Michael Lockett Update?

Training Bodybuilding
21

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
Sadly, I feel this phenomenon is typical of the internet generation. I find myself saying this with more and more frequency, but there is no accountability for anything in our current day society.

S
[/quote]

Amen to that. The Internet is an amazing feat of technology and it has created a whole new way of communicating.

But - with that communication comes anonymity, and I fear we are raising a generation of ungrateful, obnoxious little fucksticks with ZERO understanding of what it means to be accountable for their words and actions.

Kids today have some kind of fucked up sense of entitlement - as if it’s their god given right to ram their idiotic opinion down everyones throat, while at the same time having no accountability of their own. Hence the astonishing levels of downright nasty criticism, coupled with their own lack of accomplishment, because they have “nothing to prove”…

22

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Also, people calling others little boys for not wanting to put up with mass bullshit when they themselves are afraid to even post a picture on this site of their own physical progress (even with the face blocked out) is about as hypocritical as you can get.[/quote]

Are you referring to this thread? Because I don’t see that going on in this thread at all.

23

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Also, people calling others little boys for not wanting to put up with mass bullshit when they themselves are afraid to even post a picture on this site of their own physical progress (even with the face blocked out) is about as hypocritical as you can get.[/quote]

I’m the only one who used the term “little boys” to make a point. I didn’t actually call anyone that.
Further, nobody takes up bodybuilding and says “I’m going to be a pro and make my living as a bodybuilder”. That being the case, what drives a man with favorable genetics to strive for excellence? It’s certainly not the money. The reasons are varied. To blame some irrational internet criticisms for a bodybuilder’s failures is unfounded. Do you really think a guy like Lockett spends hours on BB forums only to be shot down by the bullshit he reads? Let’s take that further: do you think the panel of judges of the Mr Natural Dude contest had spent the previous night on the internet looking up opinions that they can base their eventual decisions on?

The reasons a competitor will duck out of sight can be many, but I’m quite certain it’s not due to irrational criticism from the peanut gallery.

24

[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:

Further, nobody takes up bodybuilding and says “I’m going to be a pro and make my living as a bodybuilder”. [/quote]

You sure about that?

I would imagine quite a few of those guys think just like that, especially guys like Heath who have been on a bullet shot straight to the Olympia.

I mean, some of them may do “personal training” on the side to make ends meet, but to think none of them set out to be pros and make their living that way is pretty damn disconnected from the way a lot of these guys think.

[quote]
That being the case, what drives a man with favorable genetics to strive for excellence? It’s certainly not the money. The reasons are varied.[/quote]

What does striving for excellence have to do with competing? Vic Richards was striving for physical excellence all of his life yet he rarely even tried to compete. Since when do the two go hand in hand?

They don’t.

None of us know the reasons for sure unless we know these guys personally, but guys like Max Charles don’t jump on the scene the way he did and then disappear for no reason when it is pretty damn clear that there was a shit load of overreaction to statements he had made during a MD interview and his sudden absence occurred right after it. Then again, I do hang around a lot of these guys who have these goals…but clearly you know better.

25

[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
Further, nobody takes up bodybuilding and says “I’m going to be a pro and make my living as a bodybuilder”…
[/quote]

you should have just left that part out because that’s going to make people discredit the rest of your post due to the fact that this statement above is ignorant, naive and you have no way of possibly knowing that… but other than that I pretty much agree with the rest of your post.

.greg.

EDIT:[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
That being the case, what drives a man with favorable genetics to strive for excellence? It’s certainly not the money. The reasons are varied.
[/quote]

It’s certainly not the money? But then you say the reasons are varied… Couldn’t one of those varied reasons be the money? I would guarantee there is at least one person in the whole bodybuilding industry who’s doing it for money.

.greg.

26

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:

Further, nobody takes up bodybuilding and says “I’m going to be a pro and make my living as a bodybuilder”. [/quote]

[quote]You sure about that?

I would imagine quite a few of those guys think just like that, especially guys like Heath who have been on a bullet shot straight to the Olympia.

I mean, some of them may do “personal training” on the side to make ends meet, but to think none of them set out to be pros and make their living that way is pretty damn disconnected from the way a lot of these guys think.[/quote]

And I can’t imagine someone like Vic Richards just giving up what he loves over some internet squabbling.

