To all the guys living in California...

[chris250]

Hey this is for all the guys living in California....

Just wanted to know what rent is like in various cities...???

What jobs are out there...is there room for more personal trainers...???

Do you really believes it can help your (or mine) bodybuilding career...???

And Im talking about all the cities out west, not just LA...

chris

 

[joshbarnett]

i lived in mission viejo in orange county. we paid 1200 for a two bedroom apt. it was nice but pricy. there is always a need for trainers out there. i plan on moving back out there eventually. you can make great money compared to here in the midwest.

 

[muggs]

Lived in College Park area in San Diego, small 1 bedroom apt, paid $550 a month, the main benefit is that Tijuana is 20 minutes away. And of course the scenery cant be beat, beautiful women everywhere

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Truth

The only thing that will help your bodybuilding career is getting bigger and leaner.There is no career in bodybuilding, it is just a hobby. No one outside of maybe 10 people at 1 time can live off of bodybuilding. It just wont happen, so dont plan on it. Dorian won the Olympia how many times? How soon people forget, and that was just 8 years ago. This is for everyone out there. Dont quit your day job please. No, you wont get your pro card, it just wont happen. If you, by a small miracle do get it, then what? Now how are you going to make money? Do you think some business will hand you money to promote them? Maybe, but will it be enough, and why do they think that you will boost Sales for them? Live a normal life, lift, take whatever you need to , to reach where you need to be, and just be happy with yourself, wherever it may be.

 

[Steak Helmet]

I have heard a few people say that they are quitting there jobs and going to focus on body building...No way! Unless you have a sugar MOMA. The cost is too high for the return. That is why we always see guest posers (but then you need to be popuar to begin with). Anyways...keep your goals for sure, but don't count on this to make you tons of cash

 

[chris250]

I should have ask is there any career jobs out west...I got laid off from GE (Burlington Swithgear) at the first of the year, it was a career job to me...and supported me and my wife (bills,rent, BB,ect) but Burlington, Iowa is a dying town...So that's why we are thinking about moving out west...

And yes, Phil I understand everything you said, bodybuilding to me is a hobby...but I would still like to make my goals that I have made for myself in this sport...So that is why im thinking of moving out west (or wherever the money is) to make a living...

Just to let everyone know, Im not quitting my job to just focus on BB...The truth is right now im still looking for a real job (unless you count bouncing as a job) all the jobs around my area are about 15-25,000 year jobs...Where before I was making twice that much, that's why im looking elsewhere on jobs...

chris

 

[Ivan]

Re: Truth

Live a normal life, lift, take whatever you need to , to reach where you need to be, and just be happy with yourself, wherever it may be.

Now that is some REALLY good advice Phil.........Hmmm.....You know I am a pretty spiritual person (at times) and maybe you know, maybe not, but that is really true. Be happy. Put out positive vibes, and you will be rewarded with more happiness.

We are like cells in another life-force, we have a job, That is why we are all one, the universe is a body, to think the universe is all there is --- is really quite ridiculous. We are put here to grow (spiritually) and the next level, we will be a higher more advanced soul, with another job somewhere else. Experience, everything, good, bad, --------- emotions are how we feed the body (GOD), with LOVE being the best food. It is all a cycle, like cells in our body...they are alive and they have a job to do. As we age, (GOD) ages too, but hardly at all. Think, our cells life span is not that long. But to them it is a lifetime. So our lifetime is really nothing for the next level. and so on and so on. That is why war is so bad. It is like we are defective cancerous cells. We are ONE.
In a complex and beautiful system. The main human "flaw" is individualism.... BUT it is also the sole reason that we understand things like emotions ---- if we all loved, how would we know? We need a balance. We need something to compare it too. All our experiences are for growth, so we understand more and more about the job we have in the cycle, and as we progress in the ages of human existance, God ages. Now do you see how small we really are? We are part of a huge lifeforce. Love. Love. Love.

It is hard to remember this though. The illusion is survival. We must survive to thrive. We need the physical body (human body, us) to experience love, pain, so we LEARN. The more we learn, the more we move up. We are sorta like babies. There will be a "time" when we have matured to something so fantastic and AWESOME. So we right now are in a period of growth. That is why we choose the physical body --- like going to school in a sense.

 

[mike man]

chris250

Can't you get a plant transfer? As long as you weren't fired, they should help you find another job at another plant.
There are tons of them around the states. See which ones are hiring and they say you will get preference over those off the street.
I wish this could have been about 6 months ago, I might have really been able to help you out. The only bad thing is the weather up here in the NE sucks most of the year!

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Chris

Take it from me and a lot of other pros. Get as far from Venice as you can, especially since you are married. It will take you in and spit you out.Well, maybe I should have asked you your goals. What are your goals for yourself in this sport?

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Best place in future

I believe the best place in the future for financial growth and living conditions are the Nashville, Knoxville area of Tennessee.

 

[Steak Helmet]

Phil,

Why those areas?

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Steak

There are no income taxes there, open beautiful land, clean air, beautiful lakes. You really should go and check it out.

 

[MadMatt]

Re: Best place in future

I believe the best place in the future for financial growth and living conditions are the Nashville, Knoxville area of Tennessee.

Why there Phil? I would never guess Tennessee!

