College and the Bodybuilding lifestyle: Do they Mix?

[SleepLifter]

I'm posting this in here, because as fellow competetors, you guys understand what I am saying more so that the general population.

So it's my first year in college. BAM. Instant freedom. This sport is VERY important to me and sometimes takes priority when it shouldn't. It is my offseason after my first show (won teen class) and I am trying to get bigger and better.

The problem is, with so many opputunities and so little structure in my "new" life after my highschool years, I am finding sometimes it feels IMPOSSIBLE to remain consistent with my offseason.

If my diets in check, my training is off. If my training is dead on, My diet is having flaws. I know things can't be perfect 100% of the time, and I want to enjoy life with my friends, but I also have to get down to buisiness if I want to make this offseason successful.

I'm even thinkingabout taking a year off from competing. What do you guys think? Anybody who competes and has been to college in their first year or two, how do you find that balance between work and play?

thx

sleeplifter

[chuckles_345]

I'm currently a junior and I hear you on the time thing. I'm a biochem/pre-pharmacy double major with an econ minor plus I have a job. As for what I did, I competed my senior year of high school for the first time and then spent the first 2 years of college bulking. I got a little fatter than I wanted to (18%ish) but when I dieted down this past summer I stepped onstage 15-20lbs heavier and even leaner. I moved off campus and out of the dorms last summer so dieting and everything has gotten a whole lot easier. I'm currently clean bulking for a year and then dieting down to do 2 contests spring of '08. I don't know if this helps you out at all, but this is what I did.

Chuckles

[SleepLifter]

yeah man my first show was the summer after Sr. Year and im a freshman now. I'm double majoring too! Exercise science/Kinesiology. I think living on campus is just too distracting. Next year I plan on moving off campus. I was thinking about taking some time off from the stage but I don't wan't to get to 18% bf because its so hard to get down from there.

So basically your saying i just have to get some time to adjust and get organized, then jump back into it?

[Agostage]

I would concentrate on school, and smart bulk the best you can. Solidify a decent GPA so you don't screw yourself. Enjoy the life because it changes quickly. After the second year you tend to 'slow down', so enjoy it when it's fast. Lift hard, eat smart and don't take it too seriously. You have the luxary of time at a young age.

[Sciamach]

my first show was my freshman year of college. Yeah, I agree its really hard. Especially the diet. Sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on a normal/ "fun" college life. Like agostage says, school first. Go after your goals, yes, but make sure you do enjoy yourself. Life is about balance and you're only in college for 4 years.

[chuckles_345]

I would concentrate on school, and smart bulk the best you can. Solidify a decent GPA so you don't screw yourself. Enjoy the life because it changes quickly. After the second year you tend to 'slow down', so enjoy it when it's fast. Lift hard, eat smart and don't take it too seriously. You have the luxary of time at a young age.

Yea I second that. Definately don't let bodybuilding get in the way of school or work. The most important thing is time management. When I wake up in the morning, I usually have a pretty good idea of how my day is going to be class and work wise and how much studying I'm going to need to do also when my workout is. So I just plan meals around all that stuff and make it happen. Its all about balance and just including bodybuilding into your everyday life.

Chuckles

[SleepLifter]

yeah time management is the key here...

I mean, I'mhaving trouble bulking consistently.

I cant imagine doing a show right now.

Life is like ZOOOOOOOOOM

[chuckles_345]

Believe it or not, contest prep can be done. I would wake up in the morning before my 7:45 class and do cardio and then have my day of class, hit up the gym in the mid-afternoon, work at night and then study after that. But as far as being consistent with a bulk goes, try to plan out what and when you are going to eat before the day starts. Also cook up lots of food on the weekend when you have time and then you'll be good to go when the week gets hectic.

Chuckles

EDIT: I forgot to add that having some sort of lunch box/cooler you can carry around with you is a must. I carry my gallon of water and food with me everyday because there are days I leave at 7:30am and don't get home again until 8:30pm but that's not an excuse not to get my meals in.

[Agostage]

I second that. I'm lucky because I have my own office with a fridge that I can stock up, go grad school!

