Why would / won't you compete?

[El Testicle]

You are correct, and I also know how horrible it can be to hear someone talk about not liking themselves too!! I'm still growing into my skin at the ripe old age of 36 and I have only taking my Gym and Diet serious this last 3-4 months after being diagnosed with a raft of "You wouldn't have this if you were not so overweight" diseases lol.

What I should say is, I have dropped twelve kilos and 16cm off my waist in the last three months, I might not be comp ready, but I'm frickin awesome nonetheless.....LOL.

Yeah, it's cool to have your feet on the ground, but at the same time appreciate what you have/are/can-be

Great achievement btw! I know how hard it can be for some people to get into a routine and get those goals...

Keep it up

 

[taurus]

Maybe I would, the competitive side of me is quite strong. After playing sport for so many years, it was the body that gave up before the mind. I pushed hard in last years tough mudder (training for it and on the day) and going for that again. As for competing in bodybuilding, you never know...

 

[Neddysmith]

Maybe I would, the competitive side of me is quite strong. After playing sport for so many years, it was the body that gave up before the mind. I pushed hard in last years tough mudder (training for it and on the day) and going for that again. As for competing in bodybuilding, you never know...

Yeah i am hearing ya....same with me, did my kne once got the full knee reco came back and 18mths later did it again, that was the end of my footy playing dayz....

The mind is willing but the body is weak...

 

[Mickdog]

I did two comps within a couple of weeks of each other about 10yrs ago. I am glad I did them and very proud of the effort I had to put in to get into the required condition, it was by far the most I'd ever pushed my body. However,I have no interest competing again as I found the comp prep extremely isolating with regards to how time consuming the physical training is and how mentally draining and socially isolating the dieting is.

It's mostly around the 6 week out from comp day mark things get pretty messed up and the last week was torture for all. I found everything else around me suffered - work, relationships, family etc, with many of them having to put up with my mood swings and fussy dieting requirements. I am most grateful for the tolerance they showed and support they offered, but while we laugh about it now, it was not a lot of fun at the time for any of us.

Upon reflection, I find the sport of competitive bodybuilding an extremely selfish and obsessive one, and it is loaded with people who have massive body image issues. It is perfect for those that are, but not for me. You will form your own conclusions if you head down that path.

Could you give me a run down on the lead up to the comp in regards to What you did with diet and training?

 

[GUZZLA]

Mate, it's all a bit of a blur these days and I know if I did it again, it'd be very different. I was guided by a mate who'd done quite well in the comp scene so it was a steep learning curve for me with no real understanding of what I was doing at the time. I know I gave myself 12weeks and after the 1st week got smashed by the flu for 2 weeks. Was going to pull the pin but got talked into keep going so I manned up and punished myself. Basically ripped of 20kg in 8weeks with about 2hrs of cardio a day, split into 2 sessions, a shit load of OTC diuretics and water manipulation.

Was weight training about 8 times a week on a split routine and eating a shit load of tuna and bugger all carbs. The hunger pangs were fucking torturous and the mood swings were pretty extreme. Some days I would just go to the movies and watch several in a row to distract me from the temptation of food.

The amount of strength I lost was also depressing. Before I started dieting for the comp, I use to warm up for the bench press with 100kg for 20 reps and work up from there. About 2 weeks before my comp, I was struggling to bench 100kg for more than 5 reps on a working set.

There's a reason people start contest prep 20 weeks out, it's to avoid much of what i went through.

 

[kaz]

Fuark [MENTION=11762]GUZZLA[/MENTION]; that sounds tough. I have never really followed a male prep. Sounds like yours was a rough time!

 

[DREADLIFT]

Im an introvert. Displaying myslef 95% naked on a stage in front of a crowd makes me anxious just thinking about it. That would be the main hurdle for me if I ever got into the shape that would warrant an entry.... [/QUOTES]

Being anxious on stage is the last thing on your mind. Im woeful at public speaking/speeches, stepping onstage almost naked is a walk in the park. Especially when you are in the best shape of your life, and are being judged soley on YOUR body. The weeks of preperation overshadows social anxiety or stage fright.

 

[Shrek]

Got any pics of when you competed [MENTION=10318]DREADLIFT[/MENTION];

 

[kaz]

I cant get past the Anorexia with Muscles. No menstruation, mood swings, constant worry of how you'll turn up on comp day. At then at the end of possibly go home without a placing. No national records to be won.