Its said that I live in one of the best places in the US - Minneapolis Minnesota. Im not so sure, but maybe. There are alot of women. In fact the women outnumber the men 5 to 3. It used to be a pain to hook up with a hot chick. Now they approach me.

I used to live in Upstate NY. I made around 25k only a year and paid 400 a month rent for a 1 bedroom apt. Here in MN I made 45k and pay 610 w/util and have alot of places to go.

I would like to move to cali. Shit, I look like Johnny bravo. I shouldve been born there

 

[Steak Helmet]

I do love water, but I like the mountains too...

I know OREGON has no tax either.

Well, when I get some cash saved up I just might take a trip out there to check it out

 

[LATS]

hey chris, hows life?? i have to agree with phil. i go to cali every year or two and stay in the santa monica area. venice is a death trap...if you are married expect trouble...alot of greasey people. it is basically a cult like atmosphere. dorian was great in a hole in the wall in the uk. you can be a pro anywhere. when i go to venice i am amazed at the amount of mid west "boys" and "girls" out there to make their dreams come true...the next year they are not there anymore. they go back home tired and broke. it is great to visit but, once my two weeks is up, i am dying to get back to the mid west. you are a intelligent, down to earth guy..youll make it wherever you live..venice is not needed or recommended. btw, we live real close to ya..drop me a pm if ya want to catch a workout sometime...

 

[AJay]

Venice, ohhhh yeahh what a hell hole....

I live myself in Venice, about 6 minutes from Gold´s Gym.
That´s the worst anyways. The Mekka of Bodybuilding - how about the Mekka of Show Offs and Shit heads. Fucking trash people everywhere.
It takes something to live here, on top I am European and discusted by this shallowness and nonsense. Staying focused can be quite hard here but I don´t get into all of that crap.....well I keep a low profile and just go after my workout routine when I enter Gold´s anyways.

What´s good about L.A ???? fucking don´t know - the traffice, the flood of people wherever you go, the constant rat-race rush you seem to encounter everywhere?? - well, I got a nice job, maybe that´s a point.

I am not married yet and no Kids, but having a family in this Shit hole, NO Chance. Unless you want your kid to be the head of a Gang, if they aren´t killed by it before.

my 02.cents

AJay

 

[BigRealBig]

I live in L.A. and would add a few things. Of course Phil is right about not planning on bodybuilding as a job .. as Lats said, I've also seen literally hundreds of guys from the Midwest and elsewhere come out here and not be able to make a living, and then return to their hometowns. But there are some reasons why you might want to consider L.A. (can't speak to other West Coast cities).

If you have any interest in promoting yourself in magazines, etc., I think that you have a somewhat better chance if you live where many of the working bodybuilding photographers live, and where Weider is headquartered. If you want to try to leverage your physique into commercials and an occasional TV or film role, L.A. is about the only place you can do that with any degree of regularity. (I have a friend who makes a good living this way. It helps if you are not just big but also not ugly.)

Biggest downside is that there is a lot of competition out here. Gunter walks into every commercial tryout, for example. As for personal training, a good proportion of people with money are into keeping in shape out here .. but there are lots of bodybuilders trying to make a living through personal training. I would suggest avoiding Venice and looking for opportunities in the Valley or some of the South Bay cities. (That's true for housing as well. Don't count on buying property anytime soon out here.)

There are bouncing jobs out here .. but again, the competition is tough. For example, Quincy used to bounce (maybe still does) at one of the formerly trendier clubs. Again, it helps if you are not just a big body and not ugly .. L.A. clubs are all about the image.

The guys I know who take well to L.A. are those who are grounded, in stable relationships (I assume your marriage will count .. LOL), who IMMEDIATELY get another source of income out here, who have one foot in the Venice scene but don't live and breathe it, and who compete for the joy of it and not out of the illusion that turning pro will make them rich and famous.

As for L.A. generally, yes, it is very image oriented. But you are a bodybuilder, right? So what's the problem?

Seriously, L.A. is like anywhere .. there are good decent people if you make it a priority to find them.

 

[MAINEVENT]

Nashville

Phil: Its funny you mentioned Nashville. I was down there about 2 months ago (the Cold Springs area). What an up and coming place. You can buy a nice house for pretty cheap as well. I visited a new World Gym there, where alot of the titans train in the offseason. It was freaking awesome.

Its an old movie theatre gutted and fitted with top of the line equipment. They kept one theatre where they constantly play movies (Gladiator when I was there) and most of the cardio equipment is in there. I know of a couple trainers there, easily making 4-5 k per month and this is still a fairly new gym.

Nice place, great people!

 

[crackerjack414]

Cali is a place to make alot of money but it costs alot. i wouldnt depend on bodybuilding to generate income. develop a good skill or a career. u may have to get in a little debt but honestly a good career will take u farther then any thing else
thats just my 2 cents

 

[Johnny Bravo]

CALI costs $$$

I work in the Engineering field, and let me tell you. It costs money to live in Cali. I go every year for work, and the people in the area..whew! I dont know how they make it. I was lookin at the local real estate as I was doing my laundry on day and saw a double wide trailer for ...get this...285K!!!!!if you want a decient SFhome..your looking at 500-600k..plus the taxes..not to mention the loony liberal mentality. I hear Atlanta GA, Tenn. are booming. I would go there, and why not try FL..no taxes, cheap to live there (compared to most places). If you can swing it..I would try the "southland" people are better too.