Would you really want to become an IFBB Pro Bodybuilder?

[Cyclops]

If you had the choice to be an IFBB Pro, a pro in the NBA, the NFL or in soccer what would you choose and why?

Here's a brief outline of the realities of being a pro bodybuilder that differs from being a pro in other sports.

The drugs:

I recognise the hardwork the pro's put into their training schedules, diets and rest. But let's be honest here, to be a pro bodybuilder you MUST be on a ****load of different performance enhancing drugs and diuretics to be able to reach that kind of physique. You only need to read a few stories about Paul Dillet who cramped up on stage in the mid 1999's due to an overuse of diuretics or the great Andreas Munzer who died from the sheer amount of drugs he was taking. Now, there are of course athletes in other sports that take drugs and evade the tests but no other sporting federation to my knowledge has the same, rampant, drug consumption as the IFBB.

The money:

I don't mean to sound materialistic but money is money and at some level it's a priority for everybody. IIRC the Mr. Olympia, the number one contest pays out 150k to the winner which does sound like a lot but when you look down the list the 10th place is awarded something around 1k? Compare that to a top player in the NBA and it's possible he makes more than all the IFBB pro's put together.

The legalities:

Whether you believe performance enhancing drugs should be on the illegal list or not is irrevelant, the law is the law and they are illegal. To me, it makes little sense that while alcohol and tabacco remain completely legal and are seen as 'cool and hip' by most of the population and in particularl alcohol they remain legal. In the last 30 minutes alcohol and tabacco have probaly caused more deaths than steroids have in the past 60 years. But as already mentioned drugs are a crucial part of any IFBB pro's daily regiment. I appreciate the physiques and personalities of Shawn Ray, Jay Cutler and Ronnie as much as the next guy and even own many training DVD's but they are criminals in the eyes of the law. Would you be happy living as a criminal? Is it fair that aspiring teenage athletes are taken to court after being found to have possession of these drugs while the pros who take 10 fold compete freely?

Contest prep:

Diet is important for all sports but no other requires the same amount of dedication and precision as pro bodybuilding. A few of my mates play on football teams and during the week they're eating whatever they like, they don't have any kind of special as far as I know, apart from eating when they're hungry or take any special supplements. The pro's even advertise that they're spending two to four hours a DAY in the gym to build their physiques. If you're interested in competing in a sport where you can look impressive outside of the field of play... assuming you left weights, you most certainly can, just check out some footballers.

It's 1am here and I'm tired as hell but that's most of the stuff that sticks out to me as the negatives of bodybuilding compared to other sports. If I was to be a bodybuilder I'd much rather be one in the 1970's or 80's when everything was legal and you didn't need to get as dry as a ****ing rock in the desert to win contests.

[HomieStaysBuilt]

I would be an NBA pro. Fame and fortune and no drugs to be the best. Hos waiting for you at the hotel after every game. The average salary is like 5 million dollars. I wouldn't even mind riding the bench.

[percussion8903]

if not ifbb pro, then ifbb natural pro.

[utjock12]

ditto on the NBA. you make more money than most NFL players do by just sitting on the bench, and you dont beat the crap out of your body like the NFL or IFBB players do.

id play soccer if i could play in europe cause cause the money sucks over here.

IFBB is def not worth the effort unless you are at the very very top.

[AdamJames]

I would never want to be IFFBB. They are un-athletic and have terrible health problems.

[TheAustrianOak]

i don't have the lifelong dedication it takes to achieve an IFBB physique

from the list i'd rather be in the NFL

[Pro Bob Chick]

A fairer question would be....if you were to make the same amount of money, which would you choose and why?

Hell, for the money these guys are jackin down...I'D rather be a NFL or NBA star!!

Actually...I'd pick the PGA, all considered....

[Uriel_da_man]

You guys actualy think NBA and NFL players don't use steroids?

[HomieStaysBuilt]

You guys actualy think NBA and NFL players don't use steroids?

NFL yes. NBA? I wouldn't see the need for them to be on steroids. But I definitely think AI and Vince are on it.

[affy]

lol at the people who dont think nba players use performance enhancing drugs to some degree. some of these players are pushing 260-270 lbs (at a height of 6'4-6'7 thats still alot of weight) while constantly running for 2-3 hours for a good 6 months.

drugs are apart of almost every pro sport.

all things aside, id be an NFL players...more fans, more money, more woman...lol

[Uriel_da_man]

Steroids aren't just for building muscle you know. They increase performance too, a lot. Other than would-be sports (like golf) or vehicle ones, I don't think there's a single sport on which world-class athletes don't use some kind of performance-enhancing drugs.

