Being a PRO means ….. to me.

[finny]

I guess some of you aspire to turn pro. Maybe it would be beneficial to a lot of non-competing BBs to understand what it means to turn pro. Is this a status thing, a personal thing (a sense of accomplishment), or do you actually gain financially?

I would imagine that maybe once you turn a pro, some financial opportunities present themselves. But I would venture to say that it is very short lived, most likely a one year contract or similar. Other than that no guarantees?

Now, to put it into perspective is the journey worth it? What about after you turn pro? What is there to keep you motivated/driven?

For some other guys that know that they will never turn pro, why do you keep competing? Is this to stay motivated, to keep you going? Maybe it's like with any other hobby, if you want to call it that, you need a constant feedback system trying to push forward to keep interest going?

Thanks, just trying to understand...

 

[PHIL HERNON]

In all of its silliness

In the NPC and IFBB, it means that now you are able to compete for money. If I competed before for money I would have been kicked out of this league. Let me see......so before I was not able to compete and make money,but I had to pay money to be part of this league.If you become a professional in this league that again, you had to pay to get into, your chances of making money are slim to none because only the best guys can compete in this league. So basically, do not quit your day job because it will cost you $1,000s of dollars just to get ready to step on stage for a chance to compete.

 

[emeric delczeg]

In the NPC and IFBB, it means that now you are able to compete for money. If I competed before for money I would have been kicked out of this league. Let me see......so before I was not able to compete and make money,but I had to pay money to be part of this league.If you become a professional in this league that again, you had to pay to get into, your chances of making money are slim to none because only the best guys can compete in this league. So basically, do not quit your day job because it will cost you $1,000s of dollars just to get ready to step on stage for a chance to compete.

Yes that is 100% true.

 

[lucian]

well...

to most who will never be pro like me,
when you begin training and reading the mags you have people you look up to. yates, cutler,colman, ect. then you try your first show. and you do well, and you move up to regional level. then national level, then you realize you may be able to stand onstage and rub elbows with your idols and be one of them. its a dream. and i starts when you begin trying to be a better compeditor. and get better and better until the dream of having the pro card and being one of the elite comes to reality. for many its not abot the money. its a dream being realized. one that you and only you can make come true. you have to work your ass off, diet and take chances. but to each person the pro status is something different. i remember wanting to stand next to phil onstage. and yates. and jay. but it may never happen. but still we try to be the best we can and wont stop till we are. pro or not.
i have not been my best.....and thats why i continue. but the pro card is the ultamite goal.
god bless
lucian

 

[b-boy]

a procard = justification for my insanity!

 

[chris250]

I remember when I was 19 and just started to compete...I wanted to be pro, and I had people tell me I could be, if I just would do the right things needed to be pro...As I got older, and wiser I relized that trying to turn pro so soon would cost me alot of money...I have put in alot of money to try to compete and as I got better and started to compete on a higher level (National shows) it got to be very expensive...Now I bascally compete in one national level show a year (if I can afford to)...I think what keeps me going is in the back of my mind I think I could still do it (turn pro) ..But, its not really my main goal anymore...I just love to compete and I like the process of getting there (getting into contest shape)...

chris

 

[b-boy]

I remember when I was 19 and just started to compete...I wanted to be pro, and I had people tell me I could be, if I just would do the right things needed to be pro...As I got older, and wiser I relized that trying to turn pro so soon would cost me alot of money...I have put in alot of money to try to compete and as I got better and started to compete on a higher level (National shows) it got to be very expensive...Now I bascally compete in one national level show a year (if I can afford to)...I think what keeps me going is in the back of my mind I think I could still do it (turn pro) ..But, its not really my main goal anymore...I just love to compete and I like the process of getting there (getting into contest shape)...

chris

ya know chris i use to think it was expensive also, but when i sit down and talk to some of the older guys at work and find out how much money they poor into hunting, i aint spending very much money after all for MY HOBBY key word in the sentence being "hobby"

 

[AWN2004]

I competed because it was fun and I was competitive in sports prior to this so it was a natural progression. I will never be pro nor a top level national guy and I am fully aware of this. I'm realistic and only want to challenge myself. Being honest with yourself is the most important part of this whole sport.

