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Professional Bodybuilding as a career
Posted on 8/15/22 at 10:42 am
Posted on 8/15/22 at 10:42 am
Looking for some context
Can someone actually make a decent living as a professional bodybuilder? From what I've read, there is no real 'prize money,' but there are likely decent opportunities for big time show winners to gain sponsorship for supplement companies and whatnot, but then again, that will likely depend on how good you are at social media marketing type stuff.
I legitimately mean no disrespect here:
From my second had connection through some folks I care a lot about and my relatively limited research, it seems that anyone expecting to make a primary career out of this would be misguided. The sacrifice, discipline, dedication, and expense of chasing this seems to be way to high for a relatively small return even if successful. If someone has the spare time to pursue without sacrificing family and a primary career, then by all means, go for it.
Am I off base here?
Can someone actually make a decent living as a professional bodybuilder? From what I've read, there is no real 'prize money,' but there are likely decent opportunities for big time show winners to gain sponsorship for supplement companies and whatnot, but then again, that will likely depend on how good you are at social media marketing type stuff.
I legitimately mean no disrespect here:
From my second had connection through some folks I care a lot about and my relatively limited research, it seems that anyone expecting to make a primary career out of this would be misguided. The sacrifice, discipline, dedication, and expense of chasing this seems to be way to high for a relatively small return even if successful. If someone has the spare time to pursue without sacrificing family and a primary career, then by all means, go for it.
Am I off base here?
6
Posted on 8/15/22 at 11:30 am to meAnon
pro bodybuilding as a career??? unless you are top 2 or 3 in the world...no
using it to open oppurtunities to be a trainer, write ebooks, online training plus sponsorships....sure.
for 99% its essentially a springboard for business opportunities.
using it to open oppurtunities to be a trainer, write ebooks, online training plus sponsorships....sure.
for 99% its essentially a springboard for business opportunities.
Posted on 8/15/22 at 5:05 pm to meAnon
If you are doing open bodybuilding, the only way you are making a career based on actual bodybuilding is, as said, by being in the top 5ish in the world.
Olympia pays what would amount to a comfortable annual salary to their top 3 finishers in Men's Open (Mr. Olympia takes home about $400k I think). Any other category is garbage. So if you can go take top 3 in Olympia, Arnold, and a few other big shows yearly you can make some coin. Probably never enough to retire off of and call it your 'career'. And the odds of winning Mr. Olympia are probably less than the odds of becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL.
All that being said, you can definitely use bodybuilding to make a career. But it will be in the social media influencer realm, not in actually 'competing'.
Olympia pays what would amount to a comfortable annual salary to their top 3 finishers in Men's Open (Mr. Olympia takes home about $400k I think). Any other category is garbage. So if you can go take top 3 in Olympia, Arnold, and a few other big shows yearly you can make some coin. Probably never enough to retire off of and call it your 'career'. And the odds of winning Mr. Olympia are probably less than the odds of becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL.
All that being said, you can definitely use bodybuilding to make a career. But it will be in the social media influencer realm, not in actually 'competing'.
Posted on 8/15/22 at 5:15 pm to meAnon
Lot of these guys are broke and living in shitty apartments and driving cars that can barely make it to the next stop light because all their money goes to food/steroids/hGH/recreational drugs. They do gay for pay or sell steroids/drugs to make money on the side.
A lot of these guys are just junkies with insane genetics.
I can’t fathom what these guys are paying just for food these days.
A lot of these guys are just junkies with insane genetics.
I can’t fathom what these guys are paying just for food these days.
Posted on 8/15/22 at 8:22 pm to ronricks
quote:
Lot of these guys are broke and living in shitty apartments and driving cars that can barely make it to the next stop light because all their money goes to food/steroids/hGH/recreational drugs. They do gay for pay or sell steroids/drugs to make money on the side.
A lot of these guys are just junkies with insane genetics.
I can’t fathom what these guys are paying just for food these days.
This, very few exceptions. Last big one was Jay cutler
Posted on 8/15/22 at 8:28 pm to lsu777
quote:
This, very few exceptions. Last big one was Jay cutler
Wasn’t Ronnie Coleman still working as a security guard or some shite like that even though he was Top 3 in the world?
Posted on 8/15/22 at 8:50 pm to bad93ex
Dallas police officer, was doing it to get the pension I believe.
Posted on 8/15/22 at 9:07 pm to lsu777
And now he is completely broken physically
Posted on 8/16/22 at 7:38 am to ronricks
quote:
They do gay for pay
I’m listening . . .
Posted on 8/16/22 at 7:40 am to lsu777
quote:
using it to open oppurtunities to be a trainer, write ebooks, online training plus sponsorships....sure. for 99% its essentially a springboard for business opportunities.
