Bodybuilding:

[Goose]

Please share your thoughts about bodybuilding. Like most subjects, bodybuilding has several levels ranging from amateur to professional. Most people assume all bodybuilders are bulked-up monsters (eg: Ronnie Coleman). Part may be true, however most average people turn to bodybuilding to facilitate things like weight loss or general fitness. As for bodybuilders, Stan McQuay is a popular star while entertainers like WWE's Batista are known worldwide. So what are your opinions about bodybuilding and people who use this sport for their personal goals? Even if you think the whole idea is gay, that's your opinion and you're entitled to it.

Stan McQuay:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_6tu8IkHUq-A/...20/stanm06.jpg

Batista:
http://data1.blog.de/media/667/463667_e0f9a118d5_m.jpg

[Govinda]

Here's my opinion.

You can do that to yourself if you like, but like hell will I sleep with you.

[Goose]

Sure, that's fine. But what' I'm looking for are your thoughts of using bodybuilding to improve your health, better your lifestyle, lose weight (if you want to), and to get past old personal habits. For example, I used to eat fast food and soda/coke excessively. This led to health problems and a poor overall diet. When I turned to fitness for help, I learned to eat better, exercise regularly, and maintain good bodyweight/cholesterol.

I can't say there's a deep correlation between improving one's health versus having an active sex life. Some can argue that being fit should enhance your sexual activity; but as you adequately put, doing it does not guarantee you will attract every female. So what I'm looking for are your thoughts about using bodybuilding to improve our health and wellness.

[Mr Spike]

Here's my opinion.

You can do that to yourself if you like, but like hell will I sleep with you.

My opinion?

It's a waste of time. Yes, ok, so you go to competitions and you flex and you show your wonderful body off to some people, you win, you get a trophy to show that you took the most steroids and then what do you do? Nothing!!

It's just pointless. Yes, ok, if you were using these muscles (which, i will admit, you probably spent a while building up, kudos for perseverance) for something USEFUL, like lifting coal or something. But from what I've seen, all they're for is for showing off and then you go off and build more until the next testosterone meet.

Yes, i will admit that it probably took these find gentlemen a very long time to achieve their body shape, they probably put in alot of time and effort to get to that stage, and good on them for sticking with it. But there's no point to it. It just seems like an ego contest. I don't consider it gay, or anything degenerately (is that the right word) to these men, but it all seems to be a whole lot of effort for not much reward.

In terms of what you mentioned above - health, lifestyle etc... yes, it will make SOME difference, no doubt, but is it really worth that much effort? Wouldn't you rather just do weights for a small amount of time, before going and doing something else exercise related (running, swimming for example)?

In addition, this kind of physique will draw attention to you, no matter how you try to hide it. Yes, attention is nice (come on, admit it!) but i'm talking about the wrong kind of attention. The kind where people challenge you to "test your strength" at 2am on a Friday night and you end up in hospital with half a kitchen utility set sticking out of you.

But, having said all the above, at the end of the day it is their choice, we are all individual and if they want to do that, then fair enough. I won't try to stop you. i just think it's all a bit pointless and OTT.

[OceanEyes28]

Hahaha my goodness, Mr. Spike, bit bitter about the gym, are we?

I wouldn't call what I do "body building," per say, but I do strength training. I think it's wonderful. The workouts are challenging and interesting and much more beneficial than steady cardio for hours and hours. I think it's a marvelous way to improve your health and lose weight; it works wonders for me. It doesn't bulk me up because that's not what I'm training for. But I do have some lovely upper and lower body strength that is a real blessing.

And because I read up on appropriate workouts, I also know a lot more about nutrition and it's amazing what you just don't want anymore. I had some bottled grapefruit juice yesterday that I used to like and found that it tasted way too sweet and processed for me. I really don't miss food or drinks like that anymore and I feel better because of it.

I'm not typically one to go for the bulky, bulging out of your skin look... but a guy with some nice muscle definition? Yes sir. You take care of you, I'll take care of me, and we will "take care" of each other.

[Mr Spike]

Hahaha my goodness, Mr. Spike, bit bitter about the gym, are we?

Ok, perhaps i over egged the cake a tad () but i really don't get the whole competitive "my muscles are bigger than yours!" culture. Perhaps that's because i haven't been brought up in a location (god, i sound like i'm from Mars or something...) that body builders are particularly abundant in.

