Thread: What are the things that separate a bodybuilder from a person who lifts to be fit?

Well this is all going to depend on the person. In my experience a person who trains to be fit really isn't looking to add an appreciable amount of size. They're training to stay in shape, so to speak. They'll have a routine balanced of weight-training and cardio, and generally "watch" what they eat.

On the other hand a bodybuilder is much more careful about his training, and what he eats. Supplements are of more importance than someone training to be fit, and factors such as sleep, protein intake, all are of great importance. Bodybuilders are trying to get bigger and some, stronger, bottom line.

hmmmm well IMO I think that someone who just lifts to be fit and healthy isnt bothered too much with "new wonder" supplements, too strict of a diet or the various dynamics and methods of training.

I do not want to turn this into a debate cause we have it several times before, but my opinion is you can only indentify yourself as a "bodybuilder" if you're competitive, otherwise you just lift weights.

If you lift weights and follow a "bodybuilding lifestye" that alone does not qualify you to carry the title "bodybuilder", and to do so is insulting to competitive bodybuilders, especially professionals. There is so much more involved being a competitive bodybuilder, just ask anyone that has competed.

Originally posted by Prince
I do not want to turn this into a debate cause we have it several times before, but my opinion is you can only indentify yourself as a "bodybuilder" if you're competitive, otherwise you just lift weights.

If you lift weights and follow a "bodybuilding lifestye" that alone does not qualify you to carry the title "bodybuilder", and to do so is insulting to competitive bodybuilders, especially professionals. There is so much more involved being a competitive bodybuilder, just ask anyone that has competed.

yeah that is where i am at, i am not looking into competions or anything, therefore i don't consider myself a bodybuilder, i just do it for the challenge, to stay active and fit, and to look good when i hit up the beach. A person who is just doing it to stay fit doesn't go through the bulking and cutting routines that a normal bodybuilder would do, and is much less strict in terms of dieting.

I agree with Prince.

I do not want to turn this into a debate cause we have it several times before, but my opinion is you can only indentify yourself as a "bodybuilder" if you're competitive, otherwise you just lift weights.

I can completely agree with you here Prince. I know that a competitive bodybuider is a completely different game than someone who just lifts because they enjoy it, etc. I can completely agree with that. I have absolutely no desire to compete at all---so I just lift weights.

Prince...I 100% agree with you. Until you have suffered the challenges of those final weeks leading into a competition...you are a weightlifter who follows the lifestyle...but NOT a BODYBUILDER

Originally posted by Prince
I do not want to turn this into a debate cause we have it several times before, but my opinion is you can only indentify yourself as a "bodybuilder" if you're competitive, otherwise you just lift weights.

If you lift weights and follow a "bodybuilding lifestye" that alone does not qualify you to carry the title "bodybuilder", and to do so is insulting to competitive bodybuilders, especially professionals. There is so much more involved being a competitive bodybuilder, just ask anyone that has competed.

You just turned it into a debate, and you knew you were going to. Just because someone doesn't compete professionally does not mean they aren't doing the activity. If I play soccer with some friends I'm still playing soccer. Just because I'm not going through the rigors of training that a professional does means nothing. I'm not a professional soccer player, but I am a soccer player in this example. Hence, I'm not a professional bodybuilder, but I am a bodybuilder.

However, I do see the need for a disctinction between someone who competes and someone who doesn't. The term competitive or professional preceeding the word bodybuilder is adequate. Also, sometimes people who aren't professionals can be just as dedicated and train just as hard as someone who competes. Take Trevor Smith for example. He never competed, but the fact that he weighed 420 pounds (I know that's before cutting but still) and could rep 7xx pounds on the incline bench shows that he probably trained extremely hard to get to that point.

Originally posted by CowPimp
You just turned it into a debate, and you knew you were going to. Just because someone doesn't compete professionally does not mean they aren't doing the activity. If I play soccer with some friends I'm still playing soccer. Just because I'm not going through the rigors of training that a professional does means nothing. I'm not a professional soccer player, but I am a soccer player in this example. Hence, I'm not a professional bodybuilder, but I am a bodybuilder.

I never said that being pro was a requirement, amatuers train just as hard for competitions as pros.

But, if you are just 'doing the activity' than you do not deserve the title "bodybuilder". You can say "I bodybuild", but you're not a bodybuilder. There is a BIG difference.

