John Meadows finally got his pro card..

[Howard]

He isn't gifted with the best structure, but he achieved his highest potential when it comes to size & conditioning.

I kinda envy ol' John Meadows.  100% serious.

The man never quit chasing down his dream of an IFBB pro card.
Like many others, I quit on that dream and folded my tent rather quickly.

No, I'm not saying I would have eventually gotten my pro card.
BUT, it might have been cool to never give up and stay the course.

[Ronnie Rep]

didnt he compete in like 17 shows or something in his quest for that illusive card?

Pretty sure he's been chasing it since 98. Congrats to him.

[Tennisballz]

I kinda envy ol' John Meadows.  100% serious.

The man never quit chasing down his dream of an IFBB pro card.
Like many others, I quit on that dream and folded my tent rather quickly.

No, I'm not saying I would have eventually gotten my pro card.
BUT, it might have been cool to never give up and stay the course.

i think this mentality is detrimental.  At some point you have to be act like an adult and realize what you are capable of or not.  Professional bodybilding is and should be reserved for the top fraction of a percent of people with gifted genetics.  Not the rest of us who "work super hard and stay the course".  Meadows is an awesome person no doubt, but when guys like him turn pro, it dilutes the sport.

[Howard]

i think this mentality is detrimental.  At some point you have to be act like an adult and realize what you are capable of or not.  Professional bodybilding is and should be reserved for the top fraction of a percent of people with gifted genetics.  Not the rest of us who "work super hard and stay the course".  Meadows is an awesome person no doubt, but when guys like him turn pro, it dilutes the sport.

Good points and yes I went the education route/career path with few regrets overall.
I understand the need to be sensible, but bodybuilding is a passion for many of us here at getbig.

John Meadows never quit and was able to reach the BB summit aka the IFBB pro card.
I'm also aware he's turned that passion into a full time career as a successful trainer.

After only 2-3 years of half-assed trying , I quit my pro card dreams , still in my 20's.
From that point on, BB was a fun hobby and I competed without any vit S.

I considered going for the NPC team Universe when it first started in 1994.
I won an Ironman Natural, but realistically knew I wasn't going to win the Team U.

Having said that, John's recent win does make me reconsider going for a decent masters show now.

[Man of Steel]

John seems like a smart, kind man who's proud to identify as a husband and daddy.  I may not agree with his methods, but I admire and respect his passion.

Good on John!!

[Vince G, CSN MFT]

didnt he compete in like 17 shows or something in his quest for that illusive card?

John's first contest was in 1985....no telling how many shows he's done.

[Tennisballz]

Good points and yes I went the education route/career path with few regrets overall.
I understand the need to be sensible, but bodybuilding is a passion for many of us here at getbig.

John Meadows never quit and was able to reach the BB summit aka the IFBB pro card.
I'm also aware he's turned that passion into a full time career as a successful trainer.

After only 2-3 years of half-assed trying , I quit my pro card dreams , still in my 20's.
From that point on, BB was a fun hobby and I competed without any vit S.

I considered going for the NPC team Universe when it first started in 1994.
I won an Ironman Natural, but realistically knew I wasn't going to win the Team U.

Having said that, John's recent win does make me reconsider going for a decent masters show now.

let me reiterate and state that doing bodybuilding and competing is great.  But I just would have never tried for a pro card because I knew right away myself, that I didn't have the genetics to put on size.  At the end of the day if you are the best on stage you win the card...so either way congrats to him.  He does always come in conditioned and perhaps he looks much more impressive in person.

[Howard]

let me reiterate and state that doing bodybuilding and competing is great.  But I just would have never tried for a pro card because I knew right away myself, that I didn't have the genetics to put on size.  At the end of the day if you are the best on stage you win the card...so either way congrats to him.  He does always come in conditioned and perhaps he looks much more impressive in person.

He looked really good in the contest video posing.
John had a more streamlined and ripped/balanced physique at this one.

 I had my strong pts, but my quads sucked *  ( lacked sweep and deep separation)

[pellius]

I kinda envy ol' John Meadows.  100% serious.

The man never quit chasing down his dream of an IFBB pro card.
Like many others, I quit on that dream and folded my tent rather quickly.

No, I'm not saying I would have eventually gotten my pro card.
BUT, it might have been cool to never give up and stay the course.

Considering the level you attained given what you invested into your physique I am quite sure you could have gotten your pro card if you pulled out all the stops. If not in the 1990s certainly now when you consider who is getting cards these days. You looked better than Peter Putnam and Dan Hill at their peaks.

