I train 6 days a week and work anywhere from 800-1300 hours of overtime a year. I’m married with kids as well. I think most people could find the time.
I’ve also turned a hobby into a profession once and grew to hate it. Now I no longer do it at all and pay somebody else to do it for me as much as I can.
I’ve also turned a hobby sour by starting to compete, for me that adds a whoooiole nother layer of time, dedication, and anger lol
Literal eat and rest for 20 plus hours a day.
At the competitor’s level, it’s not the time that becomes the problem. It’s the part where you can’t participate in normal functions of society.
@brickhead laid it out above. You can’t waiver at all if you want to get stage ready. I’ve never done it, but I’ve seen how hard it is for me to get to and maintain 12% body fat (and I’m beginning to think this isn’t worth it).
I’ve gone to lunch with friends and not eaten. It’s weird for everyone. I cringe if too many events get crammed together - birthday Thursday night, big BBQ Saturday, leftovers Sunday. I’ll go and usually lose all control and overdo it. To “recover”, I punish myself for the next few days until the scale gets back to my pre-binge weight.
I can’t imagine getting ready for the stage. I definitely wouldn’t do it unless I was sponsored so all I had to do was train, eat, and rest. I can’t imagine doing it with a full time job - especially because I don’t see the point. Even if you win, what do you get in terms of tangible things? Do you get a check to pay for your food prep - nope. A cash prize - nope. A sponsorship for free supplements - maybe. But is that really worth it?
To some people it’s all worth it. The experience is the reward and all that sentimental stuff. There are a lot of bucket list items people can do half assed. Run a marathon, half marathon, 5K, triathlon, etc. You can take four hours to run/walk your marathon and no one cares. But if you show up for a bodybuilding show unprepared then people kind of notice…and get pissed for wasting their time.
You are right. I guess my comment was more for the general population that wants to be fit vs the guys at the top of the totem pole.
I did it. Towards the end there was room for nothing else.
Everyone has to at some point, right? Even if it becomes your career, you have to earn it and pay the bills in the meantime.
Yup!
I have no idea how some do it with kids and a job. I have two kids now and I can’t even imagine doing that again.
I find myself staring at myself in the mirror whilst brushing my teeth imagining what I’d do if I won the lottery.
Although i’m nowhere near strong enough currently, I’d love to train like a professional strongman.
I really enjoy training at the moment, as it’s the only break I get from work/the stress of being a parent & being the breadwinner.
Hell to the no.
This is directly contradictory of this
Eat, train, sleep, do occasional guest appearances. That’s their lifestyle. And it sounds absolutely miserable.
This was an interesting video but I’m curious what psycho at Bodybuilding.com decided to mic up the inside of his mouth so the disgusting sound of chewing was blasted straight into the viewer’s ears.
I remember reading a comment in which it was said that the commenter felt sad after watching the video, with no reason given. 
One day I was doing lat raises when some guy came up next to me and starts doing lat raises as well. At first, I’m thinking who’s this douche but when I looked over, the guy was so big I thought he was a mutant, I literally said Holy Fuck to myself. Well, it was Evan Centopani. Just a few weeks after the Olympia where he was top 10.
The muscularity in his back was undescribed. At least I was taller but I do wish I hadn’t tripped over my penis as I left.
Having been to many Night of Champions, NY Pro’s (formerly the NOC), and last year’s Olympia, and training at Bev’s, The Mecca, here and there, and having a close friend who’s a pro a Mr. O competitor, I can relate. Pros are very scary looking.
If you were given the chance to become as big as evan centopani without using steroids but also without the chance to get back to normal human size ever again, would you take it?
So like, after you die, you never decompose?
That’s pretty metal. I’ll take it.
Nope, considering that size would make me dysfunctional for some activities and most clothing fits like crap for people of that size. I was never a behemoth but at my biggest, clothes shopping was a drag and many items fit terribly.