[ozzyfan]

Mr. Olympia doesn't make much money because the contest is nothing more than a chemically enhanced beauty contest. The others are athletes, judged on athletic ability. Looking like you can do something is far easier than the actual ability to do so.

[HomieStaysBuilt]

lol at the people who dont think nba players use performance enhancing drugs to some degree. some of these players are pushing 260-270 lbs (at a height of 6'4-6'7 thats still alot of weight) while constantly running for 2-3 hours for a good 6 months.

drugs are apart of almost every pro sport.

all things aside, id be an NFL players...more fans, more money, more woman...lol

Basketball is 48 minutes. I don't know of any 6'4 shooting guard or 6'7 small forward weighing between 260 and 270, ripped.

NBA players make more than nfl players.

[stealth_swimmer]

Steroids aren't just for building muscle you know. They increase performance too, a lot. Other than would-be sports (like golf) or vehicle ones, I don't think there's a single sport on which world-class athletes don't use some kind of performance-enhancing drugs.

Agreed. Why can't some people just accept this?

[ozzyfan]

Agreed. Why can't some people just accept this?

Show me a single sport where EVERY SINGLE pro is using drugs. This IS the case in bodybuilding.

[HomieStaysBuilt]

Show me a single sport where EVERY SINGLE pro is using drugs. This IS the case in bodybuilding.

Insight.

[pkirk330]

Drugs and money aside...I would make no hesitation and play in the NFL. I love the sport and football has the best athletes of all the sports imo. You have to be tougher, stronger, and faster than any other sport. Plus hitting people is part of it.

[Uriel_da_man]

Looking like you can do something is far easier than the actual ability to do so.

O rly? Have you ever seen a quarterback, or a MMA fighter, or whatever the **** sport you chose, with 24 inch ripped guns? I don't think so.

Show me a single sport where EVERY SINGLE pro is using drugs. This IS the case in bodybuilding.

All IFBB pros use steroids. Note that IFBB rates as "elite bodybuilders". You're a total dumbass if you think the world's best 100 sprinters, the world's best 100 swimmers, the world's best 100 cyclers, the world's best 100 marathonists etc etc aren't on juice, and quite a lot of it.

There aren't more drugs in bodybuilding that in most other sports. Bodybuilders just know which drugs to use, how to use them to their full potential, and aren't as big liars.

[ozzyfan]

O rly? Have you ever seen a quarterback, or a MMA fighter, or whatever the **** sport you chose, with 24 inch ripped guns? I don't think so.

All IFBB pros use steroids. Note that IFBB rates as "elite bodybuilders". You're a total dumbass if you think the world's best 100 sprinters, the world's best 100 swimmers, the world's best 100 cyclers, the world's best 100 marathonists etc etc aren't on juice, and quite a lot of it.

There aren't more drugs in bodybuilding that in most other sports. Bodybuilders just know which drugs to use, how to use them to their full potential, and aren't as big liars.

So you're saying every single guy in the TDF is using illegal or banned substances????????????? If that were true why wouldn't those who were recently banned from the tour say something??????????

[coofoostu]

All IFBB pros use steroids. Note that IFBB rates as "elite bodybuilders". You're a total dumbass if you think the world's best 100 sprinters, the world's best 100 swimmers, the world's best 100 cyclers, the world's best 100 marathonists etc etc aren't on juice, and quite a lot of it.

There aren't more drugs in bodybuilding that in most other sports. Bodybuilders just know which drugs to use, how to use them to their full potential, and aren't as big liars.

Good point. How many pros are there in the IFBB? Compared to baseball, football, and basketball, not many at all.

[coofoostu]

To answer the original question, no, i dont really want to be an IFBB pro. It's not because of the drugs or because their sallaries stink in comparison to other sports. I'm 6'3", I'd have to be at least 300 lbs contest weight to compete for the O. And I know I dont have the genetics for that. Id have to use so many drugs to get to that weight that my physique would look like ****. I think being a ripped 250 is perfect for my physique, and I will spend my life trying to achieve it. I love bodybuilding, its the perfect combination of art, science, and work ethic in my opinion. I love the training, I love the lifestyle. And I dont make any money for that.

