What is your definition of a bodybuilder?

[nate225]

According to http://oxforddictionaries.com a "BODYBUILDER" is:

"a person who strengthens and enlarges the muscles of their body through strenuous exercise".

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ a "BODYBUILDER" is:

"Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's musculature.[1] An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive amateur and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders appear in lineups doing specified poses, and later perform individual posing routines, for a panel of judges who rank competitors based on criteria such as symmetry, muscularity, and conditioning".

According to http://www.merriam-webster.com "BODYBUILDING" is:

"the developing of the body through exercise and diet;specifically : the developing of the physique for competitive exhibition".

According to http://www.thefreedictionary.com "BODYBUILDING" is:

"The process of developing the musculature of the body through specific types of diet and physical exercise, such as weightlifting, especially for competitive exhibition".

 

So, considering the big picture, are people that train in the gym, train for other sports, powerlifters, those that have never competed, those competing in bikini, figure, athletic, physique, shape, glamour, even bodybuilders covered by the above definitions? Should they be?

 

Whats your thoughts? Whats your own personal definition of bodybuilding?

[Dinahlady]

I like this one :

"The process of developing the musculature of the body through specific types of diet and physical exercise, such as weightlifting, especially for competitive exhibition".

I like it when people like Jess Coate say they are bodybuilders or hashtag bodybuilding. It's kinda cool. 

I think it is very context dependent.

For example I used to swim 3 or 4 x a week with the goal of improving my swimming in a competetive club, but I never competed. I would have never called myself a "swimmer" in comparison to people who were in the "racing team" or in terms of an athlete - because I didn't like or want to compete. But if someone informally referred to me as a "swimmer" because of the fact that I had skill and technical knowledge of swimming and swam regularly - I wouldn't have felt the need to correct them or feel that anyone else should correct them (it would be rude and dickish if they were like "oh well shes not a swimmer cos she doesnt race")

You can categorise the context in lots of different ways. 

For example someone who is huge and trains to build muscle and has done for a long time could be identified as a "bodybuilder" - even if he hasnt or wont compete. Because he builds up his body in the gym.... 

Saying "I am a bodybuilder" is quite definitive and i would imagine in most cases people should be refferring to the act of competing. 

Saying "I was a bodybuilder, I am an ex-bodybuilder" usually also in context should refer to past competition experience. 

Saying "I do bodybuilding" or "I do bodybuilding training" to me has an entirely different meaning - it more connotates engagement in the training/nutrition/science/and interest in the sport - but less of an emphasis of competition. 

You could also argue that it is more the extent at which is became part of their lifestyle - lots of people do compete without much training or diet and it might be premature for them to call themselves bodybuilders after one show. But that would be the same as swimming - one school gala doesnt make you a swimmer but training 4x per week for years could earn you that title - even if you dont race. Likewise the discovered talented person who has only been training for a year but is the top of the race team and won every race so far has easily earned the title "swimmer". 

 

[nate225]

Well thought out post imho Dinah.

I didn't used to consider athletic class guys bodybuilders at one (arrogant) stage, because they weren't bodybuilders in the classical competitive sense. But after seeing a few really good ones I realized what they did (minus a few calories) was exactly the same as what I did! Likewise many figure/bikini/glamour class competitors.

Like you I don't consider people who go on stage after 12 week challenges bodybuilders. I think its a sustained effort that counts - like the massive guy who lives the lifestyle but never competes (or even cuts fully). There in probably lies my definition of bodybuilder "lifestyle" counts, but a competitive bber gets on stage on top of living this way.

I'll have a think and try and summarise my definition in a succinct paragraph

[Pseudonym]

Yeah, it's a tricky one.

I think it's partly about public perception, too. As Dinah says, you can call yourself a swimmer or a runner, or even a soccer player, without people thinking you're awesome at it. But call yourself a bodybuilder, and immediately people start comparing you to Mr Olympia.

