewarding endeavors man can pursue.

[ortego]

Competing compels and motivates a bodybuilder to get very serious about training, nutrition, and all the details that go into physique enhancement. No one wants to step on stage in anything less than top condition. So a bodybuilder preparing for a contest is very apt to expend the extra effort neccessary to look his/her best. The process of competing yields much more than a small trophy. It helps the bodybuilder attain a higher level of development. In bodybuilding, the real prize is not the trophy. It's your body. Bodybuilding--the only sport where you can carry your award around all the time.

[prior22]

Bodybuilding isn`t about some stupid prize or about money. Bodybuilding makes you feel like your a professional athlete even though no one really knows who you are. We don`t get paid millions of dollars, we don`t get to drive fancy cars, and get to party with celebrities. We actually spend most of our money just so we can be involved with the sport we play. Competing for a competition creates character. The people that compete in bodybuilding competitions are the craziest people that walk the face of the earth, in my mind. They work 8 or more hours everday on hardly any carbs. They have to suffer the symptoms of having an extremely low bodyfat (especially in the winter). They must also have enough energy to be able to still train which is almost insane considering the physycological problems dealt with competition dieting. Then theres always those people , the wannabees, as the guy from animalpak.com says. They always have to feed there little ego`s and put down everybody just because they are jealous of your hard work. That makes contest dieting even tougher. Why anybody would want to compete in a contest is a tough question. Just the thought of standing on stage in a posing suit is enough motivation for alot of people. Maybe they used to be the fat chunky kid everyone made of or maybe they are doing it to do defeat self inflicted demons. Sometimes people just want to see how far they can take their bodies and people like the pros do it for money and promotions. I read somewhere that some of the pro`s prostitute themselves to other males and sometimes I wonder why I even got into this sport. The pro`s shouldn`t be looked up to in any shape or form. It`s the normal people who compete that deserve the respect.

[Bulldog21]

Competitiveness, Work Ethic, Structure, Strategy, Discipline, & Positive Mind Set

These are a few of the personality traits that I have improved in life from competing in a bodybuilding show. They spill over into all aspects of my life so I can say that competing in a show forces you to practice these skills if you want to compete and do well in a show.

To decide to compete means having to practice these and many other things to be successful. When I decided I wanted to compete it was on, I was ready to do the things necessasary to be my best and I believed all the sacrifice would pay off, and believe me it did. What you will gain from competing will forever be ingrained in your psyche. If you can do what it takes to compete in a bodybuilding show, you can do what it takes to be a successful and productive member of our society.

I can say that bodybuilding has really helped me cultivate these personality traits/skills and has helped me set goals in my life that once seemed too far, too hard, that are now achieved faster than I ever imagined!

That is why I think somebody would want to compete in a bodybuilding show.

Best Regards,

Bulldog 21
My first show:

2004 Mr. Indiana- 3rd place Heavywieght Novice Class
3rd place Light Heavywieght Open Class

This is one of my favorite quotes, which I think sums it all up:

“TENTATIVE EFFORTS LEAD TO TENTATIVE OUTCOMES. THEREFORE, GIVE YOURSELF FULLY TO YOUR ENDEVOURS. DECIDE TO CONSTRUCT YOUR CHARACTER THROUGH EXCELLENT ACTIONS AND DETERMINE TO PAY THE PRICE OF A WORTHY GOAL. THE TRIALS YOU ENCOUNTER WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO YOUR STRENGTHS. REMAIN STEADFAST AND ONE DAY YOU WILL BUILD SOMETHING THAT ENDURES; SOMETHING WORTHY OF YOUR POTENTIAL.”

-EPICTETUS ROMAN TEACHER, PHILOSOPHER 55-135 A.D.

[TRICK D]

[QUOTE=admin]TOPIC: Why Would Somebody Want To Compete In A Bodybuilding Contest?

For the week of: April 28th - May 4th.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Competing in a bodybuilding contest is one of the hardest things a person can do. Why would somebody want to put themselves through that when the most they can hope to "win" is a small trophy?

If somebody was thinking about competing, what would you tell them to convince them to do it or not to do it? Why do you or don't you compete? What are the benefits of competing? What are the negatives?

BONUS QUESTION FOR COMPETITORS: What was it like competing in your first show? What made you want to do it? How did you feel afterwards? Did this experience help you in other parts of your life? Are you going to continue competing in the future?

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Bodybuilding, why would someone do it?

Between 1501-1504, the sculpter Michelangelo created what he would consider the most perfect body, David. (see phote here: http://vlsi.colorado.edu/~rbloem/pho...full_front.gif) Michelangelo wanted to create an aethestically pleasing and muscular individual to represent the most beautiful body in history of man. Just like Michelangelo, many young and old want to achieve the most perfect body, something aethestically pleasing, and with curves of muscles cutting each way over a body. As Arnold Schwarzenegger says in Pumping Iron, (summary) like an artist you must look at your body and see what you missing, and instead of adding clay to where you need muscles, you work that body part harder.

With all of this being stated, the reason why people compete in bodybuilding contests is because it makes them feel good about the way their body looks, and gives them more confidence. When you compete as a bodybuilder, you also learn dicipline, and also learn what works and what doesn't work for you as you diet and bulk back up. The trophy at the end isn't the prize, the prize is looking at yourself in the mirror and being satisfied and being proud of yourself for accomplishing what you had hoped for for sometime.

