I’m not sure but it wasn’t even close. Calum looked great and stood out. He was bigger and leaner by a long shot.
I’m not sure how much can be made from actual shows but the present bodybuilding scene might be easier for income purposes.
Social media is ridiculous and you can make money from people just watching your video uploads. You get sponsors and make money from that if you’re like Calum. You do modeling for fitness mags and get paid. There’s all of this without actually doing shows. There’s less prep and less self-induced punishment. Calum can do his thing and be ready for a photo shoot in two weeks or less.
This all seems easier than what Phil the Kai are doing. I’m sure they’re doing the other stuff in addition to the big shows but I’d prefer the life of Calum.
My hobby is basically his life and he’s making money doing it…whereas I spend money to do it.
I believe that Calum isn’t as obsessively precise in a lot of stuff compared to Kai or Phil or whomever; however, I do believe that Calum’s lackadaisical attitude has to be at least half for show and to help his image and/or brand. And I think this works very well for him – he’s seemingly the only person in the bodybuilding culture who is “laid back” and “go with the flow” and succeeds – because so many people want to be a part of the bodybuilding phenomenon without working hard and being OCD about it. I also believe that is a large part of the potential fitness industry market that isn’t targeted directly by a lot of other people/companies.
Solid callback to “Pumping Iron” too. I remember watching the scene where they go out to eat and they’re just ordering off the menu. And yeah, it’s super protein heavy food, but they’re not saying “No oil, no salt, baked, how was this prepared?” etc etc. It was a great image of guys just going to the gym, killing themselves, and then going to eat a big meal. The “physical culture” people talked about in the 60s and 70s.
I agree it is a lot for show, but Antoine, Frank, Calum, and a lot of others seem to be very laid back in terms of eating and sleep and such. It’s just a different mindset because they aren’t trying to be huge neither physical or socially. They just like to lift and hang out essentially.
I’m surprised they never released a serious collectors edition bluray with the hours and hours of footage they claimed to have shot before whittling it down to an almost story.
Pumping iron introduced the world to the subculture for the most part. Back then lifting weights and getting big were not on almost anyone’s radar.
Today it’s a completely different attitude, most people today “know” that they probably should be working out but those that don’t choose not to (not saying to get huge and shredded, but for general health)
I’m sure you have seen the 25th anniversary edition’s out-takes. The scene on the beach where all the guys are giving Arnold shit about his legs is my favorite.
I definitely don’t think he will go into bodybuilding for that reason, I would be surprised if he even did classic physique on any serious level. One problem for people like him is he already has a lot going for him so what benefit does winning bodybuilding shows do? He is already more popular than any of those guys, and if there is more than a 0% chance of him not getting first place it does more harm than good to risk competing only to lose to some no name guy. He is playing Arnold in a movie, hes already won and without competing.
I can’t keep the intensity high in anything if I’m hungry. Makes me think I’d be a shit hunter if I was fasted and looked for food. That’s surely a weakness that would take some serious willpower to rectify… Probably worth it though…
Dammit, just when u thought I was ready for the zombie apocalypse