Even after "bodybuilding" for 10 years, I still don't feel comfortable telling people I'm a bodybuilder. And if they ask me directly, I usually fudge the answer - "Um, yeah, sort of, I guess..."

To myself, I use "bodybuilder" to cover anyone who consistently trains and eats with the goal of improving their physique. To other people, it depends on who I'm talking to. Stupid, isn't it?!

[teamfatboy]

I was going to be flippant but both Nate and Dinah's posts deserve better than that.  

When this normally surfaces, it tends to hinge on 'competition' or not... but I know of some guys who train, and diet, like a bodybuilder, with no functional intent (i.e. they're not training that way to prepare for something else like hockey or whatever) but only the intent to change the way they look in pursuit of an ideal - does their lack of competitive intent mean they're not bodybuilders?  They're certainly just as strict on themselves and just as driven. 

It's probably easier to parallel with runners - where if you asked the lunchtime warriors, many would call themselves "runners" but most of them have never raced, not just against the clock, but against other people.  I did, but never called myself a runner...i was a powerlifter with a running problem!  

Even using Nate's quotes of "competitive exhibition" - isn't a powerlifting comp a show of strength, or a competitive exhibition? Just like in bodybuilding, a comp is won or lost on the day, it's just easier to prove 'cos it's less subjective.

I was going to try to modify the quotes to say "the express purpose of muscle growth" or some such, but the proliferation of classic, or athletic, classes even renders that point moot....  

Provocative thread, indeed  

[jimmybro1]

I'm with you Pseudonym, I don't like being called a bodybuilder or refering to myself as a bodybuilder. It can alter peoples opinion of you, and for some odd reason I feel awkard about it. 

The normal person see's hoping on a stage in nothing but posing trunks and extremely tanned and oiled up posing in front of a crowd as very unusual and I would agree with them. It is a very unusual lifestyle. For this reason I have decided to take a long time off competing I may come back in the future to compete I'm not sure...

Just straving myself to hop on stage from a few minutes isn't something I want to do again, at least at this point in time. I did enjoy the experience though. 

Lifting is definitely my passion would prefer to be refered to as a gym junkie.  

[Leeroid]

Same here, I'd prefer to call myself a powerlifter rather than a bodybuilder due to negative public perceptions. Although I'd say once you do compete and keep training with the intent of doing shows, u would have to identify yourself as a bodybuilder.

[nate225]

I used to joke with my friend who was an IFBB Pro that he should tell people he was a professional wrestler so they'd find him more credible! I always identified myself as a Strongman competitor or Strength Athlete until recently - I'm now proud to call myself a Bodybuilder, though I'm still a relative intermediate level at best. I figure that I shouldn't have to be reluctant to tell people or be identified as a bodybuilder given how much heart n soul I put into it 24/7/365.

Just my take though.

[Gym rat]

Just now I call myself a bodybuilder since I am getting ready for my comps also a good film star and spounsored athlete from Eat me Supplements.Enjoying being on low carbs and high proetin just now but looking forward to having a three day break from my diet after the Pan Pacific champs before going back to cutting full time on the Wednesday when I am in Aucks.Might compete again next year but I will cross that path when I do and in the mean time just going foucs on my comps

[Pseudonym]

I figure that I shouldn't have to be reluctant to tell people or be identified as a bodybuilder given how much heart n soul I put into it 24/7/365.

Totally agree. But at the same time, you have to accept that public perception is what it is, and if you tell people you're a bodybuilder, you'll be judged accordingly.

But I guess the only way to change that perception is to humanise bodybuilding, and get people used to seeing bodybuilders who are "normal" people. So thanks for leading the crusade, and fighting the good fight on our behalf, Nate.

One day, the rest of us cowards might join you!

[HumanPerformance]

As others have said very good post Dinahlady.

And good on your Nate for standing up and being counted as a bodybuilder despite the consequences..