I fully accept the benefits of exercise, of any kind (I do long distance running, and i've never felt better) and i can't deny that staying in shape is good.

However, the two in the pictures above.... that's a bit too far.

[Pete]

I'm pretty much in Ally's boat. What I do works for me, what you do is your business.

I happen to lift as often as I can. Not because I'm some steroid laden muscle head, but because I love the way I feel afterwards, like I pushed myself to a new limit. To me, it is a competition, but not with other people. I don't believe in pissing contests like that, because people get stupid and hurt. I do compete with myself though, and my old goals. I don't look at myself in the mirror every 15 minutes, thinking that one rep is gonna make me look like Ronnie Coleman (who is a freakin BEAST, by the way), nor do I want to look like that.

Essentially, I lift and run for my own fitness, injury prevention and strength for sports. I've also lifted to self rehabilitate my knee after an ACL tear. It's finally back to normal, which is a good thing, being that I'm a catcher in baseball. I do also lift out of a mild vanity. I'd love to have a six pack, other than the ones in my fridge. It's something of a goal that I set for myself. Now, I don't think that getting a six pack is going to score me some supermodel gf, cause honestly, I'm not in it for that.

Overall, I lift for my own reasons, and everyone should do what they want accordingly, just wipe the equipment down after you sweat all over it, please.

[Dimi]

Interesting topic. Haha. Bodybuilding was something I was considering wanting to do when I was older during my junior year when participating in a lot of sports. My thoughts on that however have shifted to something else as a career but as Pete said, to each his/her own.

Fitness is something I really like. I just can't sit here all day and do nothing physically active. I need to go out and hit the treadmill or do something in order to get that self-satisfaction feeling. I'm not a gym rat or anything but physical fitness is something that's important to me.

I know some guys at the gym that are bodybuilders. One of them had gotten into it for overall good health and something he's had passion for since he was 12 years old. He didn't start working out till 16 or 17 but if you were to look at him now, dude's ****ing huge. I don't even think he has an ounce of fat to him.

Bodybuilding does have a dark side to it though. You hear about some people self-medicating themselves to get that extra boost by using steroids or some sort of muscle enhancer. I've never experimented with steroids and I would never want to. If you've gotten to that point, then you have a problem. I'd kill to look that good but I gotta eat some junk food once in a while.

[Walter Sobchak]

How can a thread about meatheads be in Intellectual Discussion?

I don't bodybuild. I have a pretty strong upper body from my days unloading trucks, but that is about it. Ever since I fell and destroyed my knee, I haven't really put any work into my body image.

Why, you ask?

You can do that to yourself if you like, but like hell will I sleep with you.

I'm not typically one to go for the bulky, bulging out of your skin look

Girls aren't actually into it. Just like men aren't into eighty pound girls with lots of makeup.

If the sexes could meet and be honest, these sort of crazy body image problems would disappear.

[Phantom]

Please share your thoughts about bodybuilding. Like most subjects, bodybuilding has several levels ranging from amateur to professional. Most people assume all bodybuilders are bulked-up monsters (eg: Ronnie Coleman). Part may be true, however most average people turn to bodybuilding to facilitate things like weight loss or general fitness. As for bodybuilders, Stan McQuay is a popular star while entertainers like WWE's Batista are known worldwide. So what are your opinions about bodybuilding and people who use this sport for their personal goals? Even if you think the whole idea is gay, that's your opinion and you're entitled to it.

Stan McQuay:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_6tu8IkHUq-A/...20/stanm06.jpg

Batista:
http://data1.blog.de/media/667/463667_e0f9a118d5_m.jpg

Um....Yum..omg.


Okay now that's out of the way, my opinon on bodybuilding is: There's nothing wrong with it at all. Through I think it my put some strain on the body if the bodybuilding in question doesnt rest. Bodybuilding is also another good source to build strength and lose weight. And now....I have to come out and say that guy in the top picture is sexy lol.

[Rocky]

At first I had no desire to hit the gym and lift weights all day; I really didn't think it was for me. I knew a lot of people who visited the gym a lot and to me they seemed to be the alpha-male, typical high school jerks, and I didn't want to go there because I had no desire to be associated or even talk to them.

