When is a bodybuilder not a bodybuilder?

[Pseudonym]

In a recent topic, I made the following comment:

For the record, anyone who is working to change the shape of their body through training and nutrition is a bodybuilder in my view. Doesn't matter whether they're trying to get bigger or smaller - we welcome all types of bodybuilders here. Oh yeah, and those powerlifting chaps are all right too.

Optimass disagreed:

I would class as a "weight trainer" - a body builder is someone (man/woman) that makes it to the stage IMO.

What do you guys think? When is a bodybuilder not a bodybuilder?

(BTW, no matter where this topic goes, I want to reiterate that everybody's welcome here - whether they're an official bodybuilder or not! :grin:)

[Grover]

I would class as a "weight trainer" - a body builder is someone (man/woman) that makes it to the stage IMO

:?

So this mean you are headed back to the stage Opti?

[Calvin]

Tend to agree with optimus.. and so does wikipedia

: A person who uses diet and exercise to build an aesthetically muscular physique, in order to compete in bodybuilding

You cant really call your self a rugby player if you run around with a ball pretending to be.

[Ronin]

I've asked myself this one a few times.

I'm trying to build my body into something it's currently not ie, a bigger, leaner thing of beauty...therefore I can (at least subconsciously) call myself a bodybuilder.

However, the term "bodybuilder" automatically conjures up images of Arnie et al in the minds of most people. Now obviously I'm light years from that level, so am loathe to describe myself to others as a "bodybuilder". Doing so will just lead to ridicule :nod: .

I guess it's just another of those things that come down to individual interpretations. I think of myself as a bodybuilder, because that is what I'm doing, and my aim is to compete in a bodybuilding competition. However, until I'm ready to step out in my budgie-smuggler and dreamtan, I would be very selective about who I use the word "bodybuilder" in front of.

[Maximus]

To most people (myself included) the term "bodybuilder' brings up images of lolipop shaped guys in MC hammer pants all a very strange shade of orange. I know that this is wrong, but some stereotypes remain.

Although certainly not a bodybuilder myself, I do understand and respect he sheer discilpline and hard work it takes to get to get into that shape, both in the gym and the kitchen and my hat is off to you all.

It's like anything else, from the outside it looks a bit weird and strange, but when you understand it, you realise how hard and dedicated you have to be to be successful for very little in terms of reward.

[Dr Squat]

I agree. I think everyone who lifts weights has a bit of bodybuilder in him or her somewhere.

I must the only exception lol. :oops:

[Phedder]

I tend to think along the same lines as Pseu and Ronin, in that a bodybuilder is someone who is doing just that, trying to build/shape their body into something better. So in that sense, I see anyone who is striving to change their bodies as a type of bodybuilder. Then the term competitive comes to mind, and that's the term I would apply to someone who has done their thing on stage and competed. So for me there are two types, the casual bodybuilders who just want to look better, and then the competitive bodybuilders who aim to get on stage.

So if someone's utilising nutrition and training to improve their physique, no matter to which level, to me I'd classify them as a bodybuilder.

I do agree that this is something that really just depends on the individuals perspective and how they interpret the term.

[Cameron_R]

You cant really call your self a rugby player if you run around with a ball pretending to be.

But you CAN legitimately call yourself a Tennis Player when you only play once a week with a mate. You can call yourself a Kayaker if you get on the water twice a year, or a rock climber if you go to the indoor climbing wall once a month.

You don't have to compete to be a part of it.

Why is BB'ing any different?

[Pseudonym]

Ooh, you stole my analogy, Cameron. It was going to be my trump card, but I guess that'll teach me for not playing it earlier. :doh:

So, erm... What he said ^ :pfft:

[holdenman]

If you're not actively competing you're not a bodybuilder. You could train exactly the same as a boxer/kickboxer every week for years but if you've never had a fight you're not one. If you did rugby training every week and never played a game you wouldnt be a rugby player etc. Training like one doesnt make you one.

[WANABJAKD]

a bodybuilder is anyone who commits him or herself for the purpose of building muscle. i.e commited to a training regime, nutritional plan and lifestyle.

[Phedder]

If you're not actively competing you're not a bodybuilder. You could train exactly the same as a boxer/kickboxer every week for years but if you've never had a fight you're not one. If you did rugby training every week and never played a game you wouldnt be a rugby player etc. Training like one doesnt make you one.

Boxing and Rugby are obviously sports that you have to participate in to be considered a Boxer or Rugby player, whereas with Bodybuilding, every time you train you're participating in Bodybuilding because you're inducing those physical changes in your body. Training like a bodybuilder is exactly what makes you one.

