Have you ever realized you make a shitty bodybuilder?

[chooch]

Serious question lol. I’ve been at this for about 30 years, actually a little over 30 years. It’s easy to be a freak in the gym, especially as short as I am. I’m 5’4” (5’5” on a good day, depending who measures) and at around the 200lb mark it’s not hard to look impressive in the gym and in the streets. I never had any desire to compete, then about 10 years ago decided I would anyways because I didn’t want to ever look back and say “I wish I would have”. I hate when ppl make excuses but my work schedule just wasn’t conducive to it at all. I’d spend an average of 15-16hrs/day tied up with work. Trying to eat every 3hrs, cardio 2x/day, train, etc…. Plus the fact that every two weeks I’d switch from daylight to night shift, then back to daylight again, my sleep patterns were a wreck. I did “ok”, collected a handful of trophies, but was never able to really put it together really well. Surprisingly I actually enjoyed it, but I realized it just wasn’t for me. I wasn’t able to give it 110% and wasn’t happy with my results. I didn’t exactly have God like genetics either so that didn’t help either. Who else has just come to the realization that being a gym rat is their calling and being a BB (competitive) just isn’t in the cards for them? Weird question, just curious how many ppl have had the same realization along the way.

 

[KyleSmith1985]

Me. I have very odd chest muscle insertions, wide hip bones, and a long bicep that doesn’t peak.

Still love to train bodybuilding style and be a gym rat but competing I would not make it very far due to the above mentioned.

 

[traininsane11]

Yep a realisation that plagues me 24/7 but what can you do other than play the hand you’re dealt and see where it leads

 

[Fleezy]

i often wonder what i would have looked like if i had done everything perfectly - like absolutely perfectly

what would my genetics end up looking like when completely maxed out?

just a passing thought


i dont have the tendon and ligament strength to lift super heavy weights, so my potential is greatly limited by that

 

[Ber_tren]

Every morning I look in the mirror I fell this way it may be the tren though I always fell like I look shitty when on it but when off I can see all that it did.

 

[Virtues]

I have and accepted it. Then I switched to Planet fitness! lol

 

[thethinker48]

i often wonder what i would have looked like if i had done everything perfectly - like absolutely perfectly

what would my genetics end up looking like when completely maxed out?

just a passing thought


i dont have the tendon and ligament strength to lift super heavy weights, so my potential is greatly limited by that

You would look like a family man who believes in the idea of marriage and women's rights

 

[Fleezy]

You would look like a family man who believes in the idea of marriage and women's rights

haha im lost

but i'll take it i guess

 

[stackdizzy]

What I find maddening is the fact that I continue to take steroids. I am just an addict deep down and really don't want to train without them. I ask myself why are you putting your health at risk doing this shit when there is no "pot of gold" at the end of this for me. If I live to be 80 I will still be on then no doubt thinking about jacking the doses up. I use to say as a kid jokingly that you continue to get as big as you can until it kills you. Not that I am too terribly big, but I think weightlifting is going to kill me and I am fine with that.

 

[chooch]

I think weightlifting is going to kill me and I am fine with that.

I think you’re not alone with that mentality. Tons of ppl in the same boat as you.

 

[hawkmoon]

I think we will each define "shitty" differently.

I have bodyparts that lag no matter what. In my early years I didn't know how to get really hard and peak, in later years I overdid it.
Competition is the lense that makes most of us look "shitty", and by that measure I'll never be good enough.

And age is the ultimiate "shittifier".

 

[chooch]

Yeah it’s weird. Even just getting on stage alone most likely puts you above 99.9% of other ppl. Winning a few trophies puts you ahead of some of the small percentage left out of that 99.9%. And still I’m stuck with the realization that I’m just not a good bodybuilder lol. It’s almost crazy thinking that, but it’s the reality of the situation

 

[RSMainz]

I feel like I might physically have the tools to be a decent bodybuilder but mentally I'm not cut out for it. Ive pulled out of my last 2 preps due to not being able to hack it. Most recent one I would actually have anxiety going to the gym because I'd know how I've been feeling whilst there (absolute dog shit) and I would be dreading that feeling, but being too stubborn to take extra rest or "miss a day" or anything like that. Id go in knowing it was going to be a dog fight to hit my numbers and I'd probably keep slightly regressing like I have been. At times I was genuinely borderline suicidal, I'd go sit in the bathroom mid session at times and have a little cry asking myself why am I putting myself through this. I just get to a point where I say "how much longer am I going to keep feeling like shit, punishing myself, going backwards, and for what?" Like cool I might win a national show, I might get my pro card but what then?

