Why do the people that cant win the olympia participate in it?

[musclePavel]

All the great bodybuilders like levrone, wheeler, Ray, Coleman, Cutler, and many more always compete to win the shows they enter. So I am wondering why the hell do some bodybuilders aim to get into the top 10? Is that not useless?

I can understand that some of the rookies just want to get their feet wet, like Phil Heath, and last year Dennis Wolf, but competitors like Melvin Anthony, Dennis James, Freeman who never will win the olympia, why do they bust their balls with dieting and everything else you have to do to prepare yourself for a competition knowing they will never win the show, talking about that they want to be in the Top 5, or top 6 or whatever.

My philosophy is that either you try to win a competition because you know you have a decent chance of doing it or you dont participate in it at all because it will be a waste of time. And improve yourself so that you will be more competitable for the next competition. Of course there are some exceptions like during the rookie season, but for all the Veterans i dont see the point in busting their balls for a 6th place finish.

What do you guys think?

Is it a waste of time to diet - spend money on drugs, training hard to be in the top 7 ? I would personally never aim to be seventh in a show, either you want to come first or you shouldnt compete at all. because after all what is the point of entering a competition if you dont want to win?

[devo09]

its the biggest competition in bodybuilding, ya some won't win but, making the TOP 10 means they are one of the 10 best bodybuilders in the world

[sikboy]

Why does anyone bodybuild if they cant win a show?

Its down to personal choice, some get so big and ripped i guess they give it all they have got and compete at shows, then they get better and carry on competing and making big money off of endorsements ect when they become well known.

[PumpinPaddy]

im sure it has a lot to do with their contracts -they need to be seen participating at the highest level

also, i heard one of them say (fouad abiad i think) saying that it was like being at the superbowl and pro-bowl at the same time

edit: found the quote

Instead I have managed to see the show for what it is and that is not only the SuperBowl of bodybuilding but also the All-Star game. So I guess that makes me a bodybuilding all-star . A good man told me that and it took me a while to see it that way but I do now and being top twenty in the world at anything has to give me pleasure. Hell, if that doesn't give me any satisfaction than what will?

[lina_velez]

"It's also their job. they're getting paid to show up. As far as the bber's 'personal reasons'... IDK, self improvement? lol."

[bopps822]

Its how they get paid. Muscletech knows that JOJ isnt going to win the O, but he is good for marketing, and needs to make an appearance on the stage because some people (fans) like the structure he has. Simple as that.

[captainhorseboy]

Also, you can't win if you are a newcomer or have very little face time with the crowd.

[Brick Wall]

its a good way to work their way up the ranks. yeah they might not win but even if they get in that top 5 or 6 they're winning decent sized prize money. And you never know, anyone can get beaten. improving from show to show is what counts. like dennis wolf going from 16th place to 5th in his 1st and 2nd olympia. same with kai greene going from last at the colorado to winning the show the next year

[musclePavel]

Why does anyone bodybuild if they cant win a show?

Its down to personal choice, some get so big and ripped i guess they give it all they have got and compete at shows, then they get better and carry on competing and making big money off of endorsements ect when they become well known.

well, right now iam kinda "fokkusing" ( gustavo haha..) on competitive bodybuilders.

So most of the pros on the olympia stage are competing for money and endorsements not to win the olympia? I guess i can understand their motives... Tbh it never crossed my mind to enter the sport of bodybuilding to earn money because the sport doesnt have alot of money except for the top 3-4 competitors who all have a decent chance of winning the olympia.

[musclePavel]

its the biggest competition in bodybuilding, ya some won't win but, making the TOP 10 means they are one of the 10 best bodybuilders in the world

thats true, but top 10 is nonetheless only top 10

[Mr. Tripeps]

well, right now iam kinda "fokkusing" ( gustavo haha..) on competitive bodybuilders.