[holdenman]

If you're not actively competing you're not a bodybuilder. You could train exactly the same as a boxer/kickboxer every week for years but if you've never had a fight you're not one. If you did rugby training every week and never played a game you wouldnt be a rugby player etc. Training like one doesnt make you one.

Boxing and Rugby are obviously sports that you have to participate in to be considered a Boxer or Rugby player, whereas with Bodybuilding, every time you train you're participating in Bodybuilding because you're inducing those physical changes in your body. Training like a bodybuilder is exactly what makes you one.

So what about someone who doesnt actually achieve anything? Their not inducing any changes, not "building" anything are they still bodybuilders? Id imagine 90% of gymgoers would say they follow a training & nutrition program of somesort and Id also imagine that youd find about 90%+ of gymgoers would say that they are not bodybuilders.

[Phedder]

If you're not actively competing you're not a bodybuilder. You could train exactly the same as a boxer/kickboxer every week for years but if you've never had a fight you're not one. If you did rugby training every week and never played a game you wouldnt be a rugby player etc. Training like one doesnt make you one.

Boxing and Rugby are obviously sports that you have to participate in to be considered a Boxer or Rugby player, whereas with Bodybuilding, every time you train you're participating in Bodybuilding because you're inducing those physical changes in your body. Training like a bodybuilder is exactly what makes you one.

So what about someone who doesnt actually achieve anything? Their not inducing any changes, not "building" anything are they still bodybuilders?

In my view, no. I take the term somewhat literally, so if they're not actually achieving anything then they can't be bodybuilding. I'd consider the same for a boxer/rugby player though. They could train plenty, but if they're not improving and they always lose then I wouldn't consider them boxers etc, just someone who wants to be a boxer but fails :pfft:

Id imagine 90% of gymgoers would say they follow a training & nutrition program of somesort

You're generous They may say they do, but they'd be lying. Plenty don't have a clue what they're up to and are just there so they don't feel guilty about not doing anything :roll:

[justhell]

a bodybuilder is anyone who commits him or herself for the purpose of building muscle. i.e commited to a training regime, nutritional plan and lifestyle.

I agree with WANABJAKD,even tho i dont call myself a bodybuilder,i still do everything that they do and sum.

who knows one day i might get up on stage.

[teamfatboy]

If you're not actively competing you're not a bodybuilder. You could train exactly the same as a boxer/kickboxer every week for years but if you've never had a fight you're not one. If you did rugby training every week and never played a game you wouldnt be a rugby player etc. Training like one doesnt make you one.

Boxing and Rugby are obviously sports that you have to participate in to be considered a Boxer or Rugby player, whereas with Bodybuilding, every time you train you're participating in Bodybuilding because you're inducing those physical changes in your body. Training like a bodybuilder is exactly what makes you one.

So what about someone who doesn't actually achieve anything? Their not inducing any changes, not "building" anything are they still bodybuilders? Id imagine 90% of gymgoers would say they follow a training & nutrition program of some sort and Id also imagine that you'd find about 90%+ of gymgoers would say that they are not bodybuilders.

My 2c worth is two separate 1c lots:

many people run - does the fact they don't race make them any less of a runner ? Conversely, I've pinned on a few race numbers over the years, and I'd not call myself a "runner".

the gym issue's a red-herring: it's in the WHY they go, the WHAT FOR they're training. I could be doing the same lifts, albeit in a diff rep-range, for power-lifting, as I do when the goal's body-building.

[holdenman]

My 2c worth is two separate 1c lots:

many people run - does the fact they don't race make them any less of a runner ? Conversely, I've pinned on a few race numbers over the years, and I'd not call myself a "runner".

the gym issue's a red-herring: it's in the WHY they go, the WHAT FOR they're training. I could be doing the same lifts, albeit in a diff rep-range, for power-lifting, as I do when the goal's body-building.

If i run to my front door when I get out of my car does that make me a runner? Im doing the same thing that they do.

[holdenman]

Boxing and Rugby are obviously sports that you have to participate in to be considered a Boxer or Rugby player, whereas with Bodybuilding, every time you train you're participating in Bodybuilding because you're inducing those physical changes in your body. Training like a bodybuilder is exactly what makes you one.

So what about someone who doesnt actually achieve anything? Their not inducing any changes, not "building" anything are they still bodybuilders?

