The Thread for Actual Bodybuilders

Training Bodybuilding
1

I wanted to make a thread to see how many actual bodybuilders we have posting around here.

I’m talking people who compete and/or people who just live the lifestyle. For example, I myself compete and feel I am actually developed enough to call myself a competitive bodybuilder. Somebody such as X for an example hasn’t competed yet but obviously is a bodybuilder.

If you feel you are a bodybuilder, a description of a person who wants to build a physique that looks like a bodybuilder…who takes it past fit…because just having abs got boring. I want a roll call.

Post up and say what you’ve accomplished and what your plans are. I want to know if anybody are floating in the woodwork here. I’d really like to get a roll call going and take back this forum.

If you come on here and your goals are not of that of a bodybuilder I will FLAME your ass to oblivion.

I am not saying that your goals are wrong, but I want to see who my fellow bodybuilders are.

Maybe I’m just bored and taking a break from some homework…but I thought this might be a cool idea.

I’ll go first…

I am almost 21 years old and have been training 5-6 years. I’ve put on about 80lbs of mass since I started lifting. Some of that is just maturing but I’ve put my time in the gym.

I have competed 3 times so far and am less than 1 week out from my 4th show. So far I have 3 second place trophies that I plan to change come saturday. All three times the judges told me to continue to fill out and that seems to be my bodybuilding life story.

I plan to become a pro bodybuilder someday. I plan on trying to be at least 250 somewhat lean lbs by december 2009. A national level competitor by 2010.

So who else is out there???

DG

2

Ok… Im zipping up my flame retardant suit. First off, I’ve accomplished NOTHING in bodybuilding. Im 22 and have been weightlifting for just over 2 years. I’ve gained at least 35lbs of muscle in that time. I got into weightlifting to “look better”, which eventually evolved into getting stronger. I slower became a fan of bodybuilding and now do alot of bodybuilding reading/following. I now want to develop a “bodybuilder’s physique”.

I first thought that Frank Zane’s physique was ideal and looked great. Not taking away from him, but I now look at people like Phil Heath and Victor Martinez and say… Wow, impressive. Its funny how goals change. I definitly live a bodybuilder’s lifestyle. I pack my meals for the day, count my calories and protein.

Im training to put on as much size as I can. Im 5’10" with a lean 175 pound bodyweight. Im currently standing at 195 and feel VERY small and KNOW that im SO FAR away from the size I NEED to be. Thats what I love about this sport though. Its a never ending journey. I know I have YEARS to go, but I LOVE that. I don’t plan on competing until I can bring a respectable package (again I feel to small for my height). Hopefully I can compete locally in 2010. I don’t plan on going anywhere with bodybuilding and thats fine. I enjoy it.

3

[quote]elusive wrote:
Ok… Im zipping up my flame retardant suit. First off, I’ve accomplished NOTHING in bodybuilding. Im 22 and have been weightlifting for just over 2 years. I’ve gained at least 35lbs of muscle in that time. I got into weightlifting to “look better”, which eventually evolved into getting stronger. I slower became a fan of bodybuilding and now do alot of bodybuilding reading/following. I now want to develop a “bodybuilder’s physique”.

I first thought that Frank Zane’s physique was ideal and looked great. Not taking away from him, but I now look at people like Phil Heath and Victor Martinez and say… Wow, impressive. Its funny how goals change. I definitly live a bodybuilder’s lifestyle. I pack my meals for the day, count my calories and protein.

Im training to put on as much size as I can. Im 5’10" with a lean 175 pound bodyweight. Im currently standing at 195 and feel VERY small and KNOW that im SO FAR away from the size I NEED to be. Thats what I love about this sport though. Its a never ending journey. I know I have YEARS to go, but I LOVE that. I don’t plan on competing until I can bring a respectable package (again I feel to small for my height). Hopefully I can compete locally in 2010. I don’t plan on going anywhere with bodybuilding and thats fine. I enjoy it.[/quote]

AMEN dood thats what I want to hear.

You live the lifestyle and somewhat follow the sport. You have aspirations of competing and enjoy it as a passion and hobby.

Trying to become a pro is not something for everybody and thats understandable.

I would throw you in here with the rest of us. You want to take your physique to another level, not just have decent arms and ripped abs to try and get girls.

My definition of a bodybuilder is somebody who is kind of against the mainstream image. Somebody who wants to build large amounts of muscle and turn heads when you go somewhere. Somebody who actually looks like the spend time in the weight room and not on the treadmill. lol!

Thanks for posting dood.

DG

4

I guess I’ll pony up. Currently up 40 pounds from my starting weight 3 years ago, with the goal of adding another 20-30. I placed 1st in the mens category of the PN Challenege that Berardi did last summer. Not exactly a body building show, but I trained and dieted like it was.