On top of this doing the extra stuff that in I'd probably need to do if I wanted to actually take this anywhere is something that I really don't like. Things like training abs, daily mid section control routines, daily posing. It's a bit disappointing because I feel the potential COULD be there. I just haven't been able to break through the mental barriers that are holding me back from giving it a proper proper go.

I'm only around 4-5kg up from my leanest point but feel significantly more soft, training less, not as strong, still can't consistently string together 2-3 workouts where I continually progress in load/reps etc. it's actually something I've never figured out in the 8 years I've been training and I do wonder if things could be different if I ever figured out how to properly progress. I don't really know why but the best part is I DONT REALLY CARE. Yeah it's kind of annoying at times but it feels like the depression/dread/anxiety has been lifted. And before anyone says it's the drugs I'm using the exact same amount and same compounds, my typical "year round" stack, the only difference is I'm eating significantly more.

 

[Fleezy]

I feel like I might physically have the tools to be a decent bodybuilder but mentally I'm not cut out for it. Ive pulled out of my last 2 preps due to not being able to hack it. Most recent one I would actually have anxiety going to the gym because I'd know how I've been feeling whilst there (absolute dog shit) and I would be dreading that feeling, but being too stubborn to take extra rest or "miss a day" or anything like that. Id go in knowing it was going to be a dog fight to hit my numbers and I'd probably keep slightly regressing like I have been. At times I was genuinely borderline suicidal, I'd go sit in the bathroom mid session at times and have a little cry asking myself why am I putting myself through this. I just get to a point where I say "how much longer am I going to keep feeling like shit, punishing myself, going backwards, and for what?" Like cool I might win a national show, I might get my pro card but what then?

On top of this doing the extra stuff that in I'd probably need to do if I wanted to actually take this anywhere is something that I really don't like. Things like training abs, daily mid section control routines, daily posing. It's a bit disappointing because I feel the potential COULD be there. I just haven't been able to break through the mental barriers that are holding me back from giving it a proper proper go.

I'm only around 4-5kg up from my leanest point but feel significantly more soft, training less, not as strong, still can't consistently string together 2-3 workouts where I continually progress in load/reps etc. I don't really know why but the best part is I DONT REALLY CARE. Yeah it's kind of annoying at times but it feels like the depression/dread/anxiety has been lifted. And before anyone says it's the drugs I'm using the exact same amount and same compounds, my typical "year round" stack, the only difference is I'm eating significantly more.

maybe you should get into yoga or gardening instead of bodybuilding lol..

 

[tenny]

competing is a side bar.....
MANY, MANY pros turned pro and thought they would kill it....hmmmm
then MANY pros think they can improve, and succeed. once you hit that level, thats you.
"oh my conditioning was off" Nick Walker will NEVER BE MR.OLYMPIA. he's maxed out.

now on a smaller scale....some guys and gals can crush state and regional comps.
but when put up with the "next level" competitors....it gets too much...

and like you said...its too much time and too much money, Dorian slept with an I.V....
they let Ronnie work whenever he wanted and take 3 lunch breaks.

anyway

 

[RSMainz]

maybe you should get into yoga or gardening instead of bodybuilding lol..

Coming from the guy blaming his tendon and ligament strength from limiting his progress lol

 

[FrancisK]

I guarantee each and every one of you that you look better than 99.999% of the earths population....

 

[Fleezy]

Coming from the guy blaming his tendon and ligament strength from limiting his progress lol

Not blaming, just acknowledging

I know my limits and am not gonna rupture something just to try to break new ground

My body has enough asymmetry already

 

[dieselbuilder]

I am just an addict deep down and really don't want to train without them.

Someone mentioned addiction recently.. i think maybe Swifto. Anyway yea I think about this a lot. It doesn’t get brought up often here from what I can tell. I don’t want to live a life not enhanced between the gym, day to day and in the bedroom I cant give this up. I can’t imagine going back. I just don’t push it and I am not massive. Whatever. Fuck it

 

[Aikman56]

Every time I pass a mirror.

But it’s like they say, Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt!

But it’s how I keep the fat kid dead and buried…besides that, I absolutely LOVE the bodybuilding lifestyle. I’ll do this until they shovel the dirt on me.

God gave me the mentality, but not the physical tools.