Same goes for powerlifting and strongman. If you can’t sell tickets to shows or get big TV contracts like team sports, you aren’t going to make a ton of money in the sport itself. I can’t really speak for CrossFit, but they seem to do better in terms of commercial exposure.
Posted on 8/16/22 at 7:48 am to StraightCashHomey21
quote:
And now he is completely broken physically
well to be fair he was top of his game for years and wouldnt let go to JAY, i get being competitive but he took it to knew level. He was popping painkillers to mask the pain and ignore the signs his body was telling him. to the point, like you said, that his body was completely destroyed.
it wasnt the squating 800 that did it, it was the continuous ignoring the bodies signals that something was wrong and to stop....and well not stopping until he literally couldnt walk anymore.
Posted on 8/16/22 at 7:49 am to DeafJam73
quote:
Same goes for powerlifting and strongman. If you can’t sell tickets to shows or get big TV contracts like team sports, you aren’t going to make a ton of money in the sport itself. I can’t really speak for CrossFit, but they seem to do better in terms of commercial exposure.
i think thats because most crossfit atheltes look like regular people, not crazy one way or the other. Sure they are ripped but atleast they look pretty damn good and are relatable for the avereage person.
plus many people go to crossfit or know those that go. It makes for more of a true community.
Posted on 8/16/22 at 8:06 am to meAnon
Best bet is to have normal career or content creator on YT and do bodybuilding on the side.
Posted on 8/16/22 at 8:18 am to Mo Jeaux
quote:
I’m listening . . .
The pose nude for gay men or some of them even let gay men touch them or even perform sexual acts on them or they perform the acts on the gay men. Been like that forever. Rich gay dudes essentially financially support some bodybuilders ability to buy steroids/hGH and food. It's not cheap.
Posted on 8/16/22 at 8:39 am to lsu777
quote:
Last big one was Jay cutler
Buddy of mine ordered some of Jay Cutler's clothing line when it first came out around 2014 or so. One of the shirts he ordered wasn't in stock. Jay Cutler called him and told him it was out of stock and to pick 3 more shirts as replacements for free. Talked to him for like 30 mins and answered all kinds of training questions. Jay is a stand up guy in a sport filled with assholes. Very few other pros would do something like that. Speaks to what kind of guy Cutler is.
Posted on 8/16/22 at 8:45 am to ronricks
quote:
Buddy of mine ordered some of Jay Cutler's clothing line when it first came out around 2014 or so. One of the shirts he ordered wasn't in stock. Jay Cutler called him and told him it was out of stock and to pick 3 more shirts as replacements for free. Talked to him for like 30 mins and answered all kinds of training questions. Jay is a stand up guy in a sport filled with assholes. Very few other pros would do something like that. Speaks to what kind of guy Cutler is.
truth. hear stories all the time like that about him.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 10:06 am to lsu777
quote:
i think thats because most crossfit atheltes look like regular people, not crazy one way or the other. Sure they are ripped but atleast they look pretty damn good and are relatable for the avereage person. plus many people go to crossfit or know those that go. It makes for more of a true community.
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Strongman is starting to trend that way, too. We have a lot of competitive middle weights and light weights that have been getting a ton of exposure lately with things like Clash on the Coast and other regional comps.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 10:10 am to ronricks
quote:
The pose nude for gay men or some of them even let gay men touch them or even perform sexual acts on them or they perform the acts on the gay men. Been like that forever. Rich gay dudes essentially financially support some bodybuilders ability to buy steroids/hGH and food. It's not cheap.
I’ve never heard of this. Not saying it doesn’t happen, but news to me. I know it’s relatively easier now to sustain yourself through social media exposure. Someone like a Chris Bumstead who can make money off of his social media platforms. Also, he wins so that helps a lot, I’m sure.
Posted on 8/17/22 at 10:25 am to DeafJam73
quote:
I’ve never heard of this. Not saying it doesn’t happen, but news to me. I know it’s relatively easier now to sustain yourself through social media exposure. Someone like a Chris Bumstead who can make money off of his social media platforms. Also, he wins so that helps a lot, I’m sure.
its not as common now with social media, but absolutely was up until prolly 7-8 years ago. The very top pros and those that were awesome in business didnt have to, but many many did/do.
most just sold steroids though to make ends meed, but the pay for gay thing was very fricking real.
Posted on 8/20/22 at 10:21 am to lsu777
quote:
i think thats because most crossfit atheltes look like regular people, not crazy one way or the other. Sure they are ripped but atleast they look pretty damn good and are relatable for the avereage person.
This. Put a picture of an elite cross fitter next to an elite body builder and 9 out of 10 men would rather look like the cross fitter, and 9 out of 10 women would rather be with the cross fitter.
The CrossFit aesthetic is much better for marketing to the broad population.
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