Guys that train and eat right… do you get weird looks when people discover you may be well read, or GASP know more than them on some arbitrary subject?
I’m not “big” by any stretch of the word… yet. But you can tell I lift and that I eat right. Seems as though those of us who do this couldn’t possibly put together a thought process outside “my name darrell.”
Renaissance men breaking the mold, I salute you.
Well, actually, I am the other way around. People always have known that I smart, but now they think I am getting really big. Although I am trying, I am nowhere need big. I am only 175 lbs, but people keep insisting that I am big. My friend says people think that we are big because they do not work out themselves and do not know people who really work out.
But, the new people ask if I work out and when I answer yes and tell them that I am in Honors Pre-calculas as a freshman, they stare at me funny.
I get it all the time. I was reading the Tibetan Book of the Dead the other day at work before I started and (after having to explain what the hell it was) a hostess said “I had no idea you were that deep” …I’m not even in good enough shape to be called a meathead, but I think I got called one… shit!
Im not big at all but the fact that I play sports at all has got me weird looks. I aced some test and this little asian girl turns around and goes “you got an A?..but…you play sports…”
lol. I love that disbelief. I’d always been the super smart nerd in high school. I got looked at like I was crazy when people found out I actually played baseball and basketball. Since then I’ve put on 60 lbs of muscle, grown my hair, grown a goatee, and gotten a motorcycle. Now I get looked at like I’ve got three heads if I mention I read Shakespeare. If they knew I was a biochemistry master’s candidate I think they would spontaneously combust. 
10 year goal; PhD in Civil Engineering and 60 more lbs of muscle.
I have trouble enunciating though so people often erroneously assume I’m thick.
Aren’t stereotypes fun?
I don’t know where you fellows live, but over 20 years ago at chiropractic college there were a lot of big, strong guys. Many students were ex jocks and so on. Probably how they developed their interest.
As for me, there seems no shock that I’m strong and smart. People care more if I can help them than what I bench. Maybe it’s me, but the dumb jock stereotype just wasn’t true back in high school college, and chiropractic college.
Our valedictorian in high school was a girl and a very good athlete. #2 and #3 were multisport athletes. I didn’t do any high school athletics, but lifted, so we had 5-6 kids who were in the top ten in a class of over 200. Not much of a stereotype there.
im 270. everyone thinks im that nice big guy, who is mediocre at best. im majoring in physics with a minor in business. they are majoring in phys ed, or tourism and events management.
I’m not even going to get into some “arbitrary subject”.
What really gets me is that when people recognize you have some muscle and then they are surprised to find out that you actually know a thing or two about training and nutrition. Talk about low expectations.
I too have been on both sides of the jock/nerd stereotype, and I must say I find it quite comical.
yea but the jock/meathead side is definately more fun than the nerd side.
They all got the memo that it is stupid to pick up heavy things. So, the logic goes that if you pick up heavy things…
…youll be small and weak forever.
I had my MBA, and my own business before I got big.
People are more interested in knowing why someone like me would want to get so big.
[quote]LiftSmart wrote:
Aren’t stereotypes fun?[/quote]
Its all fucking Disney’s fault with them and there stereotypical movies. I know you all know about them.
[quote]ukrainian wrote:
Well, actually, I am the other way around. People always have known that I smart, but now they think I am getting really big. Although I am trying, I am nowhere need big. I am only 175 lbs, but people keep insisting that I am big. My friend says people think that we are big because they do not work out themselves and do not know people who really work out.
But, the new people ask if I work out and when I answer yes and tell them that I am in Honors Pre-calculas as a freshman, they stare at me funny.[/quote]
You spelled “calculus” wrong Ya Big Meathead!
I’m no braniac (despite my avatar 8^) but I often find I like people assuming I’m a dumb jock. It’s a great way to get people to let their guard down so I can “study” them.
BWaHaHaHA!!!
This diverts kind of from the OPs discussion, but I never really understood why people seem to percieve Indians and Chinese as natural A grade students?
Funnily enough i’m Indian and did well in my A levels(its the equivalent of the US High school diploma I think) and read economics at university.
[quote]Shire wrote:
This diverts kind of from the OPs discussion, but I never really understood why people seem to percieve Indians and Chinese as natural A grade students?[/quote]
Shire - Don’t worry mate. With you I don’t think like that 
i dont know if people think im an idiot once i open my mouth but i generally get the i thought u were going to be a jerk or pick fights…i think most of it comes from the other idea that too be big you have to spend all your time in the gym and not doing other things
[quote]Shire wrote:
This diverts kind of from the OPs discussion, but I never really understood why people seem to percieve Indians and Chinese as natural A grade students?
Funnily enough i’m Indian and did well in my A levels(its the equivalent of the US High school diploma I think) and read economics at university.
[/quote]
because theres no room for goat herders and farmers in the “West” so if youre an asian/indian and you come here you or your parents were probaly doctors or engineers and thats what theyre going to raise you to aspire to.