I guess you could say I live the life style as much as the next guy. 4-5 days at the gym, 6 meals a day, avoiding junk… I just need the next 20 pounds to have the instant “he is a bodybuilder” look.

5

[quote]Lonnie123 wrote:
I guess I’ll pony up. Currently up 40 pounds from my starting weight 3 years ago, with the goal of adding another 20-30. I placed 1st in the mens category of the PN Challenege that Berardi did last summer. Not exactly a body building show, but I trained and dieted like it was.

I guess you could say I live the life style as much as the next guy. 4-5 days at the gym, 6 meals a day, avoiding junk… I just need the next 20 pounds to have the instant “he is a bodybuilder” look.[/quote]

right on man…I can dig that.

DG

6

I’ll join.

Im 28, been lifting since I was 15, and was hooked the moment my hands touched the cold rusty barbell. I walked into the gym as an obese, bullied kid, very, very self conscious. Ever since I can remember I was fascinated with muscularity and distinctly remember pestering my mother to buy me magazines when I was 5-6 years old. I have every worlds stongest man on VHS and DVD since 1983 lol! I remember the years when Jamie Reeves and Gary Taylor won (I’m from the U.K), I used to watch them over and over for motivation. Funny thing is now, I actually train with Jamie Reeve’s training partner occasionally! Small world.

Over the years I remodelled myself from a 270 - 280 pound grossly overweight child with chronic breathing problems, into a lean and strong 225lbs at 5’8. Although I have not competed, I have got into competition shape on several occasions (I have helped people compete, for me to dish out advice and not experience the process of dieting down to lower single digit BF would be hipocritical). The gym I trained at initially was truly hardcore, the owner competed successfully on the U.K stage, and many of guys from the gym have done so too, some even better.

Bodybuilding is who I am and what I do. My passion for it, and the lessons I have learned doing it, about life and myself, have given me a better body, health, and a career sharing my thirst for knowledge and passion for self improvement. Body building is empowerment. For me it has empowered my body physically, my mind, my will and my determination.

For example, I had been battling a disorder for a few years that has seen many of the gains I made disappear, I did not miss a single day’s training. Even when I was physically exhausted, emotionally beat up, I still got to the gym, got under a loaded bar and pushed with every inch of force I had. I had to, without the focus of training and feeling of accomplishment bodybuilding provides, I would have lost my mind. Well, I’m healthy again, I’m growing again and am more motivated than ever.

Its simple - who I am, what I do! And I love every second of it!

7

Another fellow Englander :slight_smile:

Ay add me to the list too of people who are too big to be Dolce and Gabana models !

When i get to my holy grail of 300 lbs (275 now) i will then cut ALL the way down to 6-8% ssooo hopefully end up with 220-240lbs which will make me “big” but not “huge” being 6ft1" is annoying when trying to be “huge” !

Reckon another 6-8 years ill be 270-280 sub 10% !!

And if someday i ever do get to 300lbs sub 10% thats it for me im out of bodybuilding lol ! I doubt ill ever reach it, but its good to have stupid goals :smiley:

ps: where is this gym lol !!!

8

Personal trainer gets probation, fine for role in Plano-based steroids network

12:00 AM CST on Wednesday, November 26, 2008

By RICHARD ABSHIRE / The Dallas Morning News
rabshire@dallasnews.com

PLANO ? A Houston bodybuilder and personal trainer was sentenced to three years’ probation in federal district court Tuesday for his involvement in a Plano-based steroids network.

Juan Carlos Ballivian, 30, was part of a group led by David Jacobs, who killed himself in June after slaying his former girlfriend, fitness competitor Amanda Jo Earhart-Savell, at his Plano home.

Six defendants pleaded guilty in the steroids distribution case. Mr. Ballivian was the last to be sentenced. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Williams, who represented the government at the penalty hearing, declined to comment.

Defense attorney Kent Schaffer of Houston told Judge Richard Schell that his client was a hard worker with a clean record until he got into bodybuilding.

“Then, unfortunately, his hobby deepened into a very deep obsession,” Mr. Schaffer said.

Mr. Ballivian admitted in court that he self-injected steroids daily when training for competition. He and his attorney said he is undergoing counseling and is under a doctor’s care for side effects of his steroid use.

Mr. Jacobs and amateur bodybuilders Brandon Mark Smith and Jamie Mongeau were also given three years’ probation and fines.

Mr. Jacobs, who had agreed to cooperate with authorities, alleged that pro football players used his drugs, but no NFL players have been charged.

9

I guess I can post here. Even though I’ve only been training a relatively short time, my goals are in line.