I have never competed in a bodybuilding contest, but plan to do so in the next year, but if someone would ask me if they should or not, I would definitely give them the green light. I would encourage them as much as possible, but I would make sure to try to convince them to do it naturally. Using steroids and prescription weightloss agents without doctor's approval can be very detramental to your life. I would tell them what they would need to do to compete and tell them about bodybuilding.com and all the information you can gain about dieting, bulking, what supplements to take, and how to pose.

Like I said, I haven't competed yet because I don't think I am at a level of muscularity that I would want to be at, but I want to compete for pride, confidence, and self-esteem. I think these three things go hand and hand, and make you feel much better about yourself. If I compete and finish last, as long as I know I tried my best, and know that I did everything I could, I won't be mad, and I won't give up, I will just try harder next time.

According to dictionary.com, Pride is a sense of one's own proper dignity or value; self-respect. If you take pride in yourself, then you feel that you are worth something, and confidence will come next. Confidence means: A feeling of assurance, especially of self-assurance. This means to me that if you have confidence in yourself, then you believe you can do anything. This feeling will bring self-esteem which means: the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect. This means that with pride you respect yourself, confidence means you can do anything, and self-esteem ties it all together and means others respect you for what you do. This is the reason why people bodybuild. It is all these three things together.

The benefits from bodybuilding, other than the psychological reasons mentioned above are better health, better nutrition, and more muscle. All of these three things can help you live a longer and healther life. Negative aspects of bodybuilding is dehydration, liver/kidney problems, among other health problems. Dehydration frequently happens when a bodybuilder is trying to get into contest shape and doesn't intake enough water. Bodybuilding.com's own Bob Chic got into this situation last year. Liver and kidney problems can happen to anyone but they frequently happen to bodybuilders, definitely ones who use steroids. Flex Wheeler, one of my favorite bodybuilders had to quit bodybuilding because of a kidney problem, and Tom prince also had kidney problems associated with bodybuilding.

In conclusion, bodybuilding can be a great way to gain confidence in one's self, to learn to dicipline yourself, and to promote a healthier lifestyle, as long as you do all of these in a safe manner.


Good luck and keep pounding the weights!

[AnabolicMofo]

For the love of it.

[DSM18]

We get the opportunity to strip down to our underpants in public without getting arrested by police.... On stage we wouldnt get the dirty looks that people would give you if you did a double bicep pose at Walmart. parents wouldnt be covering their childrens eyes, or hiding infants under their tops. The average ugly guy would only ever manage to strip down in front of girls at the absolute most 20 times in his life, and this doesnt count the internet. We can do this in front of thosands of excited fans who pay to see you naked.

[DSM18]

Body building is an art form - just like perfecting a sculpture or a statue, a body builder sculpts their own bodies to perfection. They should show off their own bodies and individuality with the same pride an artist would with one of their best pieces of work.

Everything you need to do to get a quality body takes EFFORT! Training - 5-6 days a week for 2 hours each day when you also have to work, do everything for family, clean and other commitments. Nutrition - 6 or more meals a day, spending around 1 hour cooking and 1/2 planning, requiring the displine to persist against strong cravings and eating sometimes plain, repititve foods. This is where the bulk of the hard work comes in, not competing, therefore it isn't as difficult as what people imagine. You are going to trian/ eat well wheather you compete or not. But with all this effort someone who trains puts in, dont you think they have to get something out of it all? Competing is like their reward, regardless of whether they win or loose! It is each trainer in the worlds opportunity to show, through their bodies, the dedication, persistance, work ethic, determination, stregth, positivity and self-beleif they have. They are showing those last 5 reps of each 12 rep set they push their bodies to do even when bodies are saying "NO i can't do this", the repetitive meals of chicken and potatoes four times a day with no flavour or the times they didnt go out on a Friday because they chose to stay at their gym and do that extra 45 minutes of cardio. When competing the pride a body builder will feel is tremendous... they feel their hard work is being payed off, the blood, sweat and tears is turning into action. They feel a deep feeling of acheivment and fullfilment- that they've finally done it!

The feeling of heightened self-beleif is enough to enduce a state of non-stop euphoria... feeling high as a kite! Your ego is enormous, you feel like your in the mind of your favourite superhero - Superman, The incredible Hulk - You truly feel nothing is out reach, that you can do ANYTHING! As you look down to see one pec tensing at a time and a perfectly symetrical body people would dream of, you feel on top of the world! The sounds of the excited fans cheering when you pose, all just for you! Screams of admiration and shouts of respect, you look at girls in the crowd sitting next to their boyfriends fantasising about your masculinity, little kids envisioning their role-models as themselves at an older age and the elderly regretting they had a body like yours that would have brough them the happiness they were looking for.

Bodybuilding has always been a physical art - it represents beuty. Several Philosophers have emphasised on the affect that art has on health, happiness and even sucess. For centuries, an asthetic body has been assosiated with attractiveness and confidence. Along with these traits, comes acceptance and popularity. Bodybuilders are always looked up to, with total disregard to any negatives in their personalities. They are liked! They also have unique character - Swartznegger, Zane, Dorian Yates, Flex Wheeler... just saying these names brings vivids images to the mind. If you train, and want to feel like someone, then COMPETE!!! Competing will ensure the promotion and survival of our great sport - the more who compete the bigger we'll be - not only you, but Bodybuilding itself !

Thank you

[doggiejoe]

Why Enter A Bodybuilding Contest

The preparation and dedication it takes to participate in a bodybuilding contest is one of the most physically demanding task you can put on yourself. So you may ask yourself, is it worth it? Should I do it? What are the benefits? What are the negatives?

