The psychology of those strangers who are "impressed" by you, the future of that?

Dave_19 · Nov 7, 2008

The psychology of those strangers who are "impressed" by you, the future of that?

I have been thinking. A lot of times when I get compliments, I'm surprised by some peoples reaction. I think seeing my self every single day, as well as well as reading popular mags like flex, and watching you tube vids of my favorite bodybuilders has, well some what made me biased, and changed my perception of what "big" or "ripped" or "huge" is any more.

That got me thinking for the other 95% of the population, they must think some of us look completely insane. Just try to think of the modern male movie stars that the general public seems to call "big, ripped, huge, crazy". You will hear names of such light weights as, Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Vin Diesel, do I need to go on? No big guys for sure, none have been able to act since Arnold, and lets face it even Arnold really isn't known for his acting.

Peoples perception will change over time, in the future MORE and MORE people will be in shape, and have great bodies, with the advancements we have in the fields of drugs & technology, its just going to get easier and easier to have a incredible body. So 100yrs from now a "big" guy will be a pretty common site I predict. But for now, we live in this time of glory, where we can still make people say "WHOA" when they pass by in public. Not for long, just appreciate what you have and what you have worked for, we are a rarity still.

oldfella · Nov 7, 2008

HAHAHA, yes it is true. Here where I live there are not many big muscular types. Now I do not consider myself to be big, certainly not by this boards' standards. But in a town where most men that weigh 250+ are extremely overweight someone carrying 250 with a decent build sticks out like dog's balls around here. So yes it does attract a lot of attention. I am not so sure that these times will change dave. The population on the whole is getting fatter. Gyms are catering to the fitness crowd and slowly phaseing us (bbers and lifters) out of the picture. The future may just have fewer big boys walking this planet and more fitness smaller people. I was enjoying being a big boy here..........................Until Phidias showed up!!!!

Now I feel very small!

Loch Ness · Nov 7, 2008

unfortunately, I feel the opposite will happen. Big is going out. If you are big you are an over consumer who doesn't care about the environment or animals. Ever single fat person who loses 100 lbs. is seen as an inspiration, but the people who stay big and muscular are just meat heads. I get dirty looks all the time. Attractive white women look at me as if I am wearing a shirt that says" I will force myself upon you"

Test_Eagles · Nov 7, 2008

MS blockers might end it all.

jimmyjones · Nov 7, 2008

Test_Eagles said:
MS blockers might end it all.

Whenever MS blockers are released to the public...which could be YEARS from now

VanR__ · Nov 7, 2008

Loch Ness said:
unfortunately, I feel the opposite will happen. Big is going out. If you are big you are an over consumer who doesn't care about the environment or animals. Ever single fat person who loses 100 lbs. is seen as an inspiration, but the people who stay big and muscular are just meat heads. I get dirty looks all the time. Attractive white women look at me as if I am wearing a shirt that says" I will force myself upon you"

I agree with this. It's all about compact...everything. Carbon footprint, mini-coopers, mini-Ipods, computers.
Bodybuilding is decadence, personified. You need surplus time, money, protein, sleep, intensity, to build it--and for what?

tomuchgear · Nov 7, 2008

VanR__ said:
I agree with this. It's all about compact...everything. Carbon footprint, mini-coopers, mini-Ipods, computers.
Bodybuilding is decadence, personified. You need surplus time, money, protein, sleep, intensity, to build it--and for what?

for the love of doing it, becouse you can, becouse you want to. i think everyone has diffrent reasons for wanting to be a freakishly large human being lol. granted it is a decision that at times seems to not be socialy exceptable but oh well. i would rather be called a freakishly large person than a scrawny wirey person any day of the week.

particleacc · Nov 7, 2008

So very true about smaller being better attitude. You know, I was shopping for a car not too long ago and had to rule out so many of them because of my size. Of course, I am 6'2", so height has something to do with that too.

I was talking to my girlfriend's parents the other day and they were both UPSET with me for being so big and strong!!!! YES!! I mentioned that I had talked with my chiropractor about leg pressing 1,080 lbs. and they were both shocked. They said that NOBODY needed to be that strong. There was no reason for this and I should cut that weight in half and do more reps!

Now, they are actually really good people, but this was just stupid. They have admonished me before for being so big. (On a funny side note, I weigh EXACTLY double what my girlfriend weighs!) They are both kind of on the small side and always having me come over to their place to lift something or move something for them, which I am happy to do. However, it would seem to me that they would see some advantage to being my size and constantly training heavily to be as strong as possible.

But yes, I have OFTEN got the comment from women that I am just "too big". I am fine with that. I honestly LOVE being the size and strength of a piece of industrial equipment! My own parents were very overweight and weak and had tons of health problems. I want to get as big and strong as possible and keep it as long as possible.

So I guess that makes me an "outsider". I'm OK with that!

name_here · Nov 7, 2008

No kidding. It's like being fussed at for making to much money or having a car that is to nice, etc.

I have noticed a trend amoung kids where it is seen as attractive for the guy to be really skinny. Maybe 150lbs at the absolute most. And that is if he is tall.