My definiation of a "bodybuilder" would be anyone whose primary goal with thier training is to add muscle to thier body. Therefore you are "building your body".If you are performing a routine to maximise muscle growth above all other motivations then you are a bodybuilder. It dosent matter if you only  want to gain 4 kilos, or 40 kilos of muscle and give Heath a run for his money you are still bodybuilding. 

If you weight train for your sport and your primary goal is to perform better at that sport then you are a "weight trainer". Even if through the act of your training for your sport you put on some muscle as a side effect (cool side effect!) you are still not a bodybuilder.

Alot of bodybuilders hesitate to call themselves such, as unlike any other sport on earth if you say your a bodybuilder people can instantly look at you and acertain how good you are at your sport or hobby! I mean if you say you do martial arts or are a powerlifter or anything else people really have no idea if your good at what you do  ... but if you dont look like a "bodybuilder" people can automatically judge you as a failure just by looking at you.Its the one sport,hobby,past time (take your pick) where you "wear" your achievements (or lack of them) 24/7. This often becomes the first milestone in a young mans (or womens) life when someone who dosent know you asks those words all bodybuilders secretly love to hear .... "do you work out bro?" .....or  "are you a bodybuilder"?

There was an article in a bodybuilding magazine a few years ago titled "Paying it back". And it was about paying back the debt to the term "bodybuilding" by being proud to call yourself a bodybuilder. For everything youve gained from being a bodybuilder calling yourself one is paying back a debt to a sport that has most likely changed your life for the better. So good on you Nate and others like you for not caring what others think and standing up and being counted.

 

 

 

[Optimass]

Weight trainer = trains with weights to gain muscle and strength

Bodybuilder = Trains with weights to gain maximum size and symetry + and follows strict nutrition program to reduce bodyfat and fluid to abnormally low levels in order to show maximum definition in order to get on stage with other likeminded and dedicated people and achieve something not every "weight trainer" has done before.

Call me old fashioned ... but if all you do is gym lift and never put your physique on show you are not a bodybuilder.  This is ok though - not bagging anyone for it - there are plenty of guys and girls out there that could easily get up on stage and hold this kind of condition and size for other reasons - but ultimately - if it wasn't for "Bodybuilding competitions" it would just be call weight training.

I'm proud to call myself a bodybuilder and blessed to have had an opportunity to compete in powerlifting with some awesome people in both sports.  It's nice to be at the half way point in life and still be able to be considered an opportunity with so much young talent coming through both sports. 

Some may argue the "competitive" and "non-competitive" bodybuilder distinction - but do you have competitive and non-competitive formula one drivers? 

This type of thread has been posted many times (I think Nate did it twice lol) - kudos to you brother not many people can claim to have competed in 3 iron sports, and convincingly.  Im not sure which one is hardest for you to conquer, but I see the same pain and determination in your eyes when you are eating grass and overcooked chicken and I know not many people can do that for as long as you do and with all the other protcols we do to remain competitive in the open grades.  You are a bodybuilder, strongman and powerlifter (Strong Powerbuilder) *biggrin*

Whether you place or not you earn the bodybuilder tag IMO by testing yourself on every level to get to the stage .... some can make it there easier, some of us need to fight a lot harder .... but ultimately if you think just eating 8 meals a day full of carbs, fat and excess protein on your continuous bulk while training chest and biceps twice a week and neglecting you legs is the same thing as what real bodybuilders do you are in denial.

Come at me lol

 

*music2*

[nate225]

Great post Opti!

And thanks for the kudos, Iron Triathlete covers me better - if I mention Powerbuilder people will think I'm from Eastside Barbell! *biggrin*

I think all three have their challenges, and like any sport at elite level they're all tough. I think anyone can do a novice PLing comp, a 12 week challenge or a light Strongman Comp, but to be elite at any of these requires huge sacrifices. Luckily like me you're a masochist! *ROFL*

Keep the thoughts coming people!