By: Joseph Rodgers

This is an extremely tough question to answer. Yes, there are all of those answers like "it makes me look good" and "I love the attention I get from women." But those answers, to me, seem to be very shallow and if those are the reasons why some people engage in this lifestyle, then I'm not sure why those people would want to keep doing it.

The reason is that there will always be somebody that looks better or gets more attention. Those reasons seem to be unfulfilling to me even though bodybuilding does make people look good and get more attention from the opposite sex.

Bodybuilding is something more to me. After high school ended, I needed to do something to keep me in shape as well as provide a competitive atmosphere being that I've competed in one sport or another since I was ten. I always loved lifting in the summer time in order to get stronger and a little bigger for the upcoming football season, but when I saw my older brother lift on a regular basis I decided that this was what I wanted to do after high school.

After I graduated, I saw my older brother compete in his first contest. It got me excited about bodybuilding. I started just a few days later. I've been bodybuilding for over two years now. The whole idea of what bodybuilding means to me didn't develop over the process of a few workouts and to tell the truth, my reasons for bodybuilding are still being structured at this moment.

Why Do It?

At times I've asked myself why do I do this and I always seem to remind myself a few moments later when I see someone eat McDonald’s or doing something else that is unhealthy. I've come to the point where I have a set of reasons why I bodybuild. Here they are:

1. It's healthy. Bodybuilding promotes good eating habits and the right meal proportions. Lifting weights and cardio burns fat, builds muscle, and keeps the body in overall great shape.

2. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. Bodybuilding always provides me with the hope to get better. Bodybuilding supplies me with the mindset of goal-reaching. This helps me plan goals and reach them in other facets of my life.

3. It's spiritual for me. I believe that our bodies are magnificent things created and given to us by God. If we disrespect them and treat them poorly then we are not only disrespecting ourselves, but more importantly, we are disrespecting God.

4. It keeps me looking good. You knew this one was coming, right? However, I just want to look good for myself. I don't ever show off my body except on competition day.

5. I don't get more attention from girls now that I'm a bodybuilder. Why would this be a good thing? It's a good thing because I don't want a woman to be into me based solely on looks.

6. It's something I look forward to. There are endless training techniques, exercises, and weights that I haven't tried yet. This keeps bodybuilding exciting for me and makes me look forward to all of the training sessions that will come four to five times a week.

7. It's fun. Athletics are important to me. I no longer play basketball, football, and run track and field so I’ve found that I love the athleticism needed to lift weights. I love the feel of pushing and pulling weights around the gym. I love to see my lifts go up, up, and up!

When a person transforms his or her life as bodybuilding does to people, there is a state of adaptation where that person does ask him or herself how they are going to be this dedicated to something such as bodybuilding. After this stage passes and bodybuilding is engraved in someone's everyday life then it becomes normal to them. I guess the best way to explain it is dedication becomes the norm therefore the fear of being dedicated to something is gone.

Bodybuilding transcends the weight room and kitchen, though. When looked at closely, bodybuilders and other related athletes have a lot of energy for other aspects of their lives and for life in general. The bodybuilders that I know pack their lives with a lot of different activities.

Bodybuilders also tend to have better organizational skills than the average person. I believe this is true because bodybuilders have to plan out meals, a workout schedule, and cooking. And all of these things usually have to fit in with a work, school, and/or family schedule.

Many times with all of the planning, eating, working, and working out there are times when we are too hard on ourselves and we downgrade our own successes and progress. However, these are times we can do without. As bodybuilders, I think we are successful just for bodybuilding.

Finding a niche in life is hard enough in itself. I think that people who find their niche in bodybuilding and other related lifestyles are special. It takes a special person to live this lifestyle.

Bodybuilding doesn't have to be competitive to be good for an individual. Even though I compete, I know that it will not be my main focus when I get married and have children. There are so many other things that are more important than bodybuilding like family, friends, and faith. That's why it's important to put things in perspective.

However, the bodybuilding lifestyle can be tinkered with in order for it to fit a life full of family, friends, and faith. Bodybuilding will make me more mature and wise in mind, more young in energy and health, and stronger in faith so I can be as great of a human being to the people I care most about.

Thanks,

Joseph Rodgers
josephrogers15@hotmail.com

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