The Death of Bodybuilding

[BILLY GUNS]

I was bored before the gym tonight so I am jumping on for a few....

I don't follow bodybuilding anymore because I'd say around 2011 or so it DIED from what it was. The NPC and IFBB have really succeeded in killing off TRUE BODYBUILDING this time like they tried in the 80's and 90's downsizing the MASS MONSTERS.

Bodybuilding as I grew up to know it was all about the muscle and being this larger than life cartoon like character. Today it has turned into a beauty pageant for both men if you call them that and women. Muscle is no longer the ultimate goal now its all about who is the prettiest and cleanest not the FREAKIEST.

Bodybuilding use to be a place where one could go by themselves and release a lot of stress and tension on the iron. Today you can't train in a gym without getting in the way of a selfie or someone trying to hit an ab/thigh shot on with a full hoodie on and leggings. You once could go in and say hello to a few fellow trainers or bodybuilders and say hello and get right to it. Today there are people with a full movie studio in their gym bag, makeup and $1000 clothes to sweat in.

Back in the day we had an 8, 12, and at the long point a 16 week prep now due to coaches draining athletes more and more they stretch these preps to 16, 20, 24, 30 weeks and so on to keep the money coming in to tell you how and when to eat eggs chicken and rice.

The drugs back then were simple we had a few classic cycles and they worked well but today everyone thinks its a new magic potion everyday with SARMS, peptides, roll on diet creams etc.

The diets back then were much easier to follow and yielded far greater bodybuilders than today. Today everyone thinks they need gluten free or organic blah blah blah to be the best.

The infamous PRO CARD was like a lottery ticket until 2011 now every soccer mom or dad bod in board shorts is nationally qualified. Its not a honored or respected accomplishment anymore its just like going up to your boys and saying "bro I popped my cherry last night"

Sadly in 5 to 10 years tops Male Bodybuilders will also be replaced by dry cleaned board short wearing dad bods with johnny bravo hair do's with severe gyno.

I wish I could say there was a way to save what we all love that have been around the industry since 70' 80' and 90's but there really isn't much hope for us like the Dinosaurs all things eventually die off

Now off to the gym.....

[Maniacal]

Bodybuilding died the day you got up on stage looking like a wrinkled ball sac, but with less muscle.

[BananaHammock]

Bodybuilding died the day you got up on stage looking like a wrinkled ball sac, but with less muscle.

Thanks for the cliffs on the lengthy post

[Maniacal]

Thanks for the cliffs on the lengthy post

I aim for efficiency.

[Mobster]

It's a sign of Billy's age. In a few years, when I'm his age, I'll probably agree ha ha

[AnavarAnnie]

Bodybuilding died the day you got up on stage looking like a wrinkled ball sac, but with less muscle.

This is actually funny.

You have a valid point though. Billy...you got up on stage looking like shit. No excuse for that. Now every woman in bikini does that at the amateur level. Mom bods. It's embarrassing.

The stage is not competitive....it's just to show off and have validation from family and friends.

[BananaHammock]

This is actually funny.

You have a valid point though. Billy...you got up on stage looking like shit. No excuse for that. Now every woman in bikini does that at the amateur level. Mom bods. It's embarrassing.

The stage is not competitive....it's just to show off and have validation from family and friends.

It's a journey

[hifrommike65]

Everybody deserves a rant, & bodybuilding has certainly evolved. But the changes were necessary to keep it financially sound. The bottom fell out of women's bodybuilding (they couldn't even give tickets away to the Ms. Olympia), fewer teens were entering competitions b/c it was easier to play video games, & the TV market died (ESPN pressured the NPC to go all natural & it refused, so that ended cable-TV bodybuilding). Something had to be done besides adding fitness & figure competition. The one thing NPC members want more than anything is a pro card. So they killed women's bodybuilding & replaced it w/ bikini & women's physique. For the men they killed nothing, but forced bodybuilders to share the stage & contest time w/ physique & classic physique, & aggressively increased pro qualifications. Contests boomed in both entrants & numbing length, promoters lined their bank accounts, & a lot of competitors got $10 trophies (some probably cost less) that most will never use for a pro career. But the NPC is sitting pretty, even if it still can't issue the NPC News on time.

[victorian guy]

I was bored before the gym tonight so I am jumping on for a few....

The infamous PRO CARD was like a lottery ticket until 2011 now every soccer mom or dad bod in board shorts is nationally qualified. "

Now off to the gym.....

hahaha

[PA Kodiak]

Everybody deserves a rant, & bodybuilding has certainly evolved. But the changes were necessary to keep it financially sound. The bottom fell out of women's bodybuilding (they couldn't even give tickets away to the Ms. Olympia), fewer teens were entering competitions b/c it was easier to play video games, & the TV market died (ESPN pressured the NPC to go all natural & it refused, so that ended cable-TV bodybuilding). Something had to be done besides adding fitness & figure competition. The one thing NPC members want more than anything is a pro card. So they killed women's bodybuilding & replaced it w/ bikini & women's physique. For the men they killed nothing, but forced bodybuilders to share the stage & contest time w/ physique & classic physique, & aggressively increased pro qualifications. Contests boomed in both entrants & numbing length, promoters lined their bank accounts, & a lot of competitors got $10 trophies (some probably cost less) that most will never use for a pro career. But the NPC is sitting pretty, even if it still can't issue the NPC News on time.

On point and much respect. The only statement I disagree with is that the sport has "evolved." I feel rather the sport has devolved into nothing more than a money making machine.