[quote]None of us know the reasons for sure unless we know these guys personally, but guys like Max Charles don’t jump on the scene the way he did and then disappear for no reason when it is pretty damn clear that there was a shit load of overreaction to statements he had made during a MD interview and his sudden absence occurred right after it. Then again, I do hang around a lot of these guys who have these goals…but clearly you know better.
[/quote]

I haven’t claimed to know better. But you kind of made my original point.
What made Max Charles drop out? Was he jumped by his detractors in an alley and left for dead? Or did he step out of the light on his own after a shit-storm of over-reactive criticism? Now you tell me which scenario shows the most insecurity as a result of the opinions of others. Further, how does this make any difference on the contest stage? If you’re ready, you’re ready, no matter what the peanut gallery throws at you.

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[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:

And I can’t imagine someone like Vic Richards just giving up what he loves over some internet squabbling.

[/quote]

Really? Vic stopped competing because of the specific complaint that there was too much political bias in bodybuilding judging. There was no internet when he first started bodybuilding…so yes, I would guess internet bullshit would also factor into his decision if judge bias caused him to avoid competing in and of itself.

No bodybuilders before the late 90’s ever had to deal with this significant level of criticism that is so readily available…and yes, some of them do read the forums as many of them actually post on some of them (just not this one). Lee Priest is well known for being relatively close to fans by internet.

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[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:

And I can’t imagine someone like Vic Richards just giving up what he loves over some internet squabbling.

[/quote]

Really? Vic stopped competing because of the specific complaint that there was too much political bias in bodybuilding judging. There was no internet when he first started bodybuilding…so yes, I would guess internet bullshit would also factor into his decision if judge bias caused him to avoid competing in and of itself.

No bodybuilders before the late 90’s ever had to deal with this significant level of criticism that is so readily available…and yes, some of them do read the forums as many of them actually post on some of them (just not this one). Lee Priest is well known for being relatively close to fans by internet.[/quote]

Political bias in bodybuilding judging is just another way of saying “corruption”. When the whole organization is sour from the top down, I wouldn’t blame a guy for dropping out (I still think Wheeler should have won at least one Olympia). But the internet squabbles we’ve been speaking of come from the bottom feeders. How a physically gifted individual somehow buckles due to these comments is beyond me. That’s where my comment about fragile egos came into play (assuming all judging panels aren’t basing their biases off these comments).

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[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:

And I can’t imagine someone like Vic Richards just giving up what he loves over some internet squabbling.

[/quote]

Really? Vic stopped competing because of the specific complaint that there was too much political bias in bodybuilding judging. There was no internet when he first started bodybuilding…so yes, I would guess internet bullshit would also factor into his decision if judge bias caused him to avoid competing in and of itself.

No bodybuilders before the late 90’s ever had to deal with this significant level of criticism that is so readily available…and yes, some of them do read the forums as many of them actually post on some of them (just not this one). Lee Priest is well known for being relatively close to fans by internet.[/quote]

Political bias in bodybuilding judging is just another way of saying “corruption”. When the whole organization is sour from the top down, I wouldn’t blame a guy for dropping out (I still think Wheeler should have won at least one Olympia). But the internet squabbles we’ve been speaking of come from the bottom feeders. How a physically gifted individual somehow buckles due to these comments is beyond me. That’s where my comment about fragile egos came into play (assuming all judging panels aren’t basing their biases off these comments).

[/quote]

Question, have you even visited sites like Get big, MD or he new Rx when they are really tearing into people?

While a few nasty comments are sure to be ignored, when the whole fucking bodybuilding internet world is going at you, my guess is it is a little harder to ignore…especially when these guys are just starting and may not be prepared to have everyone hyper-analyze every single word stated.

Check this, there are no image consultants in bodybuilding. No one helps you give a good interview like performers and even some athletes have access to.

You made a ridiculous statement on the previous page about bodybuilders not having the goal of being a pro. How would you like it if every bodybuilding website blew that out of proportion to make it seem like you are clueless all around about everything?

Hell, the AUTHORS ON THIS VERY SITE seem to not be able to take criticism which is why they quit linking the discussions directly to the articles…yet you think bodybuilders don’t experience the same?

Explain the logic there.

