There Are No Leaders In the IFBB
By definition, a leader is a person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country. Look at the IFBB today. I mean take a good hard look. Who’s leading the industry? No one. Now, I’m going to touch on just the bodybuilding aspect of my thought process and what I see, but this honestly stretches throughout the entire IFBB from Men’s Bodybuilding, to Bikini, to everything in between. This industry has no leadership. No one is willing to step up and do what’s best for the longevity of the sport. Now, there are a few competitors out there who are trainers and helping their own clients or putting on camps, but other than that, no one is going above and beyond.
Don’t get me wrong, Jim Manion and the IFBB have introduced more divisions which is helpful and allows for more competition, but I’m looking specifically at individuals within the IFBB who compete and what they are doing to bring the sport into the limelight and out of the shadows. There really isn’t anyone. So, do we blame the bodybuilders or the IFBB for not giving them the platform to do so? Or maybe both? Maybe the bodybuilders are just so focused on themselves they don’t want to go out and help teach others about how health, fitness, and nutrition can change their lives? No matter who is to blame for the lack of effort, something needs to change.
I think we all understand that bodybuilding will never be nationally televised. It will never become mainstream. And honestly, that’s a shame. The point I’m trying to make is, we have bodybuilders in the IFBB who live a lifestyle where they put so much focus on their health and physique, yet they do nothing to share that passion with others. They are self-centered individuals who only wake up in the morning to fulfill their own needs and wants. They aren’t interested in helping others live a healthier lifestyle.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, changing your daily nutrition, or adding any supplements to your regimen.
Where’s Our Fearless IFBB Leader(s)?
Let’s take a look at the last few Mr. Olympia winners and see what all they have been doing to help the sport of bodybuilding. I’ll keep it short and to the point—nothing! We’ll go all the way back to 8-time Olympia champ Ronnie Coleman. What did he do during his reign to help the sport? Shot DVDs? Signed autographs? WOW. That’s great. Let’s give him a round of applause. Give me a break, if it didn’t financially benefit Ronnie he wasn’t going to do it. You could say he traveled around the world as an IFBB Profor events and such but he’s getting paid for that, so let’s not get it twisted. Did he do anything to help the mainstream understand the sport of bodybuilding which in my opinion is bastardized in households today? No.
Everyone thinks IFBB bodybuilders are juiced up freaks with little intelligence and who pick things up and put them down. After all, isn’t that basically what Plant Fitness is telling the general public? And what did Ronnie do after he hung up his posing trunks and retired? Started his own supplement company called Ronnie Coleman Signature Series, looking to capitalize on his name. I can’t fault him for it, and the brand looks to be holding its own. Yet, I can’t help but think about all the good he could be doing to get people active and living a healthier lifestyle.
Now let’s look at Jay Cutler. A man who won two Olympia titles before losing to Dexter Jackson, only to come back the following year and win the next two Olympias. In my opinion, Jay could have been the best ambassador the sport has ever seen. But he too was chasing the almighty dollar. Sure, he did a ton for the fans. He was HUGE on direct mailings. Before YouTube and the whole social media explosion, Jay was the man behind a website selling autographed photos and DVDs—and tons of them.
He made smart investments in real estate, created a few companies, and traded in his posing trunks for a CEO title and a lot more responsibility. Jay has his clothing lines, his Cutler Nutrition supplement brand, as well as other investments. One thing I will say is that he’s letting people into his life and business by being a personality on YouTube. YouTube is a great place to engage a new audience and possibly bring in some new demographics to the sport of bodybuilding and health/fitness in general. Jay could do a lot more with his channel and speak more about how to improve health, nutrition tips, fitness tips, how to live a healthier overall lifestyle, etc.
The days of people wanting to watch IFBB bodybuilders work out is gone. No one wants to see bodybuilders doing curls or chest press. That space has gotten stale from overuse. But what can Jay do to help the sport and industry? For starters, he could travel to schools and organizations to talk about health and fitness. Think about what Arnold did with the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Arnold did a lot of good to help make fitness and exercise a part of people’s lives. The top bodybuilders in our industry could be doing the same thing.
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