Are bodybuilders vain?

IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
edited November 12 in Motivation and Support
This is just a question to see how others feel about it, so please play nicely. Opinions are welcome, so long as they are not bashing anyone else's opinions or each other....


So, do you think bodybuilding from bikini to fitness to figure to physique to bodybuilding is vain? And, why or why not?


my response - no. Why not? Because it takes someone with a great amount of restraint, discipline, dedication, determination, willpower, motivation, etc. to even consider getting into this sport.
«134

Replies

  • scott091501
    scott091501 Posts: 1,260 Member
    Vain? Aren't we all?

    That said I know a handful of bb'ers that step on stage. No one knows more about every single thing they do or put in their bodies as bb'ers do. They may look like meatheads but they're very knowledgeable and meticulous.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Vain? Aren't we all?

    That said I know a handful of bb'ers that step on stage. No one knows more about every single thing they do or put in their bodies as bb'ers do. They may look like meatheads but they're very knowledgeable and meticulous.

    hip hip huzzah!

    some are arrogant but most are pretty cool guys.
    As long as they arent juicing!
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    Naaa. That's like making a blanket statement that low carbers are militant or vegans are smug. Sure, SOME might be. But in general, no.

    As Audrey Hepburn once said, "The most important thing is to enjoy your life--to be happy--it's all that matters." If you enjoy bodybuilding, fantastic.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    I asked, because someone just made that very genrealized blanket statement elsewhere and it got me curious of what others thought... I obviously very strongly disagree, because I compete.
  • tig_ol_bitties
    tig_ol_bitties Posts: 561 Member
    One of my good friends got into bodybuilding a few years ago and is now a professional-level figure competitor and model. Honestly, it's like I don't even know her anymore. I ended up blocking her on facebook because every post was a photo she'd take at the gym that was making fun of someone, whether it was for their weight, what they were wearing, how they were using a machine, etc.)...and everything became about how awesome she was. On the flipside, I also work with a doctor who is a bodybuilder, and I ONLY know this because one of his nurses told me. He's so quiet about it and doesn't brag at all that I honestly had NO IDEA. So I think it truly depends on the person and how they let it effect them.
  • scott091501
    scott091501 Posts: 1,260 Member
    Vain? Aren't we all?

    That said I know a handful of bb'ers that step on stage. No one knows more about every single thing they do or put in their bodies as bb'ers do. They may look like meatheads but they're very knowledgeable and meticulous.

    hip hip huzzah!

    some are arrogant but most are pretty cool guys.
    As long as they arent juicing!

    Do you know ones that don't??? Seriously. Even a good amount of the "natural" bb'ers juice. They just have it out of their system in time to compete. I mean when you can legally buy steroids over the counter at most nutrition stores it's a lot more common than you think, and by common I mean in the middle aged white guy category too. To be honest steroids tend to enhance your personality. If you're naturally a jerk you multiply it by ten. Roid rage is a myth TBH.
  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
    I asked, because someone just made that very genrealized blanket statement elsewhere and it got me curious of what others thought... I obviously very strongly disagree, because I compete.

    Everyone has a calling in life. Ill forever admire the courage and discipline of competing bodybuilders/fitness/physique/bikini competitors. Its a sport, but just becuase it has to do with sculpting the body people get all twisted about tt.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    One of my good friends got into bodybuilding a few years ago and is now a professional-level figure competitor and model. Honestly, it's like I don't even know her anymore. I ended up blocking her on facebook because every post was a photo she'd take at the gym that was making fun of someone, whether it was for their weight, what they were wearing, how they were using a machine, etc.)...and everything became about how awesome she was. On the flipside, I also work with a doctor who is a bodybuilder, and I ONLY know this because one of his nurses told me. He's so quiet about it and doesn't brag at all that I honestly had NO IDEA. So I think it truly depends on the person and how they let it effect them.

