When I say ‘bodybuilder’, what image is conjured up in your mind? Meat head? Big, bulky, dumb guy? Grunting, sweating, swearing, spitting?  Any combination of these? Unfortunately, many average Joes and Janes have less than admirable visions of what a ‘bodybuilder’ is.  And that, my friends, is the reason for this blog.

Do you know why I write for this magazine? Aside from the fact that it is the World’s Best Fitness, Bodybuilding and MMA Magazine?  Aside from the fact that it’s truly the best publication of its kind that I’ve ever read?  Because I CAN.  And I can because it exists. And it exists because people want to learn and be informed about the fitness industry.  And the fitness industry exists because, one day, a long time ago, someone picked up something heavy – over and over again – and started to grow.

Of course it goes much deeper than that but here’s my point:  none of the modern sports in our society would be where they are – what they are – if it weren’t for the old-school bodybuilders.  As bodybuilding has evolved, sports nutrition has also grown. The science of nutrition and performance is very relevant and extremely important to athletes of activities and sports everywhere.  And it all started with bodybuilding.

What is bodybuilding? Is it just the big fellas? The heavy lifting grunters? What about the amazing sculpted physiques owned by icons like Monica Brant? Erin Stern? And the beautiful bikini bodies on Olympia competitors like Amanda Latona?  They certainly can’t be bodybuilders, can they?  Of COURSE they are.  They, just like the Jay Cutlers and Arnold Schwarzeneggers out there, are building their bodies.  And so are the weekend warriors; the CrossFit junkies; the Yoga practitioners. Every single one of these people is building a body.  The methods and equipment vary tremendously, but the ultimate goal is the same:  build a better body – no matter what ‘better’ means to each of them.

I made a big change today. I switched gyms. I went from a gym that I patronized for almost ten years to a newer, fresher gym. There are a lot of other reasons that I chose to leave, but, speaking out of respect, I will only mention the one reason that is integral to this writing.  The management team of this particular gym chain feels that ‘bodybuilders’ tarnish their reputation. They ‘scare’ and ‘intimidate’ the ‘average’ people.  In fact, I watched for years as traditional ‘bodybuilders’ were treated badly, snickered at, spoken to disrespectfully – even had rules made that only they seemed to have to follow – and I finally had enough.  This, combined with a host of other issues, pushed me towards a more welcoming, friendly gym with staff and membership who have equal respect for everyone.

I find it ironic how the ‘ex’ gym management seem to overlook the fact that they are employed because bodybuilders exist.  If we all went away one day, they would be pounding the pavement, looking for a job.  Maybe that’ll be enough to teach them some respect.  Sweet dreams, Status readers.