Nearly every bodybuilder that I’ve ever met considers themselves “Hard-core” or the absolute most dedicated, knowledgeable, or hardest training athlete in the gym. Within the 20 years I’ve spent in the activity I have already shredded been asked often times what does it surely decide to try be successful in the activity? My answer might surprise you but let me let you know it’s a question everyone must ask themselves. What’s more is the answer you give yourself reflects whether you’re a Real Bodybuilder or Yet another Wannabee!
Most magazines, scientists, and competitor’s are quick to indicate genetics because the deciding factor. While at first glance there seems to be some truth to the whenever a person looks deeper into the activity this is not necessarily the case. In reality in every contest I’ve ever competed in, or watched I’ve rarely seen the individual with the best genetics win the show.
I asked my friend, legendary bodybuilding coach Scott Abel the same question about what he believes makes a genuine bodybuilder successful, and Scott’s answer was pretty quick. He summed it down in a single word… “Heart&rdquo ;.
Now Scott has trained over 200 titled winners on all levels from amateurs’right up to Olympia contenders including myself to a National Title along with a birth in to the Mr. Universe contest. He’s also had the ability to work well with the broadest range of personalities, genetics, and mental aptitudes so his opinion carries plenty of weight.
I tend to accept Scott. From my own, personal experience coaching thousands of bodybuilders around the world I feel the actual successes are always the guys/gals who understand that bodybuilding has more to complete what’s going on inside your head than anything else.
Winning Comes In Many Forms
Winning and success can be found in many forms and so lots of people equate a prize or a concept with success. Considering how many of the top professional and amateur bodybuilders on earth have serious health problems and rather chaotic personal lives it’s hard to equate success with their professional status or their drug-swollen bodies. That being said, you will find a small number of experts who embody the ideals of true bodybuilding but they are definitely few and far between.
Of course, you’ve a myriad of guys/gals in the gym discovering a number of explanations why they haven’t stuck with their diet, followed through on their training schedule, and simply not made the gains they desire. Although both cases represent opposite ends of the extreme; everyone fits somewhere in between and most are still left asking the question… What makes a “True Bodybuilder?”
While everyone has to ascertain the answer for himself, my own, personal definition of True Bodybuilding is significantly unique of “The Hardcore” Version portrayed in the top Magazines. Although at one time I aspired to end up like the “gargantuan” folks who grace the pages of the magazines, I had a big change of heart once I reached the National Championship Level. Here’s why.
Drug LOADED Bodybuilding – The Fast Track to Self Destruction
You see I realized almost the entire competitive bodybuilding scene had almost nothing related to “Real Bodybuilding&rdquo ;.In reality it was a lot more like body destruction. Several athletes I was competing with and against, had become consumed by the desire to build massive muscles and resorted to using massive amount of drugs that damaged their health. While their physiques and muscles are definitely impressive, they’d built them at the price of their health along with the private lives.
I personally consider this to become a psychological condition of disease much like anorexia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder and indeed some psychologists have labeled the problem “Muscle Dysmorphia&rdquo ;.Many “hardcore” bodybuilders have become so enthusiastic about competitions, muscular size, body fat levels, diets, etc. that each other aspect of their lives has shrunk smaller then their testes on a 10 year cycle.