So most of the pros on the olympia stage are competing for money and endorsements not to win the olympia? I guess i can understand their motives... Tbh it never crossed my mind to enter the sport of bodybuilding to earn money because the sport doesnt have alot of money except for the top 3-4 competitors who all have a decent chance of winning the olympia.

That's not true. Almost all the top 10 guys, if they play their cards right, can make plenty of money having bodybuilding as their profession, even though they don't win the big shows. Contract endorsements, sponsorship payouts, appearance fees, guest posing, lectures, advertisments, etc.

Whether you win or not doesn't matter for the guys placing 4th and higher. What does matter is that they were there and competed, which can be very valuable for a 2nd or 3rd tier supplement company.

[musclePavel]

Its how they get paid. Muscletech knows that JOJ isnt going to win the O, but he is good for marketing, and needs to make an appearance on the stage because some people (fans) like the structure he has. Simple as that.

true,

basically most competitors except for the top 3 compete for marketing themselves and their sponsors.

[musclePavel]

That's not true. Almost all the top 10 guys, if they play their cards right, can make plenty of money having bodybuilding as their profession, even though they don't win the big shows. Contract endorsements, sponsorship payouts, appearance fees, guest posing, lectures, advertisments, etc.

Whether you win or not doesn't matter for the guys placing 4th and higher. What does matter is that they were there and competed, which can be very valuable for a 2nd or 3rd tier supplement company.

I agree.

[musclePavel]

basically its all about the money and marketing themselves, not actually winning the show. Bodybuilding has turned into a business instead of just the pride of winning the "super bowl" of bodybuilding, which i think is kinda sad.

thanks for your imput guys.

[Mr. Aries]

thats true, but top 10 is nonetheless only top 10

no, it's top 10 amongst millions of bodybuilders.


maybe it means nothing to you, but some consider that to be quite an honor.

[ESPforMe]

no, it's top 10 amongst millions of bodybuilders.


maybe it means nothing to you, but some consider that to be quite an honor.

Tru dis. Being top ten is like being a basketball player for USA olympic team.

[nsxmatt]

basically its all about the money and marketing themselves, not actually winning the show. Bodybuilding has turned into a business instead of just the pride of winning the "super bowl" of bodybuilding, which i think is kinda sad.

I don't think you understand. Why does anyone do any sport? They start for the love and every single one of them love to bodybuild and win or not they still want to be a part of it.

Why play football if you'll never win the superbowl? Why do any sport if you will never be the #1? With that mentality nobody execept for people with freak natural genetics should even step near a weight and if they see they are never going to be the best, they need to throw em down and walk away forever. Come on, people do things for the love. Who cares if they never win Olympia, they give it their best an they have fun doing it. Money is just a perk that allows them to make a job of it. I bet every single one of them would do it if they didn't get a dime.

[the-craig]

If you qualify for the biggest bodybuilding show on earth why wouldn't you enter? It is the same as bad teams playing in the World Cup, it is for the experience and getting to be there.

[X-REPPER]

All the great bodybuilders like levrone, wheeler, Ray, Coleman, Cutler, and many more always compete to win the shows they enter. So I am wondering why the hell do some bodybuilders aim to get into the top 10? Is that not useless?

I can understand that some of the rookies just want to get their feet wet, like Phil Heath, and last year Dennis Wolf, but competitors like Melvin Anthony, Dennis James, Freeman who never will win the olympia, why do they bust their balls with dieting and everything else you have to do to prepare yourself for a competition knowing they will never win the show, talking about that they want to be in the Top 5, or top 6 or whatever.

My philosophy is that either you try to win a competition because you know you have a decent chance of doing it or you dont participate in it at all because it will be a waste of time. And improve yourself so that you will be more competitable for the next competition. Of course there are some exceptions like during the rookie season, but for all the Veterans i dont see the point in busting their balls for a 6th place finish.

What do you guys think?

Is it a waste of time to diet - spend money on drugs, training hard to be in the top 7 ? I would personally never aim to be seventh in a show, either you want to come first or you shouldnt compete at all. because after all what is the point of entering a competition if you dont want to win?