    IF that ever happened to me, I would ask that you dropkick me in the head. Motivation is one thing, knocking others is just not cool...
  • tig_ol_bitties
    tig_ol_bitties Posts: 561 Member
    One of my good friends got into bodybuilding a few years ago and is now a professional-level figure competitor and model. Honestly, it's like I don't even know her anymore. I ended up blocking her on facebook because every post was a photo she'd take at the gym that was making fun of someone, whether it was for their weight, what they were wearing, how they were using a machine, etc.)...and everything became about how awesome she was. On the flipside, I also work with a doctor who is a bodybuilder, and I ONLY know this because one of his nurses told me. He's so quiet about it and doesn't brag at all that I honestly had NO IDEA. So I think it truly depends on the person and how they let it effect them.

    IF that ever happened to me, I would ask that you dropkick me in the head. Motivation is one thing, knocking others is just not cool...

    I've called her out on it many times, but got sick of it, so I just blocked myself from having to see her posts, haha.
  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
    This is just a question to see how others feel about it, so please play nicely. Opinions are welcome, so long as they are not bashing anyone else's opinions or each other....


    So, do you think bodybuilding from bikini to fitness to figure to physique to bodybuilding is vain? And, why or why not?


    my response - no. Why not? Because it takes someone with a great amount of restraint, discipline, dedication, determination, willpower, motivation, etc. to even consider getting into this sport.

    I agree with " it takes someone with a great amount of restraint, discipline, dedication, determination, willpower, motivation, etc. to even consider getting into this sport."

    However, the sport is judged on how you look. So "Vanity" for sure yes.

    As far as being Vain, being in the sport, one would have to be excessively concerned about one's own appearance, which is the definition of Vain.
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
    This is just a question to see how others feel about it, so please play nicely. Opinions are welcome, so long as they are not bashing anyone else's opinions or each other....


    So, do you think bodybuilding from bikini to fitness to figure to physique to bodybuilding is vain? And, why or why not?


    my response - no. Why not? Because it takes someone with a great amount of restraint, discipline, dedication, determination, willpower, motivation, etc. to even consider getting into this sport.

    Being dedicated DOESN'T mean you are vain. It says in the bible to treat your body like a temple. The healthier you are the better you feel. Thats not VANITY but SANITY!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    To a degree... yes, it's vain. Is that bad? No. It's just as vain for someone to want to win a softball game, or do well in a 5k race, or kick butt in Scrabble.
  • fithealthygirl
    fithealthygirl Posts: 290 Member
    Vain? Aren't we all?

    That said I know a handful of bb'ers that step on stage. No one knows more about every single thing they do or put in their bodies as bb'ers do. They may look like meatheads but they're very knowledgeable and meticulous.

    hip hip huzzah!

    some are arrogant but most are pretty cool guys.
    As long as they arent juicing!

    Do you know ones that don't??? Seriously. Even a good amount of the "natural" bb'ers juice. They just have it out of their system in time to compete. I mean when you can legally buy steroids over the counter at most nutrition stores it's a lot more common than you think, and by common I mean in the middle aged white guy category too. To be honest steroids tend to enhance your personality. If you're naturally a jerk you multiply it by ten. Roid rage is a myth TBH.


    I know a body builder that doesn't juice and he looks better than a lot of the ones that do.
  • One of my good friends got into bodybuilding a few years ago and is now a professional-level figure competitor and model. Honestly, it's like I don't even know her anymore. I ended up blocking her on facebook because every post was a photo she'd take at the gym that was making fun of someone, whether it was for their weight, what they were wearing, how they were using a machine, etc.)...and everything became about how awesome she was. On the flipside, I also work with a doctor who is a bodybuilder, and I ONLY know this because one of his nurses told me. He's so quiet about it and doesn't brag at all that I honestly had NO IDEA. So I think it truly depends on the person and how they let it effect them.

    IF that ever happened to me, I would ask that you dropkick me in the head. Motivation is one thing, knocking others is just not cool...