[Yamcha]

From about 2012 to the beginning of 2015 my workouts were all mountaindog-esque. I was a member of his website and the workouts were brutal for a natural. That being said, I was able to put on some serious size in that time. From starting at about 185 wet (no homo) in 2012, I got up to 205 with a lower body fat %.

John always preached intensity, but with an intent on longevity. Knees/hip have always been an issue for me, and his workouts always kept the pain at a very manageable situation.

This video is what really got me into JM:

[SuperTed]

He's got his pro card purely because he's been in the game a long time.

His physique pretty much represents everything wrong with BB today. Would anyone want to look like him? 

[MORTALCOIL]

He's got his pro card purely because he's been in the game a long time.

His physique pretty much represents everything wrong with BB today. Would anyone want to look like him? 

Goodrum.

[Man of Steel]

He's got his pro card purely because he's been in the game a long time.

His physique pretty much represents everything wrong with BB today. Would anyone want to look like him? 

I'd love to look like him LOL!!

[_aj_]

From about 2012 to the beginning of 2015 my workouts were all mountaindog-esque. I was a member of his website and the workouts were brutal for a natural. That being said, I was able to put on some serious size in that time. From starting at about 185 wet (no homo) in 2012, I got up to 205 with a lower body fat %.

John always preached intensity, but with an intent on longevity. Knees/hip have always been an issue for me, and his workouts always kept the pain at a very manageable situation.

This video is what really got me into JM:

I think that John is some of the most legit brutal workouts of any BB. I think that Heath would literally die if he had to go rep-to-rep with John. All that said, his structure isn't perfect for BB (ya think?), but he has done a lot with what he has, so props to him.

[falco]

I kinda envy ol' John Meadows.  100% serious.

The man never quit chasing down his dream of an IFBB pro card.
Like many others, I quit on that dream and folded my tent rather quickly.

No, I'm not saying I would have eventually gotten my pro card.
BUT, it might have been cool to never give up and stay the course.

Even if you had to live with a catheter on your arm 24/7 doing dialisis 5hours everyday?

[The Wizard of Truth]

Tom Petty

[pellius]

Even if you had to live with a catheter on your arm 24/7 doing dialisis 5hours everyday?

You're saying that John has to live with a catheter in his arm and is on dialysis?

[bigmikecox]

He's got his pro card purely because he's been in the game a long time.

His physique pretty much represents everything wrong with BB today. Would anyone want to look like him? 

He got his pro card bc he was the best onstage that day! period!!! 

Shit id kill to be that hard and shredded!

[falco]

You're saying that John has to live with a catheter in his arm and is on dialysis?

No. I am saying Howard made a smart and healthy move in his life, quitting. Many pro's and wannabe's didn't and pay the consequences for the rest of their lifes.

[The_Iron_Disciple]

Easier to pursue bodybuilding when you have the finances, too. Just sayin ...

[DroppingPlates]

Easier to pursue bodybuilding when you have the finances, too. Just sayin ...

As with most activities..

[Van_Bilderass]

He got his pro card bc he was the best onstage that day! period!!! 

Shit id kill to be that hard and shredded!

Everyone always says he's so hard but he looks watery to me. The insulin look.
He always brags about not using diuretics but maybe he should, the skin doesn't look tight. Sure, it's genetic too, like everything else, but the skin is ugly.

[pellius]

No. I am saying Howard made a smart and healthy move in his life, quitting. Many pro's and wannabe's didn't and pay the consequences for the rest of their lifes.

Ah, I see. I know about Prince who I think is on dialysis but who is living with a catheter in their arm and on dialysis? I just didn't think  it was that common or inevitable.

Do you think Jay made the right decisions or should he have continued to pursue his career goal and become a prison  guard?

[The_Iron_Disciple]

As with most activities..

And your point ? We're discussing bodybuilding right now, not other activities.

[WannaBePro]

Everyone always says he's so hard but he looks watery to me. The insulin look.
He always brags about not using diuretics but maybe he should, the skin doesn't look tight. Sure, it's genetic too, like everything else, but the skin is ugly.

He really shouldn't. He has no colon which means he doesn't absorb nutrients well and wakes up stiff as a board. If he starts using diuretics he'll die lol. The guy wakes up with shredded glutes in the morning and needs to drink water constantly. He's ended up in the hospital a few times because of dehydration. I don't see where he looks watery or bloated, the guy looks like granite at every show he's competed in...