It's odd and a little troubling. It seems that the role or place of a "real man" is losing ground. That's not to say that a "real man" can't be skinny but if you are feminie in structure, attitude, actions or even sexual tendencies on purpose then something is really wrong.

I'm 255lbs and I'm here to kick ass and chew bubble gum. And i'm all outta gum lol

tkav1980 · Nov 7, 2008

im by no means the biggest guy around, but i get it almost every day. to people on this board a 500lb squat or benching 365 for reps is normal, but to the rest of society its freakish. technically im about 42lbs overweight for my height, and people like to remind me of that often. i hear, why do you want to be any bigger? or you already look like a freak. oh and my favorite...why lift that much thats just stupid. we dont look at ourselvs compared to everyone else, we compare ourselvs to the top 1% of BODYBUILDING. thats really an insane thought. i base my judgement on how i look compared to pics of guys like TP4U and PHIL Hernon and alex a. not to the guy next to me on a bench. id say im in the top 1% at my gym in terms of strength but compared to alot of the guys on this board im in the bottom 25%. i dont want to be the best in my small little world i want to be the best of the best. and i think thats a mindset that alot of us share and on the flip side its a mindset that the rest of the world cant comprehend. therefore were looked at as being wierd.

pesty4077 · Nov 7, 2008

I don't know what countries every one is from, but in the USA, the trend isn't being skinny, the trend is being fat. USA has the highest obesity rate in the world at 40%

We have been getting lazier over the years. Maybe that is why everyone is looking at skinny people, they are hoping they were more like that.

Sassy · Nov 7, 2008

It is even harder sometimes being a female bodybuilder. I'm not a very big female, so I can't image what the pro female bb go through. It most be terrible. My parents were the worst. They have learned to not say anything now. They know it's just a topic that isn't up for discussion any more.

yehhbrotherr · Nov 7, 2008

yeah

i agree definately i lost the outlook of what big or ripped is, because everyone i see in person whose that average size and dont workout i just look passed em. im so used to seeing guys at my gym making me look small and watching bb videos, i keep setting my goals to get bigger than them, that i do not at all find myself to be even somewhat big, i have those days i actually do feel good and big, but 90% of the time i feel like an average dood, and yes i do agree with that 1 post above, the fat people who lose all the lbs goes for an inspiration as us, who keep in shape, are called muscle heads, and everyone thinks were conceded, which i hate cuz im not at all.

Steak Helmet · Nov 7, 2008

by the year 2030 the reports say every american will be fat. Right now 60% of Americans are overweight...but are they taking into consideration the BBers too?...according to the BMI, I am suppose to be 176 to 184 @ 6'0" I am 250...I am OBESE according to their standards. They do not take into consideration lean muscle mass, nor do they look at bone density (and the bone between my legs is THICK HAHA). Anyways, I think the future is going to be filled with LAZY people...we are slowly moving toward machines doing everything for us. People love to exert the least amount of energy for the biggest gains. Hell people will not walk 18 holes of GOLF, or even park a few more feet away from the store...they will just keep driving around until they find something closer. We are a society of lazy ass people, and I think it will only get worse.

I too get a lot of HOLY SHIT you are huge...but in my eyes I do not see it. I also compare myself to the top 1% of our community...maybe that is what keeps us going? I am sure if I really sat down and compared myself to the average person my age and my height I would say HOLY SHIT too.

thebrick · Nov 7, 2008

I don't see a trend toward more beautiful healthful people everywhere. I sure wish it was though. The trend is toward obesity now. We have the means readily available now to be healthy and people don't take advantage of it. There are all kinds of healthy foods available at the store, and instead they fill up the cart with soda, frozen pizza's and crap. I'm amazed at what people eat. Add to this in hard times when people watch their money, they tend to buy the cheaper fattening stuff. Fat tastes good and it fills them up cheaply. Protein is expensive. Big bodybuilders will always be a niche group. We do this because we like it. Add to that that most people are more AAS aware than they were years ago and you have many that look down on us if they think something is up. You can't even find a "bodybuilding" show or coverage of an Mr. Olympia on cable TV anymore. You could easily do that years ago. Of those that do like to stay fit, most will choose the "fitness" look, not the "big" look

particleacc · Nov 7, 2008

alfresco said:
Let me preface what I am going to say by saying I am
not a huge guy by any means. I'm in my mid fifties and
past my prime but I still manage to work out regularly
and stay in fairy decent shape.

That being said, when I am out in public and even when I
am working out in the gym I rarely, if ever, wear revealing
clothing, usually wear long sleeved shirts and long pants.

I think that if you are trying to make an impression with
your physique, it's best to keep it under wraps, not keep it
on constant display as one becomes accustomed to it
and it will loose it's impact. My opinion.

I also never discuss bodybuilding / weight training with friends
or family so few people know I work out or what I look like.
But that's just me.

Case in point . . .

Last summer I was working long and hard at a outdoor location
with some people I have known and worked with for years.
I got up early one morning to have a wash-up at a outdoor sink.
I was up before everybody else so I had my shirt off and was wearing
a pair of shorts.

