Why do men get into and some times become obsessed into bodybuilding

[Shackleford]

Can’t say I have any experience with this. I’m the kind of guy that if picking something up made me make funny noises, I’m not picking it up again.

If it makes other guys feel good about themselves, more power to them (no pun intended).

 

[sangheili90]

Exercising and getting in shape are healthy endeavors that most people should aspire to make a part of their life. Lots of men enjoy working out for a multitude of reasons. However, at the end of the day most people that workout regularly do so because they want to look better and more attractive to the opposite sex, which is totally natural.

Now, when it comes to "bodybuilding" people are often referring to those who actually go on stage and compete and or those who use steroids for no other reason than to get big. People that compete, this include those not using gear, get some feeling of accomplishment out of it but at the end of the day they are investing a huge amount of time, money and energy into something that honestly offers little in the way of reward. Dieting down to contest ready body fat levels is a very difficult thing to do and not a healthy state for you to be in. Now, those who are using steroids, regardless of what form or dosage they are in, are trying to achieve something that really doesn't make sense to the vast majority of people out there. Unless you are a competitive athlete in a real sport, where your livelihood depends upon your performance, I fail to understand why one would subject their bodies to steroid use and have the negative health effects that come with it.

Everyone should want to look good, be fit and healthy.....but not to some extreme where it results in those benefits being reversed.

 

[hifrommike65]

Exercising and getting in shape are healthy endeavors that most people should aspire to make a part of their life. Lots of men enjoy working out for a multitude of reasons. However, at the end of the day most people that workout regularly do so because they want to look better and more attractive to the opposite sex, which is totally natural.

Now, when it comes to "bodybuilding" people are often referring to those who actually go on stage and compete and or those who use steroids for no other reason than to get big. People that compete, this include those not using gear, get some feeling of accomplishment out of it but at the end of the day they are investing a huge amount of time, money and energy into something that honestly offers little in the way of reward. Dieting down to contest ready body fat levels is a very difficult thing to do and not a healthy state for you to be in. Now, those who are using steroids, regardless of what form or dosage they are in, are trying to achieve something that really doesn't make sense to the vast majority of people out there. Unless you are a competitive athlete in a real sport, where your livelihood depends upon your performance, I fail to understand why one would subject their bodies to steroid use and have the negative health effects that come with it.

Everyone should want to look good, be fit and healthy.....but not to some extreme where it results in those benefits being reversed.

Thoughtful comment. Reminds me of a essay on how to create a planet, with a technical discussion of geology, planetary evolution, populations of living creatures, etc. Someone answered the essay thus: "Dear sir: That is not how I do it. Sincerely, God."

Lots of reasons exist to work out, to bodybuild, to use steroids. I'll restrict myself to gay, bi & trans men. A gay man might want to improve his self-image after a lifetime of having it trashed for being attracted to men. He might want to improve his chances of being attractive to the men he's attracted to. He might want to improve his health & general appearance (which helps someone get a job or make a favorable impression). He might want to get off on his own body. He might want AAS (androgenic anabolic steroids, which include HGH) if he has HIV disease--it's part of the standard drug protocol now, since it helps reverse body wasting & depression. He might want AAS because they're relatively easy to get in a gym culture, & he thinks they will kick him up to a higher level in the hooking-up sex food chain. A bi man might want any of the above, but might also want to be attractive to women. A trans man needs AAS to change gender identity. Testosterone is almost always used in FTM (female to male) transition, to my knowledge. Some FTMs also bodybuild to enhance their masculinity or feel more manly. In rare cases, the iron bug bites & a man might want to compete as a bodybuilder, or in classic physique, or physique (a modeling category in the NPC [National Physique Committee]). Those who do tend to get extraordinary results from working out, often because they have the genetics conducive to maintaining muscle, as well as the drive to pursue it.