I can assume by your response that you have never competed, otherwise like the others that agreed with me above you would understand the difference between lifting weights and being a competitive bodybuilder.

i'd say i bodybuild, but i don't compete so i guess i'm not a bodybuilder even though i am in a personal sense

peace

The way I see it if you are working hard to gain size and muscle...then your a bodybuilder...because you are "building" you body

I look at it this way. Ive played football in my life but was never a "professional football player", tho I was a huge fan of pro-football. Does that mean I was never a "football player"?

I also have always lifted weights with intent to shape my body, and have used many techniques and advice from Pro bodybuilders. Even tho I dont compete does that mean Im not a BB? Im also a huge fan of BB. The energy from these contests is incredable. And in my opinion there is no pro athlete that puts more sweat and blood into their sport then do pro-BBs.

So I dont know the answer, but I'll say this. The sport of BB became huge by shareing the BB lifestyle with millions of people. By allowing "them" into your world your sport became huge.......................my humble advice is dont drive them out of it...................................take care.....................Rich

I agree with Cowpimp here.

the other weird thing about bodybuilding as compared to other sports is that you can do too much of bodybuilding(overtraining), which i unfortunately do, and it is bad for you, but is it bad for you to play too much basketball??

you technically could do the same thing aztec... and play to long day in day out like 5 hours a day of intense full court...youd be over doing it

yeah but would it make you a worse player?

Originally posted by Prince
I never said that being pro was a requirement, amatuers train just as hard for competitions as pros.

But, if you are just 'doing the activity' than you do not deserve the title "bodybuilder". You can say "I bodybuild", but you're not a bodybuilder. There is a BIG difference.

I can assume by your response that you have never competed, otherwise like the others that agreed with me above you would understand the difference between lifting weights and being a competitive bodybuilder.

If you bodybuild, then you are a bodybuilder... I'm not trying to downplay the fact that competitive bodybuilders work hard, but just because you work hard doesn't negate the fact that I bodybuild. I don't think the level of training has anything to do with whether or not someone is considered a bodybuilder.

I am a bodybuilder because, among other reasons, I lift weights to alter my physique to my liking, plain and simple. Just because I don't compete doesn't change that.

Originally posted by Prince
I never said that being pro was a requirement, amatuers train just as hard for competitions as pros.

But, if you are just 'doing the activity' than you do not deserve the title "bodybuilder". You can say "I bodybuild", but you're not a bodybuilder. There is a BIG difference.

I can assume by your response that you have never competed, otherwise like the others that agreed with me above you would understand the difference between lifting weights and being a competitive bodybuilder.

I completely agree. I have to correct people all the time who call me a "bodybuilder"...

I agree 100% with what Prince said.

Originally posted by Metal V Player
I agree 100% with what Prince said.

Ditto

I'm not sure. I had a MAX-OT workout where i would train back and bi's on the same day (tris and chest, etc). I told someone about this at the gym and he said it would be over training. I 'argued' with it about him. He told someone else about this workout plan and he said it was for bodybuilders, and said i was not a bodybuilder so i shouldnt be doing it. BS?

Oh well, I guess I will concede that I am wrong. Although I bodybuild, I am not a bodybuilder. No one really seems to agree with me. I think it's unreasonable for me to argue otherwise when everyone else obviously disagrees with me.

Now what if you workout to build your body in preperation for a competition but have never done one yet. Does this mean you are not a bodybuilder unless you have completed a comp? I have been bustin my ass and "building" my body in the hopes of one day I will be in good enough shape to enter a competiton. So what does this make me?

I can compare this to one thing and thats a fireman. A rookie(probie) is a fireman even though they have not gone through state training. Now to the older fireman (bodybuilder) a probie(someone who want to be a BB) is not a firweman b/c they have not gone through the training but in reality they are firefighters.

I see both sides of this debate. I see how prince is correct b/c I have heard of some crazy extremes people go through for comps and the madness they are put through, but then I see how others take the word literally, they "build" their "body"=bodybuilder.

Originally posted by CowPimp
Oh well, I guess I will concede that I am wrong. Although I bodybuild, I am not a bodybuilder. No one really seems to agree with me. I think it's unreasonable for me to argue otherwise when everyone else obviously disagrees with me.

hey man don't give up you are what your heart desires

Originally posted by DeadBolt
I see both sides of this debate. I see how prince is correct b/c I have heard of some crazy extremes people go through for comps and the madness they are put through, but then I see how others take the word literally, they "build" their "body"=bodybuilder.

good points, and I also see both sides of the debate.