Out of nowhere I head "Jesus Christ . . . what have you been doing?"
I turned around and standing behind me was a young man who I had
known and worked with on and off for years. It was no secret he
worked out as he always wore tank tops and he actually had a pretty
decent physique.

He then started a barrage of questions and compliments, all about
bodybuilding and working out. He was very impressed to say the least.
He never knew I worked out or what I looked like until he saw me early
that morning. All this added to the impact.

This is just one of many stories I have like this so it is not an anomaly.

Back to your original question . . . "The psychology of those strangers
who are "impressed" by you, the future of that?"

My balls are not crystal, I do not think the advancements we
have in the fields of drugs and technology, will have a meaningful
impact on the general public as it still takes hard work and
consistent commitment to look good. And while the drugs and
technology will certainly help people live longer and to be disease
free, I really don't see us being surround by people that have
better looking bodies. (I actually think the average person looked
better 50 - 100 years ago when they were leaner and were
accustomed to hard physical labor. Not the case now a days.)

So, as time goes bye, we will locate more genetic freaks and
the average size of bodybuilders will increase. That is inevitable.
But as far as the general public is concerned, especially as
we lead a more and more sedentary lifestyle, people will continue
to look more or less as they do today, and perhaps ever worse
sorry to say.

I can relate. A couple years ago, I had cut my bodyfat down nice and low and weighed about 235. (I am 290 now, and the gain has been mostly muscle. Not fat now, but not in competition shape like I was then.) I was teaching a class on real estate and a friend of mine was in town visiting, so I invited her to sit in. She had a recent picture of me in a tank top and shorts. When teaching class, I always dressed conservatively since it was a business atmosphere. Before class started, she showed the picture to one of the students, and pretty soon, everyone wanted to see.

A male student of mine looked at me and said, "What happened???" I told him that, believe it or not, that's what I looked like under my clothes. Suddenly all the guys were talking about working out and how to gain muscle!

These days, I can't really hide my size under any type of clothing. I do get checked out by almost every guy when I go to the grocery store or anywhere else now. Yes, I said GUY. Women just don't seem to want to even look at me. However, guys check me out all the time (not in a gay way, at least not most) and if they're young enough, will ask if they can feel my arms!

I tend to wear tank tops and shorts a lot these days now that I live in Florida, so I really don't care about what people think of my size. I've been doing this for years for just myself any way. The last time I was working out hard for someone else (to impress the chicks, you know!) was when I was 19. That was a number of years ago.

latimus · Nov 7, 2008

Steak Helmet said:
by the year 2030 the reports say every american will be fat. Right now 60% of Americans are overweight...but are they taking into consideration the BBers too?...according to the BMI, I am suppose to be 176 to 184 @ 6'0" I am 250...I am OBESE according to their standards. They do not take into consideration lean muscle mass, nor do they look at bone density (and the bone between my legs is THICK HAHA). Anyways, I think the future is going to be filled with LAZY people...we are slowly moving toward machines doing everything for us. People love to exert the least amount of energy for the biggest gains. Hell people will not walk 18 holes of GOLF, or even park a few more feet away from the store...they will just keep driving around until they find something closer. We are a society of lazy ass people, and I think it will only get worse.

I too get a lot of HOLY SHIT you are huge...but in my eyes I do not see it. I also compare myself to the top 1% of our community...maybe that is what keeps us going? I am sure if I really sat down and compared myself to the average person my age and my height I would say HOLY SHIT too.

dont know where u saw the 2030 reports but that info is defineltly and innacurate. I am an ada member and have taken almost every science, nutrition community nutrition class offered we talk about this on a daily basis.
yes america is obese big time but the numbers are starting to level off and as far as I have heard it will be on a slight decline over the next 20yrs.
the biggest problem was child obesity and when the child grows up boom there obese once they hit adult hood because of all the crap offered in the school.
now alot of ada and fda is fighting back against school food programs and there are some really strict guidlines as to what can be offered in schools. Its actually really really healthy at some schools and its even illegal in some places for teachers to give out candy and treats to there students without aporoval. another big problem is the pe option. alot of schools are so poor they had to cut PE. this is also being faught against hard. Also fast food corporations are now regualted harder and are offering alot of healthy options for customers. I have a sheet that has the guidlines for all the shchool eating, If my wife didnt throw it away I will post it. its really interesting because its strict (portions have to be highly regualted and all macros are regualted only a certain amount can be sugar CHO and at least 50% must be whole grain) its changing so fast, 5 years ago I remember you could get damn near anything you wanted, it was practically an izzy's.

another really intersting point we just learned the other day that in cave man days the average daily consumption maintanence calories was over 3500 calories. they ate really good, hunted and gathered and were very active.
now most people can only eat 1600-2000 to maintain. the increase in technology has made people really lazy and food is not as organic and not many whole food eaters out there. Its sad

there are new BMI systems being developed. hopefully they will find sometihng alittle more accurate. dietitians dont even bother doing a bmi for athletes of any kind because the numbers are irrelavent. But I definelty do get what u are saying about BMI its BS. I have been to a doctor and have them take BMI and commment on it being high 220 at 6% bf how the f can that be considered obese u tell me.