[pgsam]

yes, it can be done. Im a junior graphic design major at an art schoolL...talk about "not mixing", but I've found a way to balance school, bodybuilding, and 2 touring bands all almost equally. Of course there will be some nights where youre out with friends, and youll just say "**** it" and miss a meal. But that is not going to kill you in the long run. Whats going to hurt you is falling behind in school, thats when you start having less time to eat, train, and sleep.

What I've found works best for me is reserving 1-2 days out of my weekend and just doing as much homework as possible to make the week less stressful on myself. I dont think theres much of any excuse of not being able to train/eat properly during college. If theres a will theres a way. think of it this way- theres not many bodybuilders out there that just sit on their couch all day and wait for their next meal to roll around. most are out like everyone else busting their ass everyday on work, school, family, anything. If school and friends are your only distractions, consider yourself lucky. good luck

sam

[Abdominator]

Hey Dan! Great thread!

Wow, everything that's been posted has been dead-on. You guys have a lot of wisdom!

Layne (str8flexed) and I had the opportunity of helping our friend Ted (Fletch) prep for his first competition, and Ted was in his senior year of college. We nicknamed him "Tenacious T", because not only did he stay focused with his nutrition and exercise during his pre-contest prep, he won the Novice class at his first competition, while simultaneously excelling academically (being in the top of his class at graduation and receiving "Student Athlete of the Year").

Prioritizing is the biggest challenge for most people, but that's where the secret is. Sometimes, we just have "too much on our plate", so we have to give up something in order to focus on our priorities. For a college student, your primary responsibility is to excel academically. If you can do that and still give time to your other interests, you're all set. This won't be the first time you encounter a time in your life where you'll have to make a decision regarding your priorities.

I took the last 2 years off from competing because not only did I get married ("Thank you, Jesus!"), but my wife and I bought a new house and we moved to a new city. Major life-changing events have a way of shaking up your priorities. If you're not careful to set up your exercise and eating habits early on, you run the risk of having them fall by the way side. Consistent exercise is usually the first casualty when it comes to life-changing events. This is true when you start college, when you get a new job or move to a new house/city, and definitely when you get married/have children.

I'm currently writing an article for bodybuilding.com about "Motivation & Priorities", and starting college and bodybuilding is a great example of the challenges that most of us here face. Most guys start training when they're in college, and they're very consistent about it. However, once they graduate from college and start their new life, the majority of them stop exercising, because they "can't find the time". When something is a 'priority' in your life you have to 'make' the time for it (be it God, family, work, or exercise). 'Time' won't find you, and it won't just show up randomly.

Steven Covey gave a great example in his book "7 Habits of Highly Effective People', when he compared priority-setting to filling a glass jar with stones, pebbles, sand and water. In order to put as much of each thing in the jar as possible, you must start with the big stuff first. Then the little stuff will fill in the space around the big stuff. You can't put the water in first, because there'll be no room for the sand, pebbles or stones. But if you start with the stones, the pebbles will fill up the space around the stones, the sand will fill up the space around the pebbles, and so on.

So the advice given by chuckles_345, agostage, sciamach and pgsam is all excellent.

1. Do what you feel is in your best interests academically and physically.

2. Plan and prepare your meals in advance.

3. Time your workouts efficiently so that you can either train on your way home from school/work, or between classes (or on your break).

4. And when it comes to competition, taking a year (or two) off to grow and improve is not a bad idea. A lot of us do it. At 17-18 years old, you have a good 20-30 years of competition opportunity ahead of you (presuming you stay consistent with weight training and good nutrition throughout your life). Competing again at 20 years old will give your muscularity time to mature (you'll really notice a difference by the time you reach 25 years old).

Competitive bodybuilding has many rewards associated with it, but aside from the trophy you receive and the physical benefit of having an outstanding physique, you also develop discipline and many positive habits that you can apply to other aspects of your life. So take your time, enjoy these years, and stay focused. You'll find that you'll feel much more accomplished when you've set goals for yourself, and achieved them while managing your time effectively.