Started lifting last September at 6 ft 153… sitting at 6ft 215 now and I’m pretty proud of the progress I’ve made.

Short-term goals include hitting 230 by March.

As far as long-term, I do plan to compete eventually - I’m not sure when as it would depend on what time I get to the point where I feel my physique might actually belong on stage. And I pretty much want to get as big as my genetics will allow.

10

I read articles for years before I ever started lifting. The moment I started lifting I was already set out to becoming something special-this is NOT for the women. I’ve only been lifting for 1.5 years so I’m still tiny and weak, but this won’t last for very long. Over these past 1.5 years, I’ve increased my body weight by 50%, from a sickly 135 pounds to just over 200 pounds. I don’t even have goals at this point, I just need to get as big as I possibly can. Short term goals will be to get to 210~220 lean (2 years) and see what I want to do from there.

11

[quote]uahc wrote:
I read articles for years before I ever started lifting. The moment I started lifting I was already set out to becoming something special-this is NOT for the women. I’ve only been lifting for 1.5 years so I’m still tiny and weak, but this won’t last for very long. Over these past 1.5 years, I’ve increased my body weight by 50%, from a sickly 135 pounds to just over 200 pounds. I don’t even have goals at this point, I just need to get as big as I possibly can. Short term goals will be to get to 210~220 lean (2 years) and see what I want to do from there. [/quote]

65 pound gain is huge dude, keep it up. You should be very proud of that (assuming its quality gains…)

12

I just started getting into bodybuilding and this site has helped alot. i really enjoy the decilpline and motivation it takes to obtain the goals i set. not sure were im headed with it yet, but its been fun so far. i was originally planning on going to bud/s but decided to go back to college, i had fairly competitive pst scores so that should give you guys some of my overall fitness quality. im 5’9" 180lbs.

13

I want to consider myself a bodybuilder. But until I compete, I reserve that privilege until another day.

I started lifting for soccer but after injuries, I started focusing on lifting and then the bodybuilding lifestyle a little over a year ago. Not that it matters - I’ve had three setbacks already this year leaving me with only 35 lbs gained in 13 months.

Yeah, I do the whole “eat 8x a day, lift 4-5x a week, cardio 2-4x a week” without the support of my parents and many of my friends. I miss out on many of the parties because of my obsession with it (yes I said obsession) and my parents are appalled at the amount I eat, what I won’t eat, and all of the “drugs” I’m taking being whey, dextrose/maltodextrin, creatine, and fishoil.

I’m finding that I’m liking it so much that it’s actually hindering my gains. I’ll beat down on my body simply because I don’t like rest periods and I want to be at the gym for at least an hour. I need to learn how to control myself - yet another art of the sport. And each time I go to do the dreaded cardio, I tell myself “this is what separates me from the rest - from the weak.” Is it right to call others weak? Probably not, but it’s what gets me through it.

Right now, the goal is to reach 200lbs and then start preparing for a competition. I’ve got a ways to go, though.

14

Well, you know me already Gerdy, but here goes:

Been training for 9 years now and started at 5’10 120 lbs with arms of less than 12 inches.
Computer nerd who got tired of being the narrowest, skinniest guy around…

Regular people may never develop the “need” to better themselves/their bodies simply because they are like almost everyone else and think that’s the way it’s supposed to be or whatever. No drive.

Someone who was so badly below average as me just needs to take a look around to realize that something is wrong.

Anyway… I always sucked at sports (except for my vertical jump and anything jumping-related) and was that guy who was always left on the bench after teams had been chosen during P.E.
At least I kicked ass in just about every computer game there was. Great.

Now back in the day, movies and games with more muscular heroes were far more popular than today… And yet I never thought of just going to the gym. I was flat out ignorant when it came to stuff like that.

Anyway… One fateful day in 98 or 99 or so I saw a book (in a bookstore, where else), it was Arnold’s Encyclopedia…

Now I’ve always read a lot and was fresh out of new sci-fi books to read, and this book in front of me seemed to be relatively big.
Reading material for about 4-5 hours tops, I figured (with my reading speed, anyway), but better than nothing.

Bought the book, a gym membership on the same day (since I did indeed finish it that day lol… Of course with no food-breaks…)…

And, lucky me, the guys in that gym actually knew how to train. Me and several of my friends went there and Arnold’s not-so-great splits etc were quickly forgotten…

Anyway, at some point I got to read Dante’s first thread on the net but only switched to DC years later.

