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VOTE FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN BODYBUILDING.
1. Genetics
2. Diet
3. Training
4. Anabolic Steroids
I think we all know what the outcome will be but I just thought this would be fun to do, see what the
outliers are and what the members have to say.
There are many factors that play a part in what it takes to be a professional bodybuilder. But for the purposes
of this poll, lets restrict your pick to the most important factor influencing your appearance, how you look.
Not handsomeness, not strength, not speed, not agility or any so called athletic ability.
For purposes of simplicity, I have limited then to four different categories. I'm sure there are more and indeed
sub-factors within each of these four, but lets start here.
It just so happens that how I have listed them above is the way I would to rate them. Misinformed in some
places I'm sure.
My rambling opinions if you don't mind . . .
Genetics. Nothing, and everything, is possible if you have, or don't have, the "right" genetics. All the training, dieting,
and steroid use will not make you into a professional bodybuilder if you do not have the right genetics. Improve
yes; we all can improve. But to reside in the professional ranks, you must be a genetic freak. I don't mean
freak in a bad or derogatory way. Michael Jordan was a genetic freak. Tiger Woods, Picasso, Shakespeare,
Mozart, Michelangelo; all had or have a superior, freaky genetic superiority in their chosen field. You just can't
inhabit that rarefied air without it.
We all know that genetics in bodybuilding determine how your muscle is shaped and consequently how it will
eventually look when fully developed. Nothing can change that: where your muscles insert, your muscle length,
number of muscle fibers and fiber type, joint size, head size (yes, this effects how you look, think Sergio) body
part ratios, how your body metabolizes nutrients and steroids, how and where it stores fat, etc . . . Could go on
and on but won't. These factors are not subject to any meaningful change.
Diet. Under your direct control, I think that diet is the single most important factor in how you look and feel.
It realizes the efforts you put into training and provides the anabolic environment for growth that should or will
occur if these needs are met. Though diet is highly individual, there are some unavoidable constants. It may
also be the most difficult of these factors to understand and manipulate, but it can be done. We have all seen
incredible transformations by diet alone.
But diet and dieting is not that easy, if it was, then every bodybuilder, every time, would come into competition
in perfect condition. And the reality of the situation is that it just isn't so. Even the pros can't, or do not,
nail their diet every single time. And these guys are getting paid, have nothing else to do but focus all their
efforts on how they look. That is always the big "if" come contest time. We know they have the muscle,
let's see it at it's best. I'm talking about condition through diet here, not through cardiovascular training which is
another topic as some are able to get into incredible condition without large amounts of it.
Training. We all train hard. If it were just training then the stages around the world would be littered with
monsters. The gyms are full of people that train hard, very hard, brutally hard. Perhaps too hard or too often
since overtraining, in my opinion, is as much if not a far larger problem / factor then under training.
Find what routine works best for you, continue to get stronger while using a variety of basic exercise and do what
you can to avoid and prevent injuries.
Anabolic steroids. If I know anything at all, I know the least about this subject. First to admit. Though anabolic
steroids, including testosterone, in all their verifiable varieties and mixtures are undeniably effective, but they
must used in conjunction with adequate diet and proper exercise; i.e., if just taking a shot or swallowing a pill would
make you a superman, there would be a lot more supermen walking around, but there just aren't. (Countries were
steroids are available over the counter is a case in point.)
Their general anabolic effects and adverse side effects are well known but can be individualistic as witnessed
by the endless variety of questions and answers given by the users on this board. It is clearly established that
they work but their ultimate effectiveness will be determined by your genetics, and to a lesser, though important
part, by your diet and training.
Thank you for listening and participating.
(Photograph courtesy Inge Cook)
1. Genetics
2. Diet
3. Training
4. Anabolic Steroids
I think we all know what the outcome will be but I just thought this would be fun to do, see what the
outliers are and what the members have to say.
There are many factors that play a part in what it takes to be a professional bodybuilder. But for the purposes
of this poll, lets restrict your pick to the most important factor influencing your appearance, how you look.
Not handsomeness, not strength, not speed, not agility or any so called athletic ability.
For purposes of simplicity, I have limited then to four different categories. I'm sure there are more and indeed
sub-factors within each of these four, but lets start here.
It just so happens that how I have listed them above is the way I would to rate them. Misinformed in some
places I'm sure.
My rambling opinions if you don't mind . . .
Genetics. Nothing, and everything, is possible if you have, or don't have, the "right" genetics. All the training, dieting,
and steroid use will not make you into a professional bodybuilder if you do not have the right genetics. Improve
yes; we all can improve. But to reside in the professional ranks, you must be a genetic freak. I don't mean
freak in a bad or derogatory way. Michael Jordan was a genetic freak. Tiger Woods, Picasso, Shakespeare,
Mozart, Michelangelo; all had or have a superior, freaky genetic superiority in their chosen field. You just can't
inhabit that rarefied air without it.
We all know that genetics in bodybuilding determine how your muscle is shaped and consequently how it will
eventually look when fully developed. Nothing can change that: where your muscles insert, your muscle length,
number of muscle fibers and fiber type, joint size, head size (yes, this effects how you look, think Sergio) body
part ratios, how your body metabolizes nutrients and steroids, how and where it stores fat, etc . . . Could go on
and on but won't. These factors are not subject to any meaningful change.
Diet. Under your direct control, I think that diet is the single most important factor in how you look and feel.
It realizes the efforts you put into training and provides the anabolic environment for growth that should or will
occur if these needs are met. Though diet is highly individual, there are some unavoidable constants. It may
also be the most difficult of these factors to understand and manipulate, but it can be done. We have all seen
incredible transformations by diet alone.
But diet and dieting is not that easy, if it was, then every bodybuilder, every time, would come into competition
in perfect condition. And the reality of the situation is that it just isn't so. Even the pros can't, or do not,
nail their diet every single time. And these guys are getting paid, have nothing else to do but focus all their
efforts on how they look. That is always the big "if" come contest time. We know they have the muscle,
let's see it at it's best. I'm talking about condition through diet here, not through cardiovascular training which is
another topic as some are able to get into incredible condition without large amounts of it.
Training. We all train hard. If it were just training then the stages around the world would be littered with
monsters. The gyms are full of people that train hard, very hard, brutally hard. Perhaps too hard or too often
since overtraining, in my opinion, is as much if not a far larger problem / factor then under training.
Find what routine works best for you, continue to get stronger while using a variety of basic exercise and do what
you can to avoid and prevent injuries.
Anabolic steroids. If I know anything at all, I know the least about this subject. First to admit. Though anabolic
steroids, including testosterone, in all their verifiable varieties and mixtures are undeniably effective, but they
must used in conjunction with adequate diet and proper exercise; i.e., if just taking a shot or swallowing a pill would
make you a superman, there would be a lot more supermen walking around, but there just aren't. (Countries were
steroids are available over the counter is a case in point.)
Their general anabolic effects and adverse side effects are well known but can be individualistic as witnessed
by the endless variety of questions and answers given by the users on this board. It is clearly established that
they work but their ultimate effectiveness will be determined by your genetics, and to a lesser, though important
part, by your diet and training.
Thank you for listening and participating.
(Photograph courtesy Inge Cook)
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