- Skip

[southernstunna]

The first two weeks of school I went out like 3 or 4 times a week and then I realized that going out every other night was not going to be good for either bbing or grades. I rarely go out now, and even when I do I don't drink. The key is, to keep your eye on the goal. I want to win my show next summer, so I need to get as big as possible now so I can step out on stage with enough mass.

Also, it's hard to keep your focus on bbing if you're hanging around with people who party constantly. I've eliminated these friends and replaced them with fellow meatheads so I will stay focused all the time.

[SleepLifter]

"eliminated these friends"

haha

cold as ice....

[Hulk7280]

"eliminated these friends"

haha

cold as ice....

bodybuilding is a selfish sport bro

[SleepLifter]

very true, but it does not mean you have to sacrifice some friends that might not be so into the iron like you are. If that were the case, I would only have 1 friend. It's about balance, realizing your priorities and realising that not everybody shares those priorities.

[str8flexed]

I'm posting this in here, because as fellow competetors, you guys understand what I am saying more so that the general population.

So it's my first year in college. BAM. Instant freedom. This sport is VERY important to me and sometimes takes priority when it shouldn't. It is my offseason after my first show (won teen class) and I am trying to get bigger and better.

The problem is, with so many opputunities and so little structure in my "new" life after my highschool years, I am finding sometimes it feels IMPOSSIBLE to remain consistent with my offseason.

If my diets in check, my training is off. If my training is dead on, My diet is having flaws. I know things can't be perfect 100% of the time, and I want to enjoy life with my friends, but I also have to get down to buisiness if I want to make this offseason successful.

I'm even thinkingabout taking a year off from competing. What do you guys think? Anybody who competes and has been to college in their first year or two, how do you find that balance between work and play?

thx

sleeplifter

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne6.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne29.htm

-Layne

[southernstunna]

bodybuilding is a selfish sport bro

alone when you eat, alone when you train. And finally, alone when you set foot on stage.

haha. I love the animal pak ads, I go to animalpak.com all the time and read that stuff.

[Hulk7280]

very true, but it does not mean you have to sacrifice some friends that might not be so into the iron like you are. If that were the case, I would only have 1 friend. It's about balance, realizing your priorities and realising that not everybody shares those priorities.

the only problem is 99.9 % of the people out there dont understand why eating chicken and rice at 10 a.m. is priority.. or why waking up at 5 am to do 45 min of cardio on a treadmill is a priority .. why going to bed at 10 pm on a friday night is a proirty... balance is for guys who want second place... you have to be obsessed to do great in this sport... you have to live it and breath it everyday..

[SleepLifter]

I don't know...Layne doesn't seem like a second place type of guy to me...

"In the past few weeks I have gone to bars, dance clubs, and concerts� all the while never straying from my diet. If by chance I can't take my cooler somewhere, then I wear cargo pants with big pockets and put chicken breasts in zip lock bags and keep them in those big pockets. I might get a few funny looks from people, but at least I am sticking to my diet and still having a good time. One does not need to be a hermit to be a competitive bodybuilder, nor should they be."

The sentiments in those Animal ads about all that pain and suffering and what not..it can be inspirational at times, but it's not entirely realistic. In the end, I wouldn't be doing something I didn't enjoy. You can successfully prepare for a contest and place first while no secluding yourself or hurting friendships. And that quote about being alone all the time is the farthest from the truth. When I do a show, I need that support system behind me sometimes. My girlfriend and my friends encouraging me and telling me I'm doing well. Because everything gets to you after a while....

[Hulk7280]

I don't know...Layne doesn't seem like a second place type of guy to me...

"In the past few weeks I have gone to bars, dance clubs, and concerts� all the while never straying from my diet. If by chance I can't take my cooler somewhere, then I wear cargo pants with big pockets and put chicken breasts in zip lock bags and keep them in those big pockets. I might get a few funny looks from people, but at least I am sticking to my diet and still having a good time. One does not need to be a hermit to be a competitive bodybuilder, nor should they be."