 

[hifrommike65]

 

[WillyLong]

 

[Gj816]

For me I do it for me. I was gaining weight and couldn't get it to come off. Joined a gym for my health. I got up to 200 lbs and at 5'9" tall I was just plain fat. For over a year I walked on a treadmill with very little results. Stopped going for 4 months and continued to gain weight. Then in Feb of this year I started back only this time I headed to the weights. Never lifted weights before but I had to start somewhere. Got on men'shealth.com and learned how to do certain exercises and started exercising and lifting weights. Within three months I was down to 191 lbs I would alternate between chest,arms, legs on one day the next I'd do abs until I finally noticed that some guys do a full body workout everyday. I started doing a full body workout. Increased my weights about every five to six wks but continued to do what ever it was going to take to lose weight I've gotten down to between 176-180 lbs it's taken me ten months to get there. I've since added a cardio into my workout and have noticed that I'm feeling thinner. That and there are people at my gym who comment that they can tell I'm loosing my stomach or that my stomach is getting smaller. I lift weights bodybuild what ever you'd like to call it for me. I will admit that there are more guys than women that hit on me since I started working out but I'm going to keep on until I reach the goal I have set for myself. Besides I like the way my body is starting to look, the way the other guys and ladies look at my while I'm in the gym and out. Not only that but my energy level has increased since I started working out too.

 

[Fritz]

 

[Gj816]

Exactly

 

[deleted994618]

For me I can admit I think it does stem from bullying back in my early childhood. I was teased for a lot of reasons but who wasn’t? So when I turned 17 and I grew to be 6’3 and the natural testosterone started to fill out the body a bit to get people to notice and somewhat respect me more I decided to start lifting. The more I filled out the more the compliments came. Guys who were my tormentors started to look at me with submissive envy and girls who’d never given me the time of Day were now throwing themselves at me.

That was the motivation in my early twenties but now it’s fun I enjoy how I look. I feel attractive this way. Like a woman wearing her favorite lipstick I like the look when I’m toned. It’s not going to last forever but as of now this is the look that makes me feel at my best so why not put the work in. Not a steroid take or growth hormone guy but I understand them. That’s how they feel most confident so if they’re ok with the consequences and side effects then cool.

 

[hifrommike65]

I am not posting this news report because I agree with it, but because it fits the thread's subject.

 

[TheRob]

if you start to see results, you get motivated to do more

 

[ozwestcoastboy]

Excellent, if disturbing article in The Guardian . . .
Gym, eat, repeat: the shocking rise of muscle dysmorphia

 

[HorseHung40's]

I believe that the interest stems from several sources:
1.) A desire to improve one's appearance:
2.) A desire to become physically stronger;
3.) Possibly a belief that you can never be too muscular (meant for those persons, who state a desire for 20+-inch biceps);
4.) A dysmorphic view of their own bodies - similar to anorexia but with the belief that an already muscular self is not muscular (meant for those in 3.))

 

[LongDong28_]

Exercising makes you happy and increases confidence once you start to notice changes in the mirror it’s a big boost and a big motivator to keep it going, learn new and better ways to do things.

 

[Auggiecakes]

It's something I always had a curiosity about since I think there's definitely some complex internal ulterior motivates behind why but why is so many guys get into bodybuilding? I mean me personally I wouldn't be a bodybuilder myself but I've always had this odd fixation and fetish with bodybuilders and I don't know why so I really am looking for a psychological reason as to why all this is so.

Everyone needs a hobby.

 

[DSF140]

It naturally increases your testosterone level, which begins to drop once you leave adolescence.

 

[1916191]

Been lifting best part of 30 years with breaks here and there due to kids and work.For me its best benefit is stress relief,i work out and dont think about anything but the next set and rep for 90 minutes its almost like meditation.Plus getting stronger and bigger is a nice side effect.

 

[tinytigger]

This is probably the most amount of muscle that I would ever want to see on a guy. His muscles are big and he's got really great abs, but his veins aren't popping out over most of his body like I've seen some bodybuilders have, which to me personally is kinda gross looking. Now some might say that even this guy is too much muscle, but I sure as hell wouldn't turn him down if he showed up at my door. And I think it should go without saying that steroids are an automatic "hell no". I wouldn't be interested in a guy that could potentially be angry/aggressive because of the 'roids. I also don't want a guy's balls to be shrunken down because of the steroids either! So keep the bodybuilding natural guys, and I'll worship you from head to toe!