When I went to college however, everything changed. I became friends with a few people who went to the college gym on a regular basis, and they encouraged me to come along as well, and they didn't judge me or anything as I tried to "keep up" with their workouts. After each workout, I could tell why they did what they did. After a workout, your body feels very "content", I should say. You're very tired, yet you feel very relaxed at the same time, it's a hard thing to explain.

The effects were very positive, and I started noticing almost immediatly. I felt like I had tenfold more energy then before. Ironically, my skill in video games went up as well, especially in shooting games, as I felt I was hitting all of my shots with more accuracy, puting up better stats, etc. I felt more confident in front of ladies, and I lost a bit of dead weight on my body too. I still keep up twice a week in the gym.

To anyone who naysays it, give lifting a fair shot, you won't be dissapointed.

[ultima_trev]

I used to be into the whole body building thing, then I got into strongman and powerlifting. I'd take brute strenght over bulkiness any day. Mariusz Pudzianowski and Big Zydrunas Savickas are f*cking gods of iron and I'd sell my soul to have half their strength!

[Furore]

The effects were very positive, and I started noticing almost immediatly. I felt like I had tenfold more energy then before. Ironically, my skill in video games went up as well, especially in shooting games, as I felt I was hitting all of my shots with more accuracy, puting up better stats, etc. I felt more confident in front of ladies, and I lost a bit of dead weight on my body too. I still keep up twice a week in the gym.

To anyone who naysays it, give lifting a fair shot, you won't be dissapointed.

Enough said. It's why I train a little every morning.
Muscle men be damned, I could toss any one of them...
The gym (and physical training in general) isn't often to turn people into monstrously oversized mini-hulks, no it's to keep one fit, strong and sharp. Hell, I've even read the increased oxygen flow to the head some workouts provide can do wonders for a person's brain even.
What's there to lose?

[LocoColt04]

What's there to lose?

Weight!

I have jokes.

Also, true story, Ronnie Coleman lives two minutes away from me. I pass his giant yellow Hummer any time I'm coming home from the east side of town.



I was never into the whole bodybuilding thing, but I think that if people do it to feel good about themselves, why shouldn't they? I doubt a lot of them do it to "look good," but rather for the rush of the workout, and of course the contests if that's what they're into.

Back in the day, I was a runner, and I know I always felt great after a workout -- especially if I had to practically crawl to get from point A to point B afterward thanks to a tough day's work. As others have said, it's very relaxing, and it's nice to feel rejuvenated afterward. As a sprinter, one of my toughest workouts was a stamina run, so those 10k quick-paced runs I did with my distance buddies were always a bitch.

You ever thrown up from running too hard?
It's a good feeling. You know, afterward.



I lack all sorts of definition these days.

[Rasler+]

Body building, huh?

I haven't actually thought about it. I eat a lot, do a lot of stuff, but I still stay the way I am: thin and stupid. But I do remember when I was younger, when I took Aikido classes beside a fitness center, and during our breaks, we would come and mess with the weights lol

I'm not planning on bodybuilding anytime soon. Though I tried weightlifting a few times and found it fun xD

[ultima_trev]

Like Loco, I also live in the same locality of a well known (though certainly not as decorated as Ronnie) body builder, IFBB pro Dexter "The Blade" Jackson, who placed 3rd in the 2007 Mr. O.

He may not be as big as most, but his symmetry is astounding... not that I'm gay and check out dudes or anything.
http://www.mesomorphosis.com/store/m...titans-dvd.jpg

[dimmufan]

I like to work out some in my spare time. I do it so that I don't look like a stringbean. I started working out about 14 months ago. Since then I have gained about 30 pounds. I now weigh about 180 pounds and it's all in my arms, chest and legs. I don't do any ab workouts because I haven't the patience for it. I think I look better than I used to, I certainly feel better than I used to, and my confidence around women has gotten better also. I think anyone with a little spare time should do themselves a favor and get into shape.

[Sinister]

I tried body building. But then I found that body building made me less flexible and as a major Fencing athlete that was a problem. Now I just run treadmill, swim laps and do stretches.

There was a point when I could curl 60 pounds on one arm. That didn't last long, though. Didn't keep it up.

