Bodybuilding Rant: The Sport of Masochists and Lost Heroes - Author L. Rea (ALRI)
Bodybuilding Rant: The Sport of Masochists and Lost Heroes
To the average outsider and the media alike, bodybuilding appears to be a very simplistic sport. Today of course, to many, it is not considered a sport at all but more so just a narcissistic drug culture of bullies and masculine women on the verge of “roid rage”. Let’s be honest, thanks to the media and government, the general public justifies their own lack of a quality aesthetic musculature as being solely a result of their choice to not use those “deadly” anabolic steroids. Sad that too often, those who possess “super-hero type physiques” or simply lean muscular physiques are labeled as steroid addicts that take drugs, do nothing then put on a set of posing trunks for the stage or compete in Cross-Fit, Physique or bikini contest. How often have you heard someone say “He just looks like that because he uses steroids, I can tell”. Really? Are you stroking me? Um, ya, have another beer and cigarette while celebrating being part of the over 65% of obese people in our nation is the reply I find most fitting.
My name is Author L. Rea. Since I was at a single digit age I have trained and/or competed in sports that require a superior physique and performance level most of the general public would need CPR for if they tried to do just one of the work-outs from any of them. Karate, MMA, Powerlifting...and the topic of this article...bodybuilding, are all so much more than what is seen by the general public. I have also spent a great deal of time in school and endless research. Combined, I find myself grateful for the unique perspective this allows.
Wake Up
If you are one of those whom I have described as prior negatively, please, go to the next article. The truth is not something most wish to hear (or read).
The truth is that the many of the average 17 year old physique and performance oriented persons can run circles around most second year physiology students. Like all of us whom refuse to accept mediocrity, these kids are knowledge and experienced sponges. We learn and practice what most only talk about. The amount of knowledge required to be competitive in any physique sport exceeds that of most sports that are solely performance oriented.
Where It Began...
Yup, this starts where it should.... “Back in my day” bodybuilding was more respected simply because an aesthetic physique with strength and the hard work required to build it was looked- up to with admiration. Remember when even the guy on the Arm and Hammer baking soda box and Mr. Clean had much larger muscles than today? I do.
Perhaps, like Toney Freeman they were arrested for having too much muscle... (Not joking, Muscle Profiling by Swedish Police | Steroidlaw.com )
Q: I heard that Toney Freeman was taken into custody by Swedish police and forced to submit to steroid testing for being “too” muscular! Do the Swedes really hate muscle that much?
A: The facts: Toney Freeman was touring Sweden to make public appearances. While signing autographs for fans in a shop in the small city of Sundsvall (pop. 50,000), he was surrounded and arrested by uniformed police. Local news outlets were tipped off so that TV crews could film the arrest. The “X-Man” was forced to submit to a urine test to see if he was using drugs – specifically, steroids. There was no probable cause to believe he was committing any crime – other than that Sundsvall Police Chief Henrik Blusi believes that extreme muscularity means steroid use, and that steroid use is a serious crime. “If you are a professional bodybuilder, you shouldn’t come to Sundsvall,” warned Blusi, who previously spearheaded a highly-publicized nationwide anti-steroid operation. Freeman was released pending the test results. [My thanks go to1980 IFBB Pro Mr. International Andreas Cahling for his help in translating and researching the Swedish media accounts; http://www.andreascahling.com.] As a result of this “muscle profiling,” Jay Cutler canceled his appearance at the Swedish Fitness Festival in Göteborg.
My take: Basing “probable cause” – the standard of evidence required to arrest – on a person’s appearance is offensive. Like skin color or ethnic background, body type shouldn’t provide probable cause for an arrest. Sorry, Blusi, but suspected drug use as a justification doesn’t cut it. Profiling someone acting wacked or zoned out on crack, speed or hash is about suspicious behavior, not appearance. That’s different from arresting someone because his muscles look “too” big. And the argument that it later turned out that Blusi’s suspicions were correct – Freeman reportedly admitted the use of testosterone and growth hormone (by prescription) – is exactly the kind of “ends justify the means” thinking that American justice abhors. Otherwise, every warrant-less search and shocking violation of personal privacy would be A-OK, as long as evidence of guilt is recovered.
Times Are A’Changin’
At a “threatening” weight and height of 125 pounds at 5’ 7” I decided to get serious about building a quality bodybuilding physique. Yes, this was a few decades ago. When I reached 240 pounds I opted to use anabolic steroids. I eventually reached an off-season weight of 276 pounds at just under 10% body fat, after about 13 years. Think about that. Training 5 days a week for about 90 minutes, including cardio and without adding in the double training sessions or 6 day a week training periods which was 3,120+ work-outs to achieve that level. 13 years of clean eating, no pizza, alcohol, added salt, no deserts. And it meant being up to train at 5am before school and work. Jeez, how can anyone not say bodybuilding is as tough if not tougher than any other sport deserving of the now lost admiration?
At one time children admired bodybuilders and many tried to, and succeeded, in emulating our dedication and willingness to work harder each year to improve. Some even learned personal actions dictated how far we went in life and are hard-working members of America. The majority they looked up to never used steroids and far more are natural (no drugs) today than they were then. Think about our Fire Departments, Sheriff Departments, Police Departments. They were once hard core training and conditioning fanatics we all admired: Heroes. You may recall how evil those among them who used Nutritional Supplements were persecuted the past 5 years. It’s sad that we have a media and misguided government whom have destroyed most of the heroes. It has sadly taught our public that even our serious hard core training military that keep us safe has no heroes. (Presidents once appeared at dead heroes’ funerals and told America how proud we are of them and their sacrifice.)
We have all read endless articles on how the old school trained, dieted and lived. This rant is about how anyone with obvious muscularity has been negatively affected by the media and governmental obsession with the desire to be in control of even personal choices and what you can do about it: How many months and billions of dollars did the Senate waste on steroids in sports? And more importantly, why are they involved? Time spent on cutting our deficit and not spending more money than we give them is what we elected them for, we already have mother’s, thank you. In my opinion the government is not evil, just poorly informed and while lacking any real world experience in what they over-control. Picture any of our top elected officials going to High School in West Detroit or living in East LA for a month, LOL. Sadly, society emulates what is left when the heroes are gone: And it is all negative unraveling of society and self-responsibility.
Just a Suggestion
Take it for whatever it is worth to you, but I stay in shape and have a muscular aesthetic physique. First, I cannot accept mediocrity. Second, the number of people who have stopped me at shows, on the street and even in restaurants to ask how can they get in shape then do so, convinced me that bodybuilding is not just a tough sport: It allows us the privilege of being examples others will emulate. The world needs people to look up to and make it a better place. Try it; you are already dedicated, hard-working, successful at your goals and a walking inspiration. Maybe the gentle giants from my era will inspire some of you to be the heroes we need so badly in this one. Don’t be a masochist for those looking for someone to persecute. Be the example they can’t be.
Author L Rea
CEO, ALR Industries
ALRindustries.com
