Bodybuilding is NOT a sport

[tflexxin]

Interested in hearing what our members have to say about this statement that I hear from time to time. For debate ladies and gents, NOT arguement!

Offer up intelligent theories of why you feel it IS or ISN'T. What are the similarities, differences, and what differentiates SPORT from non-sports...

If you can tear yourself away from the BB.com webcast long enough to answer....

 

[knucklehed]

I'd say bodybuilding in it's ideal form is more of an art form then a sport.
Just my opinion...

 

[pesty4077]

Badminton, Table Tennis, Curling, Sailing, Sychronized Swimming are all Olympic Sports. Tell me which involve more discipline?

 

[michelin]

hey tflexxin,

I took this off dictionary.com:

sport - an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.

I buy into this description but i think its way more than that to me, its a brotherhood (and sisterhood) that I've not encountered in any other sports, of course theres an affinity with your team mates in playing a game of rugby or football/baseball for you US guys but for me theres a discipline, respect and lifestyle in bodybuilding that goes way beyond sport. I found something in bodybuilding that I've never found before and its hard to describe exactly what it is.

Of course this is only how I feel about it

 

[GorillaGenetics]

if curling is a sport bodybuilding definately is

 

[robot]

Bodybuilding competitions are certainly more of a pageant than a sporting competition. I think the "sport" of bodybuilding mostly takes place every other day of the year. Except for the damn starvation dieting contest day is more like a day off.

 

[betito]

In other sports the goal is perform better than others, in competitive bodybuilding you don´t have to perform and nobody gives a shit how you got there as long as you look in a way that some people think is better than others, in non-competitive bodybuilding the goal is different, I don´t know if it´s a sport or not but I don´t care and would like it either way...

 

[tflexxin]

Badminton, Table Tennis, Curling, Sailing, Sychronized Swimming are all Olympic Sports. Tell me which involve more discipline?

Does requiring discipline define SPORT?

 

[tflexxin]

if curling is a sport bodybuilding definately is

hahahaha,

 

[tflexxin]

I'd say bodybuilding in it's ideal form is more of an art form then a sport.
Just my opinion...

I like the sound of that...

 

[duke123]

We are atheletes for sure.Much more disciplined then many other so called sports.The bond that fellow bodybuilders share is unlike most other sports.

 

[tflexxin]

In other sports the goal is perform better than others, in competitive bodybuilding you don´t have to perform and nobody gives a shit how you got there as long as you look in a way that some people think is better than others, in non-competitive bodybuilding the goal is different, if it´s a sport or not but I don´t care and would like it either way...

What about the endurance of having to perform mandatory poses over and over perfectly without showing any effects of being tired? Is that not perfomance?

 

[tflexxin]

We are atheletes for sure.Much more disciplined then many other so called sports.The bond that fellow bodybuilders share is unlike most other sports.

Golf IS a sport, but I would not call golfers ATHLETES. So does playing a sport MAKE you an athlete? I'd say one does not make the other true.

 

[pesty4077]

Does requiring discipline define SPORT?

To me yes. If you want to be the best at anything, you have to be disclipine in that sport.

 

[Lou]

Its not a sport, its a lifestyle.

 

[big nasty]

Depends on one's own definition...

It's the only "sport" where the training necessary to compete is not needed or used for the actual competition itself.
Personally I see nothing athletic required to be a bber and being a former collegiate level athlete myself I find it hard to label it as a sport. I see it more as a discipline.

My .02

 

[SOCOM]

I believe if you don't have to train for your competition then you cant categorize it as a sport.

And bodybuilders train pretty damn hard...

 

[SOCOM]

Depends on one's own definition...

It's the only "sport" where the training necessary to compete is not needed or used for the actual competition itself.
Personally I see nothing athletic required to be a bber and being a former collegiate level athlete myself I find it hard to label it as a sport. I see it more as a discipline.

My .02

I guess now we are getting into "What is an athlete?"

Main Entry: ath·lete
Pronunciation: \ˈath-ˌlēt, ÷ˈa-thə-ˌlēt\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin athleta, from Greek athlētēs, from athlein to contend for a prize, from athlon prize, contest
Date: 15th century
: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

 

[tflexxin]

I guess now we are getting into "What is an athlete?"

Main Entry: ath·lete
Pronunciation: \ˈath-ˌlēt, ÷ˈa-thə-ˌlēt\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin athleta, from Greek athlētēs, from athlein to contend for a prize, from athlon prize, contest
Date: 15th century
: a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

What SKILL is required to compete in bodybuilding?

 

[Shelby]

Serious question: what difference does it make if it's a "sport" or not?

(I'm not being sarcastic or demeaning, I'm seriously interested in hearing opinions on this).