If Waterbury can get pissed and have an entire thread removed because of our little debate, you think Max Charles won’t stop competing if everyone is focused on everything BUT his physique?

30

I avoid Get big like the plague. I like Rx, and IntenseMuscle.

Also recently started reading simplyshredded and wannabebig - both good sites.

But yea - I think it’s nuts to believe that these guys aren’t affected by the constant sniping. Who the fuck wants to get ripped to shreds everyday by a bunch of wannabe assholes? I mean, that would get to ANYONE after awhile.

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[quote]SkyNett wrote:
I avoid Get big like the plague. I like Rx, and IntenseMuscle.

Also recently started reading simplyshredded and wannabebig - both good sites.

But yea - I think it’s nuts to believe that these guys aren’t affected by the constant sniping. Who the fuck wants to get ripped to shreds everyday by a bunch of wannabe assholes? I mean, that would get to ANYONE after awhile.[/quote]

It really is common sense and just don’t understand the goal of trying to make these guys out to be “insecure little boys” when the truth is, not one person here would want to deal with that.

If you had to deal with that at work everyday, my guess is you wouldn’t be doing it for long.

It also makes no sense to assume these bodybuilding websites are ignored by the pros. This is their single source of info about how they are viewed by the very community they expect to be fans.

Brandon Curry got hassled by jackasses on this site and left. Why would any thinking person believe these guys will hang around while people screw with them all day long behind safe computer screens?

32

[quote]Professor X wrote:

If you had to deal with that at work everyday, my guess is you wouldn’t be doing it for long.

It also makes no sense to assume these bodybuilding websites are ignored by the pros. This is their single source of info about how they are viewed by the very community they expect to be fans.

[/quote]

Yea - I know it’s easy to say “these guys should be mentally tougher” but that kind of stinging and constant criticism is impossible to endure for very long.

And let’s face it - we’re talking about some really nasty shit. This is not simple physique critique but vicious slander and a constant barrage of some of the most putrid shit imaginable - it would eventually drive you to either track down a few of these fucksticks and end them (which would be a really bad judgement call) or to simply extricate yourself from the situation, a far more appealing and easier option.

People are mostly just assholes…sad but true.

33

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Question, have you even visited sites like Get big, MD or he new Rx when they are really tearing into people?

While a few nasty comments are sure to be ignored, when the whole fucking bodybuilding internet world is going at you, my guess is it is a little harder to ignore…especially when these guys are just starting and may not be prepared to have everyone hyper-analyze every single word stated.

Check this, there are no image consultants in bodybuilding. No one helps you give a good interview like performers and even some athletes have access to.

You made a ridiculous statement on the previous page about bodybuilders not having the goal of being a pro. How would you like it if every bodybuilding website blew that out of proportion to make it seem like you are clueless all around about everything?[/quote]

I believe my quote was "nobody TAKES UP bodybuilding and says “I’m going to be a pro and make my living as a bodybuilder”. Almost all interviews of the pros I’ve read stated that they took up bodybuilding for other purposes initially (sports, etc). I don’t recall anyone picking up a barbell at 14 and immediately envisioning a professional career.

That declaration usually comes later with one’s realization of his talents for the sport. It’s the same in my field. In college, some of those kids had no business pursuing an art career, and subsequently are now working other vocations.

[quote]
Hell, the AUTHORS ON THIS VERY SITE seem to not be able to take criticism which is why they quit linking the discussions directly to the articles…yet you think bodybuilders don’t experience the same?[/quote]

I’m not saying they should be emotionless. All I’m saying is, come contest day and I have everything dialed in and am at my best, looking over the line-up I clearly see I am the best, how the hell is a stupid internet comment I read yesterday about how ugly my teeth are going to affect what the judges will see and do?

[quote]
Explain the logic there.

If Waterbury can get pissed and have an entire thread removed because of our little debate, you think Max Charles won’t stop competing if everyone is focused on everything BUT his physique?[/quote]

Years ago, Arnold said that (American) bodybuilders were pussies. He was expressing how with all that’s available to the bodybuilders in this country, these guys spent so much time arguing, bickering, putting each other down, and generally focusing on the negative.
I think he was right.

I guess the old adage rings true: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”.

34

ID, consider someone like Markus Ruehl… The guy has a physique which is considered ugly even among the hardcore bbing crowd.