Well there are plenty of reasons why someone would want to enter a bodybuilding contest. Many people actually enjoy having to deal with responsibilities and staying on task. Believe it or not bodybuilders love what they do, if not, they would choose a different lifestyle. Us bodybuilders love to make our bodies a work of art, so why wouldn’t we want to show our art to the world? It would be like if Picasso would had kept all his work to himself.

Would you ever question someone if they wanted to be the heavy weight champion of the world? I thought so. So what would be so different from someone wanting to win a bodybuilding contest? Everyone is allowed to dream. So if entering a bodybuilding contest has ever crossed your mind, there’s no doubt you should act on your intuitions.

Why people enter bodybuilding contests

Competition

There’s nothing better for the soul than some friendly competition. Competition actually reduces the tension between 2 people. It’s natural for someone to want to compete for something. It’s been going on since the beginning of time.

Self-Satisfaction

Another reason why people enter a bodybuilding contest is for self-satisfaction. They want compensation for all the hard work they put in the weight room. There’s no better feeling than making all your hard work pay off.

Winning Nature

Whether it’s winning at a videogame, a football game, or winning TOTW, everyone wants to win. It’s just nature taking it’s course. No one wants to be a loser. The feeling of victory is like no other. And you can’t win without competing.

Goals to Fulfill

Some of us actually like having goals in life. Joining a bodybuilding contest will certainly make you have short term and long-term goals. Whether it’s placing top 3 in an amateur contest or winning Mr. Olympia, you’re going to have goals to fulfill to be successful.

Hobby

Some people collect stamps, others collect coins, and some of us just love pumping iron all day long. Bodybuilding is just like any other hobby, and competing in a contest is in the same alley.

Showing Off

Just like winning, showing off comes natural to most of us. This is the reason why every 100-pound teenage boy across the nation is flexing in front of his mirror right now. Bodybuilders show off whether it’s on purpose or not, they will always be the center of attention. And there’s no better place to show off than in a bodybuilding contest.

Fun

If you’re not having fun at what you do, then I feel sorry for you. Different people enjoy different things. As long as you’re having fun at what you do, you’ll be happy at the end of the day. Entering a bodybuilding contest is no different and I guarantee you’ll have fun. Remember flexing is the coolest and easiest part of bodybuilding, so treat yourself.

The Challenge

Everyone loves to hear the words “you can’t do it” so they can use those words as motivation. There’s an immense feeling of accomplishment when you could rub it in someone’s face. There’s no real reason why humans like a challenge, we just do. No wonder why guys love when girls play “hard to get”, it’s because it’s a challenge. And trust me, entering a bodybuilding contest will be the most challenging feat of your life.

If somebody was thinking about competing, what would you tell them to convince them to do it or not to do it?

Many of you may think you will never be good enough for a physique contest. Well you’re dead wrong. You think you’re not big enough. Again you’re wrong. There are many different categories in which one may qualify. Don’t think you’re going to be up there flexing with Ronnie in your first show. And guess what, you have as many muscles as Ronnie. So don’t be discouraged.

Bodybuilding contest have been growing and expanding all over the world. What many people are ignorant of, is the fact that bodybuilding is a SPORT! Not just a sport, but also one of the largest sports across the world. Just like every other sport, there is extreme joy and downright pain. There’s the pleasure of victory, and the heartbreak of defeat.

Nothing makes you more of a man/woman than responsibilities. I really can’t convince you to do anything you don’t want to. Again participating in a bodybuilding contest isn’t a walk in the park. But if you really want something that will help you succeed later on in life, don’t look any further, and join a bodybuilding contest now!

Benefits of competing

Character Building

The strict dieting and the intense cardio will make you more of a man than your dad ever did. The pressure of responsibilities on your shoulders will be a terrific learning experience that you will be able to use in any real life situation. You will take pride in yourself and all of your accomplishments.

Better Progress

It’s a proven fact that bodybuilders which compete make better gains than those who don’t. The reason is because you will have to push yourself much harder than usual to succeed. Wanting to place higher in another contest will drive you to new heights and will make you better than you are now.

Self-Esteem

Entering in a bodybuilding contest will swiftly improve your self-esteem. You will be more in touched with your body and you’ll feel good knowing that you’re making the very most of yourself. The look of envy when you step on the stage will also make you feel good about yourself. After seeing your peer’s eyes light up when you flex your guns you will certainly be more confident than you use to be.

Perfection

No one is perfect, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a perfect body. There’s something special about the feel and look of having developed every major muscle in your body. Competing will help you make you body as close to perfect as possible. In some ways, when you’re on that stage you feel like a God with all eyes on you.

Being Distinguished

When you enter a bodybuilding contest you will know for sure that you’re not average. You will have the feeling of being in a class by yourself. You won’t look at all the other coach potatoes the same way again.

Awesome Sport

It’s a magnificent sport to participate in. The great part about it is, that it’s not a team sport and you only have to count on yourself and no one else to come through. It’s also a very physically demanding sport so you’ll be in great health.

Stardom

One thing is for sure; Arnold didn’t become famous for his acting. If you ever reach IFBB level then you will certainly reach stardom. Maybe not the level of Arnold or Ronnie but you will be known to everyone in the bodybuilding world. It’s every bodybuilder’s dream of being Mr. Olympia and you can’t accomplish this without starting from the bottom.

The Rush

Some people like to drive 100 mph down the highway for a “speed rush”. Others ride roller coasters. Well if these rushes come close to the rush when you’re on stage, I’m getting on my car and driving to Disney world at 100 mph. The exhilaration that one feels while on stage is just unexplainable and one has to do it to actually know the feeling.