    Agreed! I understand insecurities...we all have them...some more than others BUT if you have insecurities WITH YOURSELF well, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! I don't care if that bodybuilder friend has an awesome body, she is very clearly a ball of insecurities if she gets a rise out of making fun of others.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    This is just a question to see how others feel about it, so please play nicely. Opinions are welcome, so long as they are not bashing anyone else's opinions or each other....


    So, do you think bodybuilding from bikini to fitness to figure to physique to bodybuilding is vain? And, why or why not?


    my response - no. Why not? Because it takes someone with a great amount of restraint, discipline, dedication, determination, willpower, motivation, etc. to even consider getting into this sport.

    I agree with " it takes someone with a great amount of restraint, discipline, dedication, determination, willpower, motivation, etc. to even consider getting into this sport."

    However, the sport is judged on how you look. So "Vanity" for sure yes.

    As far as being Vain, being in the sport, one would have to be excessively concerned about one's own appearance, which is the definition of Vain.

    I can appreciate that response. I think it is more about achieving and maintaining a healthy body, mind and soul, but that's just my opinion.
  • tig_ol_bitties
    tig_ol_bitties Posts: 561 Member
    One of my good friends got into bodybuilding a few years ago and is now a professional-level figure competitor and model. Honestly, it's like I don't even know her anymore. I ended up blocking her on facebook because every post was a photo she'd take at the gym that was making fun of someone, whether it was for their weight, what they were wearing, how they were using a machine, etc.)...and everything became about how awesome she was. On the flipside, I also work with a doctor who is a bodybuilder, and I ONLY know this because one of his nurses told me. He's so quiet about it and doesn't brag at all that I honestly had NO IDEA. So I think it truly depends on the person and how they let it effect them.

    IF that ever happened to me, I would ask that you dropkick me in the head. Motivation is one thing, knocking others is just not cool...

    Agreed! I understand insecurities...we all have them...some more than others BUT if you have insecurities WITH YOURSELF well, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! I don't care if that bodybuilder friend has an awesome body, she is very clearly a ball of insecurities if she gets a rise out of making fun of others.

    Yeah, the one that sent me over the edge to blocking her was when she took a photo of a girl lying on the ground who was about my size. She captioned it with "WTF?! This fat b*tch in mis-matched clothes is STARING at me. As if she could possibly keep up with my workout, haha!" Or something very similar. Yeah, that was the end of that.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    No, that would assume that anyone who is trying to reach a physical or fitness goal is vain. I lift, and I run, I've been considering entering a comp this year and my attitude toward it isn't much different than my attitude toward running. Like any other sport, you have to train, have discipline, push your limits to do well, push your abilities beyond what you though you could possibly imagine, and then compete.
  • bluebird321
    bluebird321 Posts: 733 Member
    Some vanity and self-interest is healthy. I look at the fitness model thing as a great outlet for a woman to express herself and the self-motivation tends to be contagious.
  • 10acity
    10acity Posts: 798 Member
    Vain? Aren't we all?

    That said I know a handful of bb'ers that step on stage. No one knows more about every single thing they do or put in their bodies as bb'ers do. They may look like meatheads but they're very knowledgeable and meticulous.

    Yup. I'm totally vain. Not crazy-spending-my-rent-money-on-Botox vain.. but vain. I mean.. I'm pretty. :happy:
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I think entering any kind of competition based on how you look is vain.

    If you aren't doing it to be judged on how you look, but because you happen to just like lifting weights, then no.

    I don't really understand the entire psychology behind looks based competitions, though, that goes for body building competitions, swimsuit competitions and pageants. I think it's all vapid.
  • supertracylynn
    supertracylynn Posts: 1,338 Member
    A former lover of mine used to be a competitive body builder several years ago. He is a good dad, caring husband, generous friend, and very In touch with his emotions.