So yeah, rest is history…

Lifting/getting stronger/bigger used to be
a “I want to feel comfortable with myself” thing for me… Back then I didn’t think about impressing others (since they always talked negatively about gym-rats anyway) all that much…

No idea if I’m ever going to compete in bodybuilding… The idea of standing in front of a lot of guys while wearing only a speedo doesn’t appeal to me so much :wink:
Maybe I’ll do a few powerlifting meets instead, we’ll see.

For now my goal is to get as big as I naturally can and then be able to walk around at 250 with abs showing later on in life, at most with HRT support…
Been at slightly over 290 this very year, but am down almost 10 pounds due to introducing more cardio and a stricter diet…

And I need to find a damn DC-ready gym again since my old one closed down and I hate slow progress.

Anyway, greetings to all my brothers in iron here.

15

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Well, you know me already Gerdy, but here goes:

Been training for 9 years now and started at 5’10 120 lbs with arms of less than 12 inches.
[/quote]

Out of curiosity, were you post-pubescent at this stature?

16

[quote]Dirty Gerdy wrote:

Somebody who wants to build large amounts of muscle and turn heads when you go somewhere. Somebody who actually looks like the spend time in the weight room and not on the treadmill. lol!

DG
[/quote]

Does this apply to women as well? :wink:

17

[quote]Protoculture wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Well, you know me already Gerdy, but here goes:

Been training for 9 years now and started at 5’10 120 lbs with arms of less than 12 inches.

Out of curiosity, were you post-pubescent at this stature? [/quote]

I haven’t grown in height since then… I was 20 with a full beard and just rid off most of my acne :wink:

Flat out anorexic-looking. I went without food for very long stretches of time (playing computer, reading books… Both for 12+ hours without breaks except for something to drink here and there at times).

Then again I could wolf down spaghetti and choc bars like no other… But overall my food-intake and what I ate was all crap with no physical activities whatsoever.

Thank god I didn’t read internet-bb sites back then, I’d have believed myself a hardgainer for sure… Glad I never heard about all the wrist-size bullshit until now.

18

You’re definitely an inspiration there CC.

19

This whole life style makes up a lot who I am at this point. My day is geared towards getting me into the gym on a regular basis and getting my meals in…something that is difficult to pull off daily given my schedule. I don’t like talking about my goals in detail because until my name is actually on some contest’s sign up sheet, talking about competition is just that…talk.

I really don’t think most people even on this forum understand what goes into someone actually standing out in the gym. I doubt most here even eat regularly on a schedule. Even less would understand what it means to have a basic idea of what you will be eating a week in advance.

I cook most of the meat that I eat on the weekends. It takes me about 4 hours total from prep time to finishing grilling everything to grill up about 15-20 steaks.

Yeah, I think I live the lifestyle even if I haven’t dieted down to contest shape up to this point.

It took a long time to build the size I have now. People who act like they are at risk of suddenly becoming “too big” make me laugh.

20

Wow CC, looks like we both started at about the same point. I was between 120-130 lbs at 5’10" when I first started lifting a few years ago. I was definitely past puberty, was a HUGE computer nerd. Played a lot of MMORPG’s for like 12+ hours at a time with little food because I was way too into the game to stop to eat food.

Long story short its been about 3 years, first 2 weren’t done as well as they should have been because I started out wanting to just get some muscle and abs. I’m now 220 lbs., just broke the 100 lbs gained mark.

My long term goal would be to be walking around at around 230 lbs. at single digit BF. Short term is to hopefully hit 230 lbs in the next few months then maintain the new mass for a month or so before dieting down to get my waist back to the 33" it started at before this current bulk. Its up about 4.5".

Next bulk will be done using some new methods I have learned during this one to help keep the BF gain a bit more in check…the waist size has been increasing less later in my bulk as I add these things in. It was in the first couple months that I gained a lot of BF really fast.

And I’m gunna throw another thanks at CC in here for being an inspiration and for all the help he has given me 1 on 1. Definitely has been a huge help to me.

Edit: Didn’t really mention anything about how I live the lifestyle. I prepare pretty much all of my meat in advance and have tons of emergency cans of tuna/beef/chicken in my car at all times in case I am out somewhere and need to eat.

Monday-Friday I have an exact food schedule that I eat at the exact times every day. People at the gym joke about how if they had to bet their life’s savings on me being at the gym at a particular day/time or not they would feel 100% safe in doing so because I am so consistent with when I am going to be lifting.

My day revolves pretty much entirely around eating and lifting. I cut loose a bit and have fun with my friends, hang with the GF during the weekend (who is 100% supportive of my goals, btw).

Usually go to the gym with her on Saturdays to train her while blasting my claves and then do cardio with her when done. I pretty much almost completely avoid alcohol at all times since I got serious about my physique goals…friends don’t mind as I just volunteer to be the DD pretty much anywhere we go.