The sentiments in those Animal ads about all that pain and suffering and what not..it can be inspirational at times, but it's not entirely realistic. In the end, I wouldn't be doing something I didn't enjoy. You can successfully prepare for a contest and place first while no secluding yourself or hurting friendships. And that quote about being alone all the time is the farthest from the truth. When I do a show, I need that support system behind me sometimes. My girlfriend and my friends encouraging me and telling me I'm doing well. Because everything gets to you after a while....

layne isnt a second place guy your right.. and if you think for a second he doesnt live and breath bodybuilding your wrong.. he sacrices more then you will ever know for bodybuilding.. and i bet when he was getting his pro card he wasnt hanging out at bars.. not getting his rest or missing meals.. im pretty sure that article was something he wrote YEARS ago.. if you want to be a champion you have to make sacrfices not everyone else is willing to make.. so you go out to your bars and go out drinking while im winning trophies

[str8flexed]

alone when you eat, alone when you train. And finally, alone when you set foot on stage.

haha. I love the animal pak ads, I go to animalpak.com all the time and read that stuff.

yea they are cool... to look at. The idea that you should disregard relationships with your significant other or your family is just ludicrous. This is a mother f*cking hobby when it comes down to it. It's a hobby I live and breathe and love to death, but damn it people, the idea you should shun your girlfriend or wife is f*cking stupid. A truly great bodybuilder is not a selfish person, a truly great bodybuilder finds a way to INTEGRATE bodybuilding into their life in a way that they can still enjoy their life, fufill their familial duties, hang with their friends and still excel in bodybuilding. Did I go out & party while contest prepping? Absolutely. I went and took water and chicken breasts with me. When it was time to eat I ate, when my friends drank I drank water and no one gave me a hard time and if they did I could care less. The week before my show my grandmother passed away and the funeral was 3 hours away and meant I'd have to travel the weekend before the show. Now those animal pack ads would have you believe that I should miss that funeral because it would deter me from my goal. F*ck that, my grandmother meant more to me than any bodybuilding show ever could. So guess what? I didn't bitch about how it 'interrupted' my bodybuilding schedule, I packed my damn cooler with chicken, tuna, veggies, rice etc, I took my diet notebook, I packed a bunch of water and I went to the funeral and honored my grandmother. Four days later I traveled 1000 miles for my show. You never heard a damn thing about it on here because it's not something to bitch about. You fufill your damned responsibilites to be a good husband, family member and friend and get your bodybuilding stuff down in between those. That's what makes you a good bodybuilder. Learning how to make bodybuilding part of your life... if you say you don't have time for anything else then you are a poor at planning and are making excuses.


Period

[SleepLifter]

layne isnt a second place guy your right.. and if you think for a second he doesnt live and breath bodybuilding your wrong.. he sacrices more then you will ever know for bodybuilding.. and i bet when he was getting his pro card he wasnt hanging out at bars.. not getting his rest or missing meals.. im pretty sure that article was something he wrote YEARS ago.. if you want to be a champion you have to make sacrfices not everyone else is willing to make.. so you go out to your bars and go out drinking while im winning trophies

This is all very true, and the article was written a few years back. But I think what Layne was getting at is still true. You can still live how you want (to a degree) and be a champion. Instead of not going to the club entirely, he would make sure he brought chicken with him to stay consistent. And I'm sure he made sure to get home at an hour that allowed him to get adequate rest. The sacrifices, the odd looks and the inconveience was all there. However, He was still able to adhere to his contest prep while maintaing a social life and having fun. Im pretty sure he wasn't being that animal pack hermit.

Having just a social life or focusing entirely on a show are both challenging by themselves, but if you can put both together and be extremely successful at both, that is true talent. Balance my friend without it, you'll go crazy.

