Whats the Motivation?

[Ogrebear]

Over on the Muscle on TV thread, UKBeefy asked:

"I would also like to know what drives straight men in getting into the sport, being in the audience etc. Is it purely "I admire what that guy has achieved, the dedication etc" and that gets them really keen to be seeing other guys pumped and practically naked on stage?"

I too would like an answer to this question, and to open this up a little more- what motivates someone to actually GO on stage wearing practically nothing? What makes someone to actually take the plunge and take to the boards?

Also what does it feel like walking out there wearing nothing but a hanky sized posing pouch?

[SithSpawn]

Originally Posted by Ogrebear

Also what does it feel like walking out there wearing nothing but a hanky sized posing pouch?

Cold I would imagine. best not to shit yourself though, there's not much there to absorb it

[glammaman2000]

...it's about dominance issues."Somebody that big must be really strong;get a lot of respect;doen't have to take any crap;gets laid regularly;...etc."It's not so much about aesthetics.Just a guess;I have no business speaking for straight guys.As to why guys compete;it's just tempting to see how far you can push it;after having put all the time&effort into laying the groundwork.What's REALLY weird,to me;is the huge appeal of pro wrestling.Watching huge,sweaty men PRETEND to beat the crap out of each other.

[Lucas88]

Here's an opinion (or two or three):

As far as "straight" men in the sport as participants or spectators, I'm a firm believer that we all fall on the same spectrum of Homo- to Heterosexuality...that is, we all have tendencies toward sexuality and just hit the preference mix in different places. Add to that cultural influences (remember the Puritans) and those tendencies are masked/amplified by our need to appear "normal."

Just like the sexuality spectrum, isn't there a spectrum in the male fitness culture: you have your powerlifters, then your bodybuilders, and then your fitness models (as three major categories with lots of combinations in between). Your powerlifters are all about strength and power, real he-man stuff and I would bet would have your higher percentage of heterosexuals (purely speculation on my part but it's just an opinion/observation). Bodybuilding is an extension of the powerlifting (I'm a "real man" because I can throw around a lot of iron) with the addition of physical aesthetics (oops...isn't that a more "femine" trait? You tell me.). I would bet there are more gay bodybuilders than powerlifters with a lot more in the closet and here's a thought...could the almost total focus on mass monsters and steroids in the past decade be the bodybuilding industry's attempt to push bodybuilding back toward the "more manly" powerlifting end of the spectrum to give it more "appeal to mainstream society" (less gay, more manly...there go those Puritans again). When have bodybuilders ever looked more like powerlifters than they do today? The next extension is fitness model which adds performance to aesthetics (until recently, almost totally focused on women and still leaning pretty far in that direction) and, if I had to bet, I'd bet there are a lot more gay boys performing here than straight (you know what they say about gymnasts...). It's funny, but powerlifting and gymnastics are both Olympic events but not bodybuilding...could that be because in bodybuilding, the only real performance for an audience is showing off the body and not performing any feat of strength or skill? I mean, you're not actually lifting the weights on stage, right? In nature, when the male struts his stuff for the sake of strutting it, isn't he trying to attract a mate (regardless of the preference)? I don't think the Puritans can quite handle that yet (if ever???).

NOTE: No one should get their back up about my use of stereotypes here. I'm throwing out thoughts for the sake of discussion. These are observations based on my life experiences and only that...they are not judgements AND I'm totally aware I could be full of crap. Opinions are not written in stone and everyone has one. There are always exceptions but...stereotypes came from somewhere.

Now to actually answer the questions:
Guys on stage (bodybuilding, powerlifting, wrestling, football, whatever the stage)...any time you step on a stage and put yourself in the spotlight, you're looking for attention or validation or some type of gratification for the work you've put in, for the achievements you've made, to prove your "better" or just because you get off on it somehow...shock value is a good motivator: men just DON'T GET NEKKED IF FRONT OF OTHER MEN. Some guys are just plain exhibitionists. They could have been jocks that just enjoyed a good workout and one thing lead to another. They could be the stereotypical 90-pound weakling who decided not to be a 90-pound weakling and want to show the world.
Guys in the audience...regardless where you fall on the "sexuality spectrum" I think paying to see some buff dude flexing and bulging and rippling and bouncing on stage, up close and personal, or wherever indicates that the sight pushes some "hot" button. Doesn't mean you want to have sex with the hunk, but you can bet where there's MEAT, there are CARNIVORES lurking...or right at the table! The rest must just be there for inspiration...LOL!

Sorry for the book...I got carried away and rambled a bit.

Lucas

[bulkinupbig]

Ogrebear,

Response based on your question "getting into the sport"...

Hopefully, this will give you ONE perspective on why I got into the sport.

In high school, I played football, competed in track and field and trained as a competitive gymnast (although taller than most male gymnasts).

There are many factors that led me to get into the sport of bodybuilding.
(Here are just 10 in random order.)
1. The desire to continue to improve and better myself
2. The need to be physically fit and fight the ravages of aging
3. The release of endorphines post workout
4. The opportunity to let some of the mental stress of the workday escape through exertion of the physical body
5. The attention and compliments received from looking good
6. The feeling of control over the body in some very small way
7. The benefits received from people's perception of being physically strong
(Society expects men to be men. Looking physically fit and strong helps in
the workforce and spills over into other areas of life.)
8. The comradeship at the gym with my friends who are also bodybuilders
9. Getting laid more
10. And getting laid more and more
(Needs to be mentioned twice.)
(You can also dive deep into the Darwin theories and postulate on how instinctually, that the female species looks to propagate the strongest male species or the male species that can provide them with security, safety and produce a healthy offspring. )

As I have mentioned in earlier posts...
As a competitive bodybuilder - living the lifestyle - has very distinct advantages and a few dis-advantages.
The lifestyle requires discipline, dedication, drive, determination and desire. Without this continuing, strong founation - reaching or attaining bodybuilding goals will be futile. While there always will be things in your life that will test each of these five cornerstones to the lifestyle, there will also be rewards that will help to further motivate you down the path.

Contest preparation and "getting on stage" takes a great deal of work.
Dieting and countless hours of cardio and struggling through grueling workouts when carb depleted are just some examples of the toughest part of the journey.
There is also tanning/coloring, extra grooming, music selection and posing.
And the expense! You would be surprised at how expensive custom made "banana hammocks" cost!

In preparation for contests and "getting on stage", I worked with my choreographer on a routine that will showcase my physique to the upmost. Together we work on every movement to ensure it works to the music. Her critiques and constant refinements have helped to structure a fluid routine that has definitely helped me to win contests.

Overall, I would have to say that the journey to a contest is often more gratifying than "getting on stage". Bodybuilding is a subjective sport for not everyone is dealt the same genetic code. Does politics play a part in some bodybuilding ontests... Of course... it is part of life. However, I still contend that if you have the best physique among your competitors - you have a good chance of winning the contest - regardless of the regional, local or sponsor favorite.

Personally, winning a competition for me is validation of the hard work. It is a goal attained, a milestone, an event. The journey is the achievement.

Bulkinupbig

[Aikuchi]

...

so pretty much like any other 'sport' or even tradeskill (art, singing, carpentry) which you hone and master. there's a hourney to consider and the validation of effort in the end.

there really is no equation for considering the "getting naked and posing' part when it treated as a 'push' to become good at something both for self improvement and having some confidence in knowing you can influence yourself and your environment through you work.

just some random thoughts (still pondering ... but not to intensely, I'm in the midst of my exams now ).

so totally my own thougts without any basiss on fact or figures.

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Yinn