Bodybuilding – mitt lilla reportage på ämnet.

 

Vamé är en tidning som jag har skrivit för innan, men då har det handlat om två andra ämnen; stress och mindset. Amanda kontaktade mig och frågade om jag skulle kunna skriva ihop en artikel på ämnet bodyfitness. Jag antog utmaningen och började dra i lite trådar i mitt kontaktnät. Vamé är en lokalt förankrad tidning/magasin och det var viktigt att få med det. Därför valde jag att göra två porträtt av två killar som tävlar just nu.

 

Som det går att läsa i reportaget så finns det en hisklig massa dopning och det är svårt att hitta rena atleter. Jag gjorde mitt bästa för att plocka de som bäst visar upp en så ren livsstil som jag kunde. Det betydde att jag fick sålla ordentligt.

Jag valde då Adam Lundqvist och Jonas Barkman.

Adam Lundqvist

Foto: Charlott Zsoldos

Jonas Barkman

Foto Charlott Zsoldos

Jag tog även hjälp av Mike Demeter som har varit inom branschen lääääänge. Han och jag gjorde även en podcast om just bodybuilding för ett par år sedan. Mike är mitt orakel när det gäller muskelbyggnad.

Mike Demeter

 

För att kunna läsa online klicka här!

 

Hela intervjun som jag gjorde med Mike fick inte plats, så jag tänkte att den får plats här i stället!

1. How did you get into the industry? (Being a coach, who has inspired you etc)

Like many young guys , I wanted to add some muscle to my frame. I was a high school student and while at the local book store, saw a copy of Muscle and Fitness Magazine on the stands. This was the early 80’s and to this day, I remember reading an article on German great, Jusup Wilkosz training deltoids. I had never seen men like this and wanted to be just as heroic. I joined a local gym and  devoured magazines for information. By first year University (still early 80’s) I had landed a part time job working for MuscleMag and was introduced to the Physique coaching of Vince Gironda. I even took the trip to California and trained at Vince’s. He was scary but incredibly intelligent, a description lent to my years later friend and teacher Charles Poliquin. To be honest, the more I learned, the more I realized I still did not know. The silver lining to possessing average genetics is we never responds as well as the articles would promise- so the quest for more remained endless. To this day I have been in a ”build phase” for 30 + years LOL.

 

2. What is bodybuilding/fitness to you?

The greatest epiphany for me came from Charles Poliquin’s quip, ”One ass, one saddle . .” or in other words you can really only pursue one goal at a time. To go deeper, the physique athlete mechanically disadvantages his lifts to make the muscle work harder- it’s all about feeling the movement and contraction.

The strength athlete is all about mechanically advantaging his lifts. His success is not the physique developed but the poundage lifted.  

Many a young bodybuilder has been disappointed pursuing maximal strength with visions of the load equating with the size of the muscle developed. Quite the opposite, to hoist big loads, one has to learn to ”cheat”. World class Olympic lifters and Powerlifters are of course geneticially gifted and show much muscularity but only tend to climb weight divisions when they add hypertrophy phases increasing volume and time under tension in their sets.

Conversely incredibly admirable physiques like former Mr. Olympia Frank Zane were a product of intense concentration with much lighter loads.

Both are admirable in achievement but the concurrent pursuit of both tends to deliver neither impressively.

Fitness and Health for the purpose of this article are pursued to maximize recuperation to grow stronger or bigger. Quality proteins, carbs and fats with supplements to  control inflammation, aid sleep, maintain optimal  digestion and support immune function in the face of arduous training tend to be the focus.

 

3. What effects has this sort of lifestyle on the body and mind? (negative and positive)

The pursuit of any extreme in accomplishment, inevitably begets suffering in other areas of the otherwise well rounded self.  

After these many years in the business, perhaps I could offer,”Find joy in your pursuit of your goals and the outcomes achieved, but try to find the same outside the gym”. But to win the Gold medal metaphorically speaking, it is not a life of wine, women and song but rather early to bed, early to rise, abstain from the food and drink of celebration eating for function first and flavour second. 

The ”why” behind your pursuit of is most likely the determining factor as to whether it is a positive or negative thing. The gym is often a place for the socially ostracized to find a place to belong. Those completely content with self rarely are drawn to places to transform their physical identity.

Walking around in an imaginary lat spread, sporting shirts  decreeing cheerful thoughts like ”Deadlifts or Death”, we see young people skinny or fat, short or awkward wanting to show the world, their detractors in their mind, that they are just as ”special” as everyone else. So often the impetus for joining maybe negative but n my mind, most evolve and self actualize and the accomplishments in the gym lend momentum to pursue goals outside the gym as well.

 Once you decide to step on stage- especially as a bodybuilder, you are having others tell you what you should be. Strength athletes have an easier mindset. You either lifted the weight or didn’t. The strongest man wins. To win at bodybuilding , many negative steps have to be taken- threatening health- to win a trophy for embodying the look of health. It’s quite ironic.

Steroids, GH, Insulin, peptides, beta-agonists, thyroid meds, diuretics . .culminating in a week of  carb depletion then stuffing, water intakes of threat to the heart rhythm followed by severe dehydration and then sprayed head to toe repeatedly with a chemical tan to top up your weeks of UV radiation dosing in the tanning booths . .so you look healthiest and most impressive on stage.

By in large skipping the stage but pursuing muscularity and strength will always be a positive addition to most lives though.

 

4. Name five things that a person should think about before being a competitor.

• Do you have the genetics to compete and win ? Dolphins are incredibly impressive, sleek mammals . .until you judge them on their ability to climb trees. Woody Allen on steroids will never near Arnold’s development by age 20. Look at any class picture from elementary school- as a rule the chosen few are already looking the part by 6th grade
• Do you have the money ? To do this right you need full time Coaches for diet to training, Food, supplements, drugs, medical testing (if you are smart and want to last), gym membership, training gear all cost. I know some will say, ”Have you seen some of the monsters in the prison system with none of this ?” . .please see #1 again.
• Do you have the time ? And I don’t just mean the hours at the gym. Higher level competitors often do 2 workouts/day plus light cardio, stretching and posing . .think 5 hours/day to be clear. Don’t forget the food shopping and meal prep- let alone the nightly washing of tupperware.
• Are you selfish ? As much as many think they can still maintain a fulfilling relationship with girlfriend, parents, time with their pets . .ask these people/pets . .they suffer. Not only are you away, chances are when you are with them, you’re watching the clock for your next workout, posing practice, meal, etc.. And you’re not going to be fun to be around, turning down drinks, dessert, parties, walking the dog (unless it’s part of your cardio) . .get the idea ?
• Are you willing to forgo other ”bucket list” items- at least for now ? I’m just as guilty when planning a vacation checking out the caliber of the hotel gym or facilities nearby. Backpacking through Europe ? Learning to lay guitar ? Dance ? Cook like a chef (taste over hitting the macros) . .even those Sunday afternoons of beer and chili while watching the game suffer . .

Now all this has sounded very critical of pursuing the Mr. Muscle title or Ms. Physique- but I feel far from it. #1 is the qualifier. With great genetics you have much more wiggle room with numbers 2 through 5. For the average person, a flat stomach, great physique lines, loads of fun and camaraderie with friends at the local gym and more await. I’d just skip the standing on stage as a career.

 

Vill ni gärna höra Mike berätta med om bodybuilding så finns detta på Itunes på min podcast. Gör så nästan 500 andra personen och lyssna på avsnittet: https://itunes.apple.com/se/podcast/12-podcast-number-5-mike-demeter/id893210810?i=1000319592344&mt=2