[SleepLifter]

yea they are cool... to look at. The idea that you should disregard relationships with your significant other or your family is just ludicrous. This is a mother f*cking hobby when it comes down to it. It's a hobby I live and breathe and love to death, but damn it people, the idea you should shun your girlfriend or wife is f*cking stupid. A truly great bodybuilder is not a selfish person, a truly great bodybuilder finds a way to INTEGRATE bodybuilding into their life in a way that they can still enjoy their life, fufill their familial duties, hang with their friends and still excel in bodybuilding. Did I go out & party while contest prepping? Absolutely. I went and took water and chicken breasts with me. When it was time to eat I ate, when my friends drank I drank water and no one gave me a hard time and if they did I could care less. The week before my show my grandmother passed away and the funeral was 3 hours away and meant I'd have to travel the weekend before the show. Now those animal pack ads would have you believe that I should miss that funeral because it would deter me from my goal. F*ck that, my grandmother meant more to me than any bodybuilding show ever could. So guess what? I didn't bitch about how it 'interrupted' my bodybuilding schedule, I packed my damn cooler with chicken, tuna, veggies, rice etc, I took my diet notebook, I packed a bunch of water and I went to the funeral and honored my grandmother. Four days later I traveled 1000 miles for my show. You never heard a damn thing about it on here because it's not something to bitch about. You fufill your damned responsibilites to be a good husband, family member and friend and get your bodybuilding stuff down in between those. That's what makes you a good bodybuilder. Learning how to make bodybuilding part of your life... if you say you don't have time for anything else then you are a poor at planning and are making excuses.


Period

....what he said...

[Abdominator]

yea they are cool... to look at. The idea that you should disregard relationships with your significant other or your family is just ludicrous. This is a mother f*cking hobby when it comes down to it. It's a hobby I live and breathe and love to death, but damn it people, the idea you should shun your girlfriend or wife is f*cking stupid. A truly great bodybuilder is not a selfish person, a truly great bodybuilder finds a way to INTEGRATE bodybuilding into their life in a way that they can still enjoy their life, fufill their familial duties, hang with their friends and still excel in bodybuilding. Did I go out & party while contest prepping? Absolutely. I went and took water and chicken breasts with me. When it was time to eat I ate, when my friends drank I drank water and no one gave me a hard time and if they did I could care less. The week before my show my grandmother passed away and the funeral was 3 hours away and meant I'd have to travel the weekend before the show. Now those animal pack ads would have you believe that I should miss that funeral because it would deter me from my goal. F*ck that, my grandmother meant more to me than any bodybuilding show ever could. So guess what? I didn't bitch about how it 'interrupted' my bodybuilding schedule, I packed my damn cooler with chicken, tuna, veggies, rice etc, I took my diet notebook, I packed a bunch of water and I went to the funeral and honored my grandmother. Four days later I traveled 1000 miles for my show. You never heard a damn thing about it on here because it's not something to bitch about. You fufill your damned responsibilites to be a good husband, family member and friend and get your bodybuilding stuff down in between those. That's what makes you a good bodybuilder. Learning how to make bodybuilding part of your life... if you say you don't have time for anything else then you are a poor at planning and are making excuses.


Period

Amen brother!

- Skip

[Kevin-T]

I'm posting this in here, because as fellow competetors, you guys understand what I am saying more so that the general population.

So it's my first year in college. BAM. Instant freedom. This sport is VERY important to me and sometimes takes priority when it shouldn't. It is my offseason after my first show (won teen class) and I am trying to get bigger and better.

The problem is, with so many opputunities and so little structure in my "new" life after my highschool years, I am finding sometimes it feels IMPOSSIBLE to remain consistent with my offseason.

If my diets in check, my training is off. If my training is dead on, My diet is having flaws. I know things can't be perfect 100% of the time, and I want to enjoy life with my friends, but I also have to get down to buisiness if I want to make this offseason successful.

I'm even thinkingabout taking a year off from competing. What do you guys think? Anybody who competes and has been to college in their first year or two, how do you find that balance between work and play?

thx

sleeplifter

I am also in college(graduate school), and I think, as the saying goes, "Make time and effort, not excuses." Layne is right to say that you work bodybuilding into your life. Bodybuilding is not the be-all, end-all, but you defnitely have to always remember that while you "forget" or place it "on hold" so to speak, there is always a chance you will end up like the rest of the student population in college who are chomping down their burgers and fries...ok, just joking. But frankly, I think college is not a good reason to place anything on hold. You simply schedule and plan your life accordingly, and yes, amen to what Layne(Str8flexed) and Abdominator have both said!