Awards

The award of winning a bodybuilding contest could be from a small trophy to thousands of dollars in winnings. Even if a small trophy seems at no value to you, ask a person that has won one. To them this “small trophy” is nothing less than priceless.

Having No Regrets

Those muscles won’t last forever, so why not take advantage of them now. How many times have you said to yourself “I should had…” well you should live life without any regrets. Down the road you don’t want to be like “ I should had joined a bodybuilding contest” so follow your instincts and join one now!

Continued...

[doggiejoe]

Negatives of competing

Dieting

The strict dieting for a bodybuilding contest is like no other. If you taught having a bodybuilder’s diet is hard, try having a diet for a bodybuilder getting ready for a contest. This is without a doubt the hardest part of entering a contest. It’s also going to get really annoying having to swallow 3 gallons of water a day and be pissing every other minute.

Weight Training/Cardio

The weight training that you have to do to get ready for a contest will wear you out. It is intense and grueling without a doubt. When contest time comes around you want to be ripped to shreds and all the cardio you will have to perform will rip your heart to shreds.

Lifestyle Change

You’re going to have to devote your life to this if you want to come out victorious. You will have to make many sacrifices but at the end it will all pay off and you’ll thank yourself. Most of all you’re going to have to make bodybuilding your major priority.

Body Alternation

You’re going to have to get a tan, oil your skin up, and remove every single hair from your body. Most men aren’t to comfortable doing this, but if you’re really in touch with your sexuality you won’t have too many problems.

Note: Waxing your chest will make your eyes very teary. But all the benefits from competing will no doubt outweigh any of the negatives. At the end you won’t see the negatives as negatives but more like a simple task.

BONUS QUESTION FOR COMPETITORS: What was it like competing in your first show? What made you want to do it? How did you feel afterwards? Did this experience help you in other parts of your life? Are you going to continue competing in the future?

My first show was a battle between 5-6 gyms around my area. Each gym had 5 representatives. My gym owner had told me about the opportunity and I surely jumped all over it. I had less than 4 months to prepare for it. The competition was held last July.

Before entering preparation for it, I thought it wasn’t as hard as it sounded. Boy was I wrong. Within the first 3 weeks the thought of quitting never left my brain. But through much determination and effort I didn’t quit. I was in the best shape of my life with all the cardio they had me doing.

The week before the competition I had that same feeling I use to have a week before my birthday or Christmas. I always fell asleep thinking about it. I remember the day before I had the worse case of insomnia ever. The day of competition I woke up like an hour earlier than usual and certainly couldn’t go back to sleep.

Being backstage with your competition is awkward. You don’t expect them to be nice to you, but they are. They weren’t being hypocrites because they were just trying to be friendly. The atmosphere backstage isn’t like being in a football locker room were all you want to do is kill the opponent, it’s just friendly competition.

When I came out on stage I was nervous to say the least. But after the first round and getting a feel of the crowd and judges, I was settled down. Hearing my name on the loud speaker made it feel like if I were dreaming and it wasn’t reality.

I ended up in 2nd place in my category. There were only 6 competitors for my category. The guy that won was 19 and at the time I was 17 so I felt really proud of myself. There’s no doubt that I would do it again. Afterwards I took my “small trophy” and cherished it as it still stands over my bedroom counter.

This experience certainly helped me in everyday life. I learned the real definition of hard work, which I can apply to anything. The preparation for this contest gave me an enormous character boost as well as a self-esteem boost. It also gave me the confidence that I could do anything I put my mind on.

There’s no doubt in my mind I will be competing in the future! I already signed up for the same competition this August. This year I’m certainly going to bring home the first place trophy. There’s nothing that’s going to take me away from my love, which is bodybuilding.

[bigcalves]

Why Would Somebody Want To Compete In A Bodybuilding Contest?



Let's face it, bodybuilding is one of the most hardest sports. It takes special mindset, dicipline and patience and consistency. Bodybuilders are a special breed. We have goals we are determined to reach, no matter what. Called 'perfectionists' or 'vein' bodybuilders are what we are. To some people eating 8-10 meals might be vein and self-centered, but to me making a stamp collection and spending all your money on paper with ink pictures on it is a boring, self-centered lifestyle. By bodybuilding, we increase our longetivity, makes ourselfs healthier and more aware of our bodies. Bodybuilders are the only athletes on the planet trianing for looks and thats what sets us apart from every other person on earth. Talk about unique.
Along with bodybuilding, sacrafices come along. Sparing time to workout, to eat each planned meal, and resting will take away most of your day. It's not a hobby, but a lifestyle that we choose.



Why Compete?



So you've spent years, even decades on building your body. You've imagined how it would look from the day you started lifting, and every day since then until now, and you will also imagine yourself getting bigger and more improved. Now it's time to show off all your hard work. By competeting in a contest you will see what you're made out of. Sure, tons of people underestimate bodybuilders and say that all they do is take drugs and tan and go on stage. That's the jealousy talking, you and they know it. Now back to the contest. Competing will give you a sense of pride and maturity/wisdom that you never had. Bodybuilding is not all about the body, but the mind also. You need to be strong and conditioned in your mind to withstand challenges. Being in a contest will bring alot of them, so you better be ready. Temptation of quiting your diet and workout are only a small part. You will start to say in your mind, 'am i crazy', or 'why am i doing this for?'. Even when you overcome and actually get ready for the contest, competition day will also be challenging. You will as yourself if you look good, then you will compare yourself to others. Even when that passes, stage fright and nervousness might set in.