I have never stopped lifting weights, but for ten years I did not compete. When I decided to compete again this year I rediscovered the vast difference and level of training, dedication and discipline you undergo when you compete.

It requires a much higher level in all aspects of "bodybuilding", there is no cheating on your diet, there is no skipping a work-out cause you want to go to that baseball game (or whatever), there is no "partying", there is no skipping a meal.

It's 24/7 bodybulding: training, eating, resting. You eat every 3 hours, and it's basically the same bland foods every meal, day after day, week after week. You cannot skip cardio, you cannot have a half assed work-out of bullshitting with your gym buddies, it's all business! You cannot eat that icecream bar that everyon else is eating....etc., etc., etc.

You have to practice your posing every day, you have to go tan, you have to think in advance of your meals and prepare them, especially if you're going somewhere. It does not end! Same with your supplements.

That is the difference.

Originally posted by Prince
I do not want to turn this into a debate cause we have it several times before, but my opinion is you can only indentify yourself as a "bodybuilder" if you're competitive, otherwise you just lift weights.

If you lift weights and follow a "bodybuilding lifestye" that alone does not qualify you to carry the title "bodybuilder", and to do so is insulting to competitive bodybuilders, especially professionals. There is so much more involved being a competitive bodybuilder, just ask anyone that has competed.

Excellent point. That is why when I describe myself always refer to myself as a weight trainer and when speaking of my past I say I "used" to be a bodybuilder.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DeadBolt
Now what if you workout to build your body in preperation for a competition but have never done one yet. Does this mean you are not a bodybuilder unless you have completed a comp? I have been bustin my ass and "building" my body in the hopes of one day I will be in good enough shape to enter a competiton. So what does this make me?

I can compare this to one thing and thats a fireman. A rookie(probie) is a fireman even though they have not gone through state training. Now to the older fireman (bodybuilder) a probie(someone who want to be a BB) is not a firweman b/c they have not gone through the training but in reality they are firefighters.

I can also compare bodybuilding to the military. A man going through BUD'S or "Seal School" is not a Seal until he completes his training and is given the title of Seal. So even though he is doing all the Seal stuff he should be considered a SEAL? NOPE! Not till he is told he is a Seal. lol

My point is this. Your not a "bodybuilder" until the title is earned and the only way to earn the title is to compete as one. And like I said before,, I competed as one and was a bodybuilder but no longer compete so I'm no longer considered a bodybuilder. Confusing you yet???? hahahahaha

Originally posted by Prince
good points, and I also see both sides of the debate.

I have never stopped lifting weights, but for ten years I did not compete. When I decided to compete again this year I rediscovered the vast difference and level of training, dedication and discipline you undergo when you compete.

It requires a much higher level in all aspects of "bodybuilding", there is no cheating on your diet, there is no skipping a work-out cause you want to go to that baseball game (or whatever), there is no "partying", there is no skipping a meal.

It's 24/7 bodybulding: training, eating, resting. You eat every 3 hours, and it's basically the same bland foods every meal, day after day, week after week. You cannot skip cardio, you cannot have a half assed work-out of bullshitting with your gym buddies, it's all business! You cannot eat that icecream bar that everyon else is eating....etc., etc., etc.

You have to practice your posing every day, you have to go tan, you have to think in advance of your meals and prepare them, especially if you're going somewhere. It does not end! Same with your supplements.

That is the difference.

Although I don't compete, and don't really plan on it, I do follow a very similar regimen in many aspects.

I haven't wanted to cut yet, but I do follow a pretty solid bulking diet. Despite the fact that I don't track macros (Except protein) I do eat mostly the same foods so that I get pretty close to "perfect nutrition." I don't eat completely worthless calories (Such as candy) at any point. Also, I am pretty damned good about eating every 3 hours.

I don't miss a workout ever, except when I'm sick or under emergency circumstances. I am flexible on when and how much I do cardio, but that will change whenever I decide to start cutting.

I party, but I don't really drink. I get drunk an average of once per month, and not usually excessively. Although I smoke pot, I also regulate that to a very reasonable level.

As well, when I workout I don't play around. I am serious about lifting and I put my mind into every workout. Unless I am super tired from a late night cram session or something and I'm out of it, I make an effort to make every workout productive.

However, I don't practice my posing and go tanning. =)

The point is I don't just lift weights. Although I may not be considered a bodybuilder, I certainly taking my lifting to a level above just lifting. My diet and lifestyle have both been drastically altered. I take bodybuilding seriously. It is very important to me and is prioritized very highly in my life.