Interesting point however just being on that stage is honor enough
for most bodybuilders, and i think most do train to win or at least place as high as possible plus just being in the contest makes each of them more maketable.

in the end being on that stage with the best of the best is a competitive bodybuilders dream come true because the odds of just getting that far
are stacked against you for every bodybuilder on that stage there are a great many thousands who never even make it to the nationals.

[sargemaki]

bodybuilding judging is different between one person to another ,they want to be compared with the best in the world ,they might not win but im pretty sure most of them would count it as winning coming in 100% showing the world what they got .
bodybuilding isnt just about winning only

[really_nice_guy]

Maybe they don't really want to compete. Maybe they just accidentally train and diet for all those weeks and somehow end up at the Orleans in Las Vegas on stage at the right time.

What I'm saying is, I think it's a coincidence.

[RazorRell]

Go compete in a few shows and you will understand. Or if you are not really driven then maybe you wont.

[Flex500]

All the great bodybuilders like levrone, wheeler, Ray, Coleman, Cutler, and many more always compete to win the shows they enter. So I am wondering why the hell do some bodybuilders aim to get into the top 10? Is that not useless?

I can understand that some of the rookies just want to get their feet wet, like Phil Heath, and last year Dennis Wolf, but competitors like Melvin Anthony, Dennis James, Freeman who never will win the olympia, why do they bust their balls with dieting and everything else you have to do to prepare yourself for a competition knowing they will never win the show, talking about that they want to be in the Top 5, or top 6 or whatever.

My philosophy is that either you try to win a competition because you know you have a decent chance of doing it or you dont participate in it at all because it will be a waste of time. And improve yourself so that you will be more competitable for the next competition. Of course there are some exceptions like during the rookie season, but for all the Veterans i dont see the point in busting their balls for a 6th place finish.

What do you guys think?

Is it a waste of time to diet - spend money on drugs, training hard to be in the top 7 ? I would personally never aim to be seventh in a show, either you want to come first or you shouldnt compete at all. because after all what is the point of entering a competition if you dont want to win?

why do so many high school kids play football when they will never start? why do most kids get so serious into sports when they will most likely never go pro? Why do some girls start gymnastics when they are 2 years old and practice hours a day to someday not even be good enough to get a college scholarship? Why do some people bodybuild when they have no chance of ever winning a show? etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

And finally, why do republicans work when they could just vote democrat and get the government to pay for everything??

[Flex500]

well, right now iam kinda "fokkusing" ( gustavo haha..) on competitive bodybuilders.

So most of the pros on the olympia stage are competing for money and endorsements not to win the olympia? I guess i can understand their motives... Tbh it never crossed my mind to enter the sport of bodybuilding to earn money because the sport doesnt have alot of money except for the top 3-4 competitors who all have a decent chance of winning the olympia.

that's not the point, they point is thousands upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands athletes all over the world spen an infinite amount of time and money on a sport they they probably know they will never even go pro in

[lancs_hotpot]

Ok so if you had the chance to compete for a top ten spot at the olympia but didnt have a realistic chance of winning you wouldnt? I cant really believe that you wouldn't. The point is though that this is what they love to do. Its the world cup in football, many teams enter knowing they wont win, they just want to compete and play the sport they love. Just like any person who plays sport.

[jules_d1]

Dude, why do you train in the gym? You'll never look like ronnie

[Newbtime]

why do people on this board have such a tough time putting things into perspective.


do you REALLY expect there to be only 5 people wanting to compete in the biggest bodybuilding contest in the world? really??????????????

[Paumen]

I think these top guys enjoy the journey to the stage more so then the competition.

[ekolow]

thats true, but top 10 is nonetheless only top 10

"Only" top 10? In the world?
Is there a single thing that millions of people participate in that YOU are top 10 in?

[seanoh]

what makes the world go round? $$$. these guys never get a payday like olympia. plus theres the exposure aspect and the new contracts it brings