As you can tell a body building contest is very challenging and comes with alot of down sides. But i believe theres more positives than negatives. Competing will give you a sense of pride and strength. Not only physically but emotionally and mentally also. You will feel way better. There is no feeling on earth to describe how you feel after a contest. It feels great. Just stepping on stage and seeing thousands (ok maybe less than that sometimes) of people looking at you. You get an incredible 'pump' that is very hard to describe. As you can tell it's not about the trophy. Winning the trophy is just the topping of the cake, like getting your last rep in on a hard arm workout. But even if you don't win, that's okay, and you will get alot out of the experience. You will have fun showing your body off, and at the end you will win. Even if you don't come in first, you will gain alot of motivation for building yourself, and as bodybuilders motivation is needed.




If somebody was thinking about competing, what would you tell them to convince them to do it or not to do it?


Like i said, competing will give you alot of benefits. First of it will be loads of fun, it's not torture. If you don't have anything to loose, there's tons of thigns to gain. The feeling of changing your body and being in control is unbelievable. Millions of people each day try to take control of their lifes and fail. But you will be able to set a goal, make a plan, achieve it and be in control for the whole 10 or 14 weeks the your preparing. It will be exciting and challenging at the same time. Trust me, i have not me anybody that ever competed and regrets it. There are some that will never do it again, but they do not regret competing in the first place. The addrenaline rush when competing is amazing. It feels like pumping out the last rep on a set of heavy squats. Your stomach is full with overgrown butterflys and you are trying to stay in control. And all your doing is standing on stage and posting.


Bodybuilding is an art form. By competing you are showing off your body and telling the world that you work hard and that you cherish every sweat, tear and blood drop that comes out of you. It says that you are diciplined and that you live a life worth living. Your not just a slacker waiting the days to go by until they die. You have a desire for life, for challenges and you will let nothing stand in front of your goals. Bodybuilding is a form of expession and by competing you are taking it to a next step. You are going public. You will gain tons of dicipline and wisdom out of competing. You will be able to see how hard bodybuilders actually work. Your self esteem will be high, you will feel good about yourself and what you accomplished and at the end that's all that counts. There is a saying that goes: 'Winning isn't everything', and it is right. When you compete in a bodybuilding show, it's not about winning, but about gaining important values though your experience. But hey, i wouln't mind getting a 1st place trophy!



Positive Benefits of Competing

By now you are asking yourself what are the positive benefits of competing. As you noticed so far, there are way more positives than negatives, and that's what makes bodybuilding so great. It is a distinctive sport that nothing else on earth can match or come close to. That's why people that fall in love for bodybuilding stay in love for their whole life. There is nothing like it and once you find it, the rest is history... As one man once said, "You can take man away from bodybuilding, but you can't take bodybuilding away from man". There is a special connection that makes this sport so positively charged. And now here as some positive benefits:


GAINING DICIPLINE
By competing you will gain tons of dicipline. The dicipline that shapes your character as a person. The dicipline that stops you from eating the pie on your table. The dicipline that sets you apart from the average joe. Dicipline is great and through bodybuilding you will gain it, but through competing you will blast it. Competing takes alot out of you, and dicipline is something that will help you and something that you will gain.


PRIDE AND SELF-ESTEEM
By competing you will develop your pride and self-esteem. That's right, everyone has pride and self-esteem, but sometimes it is very low. Sure you can be cocky sometimes, but cockyness won't help you get almost naked on stage for people to look at you, judge you, and for judges to critisize your weak point. By competing you will be in touch with yourself, and more confidend about everything you do, on and off the stage.


ADRENALINE RUSH
There is nothing on earth like stepping on stage being almost naked and showing off to the world. It takes guts, it take courage and the result is an awesome adrenaline rush that many people are 'addicted' to. You will be able to feel great for the time you are on stage, and the world will feel like it's going at 100mph and everythign will seem exciting. Hehe soungs like an effect of a drug, but it's not, it's one of the positive benefits of competing in bodybuilding.


STRENGTH AND WISDOM
By competing you will gain strength and wisdom. No you bench won't go up by 20lbs by your mentality will. You will get strong in your mind. You will be able to set goals and accomplish them easier and you would be able to focus to achieve those goals. Also wisdom and knowledge will be gained. You could learn a few tips from other contestants, or you could learn from your mistakes and do better next time.


There are alot more things you can gain. Feeling good about yourself might not seem so special, but after a contest, feeling good might change your life. More consistency, more intensity and harder lifting might result. You will feel good all over, mentally and phisically, so by competing in a contest you will gain TONS of positive benefits, too many too list in fact...




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[bigcalves]

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Negetive Benefits of Competing

Now with everything good, there will always be something bad. Bodybuilding is no exception to this rule. Although not as many, there are negative benefits of competing in bodybuilding. They might not seem so obious from a bystanders point of view, but ask and bodybuilder, amateur or pro, and they will tell you the same: There are some negative benefits in competing.


PREPARING...
Yes it can be a pain in the behind. All the cardio and weightrainign that you don't have energy for. Since your food intake will get lower, so you can burn fat, you will increase your cardio. That will make you feel very moody. Low food supply and higher burning of energy will turn into exhaustion. You will be moody and won't feel like talking to people, especially in the last 3-4 weeks. Weight training will suck also. All your lifts will go down (lbs) and that will usually result in a loss of motivation and asking questions. Also you will ask yourself if you look too small or too fat and might regret why you started the process in the first place. It is no walk in the park and most average people that connot get through a hard leg workout will not get through this. This is not for whiners or 'girlie men' but if you look at it at the end it will be a positive benefit from all the hard work you did.


