why ask why ? Life is about finding a passion and going after it !
Not only about Money !
I remember FLEX Wheeler saying something about that if he had the drive , brains and desire to be a rocket scientist or doctor he would , but bodybuidling was his talent, so he was giving it his all.
In my case, I left a PhD program in physcial chemsitry and career as a research scientist to retrun to teaching. Why? I love the lifestyle and the day to day interaction with students.
Your point however is a good one. Why would any capable guy or gal give up other career paths to pursue bodybuilding, where you are almost certain to end up broke or in bad health, etc.
I think I can answer that.
A career in sports can be quite glamorous and the fame and lifestyle look awesome.
Working any typical career is often a 9-5 affair with few cheers or ego stroking.
Unlike the NFL, NBA or other major sport, bodybuilding appears small enough that a guy with the right drive and willing desire to "do whatever it takes" can still have a real shot.
Most of us know pretty quick if we have any real talent in a vareity of sports. But bodybuilding is not based on actual PERFORMANCE, but rather how one looks on stage. It is a look that is not natural beauty per se, but one made possible via building large muscle with low body fat. Training, extreme diet and drug practices can and do alter one's own look in this regard a great deal.What they don't realize is that shape and the overall quality of the human physique is still very much genetic in the end when evryone on stage has super musccle size and cuts. The fact that unlike the NBA or NFL you don't get a pro base salary is also never considered, plus it is a huge LONG shot making any kind of decent living from bodybuilding. Ya know back when I first started in the 70's,pro bodybuilding was pretty new other than the Olympia. Back then the big amatuer show was the AAU Mr America. Guys like 1978 Mr A Tony Pearson did what many others did . They packed what little had and headed for Venice Beach, Ca by bus or run down car they came. They often splept in their cars and worked odd jobs to survive at first,a handfull made it and eked out a living in and around the sport. Many more ended up broke, defeated and returned home , became complet bums or left the sport all together as a serious thing to pursue. Getting $$ for any of us hardcore muscleheads comes way down the list for us . The title, the 15 min of fame and the fleeting glory is why any of us even considers goin for it in bodybuilding. In the end it has to be a passion and a dream. Who among us has not wanted to be the best built man around?
Plus, getting into a decent law school is hardly a sure thing. I applied and got accpeted to Chase Law School in N Ky back in 1990. ( At one time I gave this career serious thought, don't ask me why
). I was informed that for each student that was accepted they rejected 14. Considering that the majority who applied were a college grad with decent grades and had to take the LSAT, well, I think you get the idea. I mean 14- 1 odds and this is NOT for some big deal Yale Law School either. I crack up when I see these young ho's on Jenny Jones or other shows that are selling BJ's for a bag of chips and they tell these dumb azzes they should quit doing it and how they could become a Dr or lawyer, ya right, like they have the brains to do that. The sad thing the best thing they could do is stay looking good and work the pole for $$$$ in a strip club.
Howard