 

[GUZZLA]

I really don't think you can go into these comps thinking you'll get a placing. Sure, it's nice to be positive but you must be realistic with your expectations of what the judges are looking for. For the most part, there are people competing with perfect genetics, bone structure, height and proportions that lend themselves to doing well at body building. And after all, the judges are looking for a very specific 'package'.

Also, it can take several comps for you and your body to adjust to the extremes of the dieting and training requirements. Getting everything right so you nail it on the day definitely takes practice and even seasoned pros stuff it up from time to time.

The free posing is a huge part of the prep and conditioning you muscles to hold poses well past the point of painful cramping takes some practice. The entire time you are on stage for judging in a group you need to appear 'flexed' the whole time even when the are not out front being judged directly. If you haven't done enough posing practice, you'll be exhausted in no time with severe cramps.

It's not a defeatist attitude, it's a realistic one. The best reason I can think of for having a go, if that's what you your aim is, is to take your body well beyond anything it has ever been exposed to with regards to training extremes and results. That was my reasoning, anyway. Sure, it's nice to beat the person next to you but it should really be about being the best you can be. Anything else is just a bonus.

 

[kaz]

I live 20 mins away from an awesome BB gym, have watched thier posing practice with a girlfriend. Looks like nothing but you can see after it wasnt just prancing around in heels.

 

[jamesyboi]

I like 12 week challenges for fatloss/muscle gain over bb comps.

Would love to compete in a masters natural though in 2 years time.

I competed when I was 17 in a bodybuilding competition, was enjoyable considering the gym owner persuaded me to join and I had 4 weeks to prepare for it. I was an former anorexic and was enjoying a one year bulk too much to diet down for a teenage comp.

 

[Big Mick]

Too old, too fat, too small...ermm...I mean not really my thing

 

[Franco]

Being anxious on stage is the last thing on your mind. Im woeful at public speaking/speeches, stepping onstage almost naked is a walk in the park. Especially when you are in the best shape of your life, and are being judged soley on YOUR body. The weeks of preperation overshadows social anxiety or stage fright.

I can't agree or disagree until I go through it, but I suspect you are probably right. I also have a bad public speaking fear and had to do a best man's speech not too long ago. I still got anxious as hell, but I nailed it because I practiced it for weeks before that. And once you get going everything seems ok, its just the before hand nerves which are bad. So yeah, if you prepare your body and posing routine as well and as long as you can, it would probably be enjoyable.

 

[myst]

I can't agree or disagree until I go through it, but I suspect you are probably right. I also have a bad public speaking fear and had to do a best man's speech not too long ago. I still got anxious as hell, but I nailed it because I practiced it for weeks before that. And once you get going everything seems ok, its just the before hand nerves which are bad. So yeah, if you prepare your body and posing routine as well and as long as you can, it would probably be enjoyable.

I did a bodybuilding show partly to get over my fear of public speaking. Didn't help one bit in that respect but was still an awesome experience!

Public speaking as you say just needs to be practiced, unfortunately that fight or flight left mechanism left over from when we had to kill our own food hinders us in todays world!

 

[RyanF]

It's unlikely that I'd ever compete in bodybuilding. I really can't find anything appealing about it to me. I have some modesty issues with regards to the attire (or lack thereof) -- same reason I pulled out of the body transformation at the start of this year and removed my pics from last year -- and contest prep is something that will consume all areas of life, which is a much bigger sacrifice than I'd even consider giving for the opportunity to take on an appearance that I honestly find repulsive all for the sake of being considered a winner or loser based on looks. That's not to judge people for training for physique purposes. I like to look good (although my definition of looking good is pretty far removed from what gives people success in bodybuilding), but it's still fairly low on my list of priorities. There are more important things in life, and to succeed in bodybuilding is to take those other things and make them less important, which is acting in defiance of my own values.

 

[jzpowahz]

I considered it for the experience but in the end decided that I was happy to be relatively leanish, look half decent and continue to strive for strength/performance goals.

I have a lot of respect for those that get into contest shape but the actual event (that I have gone to) just seemed a bit odd I guess.

 

[Headley]

TBH doing at least a few shows is one of my goals now. I think to even be able to go on the stage would be the biggest win i could think of.

 

[chocchillimango]

I considered it for the experience but in the end decided that I was happy to be relatively leanish, look half decent and continue to strive for strength/performance goals.

I have a lot of respect for those that get into contest shape but the actual event (that I have gone to) just seemed a bit odd I guess.

that's pretty much the way I see it.

Respect to those who do it, but for me, just getting into the shape I want for my own personal sake is enough and chasing the strength/performance goals.