The Top Three Influences That Inspired Your Early Bodybuilding Journey

[traininsane11]

In order of what got me into bodybuilding probably

1: WWE
2: Layne Norton on YouTube first ever BB video I watched
3: Jay cutler video on YouTube first pro
BB I saw and first bodybuilding dvd I bought (only other being blood and guts)

But then Flex magazines, and Dorian Yates being British and fortunate enough to train in temple gym a few times

 

[specter]

Watched Blood & Guts and the rest is history as they say...

 

[monsterzombie666]

I can relate to many of the influences mentioned. It is always interesting to hear what first drew people into bodybuilding. Thank you to everyone who has shared so far.

 

[gauge22-v2]

Comic books..but the pivot was when I begged my Dad to rent me Conan the barbarian on VHS. I still remember the clerk saying "This is rated R, your son should not watch it". Dad replied "I will decide what my son can watch"

Within a month I had a weight set...you know the bronze colored plastic with the concrete inside of them, the plastic red collars etc....I got stuck benching one day and rolled the bar off. Told my dad and he built me these wooden spotter stands so I did not kill myself.

 

[monsterzombie666]

Comic books..but the pivot was when I begged my Dad to rent me Conan the barbarian on VHS. I still remember the clerk saying "This is rated R, your son should not watch it". Dad replied "I will decide what my son can watch"

Within a month I had a weight set...you know the bronze colored plastic with the concrete inside of them, the plastic red collars etc....I got stuck benching one day and rolled the bar off. Told my dad and he built me these wooden spotter stands so I did not kill myself.

Just watched Conan The Barbarian again yesterday. Respect to your Dad for knowing that it was a great father-son movie. I've shared it with my son as well. One of the best MAN films ever.

 

[buck]

Vasily, Alekseyev more for his power then his physique!
Bill Pearl
And later Tom Platz when i started training in a commercial gym..

 

[IronRancher]

Arnold first but Ronnie Coleman is my all time inspiration, even though I am tiny in comparison. I'll never be a mass monster, its his drive, determination and outlook that motivate me.

 

[Prowrestler]

Scott Steiner, David Boston, Mike alstott, and Jose canseco, mark mcgwire.

Steiner was just a badass on the mic

I was a mcgwire fan when he was on the athletics...I remember it was a big deal when they were about to trade him sucked he went to the Cardinals but he did break the record

Bash Brothers!! Steroid Era indeed. Bring it back

Alstott was a beady

 

[metabz]

Started in the mid-1990s.

Dorian when it came to training intensity.

In terms of physiques, I remember wanting to look like Francis Benfatto back in the day.

 

[AllOkJumpmaster]

Bash Brothers!! Steroid Era indeed. Bring it back

Alstott was a beady

lol, David Boston was a fuckin beast. I grew up an OSU fan, he was my favorite player, my first AOL screen name was Boston9 because that was his number lol

 

[Prowrestler]

lol, David Boston was a fuckin beast. I grew up an OSU fan, he was my favorite player, my first AOL screen name was Boston9 because that was his number lol

I’m a buckeye!! Boston got bigger and bigger, especially for a wide receiver

 

[qbkilla]

lol, David Boston was a fuckin beast. I grew up an OSU fan, he was my favorite player, my first AOL screen name was Boston9 because that was his number lol

Guy blew up in nfl...I guess he waited till after college to start juice? I feel like he got big after signing with chargers.

Jamal Lewis, Vernon gholston...some other freaks

 

[D2]

Eric Broser
Dante Trudel
John Meadows

 

[FK86]

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I think he looked better in '92. The conditioning is great. His skin is so tight it looks like it hurts when flexing. I wonder what bodybuilding would look like if he had just kept bringing this physique year after year.

 

[JUICEDUP3]

"A.R.N.O.L.D"

Van Damme
Stalone

Watching these guys as a kid was uplifting for sure!

 

[Yousef12O2]

Influencers as in IG and youtube or whatever ? I only followed Bostin loyd a little before he passed. His mindset changed completely towards the end.

Most of the research about steroids and diets and etc I did was on this website tho. I read most of Dante Trudels and Luki's posts. Very very informative

 

[Brazzilian]

Mike Matarazzo
Mike Quinn
Dorian Yates

 

[alfresco]

Arnold, Franco, Zane, Draper, etc., mostly the Golden Era bodybuilders. Got really really motivated when I saw them all training at the original Golds on Pacific Ave. in Venice Beach. (And yes I am that old ) Those were the days. Such camaraderie they had. They were friendly and helpful and were genuinely having fun despite being highly competitive. When Gold’s moved to Second Ave. in Santa Monica in 76’ some of that remained but it wasn’t quite the same. Personally I feel it all fell apart when they got big and moved back to Venice Beach in 81’. Entirely different vibe.

 

[Dog-Slime]

Arnold, Dolph Lundgren (thought Rocky was cool but wound up more impressed with Dolph) I am tall so liked him still looking fairly muscular and dangerous despite his height. Anybody on the front of a magazine

 

[megroo]

Arnold for sure

Randomly, my first memory is watching Total Recall.
I was probably too young at the time to watch it, maybe 10 or 12 or something.
I remember it vividly as we knew we shouldn’t be watching it

Anyway- the scene where he’s fighting with Sharon stone in the bed and he grabs her. His arm looked awesome
It was that day I knew……

Don’t know why that always sticks with me.