    In the time I knew him, he only said 2 vain things, and one of them still makes me laugh. He said that he would never get a brow piercing because his face is very expressive and he didn't want to detract from that, lol.
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
    Blanket statement aren't very warm fuzzy blankets!
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
    if bodybuilders are vain, so are all us MFPers.

    we all want to either lose weight or gain muscle - I doubt there are any people on here trying to gain fat?? and even if they were, it would have to be for looks because obviously too much fat is bad for your health.


    if vanity = changing your body to its peak physique... then yes, bodybuilders are vain.
  • Z_I_L_L_A
    Z_I_L_L_A Posts: 2,399 Member
    I heard one person say look at him staring at himself in the mirror he is so full of his self. I said no, the mirrors are a tool of motivation, you see it working, you see yourself doing it the correct way and its working. I said now if he blows a kiss into the mirror then yes he is.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    This is just a question to see how others feel about it, so please play nicely. Opinions are welcome, so long as they are not bashing anyone else's opinions or each other....


    So, do you think bodybuilding from bikini to fitness to figure to physique to bodybuilding is vain? And, why or why not?


    my response - no. Why not? Because it takes someone with a great amount of restraint, discipline, dedication, determination, willpower, motivation, etc. to even consider getting into this sport.

    I'm sorry, but this post is worded to encourage bashing, regardless of the "play nicely" admonition.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Anything done for the simple purpose of changing how you look is vain by definition.

    But doing something for vanity purposes is not the same as being a vain person by character trait. So, yes and no.
  • ClarkMer
    ClarkMer Posts: 206 Member
    I know one body builder. He is a nice guy and truly does work for what he has, BUT he is extremely vain. I feel self concious just being in the same room as him, because he obviously looks down on people that are overweight and makes a lot of fat jokes. On the other hand, however, he is very encouraging to people that are trying to change their life and weight problems, and I am always proud to tell him if I have a good workout, because he seems to genuinely be happy to hear it and always encourages me to keep it up.

    So basically, it depends on your opinion.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    Blanket statement aren't very warm fuzzy blankets!

    no, they really aren't at all and I happen to like the warm ones myself. :bigsmile:
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    This is just a question to see how others feel about it, so please play nicely. Opinions are welcome, so long as they are not bashing anyone else's opinions or each other....


    So, do you think bodybuilding from bikini to fitness to figure to physique to bodybuilding is vain? And, why or why not?


    my response - no. Why not? Because it takes someone with a great amount of restraint, discipline, dedication, determination, willpower, motivation, etc. to even consider getting into this sport.

    I'm sorry, but this post is worded to encourage bashing, regardless of the "play nicely" admonition.

    I'm sorry you feel that way, as that was not at all my intention. If you knew me, you would know that. It does seems to be going pretty well so far, though (knock on wood). Some people think yes, it is vain, some do not and so far, everyone seems to be "playing nicely". :flowerforyou:
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    One of my good friends got into bodybuilding a few years ago and is now a professional-level figure competitor and model. Honestly, it's like I don't even know her anymore. I ended up blocking her on facebook because every post was a photo she'd take at the gym that was making fun of someone, whether it was for their weight, what they were wearing, how they were using a machine, etc.)...and everything became about how awesome she was. On the flipside, I also work with a doctor who is a bodybuilder, and I ONLY know this because one of his nurses told me. He's so quiet about it and doesn't brag at all that I honestly had NO IDEA. So I think it truly depends on the person and how they let it effect them.

    IF that ever happened to me, I would ask that you dropkick me in the head. Motivation is one thing, knocking others is just not cool...

    Agreed! I understand insecurities...we all have them...some more than others BUT if you have insecurities WITH YOURSELF well, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF! I don't care if that bodybuilder friend has an awesome body, she is very clearly a ball of insecurities if she gets a rise out of making fun of others.

    Yeah, the one that sent me over the edge to blocking her was when she took a photo of a girl lying on the ground who was about my size. She captioned it with "WTF?! This fat b*tch in mis-matched clothes is STARING at me. As if she could possibly keep up with my workout, haha!" Or something very similar. Yeah, that was the end of that.

    There's a difference between being vain and being a full on right b!tch. Chances are that this is something that she'd always had in her, but expressed it very differently. Now that this how she defines superiority this is the focus of her agnst.
This discussion has been closed.