Social Media vs Stage Bodybuilders

So this video came up on my feed this morning, and while I didn’t get all the way through it, it touches on some things that I think has been discussed on here before. The difference between what this guy refers to as social media bodybuilders versus actual stage bodybuilders.

He even references how individuals on social media will get that perfect lighting, pose, even photoshop, and create a false impression of their actual physique. Once on stage though, flaws become readily apparent.

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I enjoy this guys content.

Social media, while being a major asset in getting info out there is also a swamp of negativity with all the drama bullshit.

Fitness is the only industry where trainers continuously shit on each other.

Do other professions indulge in such behaviour?

I never see carpenters making video deriding other carpenters for example

‘Carpenters who use butt joints are selling you snake oil. Through-dovetail joints are superior!!!’

I suppose an industry which attracts so many narcissists and self loathers will always manifest itself in such bullshit.

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Have to catch more of this guy. I like his analysis here.
Everyone is a pro judge and critic on social media, it’s ridiculous.

I wonder how much influence social media has had on the explosion of certain physique classes such as bikini? I saw the Olympia qualified list for all the categories on the Mr. Olympia LLC insta page, and the bikini list is almost 3 times as long as any of the other ones.

I also wonder if there is a correlation between the rise of “fitness influencers” and an (real or perceived) increase in body dismorphia cases in both men and women?

The guys who win the O in all categories really are the best of the best.

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Really? I think that channel is trash. A guy speculating on random peoples steroid cycles for views, lame.

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Each to their own matey

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Your seeing allot of that on the Powerlifting side.

You won’t see much in the way of personal call-outs but you can find CGI artists reacting to both good and poor CGI. These shots are put together by teams so it’s not as bad I’d say? The tone is also vastly different.

Outside of YouTube UX designers tear down other designs, but rarely do they make it explicit who is the original creator. They’ll attack the finished product, not the craftsperson.

Programmers deride on one another all the time. About everything. Even discussing other things outside of programming every major discussion board usually just have people sniding at their perceived opposition hoping to trap them in some rhetoric tool that they then call-out for a “win”. Like: “that’s a straw-man argument.” Boom.

“Holmes on Homes”? I think there’s a lot more of it than you would notice, because it happens in areas of interest that you don’t care about.

Derek from MPMD, does speculate on other peoples steroid cycles. He does so from a very knowledgeable basis. He reads and has comprehension of scientific articles, and has practical experience, so at least its a reasonably educated guess. I think people are interested, and its good that someone is trying to show how to use PED’s as safely as possible, unlike someone like Boston Lloyd. Derek at least tries to demystify the use of PED’s, and bodybuilding, so you don’t naively get taken advantage of with bullshit, and false expectations.

I’ll just throw in that I’ve never seen this channel before, And know absolutely nothing about the guy running it.

I simply felt his thoughts on this topic were pretty spot on. They actually echo things I’ve said myself about social media folks or “fitness authors” who run up a reputation for themselves but then see it shattered when they actually step onstage to compete with others.

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Same here. I haven’t seen this channel either, but for this one video at least, it makes sense. Even leaving out photoshop, everyone’s got their favorite mirror or corner where the lighting is perfect and taking a photo or video in one of those spots can show something very different from what you may see in person. There’s been a couple times were I’ll come across a channel where the person looks awesome, but then you’ll see a post that has another person or object in it to give a context of size, or where the lighting is a little different, and I think, “Yeah, still awesome, but different than those other posts.”

I don’t think it’s much different than what you’d see in magazines before social media, but it’s definitely a lot more wide spread now.

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Structure matters a lot in bodybuilding. Someone can have the same or even lower contest weight but with a great structure, they can very well decimate their opponents. As you see, that guy Calum and Sergi Constance are big, they probably impress the general population way more than the guy that decimated them in a competition. But as far as their shoulder-to-waist ratio, insertions, etc, they are not like top-level bodybuilders.

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This is a rough lesson to a lot of gym rats who have friends telling them how when they step onstage that first time they’re gonna beat everyone else no problem. A better structure can go a very long way, and when every competitor in the line up has size and conditioning, natural advantages can go a very long way.

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Yup I agree looking the best in the gym… or on a beach photos doesnt mean anything on the stage… one could not have impressive show muscles(chest,arms) but have wide clavicles tiny waist with sweeping quads and lats and hell destroy this guy with impressive show muscles who look 2x better at the gym

Yeah thats why I’m not even a fan of it anymore. I respect the effort and dedication it takes. But its really a genetics pissing contest, but maybe im only saying that because my chest is very slightly concave.

Social media has definitely soured alot of interest in it. I lift because it makes me feel good and any of the drugs I take is because it makes me feel good. Not going to sugarcoat it or Bs anybody about it.

Too many people get their heads wrapped into it who will never succeed. And I think social media really is to blame for alot of this. People with messed up body images who get fueled and egged on by all the instagram pros and judges… And as far as Mr.Olympia goes. Why does any sane person want to walk around carrying what Ronnie Coleman had? I love the dude and immensely respect him.

But fuck. Just looking at him makes my chest hurt. I cant imagine eating as much as he did and taking all of what he did. And to go through with all of that and to come in 10th or something? If the mass and diet didn’t give me a heart attack. My emotional ass on that many drugs would’ve dropped right there.

Respect to those who go through with it because thats an insane amount of effort and dedication. But you’ve literally gotta be gods gift to the planet to succeed there (genetics) and the problem is… everyone thinks they’re gods gift to this planet.

Social Media has a way of encouraging and fostering that belief.

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