[coofoostu]

Another point about drugs. I belive genetics and work ethic are a much stronger dictator of an athlete's ability than drugs are. Since the MLB has began testing for steroids, who has tested positive? A couple of big names such as Rafael Palmaero, but the majory of them have been no names. Guys who sit on the bench, drift from the minors to the majors and back. For some reason our country has this notion that popping a pill will make you a star. To me its these results that prove that its not the drugs that make the difference, its the person.

I remember reading in the first edition of arnold's encyclopedia (the one that was published in the 80s) that something like 90% of the US athletes at the 1972 olympics were on steroids, and that was the year the US lost in basketball! It should be evident that steroids have been a part of sports history for over 40 years in this country, but for some reason people still act like its something new.

[Cyclops]

O rly? Have you ever seen a quarterback, or a MMA fighter, or whatever the **** sport you chose, with 24 inch ripped guns? I don't think so.

All IFBB pros use steroids. Note that IFBB rates as "elite bodybuilders". You're a total dumbass if you think the world's best 100 sprinters, the world's best 100 swimmers, the world's best 100 cyclers, the world's best 100 marathonists etc etc aren't on juice, and quite a lot of it.

Come on man you can't compare sprinting, cycling or any other sport to IFBB Pro Bodybuilding... at least in those sports they actually have SOME drug testing, the IFBB has ZERO drug testing.

[JuicyCop2]

A fairer question would be....if you were to make the same amount of money, which would you choose and why?

Hell, for the money these guys are jackin down...I'D rather be a NFL or NBA star!!

Actually...I'd pick the PGA, all considered....

Are you trying to say the NFL, NBA, PGA are all easier then bodybuilding?

[heftizzle]

This really shows how many of you love bodybuilding. It is not about the money, the fame, the women or any of that. It is about the love of bodybuilding. How much did Arnold get paid even when he was winning the Mr. O and Ronnie busting his ass as a full-time cop just to make ends meet. You do not hear any of those stories from other sports "yes SPORT" it is hard as hell and you need more mental drive and dedication to not eat that ice cream, pizza, cookie or what ever your weekness is and trian your ass of get up at 5 in the moring do you cardio and go to work. You dig down and do it all for yourself and nobody else. NFL, NBA, and MLB players eat what ever they want and yes a lot of them are on drugs. A lot of it is swept under the rug. Most linemen (almost all) are on insulin and HGH just to get big.

coofoostu, I am sorry there are not any calories in steroids so they will not make you bigger unless you eat your ass off. Food is the best thing ever for putting on size. Please no one fire back and say steroids are everything. Any moron knows they help. The will never make you a star. That is hard work and doing your homework.

[TheIntense1]

First off, i can honestly say through my years of working out and wanting to someday be a pro, ive never thought about the money, i train because i love it. I work a full-time job for my money, if doing the thing i love makes me somemore i am a damn happy person, of course i'd want to be an IFBB pro.

[cgcgraded]

IMO I would chose to be a IFBB pro. All things considered I think this is a great thing to be. Even with the money being much lower than say the NBA or NFL you are still able to make a decent living. I also think that knowing that you have one of the greatest physiques in the world and are admired by all who see you is priceless. In bodybuilding you are also in control of your destiny (aside from genetics). You determine where you go. Look at Allen Iverson, he is one of the best players in the league but he hasn't won a championship because of the team he is on. In bodybuilding you can only blame yourself (in golf this is also the case though).

I see and respect all of the other points but would chose to be an IFBB Pro anyday.

[coofoostu]

coofoostu, I am sorry there are not any calories in steroids so they will not make you bigger unless you eat your ass off. Food is the best thing ever for putting on size. Please no one fire back and say steroids are everything. Any moron knows they help. The will never make you a star. That is hard work and doing your homework.

Huh? I know how steroids work. Im saying for me, my genetics, to get to 300 lbs, is near impossible. Im no shrimp, 220 lean lbs natural, but you look at some people out there and they end up sacrificing their physique by trying to make it massive. Thats the road I dont want to travel.

[TheAustrianOak]

Are you trying to say the NFL, NBA, PGA are all easier then bodybuilding?

how the hell did you pull that from his quote

he's saying from purely a finicial standpoint, he'd rather be in the PGA as they make a lot more money the IFBB athlete's

[Uriel_da_man]

So you're saying every single guy in the TDF is using illegal or banned substances????????????? If that were true why wouldn't those who were recently banned from the tour say something??????????

they're aaaaaaaaaaaall natural

And as far as drug testing goes, keep in mind that most drugs are off your system after a month, so if they stop juicing a month before the competitions...