There are 2 reasons why he keeps competing and is actually enjoying the hell out of it:

  1. His wife, who supports him in this and understands training and competing (has done so herself and still trains, but doesn’t compete anymore I think). The total support and understanding of a loved one in this is worth more than any victory onstage.

  2. His fans. The guy seems to have way more fans than just about anyone in the bbing world today, except for Ronnie.
    Those guys shout his name every time he steps on stage… He may not win the show, but he still gets sort of a moral victory almost every time because a large percentage of the attending people don’t care about his shitty tris or whatever, they love to see him compete.

Now consider Lockett. First, he has great genetics and got quite far naturally.
-First problem: Everyone hates the idea of a drug-free guy doing well, therefore (after the first few positive interviews) he must be annihilated. How dare that asshole not be on a ton of gear?
-Second issue: Once leaving the natty path, everyone goes “I knew he wasn’t natural”.
-He has only a small fanbase.
-I don’t know anything about his family situation/wife/gf, so I can’t comment on that.
-He catches shit for completely ridiculous things (skin? huh?)

Anyway… Lockett has a more aesthetically pleasing physique than Ruehl etc, Ruehl can’t even speak English properly, so non-German speakers never really get to know his personality (he’s quite the comedian)… He has a ton of disadvantages over Lockett in theory, and should technically have stopped competing ages ago.

Yet Ruehl keeps going and having fun while Lockett, Charles or whomever have little reason to do so… No real outside support and a lot of injustice to face.

Why would these guys keep competing? They may still train and all that, but where is the fun in competing if most people dislike seeing you on stage, you have no real support anywhere and you’re a straight guy to boot? It’s not like standing on stage in almost nothing in front of a largely male audience… after a lengthy dieting process leaving you with mood swings and messed up hormone levels… after possibly having spent a nice amount of money on drugs… is somehow fun by itself if you face more opposition from the people in the audience than the other guys on stage.

There’s just no fun in competing for such people compared to a guy like Ruehl or Ronnie or McGrath etc.

If they stop competing/vanish from the BBing scene then… Why does that make them insecure etc? Some people may simply want to prove that they won’t take shit from anyone and keep going, but for most it’s a waste of time, money and nerves with no reward even if they do win.

35

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
ID, consider someone like Markus Ruehl… The guy has a physique which is considered ugly even among the hardcore bbing crowd.

There are 2 reasons why he keeps competing and is actually enjoying the hell out of it:

  1. His wife, who supports him in this and understands training and competing (has done so herself and still trains, but doesn’t compete anymore I think). The total support and understanding of a loved one in this is worth more than any victory onstage.

  2. His fans. The guy seems to have way more fans than just about anyone in the bbing world today, except for Ronnie.
    Those guys shout his name every time he steps on stage… He may not win the show, but he still gets sort of a moral victory almost every time because a large percentage of the attending people don’t care about his shitty tris or whatever, they love to see him compete.

Now consider Lockett. First, he has great genetics and got quite far naturally.
-First problem: Everyone hates the idea of a drug-free guy doing well, therefore (after the first few positive interviews) he must be annihilated. How dare that asshole not be on a ton of gear?
-Second issue: Once leaving the natty path, everyone goes “I knew he wasn’t natural”.
-He has only a small fanbase.
-I don’t know anything about his family situation/wife/gf, so I can’t comment on that.
-He catches shit for completely ridiculous things (skin? huh?)

Anyway… Lockett has a more aesthetically pleasing physique than Ruehl etc, Ruehl can’t even speak English properly, so non-German speakers never really get to know his personality (he’s quite the comedian)… He has a ton of disadvantages over Lockett in theory, and should technically have stopped competing ages ago.

Yet Ruehl keeps going and having fun while Lockett, Charles or whomever have little reason to do so… No real outside support and a lot of injustice to face.

Why would these guys keep competing? They may still train and all that, but where is the fun in competing if most people dislike seeing you on stage, you have no real support anywhere and you’re a straight guy to boot? It’s not like standing on stage in almost nothing in front of a largely male audience… after a lengthy dieting process leaving you with mood swings and messed up hormone levels… after possibly having spent a nice amount of money on drugs… is somehow fun by itself if you face more opposition from the people in the audience than the other guys on stage.

