Do you think bodybuilding is a sport?

Nopedotjpeg

I still say no personally. My first train of reasoning for this was because it's all too subjective. There's no objective measure for "who looks more buff and tan?" Of course, then comes the rebuttal with sports such as Olympic diving. I would still stand by that bodybuilding is not a sport however because there is no actual physical feat being performed in the competition. Gymnasts, divers, skateboarders, etc. all have to physically exert themselves in a way that is related to their training. A bodybuilder does none of this. I'm not arguing that there's a lot of work and commitment to compete in the world of bodybuilding, but calling posing on stage an athletic event doesn't make sense to me.

So. What are your thoughts on this?

taso42

This could get heated.

I think it comes down to a matter of semantics - how is "sport" defined? Does the competition need to be something quantifiable in order to count as a sport?

burg1801

Yes, I think it's a sport. I can't even elaborate anymore than that or I'll just end up tossing activities I wouldn't classify as sports under the bus, e.g. Golf and Beer Pong.

grinch031

Yes it is a sport. It has all the qualities of a sport except maybe its arguable whether the poses during competition constitute physical exertion. But still, its not like they stand there and do nothing. If a guy goes up there and doesn't know how to pose, he's going to lose the competition.

EatClenTrenHard

Bodybuilders spend hours flexing their muscles.

It takes skill to flex muscles in different positions and to be able to hold them flexed.

Also it takes a huge life investment to build a big body.

They all use steroids. Never seen a natural 230lbs+ 8%bf.

Nopedotjpeg

Yes, I think it's a sport. I can't even elaborate anymore than that or I'll just end up tossing activities I wouldn't classify as sports under the bus, e.g. Golf and Beer Pong.

Golf has plenty of training relevant to the competition though. No idea how you'd consider what drunk college students do at frat parties a sport though.

burg1801

Yes, I think it's a sport. I can't even elaborate anymore than that or I'll just end up tossing activities I wouldn't classify as sports under the bus, e.g. Golf and Beer Pong.

Golf has plenty of training relevant to the competition though. No idea how you'd consider what drunk college students do at frat parties a sport though.

trollface.jpg

CaseRat

They all use steroids. Never seen a natural 230lbs+ 8%bf.

Yikes, you haven't seen many people then. They're out there.

Definitely a sport.

Elizabeth_C34

They all use steroids. Never seen a natural 230lbs+ 8%bf.

Yikes, you haven't seen many people then. They're out there.

Definitely a sport.

Ditto.

I would also like to add that Robin Williams has the best description of the "sport" of golf ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnFbCCgTo4

Nopedotjpeg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM9rW1tyEdM





It looks more similar to a beauty pageant than an athletic competition.

snookumss

Have you ever spent hours just "flexing" your muscles? They aren't doing back flips, but they'll spend days training themselves how to flex their back muscles, or their legs, or to do all the particular poses perfectly.

Just because they lift weights and eat right as most people do, the poses and such is the qualifier (under your description).

I think it is, if you compete.

Chloe_Chaos_

They all use steroids. Never seen a natural 230lbs+ 8%bf.

Yikes, you haven't seen many people then. They're out there.

Definitely a sport.

yeahhhhh....they don't all use steroids...supplements? yes. But not all roids. Do some homework.

I wouldn't think that the entrance of a body building competition would be labeled a sport but the act of body building is a sport. I think the competition and posing is kind of like a dog show (not to say that the people in the competitions are dogs) but in the sense that they get all dolled up to get on stage after all of the hard work they've actually done in the gym.

So I say the competition itself = not a sport; the work to get to the competition = sport, or hobby for some :ohwell:

ninerbuff

Bodybuilding my whole life, I will emphatically say it's NOT a sport. The competitors DON'T compete against each other physically nor are they in the best physical shape to do it. They are dehydrated, lacking full glycogen stores, low on body fat and "dry". They wouldn't be able to do anything more than flex and while that takes some effort, it's more technique than physical skill.
They are judged, just like a beauty pageant and only have to adhere to rules of time limits for presentation. As physical as they are in the gym, it doesn't carry over onto the stage. At that point it's a form of a muscular beauty pageant.
That's why I don't consider them athletes. They are competitors. Off season, hardly any of the 250+lbs would allow them to run a 100 yds without gasping for air. Don't see how that can be athletic. While they do lift in the gym, that lifting DOESN'T translate to helping them win on stage.
So no bodybuilding isn't a sport. Neither is fishing, billiards, dart throwing, or even NASCAR.


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taso42

So no bodybuilding isn't a sport. Neither is fishing, billiards, dart throwing, or even NASCAR.

What about F1?

ninerbuff

Have you ever spent hours just "flexing" your muscles? They aren't doing back flips, but they'll spend days training themselves how to flex their back muscles, or their legs, or to do all the particular poses perfectly.

Just because they lift weights and eat right as most people do, the poses and such is the qualifier (under your description).

I think it is, if you compete.

They don't spend "hours" flexing. They may spend a half hour or and hour a day a couple of weeks before a show, but most of the flexing goes on during their workouts. You'll see a flex shot after a set of bicep curls, but they aren't busting their *kitten* doing it either.


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ninerbuff

Yikes, you haven't seen many people then. They're out there.

Definitely a sport.

I've seen a lot and don't believe that at 5'6" (average height of most bodybuilders) and 220lbs ripped at 4% body fat could be deemed as natural. Almost all the naturals I've seen barely break 200lbs in the heavy weights and don't have the same conditioning or "graininess" of the enhanced bodybuilder.


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ninerbuff

So no bodybuilding isn't a sport. Neither is fishing, billiards, dart throwing, or even NASCAR.

What about F1?

Possibly since they crank that wheel in more than one direction. But unlike most sports that attribute physical ability (jumping, running, speed, etc.) car racing is more about skilled driving rather than physical ability.


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memega

They all use steroids. Never seen a natural 230lbs+ 8%bf.

^This makes me say 'no' even though the sports world in general had always been marginally tainted with substance abuse.

poledance

these people train 6 days a week 365 (give or take a few, lol) days a year, when they are on stage you see all that hard work, watch the documentary, The Greatest Bodies, and Pumping Iron (Arnold Schwarzenegger) just cause you don't see all the hard work didn't mean that these people did not train hard to compete. they bust there *kitten* the same as a soccer player, or B-ball player would.