What Will It Take to Fix the Bodybuilding Industry?
It’s going to appear that I’m on top of my soapbox, and I am. You have the choice to continue reading or simply bypass this article all together. Either way, I’m fine with that. I’m about to be real with everyone. Many of you know me as the writer who is factual yet funny — this article will be factual, but there will be no humor present. Why? Because I’m angry. I’m fed up. I’m disgusted. Some may say I’m shitting on the bodybuilding industry, but shitting on the bodybuilding industry right now would probably make it cleaner. We are in trouble. And something needs to change, and change today.
A dark alley in the bodybuilding industry
The bodybuilding industry is turning into a dark alley, my friends. What used to be fun and enjoyable is turning into suspicion at every turn. We are walking down a dark alley where temptation and abuse lurk behind every shadow. While not the norm, it’s still there. I’m not even talking about steroids. To each his or her own. I’m not here to judge this industry for steroids. After all, it’s because of them that we have mass freaks walking among us and evolving the sport — putting butts in seats.
However, the sport itself has been drifting out to sea lately and before long, it will go down over the horizon with the sun. Being a bodybuilder isn’t easy. The long hours in the gym. The enormous amounts of food needing to be consumed. The focus and determination to keep your head on straight. Yet, not everyone is comfortable in their own skin. Many bodybuilders these days are in constant pain and discomfort. So, they start down the path of painkillers. Or worse, they dip into narcotics to separate themselves from reality for just a little bit. It’s a slippery slope. And as we all know all too well, the outcome isn’t always favorable.
Where do we go from here? We let this industry change while we sat back praising the mass monsters who stand before us. Not truly understanding what’s going on in the back of their mind or in their life. All we see is the posing. The smiles and striations. The deeply cut abs and sucked in faces. We admire those physiques. Yet, behind the smile is a dark and empty place for some competitors. Bodybuilding is the only thing they know and care about. It’s how they put food on their table for their famly.
What started out as a health-driven sport, has turned into a win at all costs mentality. It’s taking its toll on competitors. Sure, comparing the likes of the Golden Era to the new generation of bodybuilders is like comparing apples and oranges—there’s a clear differentiation. If you ask most professional bodybuilders today, they’d die doing what they love—it’s an obsession. But where that rabbit hole leads to can be a very dark place.
The sun will rise tomorrow. Right?
After darkness falls, soon the sun will once again brighten the skies and bring everything back to life. Unfortunately, not everything. With so much uncertainty in the industry, I’m not sure the sun will continue to shine upon us in years to come. While the dedication from competitors is apparent, their livelihood and longevity begins to come into question. Is this really good for their body? Even being 300 pounds with a low body fat takes its toll on the body.
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