SOCIAL LIFE
Don't expect many parties while you are preparing for a contest. Most likely you will feel like sleeping and won't go anywhere. Alot of your friends will ask you what's going on, and most will not understand. I have lost many good friends, but in the end it will be all worth it. And by inviting them to your contest, you might change their thinking. Also do not expect to have alot of free time for video games and playing around. Most likely you have a job or school and that will make your journey even more challenging. Do not be hesitant to take the last 2 weeks off from work, because even if you go, you won't be in the 'working mode'.


Well these are some of the negative benefits. Sure some might be bad or not so bad depending on your perspective, but the positives outweigh the negatives. Sure you might miss a few parties or loose a few friends but at the end you will learn about yourself and gain alot more. It is your choice on deciding but take my word for it and compete atleast once in your life. Your whole perspective on humanity will change.




BONUS QUESTION FOR COMPETITORS: What was it like competing in your first show? What made you want to do it? How did you feel afterwards? Did this experience help you in other parts of your life? Are you going to continue competing in the future?


I have competed in only one show. It was a local show made possible by two gyms in my area. The prize was 1 year free membership in any of the two gyms and a trophy with your name on it. There were 3 weight classes, 170-190lbs, 190-210lbs and 210+lbs. Me, being 5'6 was in the 170-190lbs. For me stepping on stage was magical. It was like something i was born to do. I heard the crowd of about a hundred people cheering and i felt very good. They were cheering for me. What made me do it was the challenge. I've always wanted to be a bodybuilder and i really wanted to start out young and not waste anytime. Of course i wanted something local, becuase the lack of experience, but i really made a good choice with this.

As the contest progressed, my weight class stepped down. I watched as the other guys from the middle weight class jumped on stage. Most of them were tall, and not so muscular and i actually thought i had a shot. BIG MISTAKE, as soon as the middle class was done, the heavyweights stepped on stage. There were a few tall people, a few muscualr people and one beast. The dude was about 35 years old, 5'9 at around 235lbs. He was shredded to the bone with an incredible symetry and vasculanity. I though it was a joke. I didn't think people like that existed in my town. There goes my victory i said. But i was still cheerful and didn't loose hope. At the end i ended up in 4th place, but it was all worth it. Since i was the youngest in my group, i got a special award, free tanning for 4 months. I felt very happy and not an ounce of me regreted what i did, even though i didn't win.

This expericne has given me alot of confidence. I learned alot about myself and i do not regret doing it. I would do it all over again if i had the chace, sadly the contest got cancelled that very same year. I gained wisdom and knowledge from the winner, he taught me some tips that really gave me a boost in my training. Competing helped me not only in bodybuilding but in real life. Now i am more confident and i never give up on my goals.

As for the future, i plan on competing. I've been told i have good genetics, but i'm the only one that knows myself real good and i think it's more hard work than genetics. Sure genetics are important but without work, you cannot achieve anything. I plan on going somewhere with bodybuilding, and making a mark in the bodybuilding comunity. For anyone wondering if they should compete, just do it, you won't regret it!

[Kill_yourself]

Why would someone want to compete in a bodybuilding competition?

Bodybuilding

Before we go into the topic of talking about competition, Lets go into a little more detail about bodybuilders and bodybuilding as a general aspect. We bodybuilders go day by day having to lift a ton of weights rep after rep, set after set.. We eat a diet enough to feed your entire family for the entire day. We get stuck in a routine and never break it for anyone or anything. We would sacrifice anything, to gain an extra pound of muscle. This my friend is the life of the bodybuilder. Something so strict and boring which surprisingly creates a sense of satisfaction within our feeble bodies. A sick sense of power and status achieved every time you gain that inch around the chest or that 10 pounds to your squats.

And if we are lucky enough to win a major competition despite all the politics involved. You might be sponsored by a few companies while they make tons of money off you, all you get is a miserable sum which is just enough to pay for that one room hell hole that you live in and your food. But still we press on and do what has to be done. So to set one thing straight, we aren’t in this for the money. And to make all this ‘easier” for us, nobody around you understands why do you do the things you do and are constantly looking or talking about in some new form of criticism. So the only thing that is keeping this up is purely, Passion.


The Misconception

I would just like to clear up one very tiny misconception i have seen and heard. During the last few weeks before your competition, it is no longer about building more muscle mass or size. However it is more about keeping as much muscle and size that you are currently holding.

Competition

After enduring day after day of 10 hours sleeps, ingesting 8 bodybuilder meals and balls to the wall workout, the time has finally arrived. You are finally ready. But are you really ready? Your friends think you are, but deep down inside, the fear is beginning to cultivate within yourself. Just the thought of standing up on a stage in front of an audience wearing nothing but your tiny trunks, posing in unison to the music, is more than enough to send you into a spiral of self doubt and confusion of whether this was such a good idea after all.

Reasons for competing:

1) It is your grand stage to prove that all you sacrifices over the years are actually worth something. You want to feel that satisfaction of sending the crowds into frantic excitement as you slowly unveil that huge rear lat spread of yours.
2) You want to find a true and honest answer about how good you really are physically. You want to proof to yourself and the people around you that you are really as good as you think you are. And if you happen to lose, you want to be put where you are supposed to be and stop thinking that you are the best guy around and there isn’t anyone that can beat you.
3) Most of you non competitors wouldn’t know this, but going for a competition is an excellent chance to find that spotter you longed for. It is a place where people would truly understand why you do the things you do. Something that is almost impossible to find “outside”.
4) You want to experience what people like Jay cutler and Ronnie Coleman go through before each competition. You personally feel that you have grown from a gym rat to a bodybuilder.