 

[pesty4077]

I competed because it was fun and I was competitive in sports prior to this so it was a natural progression. I will never be pro nor a top level national guy and I am fully aware of this. I'm realistic and only want to challenge myself. Being honest with yourself is the most important part of this whole sport.

AGREED!!

 

[chris250]

ya know chris i use to think it was expensive also, but when i sit down and talk to some of the older guys at work and find out how much money they poor into hunting, i aint spending very much money after all for MY HOBBY key word in the sentence being "hobby"

B-Boy,

Your right bodybuilding compared to other sports or hobby's isnt as expensive as you might think...My brother races Ford Forumla 4's....It's basically the start of Indy car racing, he puts in well over $1000-1500 each race (he races about 8-12 times a year) so I guess looking at it that way, it's pretty inexpensive compared to that...I guess it depends on the person and how much he puts into it...

chris

 

[buselmo]

B-Boy,

Your right bodybuilding compared to other sports or hobby's isnt as expensive as you might think...My brother races Ford Forumla 4's....It's basically the start of Indy car racing, he puts in well over $1000-1500 each race (he races about 8-12 times a year) so I guess looking at it that way, it's pretty inexpensive compared to that...I guess it depends on the person and how much he puts into it...

chris

One of my friends spent around $30K on building a small room in his house with a HD projector, surround sound, and all that crap... because he likes watching movies... then he got bored in less than a year and looked for something else to spend money on...

another friend is a tech freak... he buys new gadgets, gizmos, and phones and shit just because a little voice in his head tells him to... spends an average of $800 per month on those things... so that's around 10K per year.

some people who enjoy drinking alcohol usually spend $500-$1000 EVERY WEEKEND to get drunk and pass out.

some people i know spend the same amount every weekened on hookers.


all of these people look at me (and other bodybuilders) as retards for not wasting their money on the stuff they "invest their money in", and rather wasting $2000 per years on gear (this is if you're going all out on a 3 gram per week cycle for 40 weeks) and $1000 per year on protein powders... and saving up the rest of your money...


anyway... If you aren't top 5 in the world, turning pro in this sport won't give you much money (if any)... but remember, a lot of people are obsessed with bodybuilding and they're very competitive. That's what they WANT to do. even if they're losing all their money on it. i remember back before i was bodybuilding, we had a band. In my country, it's very hard to find a place to play some loud heavy metal music, especially with drums being so loud. so we had to rent a place in the middle of no where around storage warehouses, pay a fortune for guitars, bass guitars, drums, amps... etc... and the whole damn thing would cost us something like $15K per year. but the feeling we got when we played together was worth more than that. I guess it's the same in bodybuilding. I remember the first time i competed, i got fourth, but i never felt anything like it. the crowd cheering and yelling, all the hard work you put it... this is on a very small level. take it up a notch to a state show or an NPC show and i bet the feeling is a million times better (unless you're too competitive and a sore loser)... people pay a ton of money to buy heroin and get high off that junk... competitive bodybuilders get high on the feeling they get when they're on stage. It's not always about money...

 

[alecaf]

a procard = justification for my insanity!

Lol thats so true. Once someone get his procard he is now "allowed" to make bodybuilding his life in society's standards.

 

[ncard]

This a thought provoking thread. I know some very focused athletes in two very different disciplines. I have some serious bodybuilding friends but more friends who are serious Jiu-Jitsu and MMA practitioners. Both parties spend about 40% per year of their income to participate in their sport of choice. I think that all of them do not regret the money they spend to be the amazing person that they are. The real question must for each of us be; how far are we willing to push our self to be exceptional individuals and leaders among peers, peers who will admire us and treat us with deference and respect because they take great pleasure in having a noble giant among them. Be as big as you can and the rest will work itself out!

 

[Razer]

a procard = justification for my insanity!

AMEN to that brother!!! Some pay big $$$ to make the pain go away but not us weightlifters, we pay big $$$ to get sore and pull muscles...funny isn't it!