[JGreaux]

I'm posting this in here, because as fellow competetors, you guys understand what I am saying more so that the general population.

So it's my first year in college. BAM. Instant freedom. This sport is VERY important to me and sometimes takes priority when it shouldn't. It is my offseason after my first show (won teen class) and I am trying to get bigger and better.

The problem is, with so many opputunities and so little structure in my "new" life after my highschool years, I am finding sometimes it feels IMPOSSIBLE to remain consistent with my offseason.

If my diets in check, my training is off. If my training is dead on, My diet is having flaws. I know things can't be perfect 100% of the time, and I want to enjoy life with my friends, but I also have to get down to buisiness if I want to make this offseason successful.

I'm even thinkingabout taking a year off from competing. What do you guys think? Anybody who competes and has been to college in their first year or two, how do you find that balance between work and play?

thx

sleeplifter

Bodybuilding is for life - YOUR LIFE. The best decision you can make about your life is to ALWAYS STAY WITH BODYBUILDING - HONESTLY. Be disciplined enough too. Taking care of yourself and your health should be your first priority. Everything else must follow. And can. Why would you harm or even destroy what you have earned thus far? Have you LOOKED at what you have done so far? You would be very wrong to take time off from taking care of yourself - it is your foundation as a Man to begin with.

[SleepLifter]

nah man, you have it wrong. If I took time off, it wouldn't be time off from the lifestyle. That's too ingrained in me now. I would just take time off from the stage and give my body time to grow and rebuild while taking advantage of my youth and relatively flexible schedule.

[AYung]

yea they are cool... to look at. The idea that you should disregard relationships with your significant other or your family is just ludicrous. This is a mother f*cking hobby when it comes down to it. It's a hobby I live and breathe and love to death, but damn it people, the idea you should shun your girlfriend or wife is f*cking stupid. A truly great bodybuilder is not a selfish person, a truly great bodybuilder finds a way to INTEGRATE bodybuilding into their life in a way that they can still enjoy their life, fufill their familial duties, hang with their friends and still excel in bodybuilding. Did I go out & party while contest prepping? Absolutely. I went and took water and chicken breasts with me. When it was time to eat I ate, when my friends drank I drank water and no one gave me a hard time and if they did I could care less. The week before my show my grandmother passed away and the funeral was 3 hours away and meant I'd have to travel the weekend before the show. Now those animal pack ads would have you believe that I should miss that funeral because it would deter me from my goal. F*ck that, my grandmother meant more to me than any bodybuilding show ever could. So guess what? I didn't bitch about how it 'interrupted' my bodybuilding schedule, I packed my damn cooler with chicken, tuna, veggies, rice etc, I took my diet notebook, I packed a bunch of water and I went to the funeral and honored my grandmother. Four days later I traveled 1000 miles for my show. You never heard a damn thing about it on here because it's not something to bitch about. You fufill your damned responsibilites to be a good husband, family member and friend and get your bodybuilding stuff down in between those. That's what makes you a good bodybuilder. Learning how to make bodybuilding part of your life... if you say you don't have time for anything else then you are a poor at planning and are making excuses.


Period

Very well said.

[Moe26]

i am a freshman and i don't have any problem with working out and make a diet. i have 12 credit ha ha ha. i don't know maybe you got harder classes
i will tell try to study after you finish you classes and then workout at night like 7 or 8

[Hulk7280]

college is actually what got me into bodybuidlign.. i used to just workout, because i wanted a big bench, from playing football and all.. then i started to learn more and more about bodybuilding and used the resourses i had at college like a free gym to really give myself the ground work for bodybuilding.. if you want to be a succesful at bodybuilding, you dont have to shun everyone in your life away and be a hermit, no one does that, in fact you would go crazy if you did. but you do have to make certian sacrifecies that a lot of people arent willing to do or understand! the funny thing is the perception of the outside of bodybuilders.. i try and educate people, but they are usually jsut very ignorant about bodybuilding and stuborn, i dont even tell people ima bodybuilder so i dont hear there b.s.