I still do crunches and flys though. The muscles in those areas aren't particularly restrictive on movements and having thick muscles there help absorb hits and make them less painful.

-Sin

[Slick]

Not so much body building, but training myself to be "tough." There are people like Ronnie Coleman and Hulk Hogan who are freaking huge and strong as shit, and then there are people like Lance Armstrong who are not so much on the huge side but are extremely fit. You put that together and you got my man Bruce Lee.
When I was in my senior year of football I got pinned between the line. Basically the equation goes: Some dudes helmet+my knee+another dudes helmet. Needless to say I had to go on steroids to completely heal, or so the Doc said. And I end up going from 165 to about 192 pounds. But that was 2 years ago, and ever since then I have been training my body. I may not be huge like the dudes on Flex, but I train my body as much as possible to be in the best possible shape I can.
Every day has a program, theres ab days, arm days, leg days, run days, swim days, and then the sports days. I think working out in general is a good thing to do, and eating healthy also.

[johnflintoff]

Here I will be writing down some of the guidelines for beginners in the field of bodybuilding. ok so here goes...


I'll be concentrating in 3 things more.

1. Exercise
2. Diet
3. Rest
How do one get started with bodybuilding?...

Ok, for starters, it is highly advice able to take things slowly..try to understand the best proper technique for all muscle group exercises. Do not overdo weight training,as it may cause injury...infact if u're a beginner, and if u overdo training chances are you'll lose muscle mass instead of gaining.. the idea behind bodybuilding is to gain muscle and lose fat...



Let me explain some of the basic terms ill be using here...

Sets : A number of repetitions performed without any rest. (eg one set of ten repetitions or 1 x 10).
Reps: Number of times a lift is made continuously, one lift after another and without rest.
Compound exercises: exercises that involve more than 1 muscle
Isolate exercises: exercises involving only one muscle.

Some beginner's bodybuilding routines
1. Crunches, 3 sets, 10-20 repetitions. This will work your upper abdominals section.
2. Incline press, 3 sets, 12-15 repetitions. This workout is for your upper chest, as well as the shoulders and the triceps
3. Barbell Squat, 3 sets, 12- 15 repetitions. The primary muscles worked by this exercise are the quadriceps. The hamstrings and the buttocks are benefited as well.
4. Lying leg curl, 3 sets, 10-12 repetitions. With this exercise, your hamstrings are being worked out.
5. Standing calf raise 1 set of 12-15 repetitions. Your calves will be worked out with this routine..
Dieting is very important. Consume protein-rich food and cut on cholesterol and calories. Protein-rich foods are dairy products, meat, fish, chicken, and dried beans like peanuts...now i know here people will ask...chicken,fish,meat cannot be cooked everyday in their house...they'll ask what kind of desi foods will give them protein carbs etc...well.. in an average whole wheat roti contains roughly 18g of carbs, 4g of protein and about .50g of fat...a total of around 85calories.
eat like 5/6 rotis a day with any salan (make sure it doesnt have oil as pakistani foods typically do )..and you'll be benefitting by this.... by 5/6 rotis i didnt mean at one time....eat them..evenly throughout the day.

Rice is also a very good source of carbs...eat it as well... and guys, do not run away from fat. Fat is very essential for body...infact, if u're body fat % drops below 9/10 percent ..you'll be inviting trouble. I dont mean eat junk food but healthy fat is what i meant. Fish oil tablets are a very good source of good fat..add a tablet in ur diet.

Generally speaking.. if u wanna know how much of protein intake you should have through out the day...take ur weight in pounds and divide it by 2. This is how much of minimum protein intake that needs to be taken by you, to gain muscle mass. Protein are the building blocks of muscle...you neeeeeeed protein...no excuse!
Proper rest.
I cant stress enough about the importance of rest in bodybuilding. I say this to everyone.. You DO NOT build muscles when your in gym..you only break them there...you build muscles when you step out of there.. Proper rest is the key to the kind of body u want. There are essentially two types of fatigue — physical and mental — and as a bodybuilder you will eventually suffer from both without the proper amount of rest. Sleep is a vital part of the recovery process after the muscles — including the brain — have been worked and put to the test.
Bodybuilding doesnt mean you stress yourself every single day at gym .. and remember as beginner, just hit a particular muscle group once a week intensely and let it recover fully before you hit them again...

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