As mentioned above, bodybuilder are not in it for the money, even so why would we put ourselves through the uncomfortable feeling to water draining? That small trophy is definitely not worth a dim on ebay. So what is it for?

To satisfy the thought that you are the best at what you do and the sacrifices that you have made over the years are worth something. That is why we compete.
fast as you spin into that spiral, you automatically snap right back into reality. Going for a competition is something that takes nerves of steel to do. But we all have one very common and main fear. THE FEAR OF LOSING!

We are afraid that after all the hard work and sacrificed that you made out, you will somehow be demolished by some other dude’s physique that seems almost unattainable. So that is why most people comfort themselves in a self deceiving lie that the reason that they do not compete is because they don’t feel the need to expose themselves in that way, and never ever dare entertain the thought of competing again.

But for the few brave ones that are willing to step up to the challenge, they get ready to do battle. A frantic search begins, for information on the internet on pre contest guides and bugging any bodybuilder at your gym that would be willing to give you some advice on competing. You want it to be perfect. You want to win that first prize and there is nothing that would stand in your way of your very first victory.

[Kill_yourself]

Personal Advice

Competing at a bodybuilding meet is much more than a couple of guys standing in their trunks and posing. It takes dedication and nerves of steel to reach there.

Ways a bodybuilding contest ca
n help you:

• It will tremendously bring out the confidence in you. Many people live their lives under the radar and at the end of their lives, regret that they did not make a big enough impact on the people around them. They fear being rejected or made fun of , so they hide away their confidence. But the real way to get rid of that fear is to stare it straight in the eye. So by standing up on that stage , you are guarantee to have a huge boast in your confidence.

Ways confidence is useful:
1. It can help you get that chick that you have been eyeing on
2. it can get you that job you wanted
3. your views can finally be heard and taken seriously

I cannot explain enough how much confidence will help you. But having a boast in this section in your life can only do you good.

• Although confidence will be built in you. The best part is that if you compete, you will not turn into a absolute snob. Let me explain. By standing on stage it will built that much needed confidence. But when entering the arena where the other competitors are, you take a look at that bodies and the previous thoughts of destroying all competition to win the first prize turn to dust. Although you are still not convinced that you will lose for sure, you know that you have a 50-50 chance of winning this. And that puts you in your place. So competing makes you confident but humble at the same time.
• Discipline. Many young teens end their lives on the streets or land themselves in jail just because they lack this. Bodybuilding consists of endless days of eating, training and sleeping hard. So without the proper discipline, you will definitely not be able to achieve this. Especially during the cutting stage before a competition where a cheat meal is simply out of the question, only the truly disciplined will be able to go through it. So joining a competition forces you to be discipline and naturally in all aspects of your life will also be very organized and disciplined.

So if the above facts are not enough to convince you to compete, let me give you another reason to compete.

Competing gives you a chance to make the people around you which have been condemning the things you do for ages to finally understand you and accept you for the way you are. One such example would be me. When I initially started to go in bodybuilding, my friends and parents are constantly nagging me. But when I won the state championship, I finally got the respect that I wanted. They accepted me for who I was and that although I put myself through so much pain and sacrifices, at least now they understood that it is not just some side hobby that I took up. And since then they stopped pursuing me to stop what I was doing.



Although there are many enticing plus points, like any other issues, there is bound to be a negative side of things.

Negative reasons:

• This applies to rare few that has EXTREMELY good genes. They train hard as everyone else and diet as hard as everyone else. But they grow 2 times the speed of a normal person naturally. So as their confidence starts to get to peak, they start to turn cocky. So when it is competition time, instead of having other bodies around to put them in their place, they owe a body that destroys all competition around and go on to clinch the first place. Although later in life, people will catch up to them, for the mean time their egos will be at an all time high. And a person with an extremely high ego is dangerous to himself and the people around. He starts to become a bully and gets himself into fights and creates problems. But since no one is up to his size. He can do as he wishes.
• At a competition, you might all sorts of good people. Potential spotters and also potential bad influences. At such meets there are bound to be some people that are secreting selling steroids or something of that nature. So if you are not disciplined enough to stay away from this, you might just turn into a druggie.
• Your social life will be greatly affected. You will not be able to hang out till dawn clubbing the night away. Nor can you afford to drink can after can of beer when the competition is just 2 weeks away. Neither can you go out for a meal at the seafood place you loved. You will not be able to spend as much time with your buddies doing dumb stuff like making prank calls or setting **** on fire on someone else’s doorstep. This can all go back to normal after the competition. But until then your social life will be at a all time low.



Personal reasons for competing:

1) I love challenges in my life. I love the thrill of the chase. So everytime I compete I know I can satisfy and inner urge of competitiveness within me.
2) I want a true and honest answer about my body standards in comparison with the judges criteria.
3) I love tearing up the crowd every time I bust out that most muscular pose. I love standing on stage. Used to hate it. But like I said, competing gives you confidence.
4) I love the attention I get when people at the bodybuilding meet see that I have a lanyard stating “competitor”. It gives me a sense of pride.
5) I used to be a delinquent kid that breaks every rule in the rule book. But since taking up bodybuilding seriously, it has given me a proper sense of self discipline and character.



Bonus question:


Fear

I was sacred to bits. I thought I would be fine and all. But after entering the arena, and taking a peek of the audience slowly filling up the seats and seeing the competitors starting to apply their tanning lotion and trying to get a good pump going, I finally realized what did I get myself into. But I told myself to just be a man and don’t back out now after all that dieting and sacrifices.