There’s just no fun in competing for such people compared to a guy like Ruehl or Ronnie or McGrath etc.

If they stop competing/vanish from the BBing scene then… Why does that make them insecure etc? Some people may simply want to prove that they won’t take shit from anyone and keep going, but for most it’s a waste of time, money and nerves with no reward even if they do win.

[/quote]

Exactly.

Take Stu on this site. I have heard no negative comments at all from ANYONE about him on this site. Do you guys really think that is the way the rest of the world would treat him if he was truly in the spotlight on a national stage and not already respected on this site?

What C-C wrote about Lockett is the very point I was trying to make. ALL they fucking talk about is how he can’t possibly be natural. If he ever does decide to go the route of using anything, he will simply catch even more shit from the same types of people.

How the hell can someone think it is fun dealing with that?

If we were talking about guys who had been in the game for a decade before getting hit like that it would be different. Ronnie Coleman was already a regular before anyone start throwing heat at him…and trust me, he got his fair share of bullshit.

Why would a freaking new guy want to deal with that?

How could someone fresh on the scene get a good sense of how good they really are if everyone (THE FANS) is tearing them down?

Check this, I must get called out by some jackass about once a month. If Tim hadn’t called me and CT hadn’t turned out to be an amazing guy in person, I doubt I would still be here.

What is insanity is assuming this shit would never affect anyone.

They ripped Max Charles apart for no fucking reason other than that they didn’t believe that he ate as little as he claimed to and his claimed barbel curl weight.

I think the real questions is why the fuck FANS are so damn nasty to the people they should be supporting.

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[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Some people may simply want to prove that they won’t take shit from anyone and keep going, but for most it’s a waste of time, money and nerves with no reward even if they do win.

[/quote]

Also, it is the effort involved that “fans” seem to ignore. I was watching Dennis James’ training video and the dude is working his ass off to make improvements…yet he gets overlooked at the shows for it lately as if he doesn’t even stand out.

They are already at a disadvantage of the judges’ bias. Tons of shit from internet sites CAN have an even bigger effect on how you are viewed publicly which could even affect your placings.

37

Also: Bodybuilders aren’t like your average celebrity… Someone like Paris Hilton may thrive on every kind of attention, but someone like Lockett is some regular guy who most likely doesn’t do this for the attention alone.

38

If Max Charles dropped out of bodybuilding because of what people wrote on the forums about his MD interview then I have zero respect for him. He claimed a 350 lb preacher curl and that he only eats once a day (just a little rice and beans). Does he not expect people to question this? I agree with the
“can’t take the heat” saying in this case if that was his reason.

39

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Also: Bodybuilders aren’t like your average celebrity… Someone like Paris Hilton may thrive on every kind of attention, but someone like Lockett is some regular guy who most likely doesn’t do this for the attention alone.

[/quote]

To add to that, these guys are used to people staring at them. I know I am not anywhere near that ripped and I can’t walk in a store with a tank top on without people acting funny…so imagine what someone who looks like Lockett is getting.

However, going from that to having every jackass with an internet connection take it to the level of DEGRADING YOU at every chance they get and what is the appeal to keep this up?

The point is, the “fans” focus on shit that has nothing to do with how well someone can do.
They harp on Trey Brewer and call him a fat ass…even though he dieted down and looked good at the last NPC. The hype surrounding him is going to be hard to overcome in front of the judges…BECAUSE ALL OF THAT INTERNET TALK IS WELL KNOWN TO THE JUDGES AS WELL SINCE THEY ARE FANS ALSO!

In other words, if you want these guys to stick around, quit being jackasses to them online as if that shit doesn’t matter.

40

[quote]sam_sneed wrote:
If Max Charles dropped out of bodybuilding because of what people wrote on the forums about his MD interview then I have zero respect for him. He claimed a 350 lb preacher curl and that he only eats once a day (just a little rice and beans). Does he not expect people to question this? I agree with the
“can’t take the heat” saying in this case if that was his reason.[/quote]

We don’t know if that is the reason or not…but that dude did vanish from the scene right after that. Maybe he’ll be back, who knows…but what I do know is that his fucking curl weight and his meals eaten have jack shit to do with him being in a bodybuilding stage and what he is judged for.