I've viewed this thread a few times and chose to say nothing, but I can't bite my tongue anymore. Fuck being politically correct.

I am and always will be a fan of bodybuilding (both men's and women's). I can't say I'm happy about the current state of the sport, or culture for that matter. I have a hard time believing anyone else can either if they've been a true fan prior to all the new divisions being created. I'm not claiming to be an OG, but I know how things were prior to the bikini & men's physique shit show being introduced.

With the introduction of these new divisions (primarily the two I mentioned), now anyone can get on stage and say they "compete." I use that term loosely because as hifrommike stated, most entrants are just looking for validation, praise, and attention from family and friends. There's no actual desire or effort being put forth to actually be competitive or be a contender for 1st place in a weight class or an overall win.

Just take a look at instagram...plenty of attention hungry profiles there. Posting a practically nude picture of yourself sticking your ass out and captioning it #inspire does not make you inspirational to other women. It makes you a slut. You significant other must be so proud.

At any given amateur show, 99% of your bodybuilders are crossing over into classic physique...what the fuck is that about? Sounds like trophy hunting to me.

When you hand out 100 or more trophies at a show, they practically become nothing more than participation awards. It's a reflection of our current culture where pussy ass liberal mindsets have taken over and everyone's a winner.

When anyone can do it, the prestige is taken away. This is my opinion and I don't care if it offends anyone or not. I know many others share it, we usually just keep it to ourselves in order to not sound like a dick.

[Young Gotti]

all I know is I'm happy we are getting past mens wearing tights and string tank tops.....you can say what you want about board shorts but they are not nearly as sissy looking at a man in tights and those awful tank tops working out....that stuff is cringe worthy

as far as diet and drugs....it's called science and will continue to evolve.....it's actually a good thing that we are becoming smarter and getting away from the nonsense beliefs of the past for hard evidence

if you don't like the divisions strictly for the stage I understand....but bodybuilding as a whole hasn't really changed....dudes used to pose in mirrors all the time, now ppl just have phones and social media, but it's always been an ugly site to see either one while you are at the gym

[hifrommike65]

I suspect Kodiak speaks for a lot of bodybuilders unhappy with the changes the NPC has made in the last 15 years. Pros & cons exist for these changes. But if the NPC had done nothing, a lot of promoters wouldn't have enough competitors to hold a contest. For a long time, the NPC tried to go mainstream, & the IFBB tried to get in the Olympics. It didn't work. & with new laws that criminalized AAS, avenues that might have opened up shut down. The NPC also wanted to control all aspects of bodybuilding promotion & wouldn't let anyone else have a say in it. Anyone who attends a bodybuilding show can figure out that the NPC isn't concerned about trying to get as many people there as possible. Most shows are dull. Jan Tana ran interesting shows, but she's history as a promoter. Other promoters just put competitors onstage & run round after round after round from 9 a.m. till midnight, with a few breaks. If there's anything else, it's one guest poser in off-season shape. The NPC gets its money from the NPC card & contest registration fee. How to max that out? Make it more possible to earn a pro card. It's not rocket science.

In 1971, Don McLean sang a famous song with the lyric, "The day the music died." But music is still playing on the radio.

[MonaLisaMuscle]

I suspect Kodiak speaks for a lot of bodybuilders unhappy with the changes the NPC has made in the last 15 years. Pros & cons exist for these changes. But if the NPC had done nothing, a lot of promoters wouldn't have enough competitors to hold a contest. For a long time, the NPC tried to go mainstream, & the IFBB tried to get in the Olympics. It didn't work. & with new laws that criminalized AAS, avenues that might have opened up shut down. The NPC also wanted to control all aspects of bodybuilding promotion & wouldn't let anyone else have a say in it. Anyone who attends a bodybuilding show can figure out that the NPC isn't concerned about trying to get as many people there as possible. Most shows are dull. Jan Tana ran interesting shows, but she's history as a promoter. Other promoters just put competitors onstage & run round after round after round from 9 a.m. till midnight, with a few breaks. If there's anything else, it's one guest poser in off-season shape. The NPC gets its money from the NPC card & contest registration fee. How to max that out? Make it more possible to earn a pro card. It's not rocket science.

In 1971, Don McLean sang a famous song with the lyric, "The day the music died." But music is still playing on the radio.

HONESTLY BILLY sounds like SOUR GRAPES from a loser that NEVER made it... everything has its TIME...everythings evolving..NEWS FLASH the sport will continue without your CRAPPY opinion. Oh well on to BIGGER and BETTER things.. you should start watching cross-fit..or maybe RuPauls disgRACE is more your speed.. Billy NOgunns..LOL

[MonaLisaMuscle]

Maybe...if you focused in the gym you might HAVE MADE something of yourself...off to the gym...lol. DORK..

[BILLY GUNS]

Maybe...if you focused in the gym you might HAVE MADE something of yourself...off to the gym...lol. DORK..

Staphhh just quit while you are down you are now trying to hop on the ribbing bandwagon and the others here paid there dues unlike you....

I'd put my own money up I'd best out any one of you nation of delusionals if I even focused on dieting again.....unlike you and your nation I come here when bored to pass time not try to win views

unlike you and J and your military drop out nation I have a sound solid career to support my family and laugh at the bodybuilders who chase a pro card over a early retirement in life not just bodybuilding....

So get off the bandwagon you never earned your stripes in....after all your own NATION thread was turned into a joke for all to laugh at you yet you still think you are something special