Several years ago Joe Weider was being interviewed by one of the news shows that aired on Sunday nights. I forget which one, but something Joe Weider said stuck with me. Mr. Weider said that Bodybuilding is comprised of three concepts or three things, and he said: Bodybuilding is a Sport, an Art and a Lifestyle. The concept I would like to focus on is the lifestyle aspect of bodybuilding. Long after a bodybuilders competitive career is over, whether amateur or professional, training usually continues or (should continue in my opinion). If you look at the bodybuilders of the Golden Era like, Frank Zane, Dave Draper, Larry Scott, Lou Ferrigno, Ric Drasin and such, you will notice that many of them are still training and also running businesses that are bodybuilding based. The Lifestyle of eating healthy, taking nutritional supplements and the partaking of daily exercise is what many of the muscle magazines and fitness periodicals have been endorsing since the time of Eugene Sandow. This is long before there was even competitive physique contests and contests of strength (Power lifting, Olympic Lifting and Strong man contests). Martin Farmer Burns published his personal training course “Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture” back in the 1920’s and 30’s. He knew the value of exercise and training whether for wrestling or using wrestling as exercise to keep fit. The physical labor that Farmer Burns did contributed to his strength and longevity, which helped him in wrestling. Bob Hoffman, also knew the value of a lifestyle based on strength training and healthy eating. Bob Hoffman wasn’t born one of the strongest, fittest men in the world, but after working to become just that in his twenties, he spent the balance of his life encouraging others to follow. At sixty, he could still lift 250 pounds over his head with one hand, break chains with his 52-inch chest, and, when the impulse struck, strap an anvil to his stomach, lie down on the ground, and let his buddies bang away with a sledgehammer.
Bodybuilding Motivation – It’s a Lifestyle
BOB HOFFMAN
Passionate as he was about lifting as a sport, he was interested in selling more than a sport. Hoffman saw the enormous potential of selling hope, so he turned lifting into the platform from which he could preach a gospel of self-improvement based on a lifestyle and the physical culture of health and fitness. Not surprisingly, his earliest acolytes came from immigrant and ethnic backgrounds. Like football and baseball before it, lifting was a respite from the mills and the mines. Hoffman always emphasized that training was its own benefit–a benefit that produced a healthier and better life overall.
With all this we begin to see that working out is much more than sport. We see fitness as a way to improve many lives. Getting into shape is something we all can do. Everyone can change and improve their current health and body image. To me there is NO other way to live. The Bodybuilding and fitness lifestyle has helped me accomplish the best shape of my life along with many other things. The confidence alone from getting in shape has done wonders for all aspects of my life. With the obesity rate in America continuing to spiral out of control, I really love the fact that the lifestyle I’m leading inspires people to make changes. The fitness lifestyle is not just about working out. It is also about being in overall great health and enjoying life the way it was and is meant to be enjoyed and improving the quality of life as we get older. That means being active EVERYDAY and training almost everyday as well. Typical results you can expect by taking on this lifestyle 100% will include a better SEX drive for those who are married, increased metabolism, which burns fat, physical appearance change, change in your mood, change in personality and much more. Everyone reading this blog post should be partaking in a regimented lifestyle of exercise and nutritious eating and supplementing. Don’t put off what you can do today until tomorrow or until it’s too late.
Your age should not be a factor for building your best body. Many men believe that they are past their prime and are too old to train or focus on their dreams. What I say to those people is “If you believe that crap, then it’s true for you, and you do not deserve any success.” You see, it doesn’t matter how old you are. You should always strive to be a better you then you were last year or the year before last. My nephew works with a bunch of numb nuts that complain like little school girls and espouse stupid crap advice like telling him that once you reach thirty years of age you cannot make changes to your life. You must stay the way you are. That type of advice is typical of the masses, which are asses. An Intense Apex Alpha Male does not think this way nor does he let outside influences from unaccomplished candy asses mold his frame of thinking. The truth is as long as you are alive you can make improvements and achieve your goals. If you have family members who mock you then disassociate yourself from them. If your wife mocks you, then put her in her place; you are an alpha male not some sissy. If she loves you then she will fall in line. If she doesn’t change, then it’s time to reassess your relationship with her and come to a real conclusion, which may mean dumping her butt. You can choose to live your life on your knees like some chump or live your life standing up like a man. The choice is yours; make and make it fast.
Here is Sonny the 70-year-old bodybuilder who does not let stupid crap philosophies like “you are too old to do anything” affect him. He makes the decision daily to be a man and to be different.
Condition Your Mind
You must study and read about those individuals who came before you that have accomplished what you are trying to accomplish. You will notice that they all possess the Think in terms of “I,” not “we” mentality. If you want success, real success, you have to make your own way. No two ways about it. Forget the liberal crap that permeates the current culture in this society and in our stupid public school system, where many people are conditioned to believe that government or someone else will take care of everything for you. If you think that way, STOP IT! If you can’t change then you deserve what you have and do not deserve success or financial freedom. You deserve crap in the tush and nothing more.
One of the purposes of life is to SUCCEED, ACHIEVE, and CONQUER. You build success by conquering your demons and acting in the face of fear. A bodybuilding life style will be a great starting point to begin taking control of your life. The coward and the hero both have the same feelings of fear, the only difference is that the hero acts and moves forward to attack his goals in spite of the fear and the cowardly candy ass runs away like a sissy.
Here is a quote from Bold & Determined, Victor Pride,
“Remember these words: self-confidence, self-reliance, initiative, enterprise, optimism. Forget “we”, forget group-think. Group-think is for the inferior. The superior take the initiative, take responsibility, and take action! “But Victor, there’s no “I” in team! Do you know what that saying is? It’s propaganda for the dumb.
No Excuses, Start training today and make the decision now.
Although this article link does not discuss the Bodybuilding life style, there are many similarities to building your body and building a business. The mindset is exactly the same. Go here and read it.
http://boldanddetermined.com/2014/02/03/read-this-before-you-decide-to-give-up/
Until next time,
God Bless.
Guest Blogger,
Leon Cruz.