Confusion

All I know was that I was supposed to be here and that’s about it. I have no idea where to go, what to do and so forth. But lucky for me, there were people there to help me out. I wouldn’t be surprised that some competitors back out just because they don’t know what to. So I had to listen very closely to my name being called and tried to stay pumped.

Experience

When I stepped onto the stage to do my free posing round, I went blank. I just stood there being blinded by the light as the music played and I stood there motionless. I had to request they played the music again after I regain my sense of reality after 5 seconds. And all went well, until I had to turn from my front posing to back posing. I also almost loss my balance due to the tremendous loss of water in my body. But I was lucky enough to remain balanced.

I actually wasn’t even thinking of doing this show. But my trainer knew that I was ready and made me an challenge. That if I went ahead with this competition, he would give me $20 bucks if I won. Although it wasn’t the money that made me do it, It was however the final straw in getting me to join.

Although I had a few problems here and there during the competition such as dizziness and weakness, it was definitely an awesome experience that I would never forget. I will definitely do it over and over again if I had the chance.

One great piece of knowledge that I brought home with me from the competition is the same old. No pain no gain. I was literally pumping the muscle till I could feel the blood flow inside about to explode.

Bonus information

I place first in my category during my first competition and placed second in overall. Nothing would make me happier then.

[BrianTesta]

You cant talk someone into a bodybuilding contest because undoubtedly they will fail in the end and be worse off than when they started. What you can do is inspire them, show them that this is not only something they could be good at, but great at. Why would you or why should you do a bodybuilding contest? There are many things in this world we all do for self enjoyment or fullfillment, from playing organized sports, to being a competitive athlete in cycling etc, but to do a show takes more than a sense of self enjoyment. You should do a show for yourself, to prove to yourself you have what it takes to push yourself when you dont want to be pushed, to force yourself when you dont want to be forced, to give up things that you once loved, to look at a goal and never let anyone or anything get in your way. Doing a show is similar to preparing to die, you cant escape it, its allways on your mind, every second, every meal, every time you wake up to go to teh bathroom at 4 AM, every time your friends go out for a drink and you cant join in with them, every time your family has a meal and you sit with a chicken breast in front of your face. It is for you, about you, all of you, all the hours, the blood, the sweat, and the time you gave up in the gym for one moment. Nothing can compare to what you put yourself through physically or mentally when preparing for a show. Its like getting a disease, every day you get a little harder, makes you want to push it a little further. Why woudl you do a bodybuilding show, to prove once and for all to yourself that who you are is real, that everything around you at one time or another is blissful in its own way. To stand up and say one day that I am one of the few who have done it, I have done something you cannot even begin to imagine. I live for a few minutes, to live is to suffer, and to be a bodybuilder is to find meaning in that suffering.
Testa

[Champ2005]

This is actually cool because I am getting ready for my first contest. I have always been involved in sports. I played ice hockey until I was 22 and have alwasy been active in martial arts. As a matter of fact, I competed in numberous NHB events in the mid-west. I think what drew me to compete is that I am a very competitive person. I enjoy the thrill of competition. In addition, I like to challege myself. If it is a challege, and it is something not everyoneis doing, then I will try it. When I first entertained the thought of competing it was simply just to do it. As I have come further along, and I am now 5.5 weeks out, I am enjoying seeing the transformation in my body. It is a sense of accomplishment and pride knowing that I can mold my body like this and make it look good. Now, whether I do well or not is still to be seen, but I feel very good that I have been able to do what most people do not have the motivation, will power, or want to do.

[bigcalves]

This is actually cool because I am getting ready for my first contest. I have always been involved in sports. I played ice hockey until I was 22 and have alwasy been active in martial arts. As a matter of fact, I competed in numberous NHB events in the mid-west. I think what drew me to compete is that I am a very competitive person. I enjoy the thrill of competition. In addition, I like to challege myself. If it is a challege, and it is something not everyoneis doing, then I will try it. When I first entertained the thought of competing it was simply just to do it. As I have come further along, and I am now 5.5 weeks out, I am enjoying seeing the transformation in my body. It is a sense of accomplishment and pride knowing that I can mold my body like this and make it look good. Now, whether I do well or not is still to be seen, but I feel very good that I have been able to do what most people do not have the motivation, will power, or want to do.

cool. what are your stats, and what kind of a show is it. Competing can be very exciting, my first time was wonderful.

[Champ2005]

cool. what are your stats, and what kind of a show is it. Competing can be very exciting, my first time was wonderful.

To be honest, is is the Bloomington/Normal Illinois show. IT is sponsored by GNC, Gold's Gym, and Adela Freinmansky. It is an NPC show. I'm a bit nervous to be honest. I'm 5 weeks out and working my ass off. I started off at 196 (5'8") and I'm down to 173. My weight class is 154 1/4 to 176. I thinks it's kinda been a trial and error type of thing. When I started I was wondering if Iw oudl want to do it again, but I think I will in the future. I'll take a year off an put some more size on before I compete. PLus I have a little boy on the way and I want to spend some time with him.

[cutlerfan]

Competing in a bodybuilding contest is beneficial in many ways. Confidence is one of them. Looking at yourself in the mirror and admiring the dedication and discipline it took to acquire a great body is a definite confidence booster.

Competing is definitly good for someone who has a problem with setting a goal and giving up or atleast falling short because they were pleased with what they saw and decided not to continue. It is a sense of pride not to want to step up in front of hundreds of people loooking like crap.

It is good for trying hard to meet a deadline!