In my view, no. I take the term somewhat literally, so if they're not actually achieving anything then they can't be bodybuilding. I'd consider the same for a boxer/rugby player though. They could train plenty, but if they're not improving and they always lose then I wouldn't consider them boxers etc, just someone who wants to be a boxer but fails :pfft:

Id imagine 90% of gymgoers would say they follow a training & nutrition program of somesort

You're generous They may say they do, but they'd be lying. Plenty don't have a clue what they're up to and are just there so they don't feel guilty about not doing anything :roll:

Well in all honesty 100% of people are on somesort of nutrition/training program, everyone eats and moves dont they? Doesnt mean its a good one.

[Phedder]

So what about someone who doesnt actually achieve anything? Their not inducing any changes, not "building" anything are they still bodybuilders?

In my view, no. I take the term somewhat literally, so if they're not actually achieving anything then they can't be bodybuilding. I'd consider the same for a boxer/rugby player though. They could train plenty, but if they're not improving and they always lose then I wouldn't consider them boxers etc, just someone who wants to be a boxer but fails :pfft:

Id imagine 90% of gymgoers would say they follow a training & nutrition program of somesort

You're generous They may say they do, but they'd be lying. Plenty don't have a clue what they're up to and are just there so they don't feel guilty about not doing anything :roll:

Well in all honesty 100% of people are on somesort of nutrition/training program, everyone eats and moves dont they? Doesnt mean its a good one.

Program suggests structure and planning. Many people have neither. I suppose a complete lack of a program could itself be a program :shrug: Getting a tad paradoxical now though

[PeterDolan]

So I'm a PLer even though I've never competed? No I'm not.

Until you get on stage, you are not a BBer, period. Yes you may live the so called "lifestyle" and train and eat like one but you still aren't competing. Otherwise every LB in the NFL is also a BBer

[Optimass]

If you're not actively competing you're not a bodybuilder. You could train exactly the same as a boxer/kickboxer every week for years but if you've never had a fight you're not one. If you did rugby training every week and never played a game you wouldnt be a rugby player etc. Training like one doesnt make you one.

Boxing and Rugby are obviously sports that you have to participate in to be considered a Boxer or Rugby player, whereas with Bodybuilding, every time you train you're participating in Bodybuilding because you're inducing those physical changes in your body. Training like a bodybuilder is exactly what makes you one.

Nope - you're a weight trainer. That's like saying every retired person that attends a pump class is a powerlifter. :grin:

(I feel like I'm late to my own party :grin: )

[justhell]

yeep weight trainer :nod: thats me.

[teamfatboy]

If i run to my front door when I get out of my car does that make me a runner? Im doing the same thing that they do.

Depends on why you ran Runners arguably are running for specific reasons, be they fitness, competition or pleasure - they're not necessarily doing it to get out of the rain quickly or to get from A to B as fast as possible in order to do something else. Running becomes the objective in and of itself.

Until you get on stage' date=' you are not a BBer, period. Yes you may live the so called "lifestyle" and train and eat like one but you still aren't competing. Otherwise every LB in the NFL is also a BBer[/quote']

Not sure I buy that one... Linebackers train the way they do for a specific purpose, the fact that their training is largely the same as a BB'er doesn't detract from the differing purpose.

As for competing - what's really the difference between competing on-stage and striving every day to improve your body? If a swimmer strives to beat his own PB, does that devalue his effort just because there weren't seven others racing against him ?

[musclenz]

We have had this debate before & we are never going to agree on it. What does it matter what you call yourself. Its only a term. Its what you do in the gym, with your nutrition, supps & lifestyle that matters. If you achieve a good enough physique to stand up on a stage, so be it. But of course we have all seen plenty of so called "Bodybuilders" standing on stages that should never have been there. Maybe there is another term that could describe us pathetic little buggers that don't compete. I'm open for suggestions

[Optimass]

Until you get on stage, you are not a BBer, period. Yes you may live the so called "lifestyle" and train and eat like one but you still aren't competing. Otherwise every LB in the NFL is also a BBer

Not sure I buy that one... Linebackers train the way they do for a specific purpose, the fact that their training is largely the same as a BB'er doesn't detract from the differing purpose.

As for competing - what's really the difference between competing on-stage and striving every day to improve your body? If a swimmer strives to beat his own PB, does that devalue his effort just because there weren't seven others racing against him ?

I think you contradicted your point TFB - if the two genres train the same and the only distiguishing difference that qualifies the bodybuilder as a bodybuilder is the purpose - being stepping on to a stage to be judged and compared agiast other peers - isn't the act of competing the final point.

Too many people are focused on the journey - but the actual sport of bodybuilding is yes to train and diet etc but ultimately, it is to compete.