Are pro bodybuilders actually poor/low-income?

[ProudVirgin69]

The Bob Chick thread had me thinking, seems like every pro bodybuilder does pretty well for themselves.  Sure, real life may not reflect the image they put forth on social media but I cant really think of any pro that “struggles”. 

Seems like they all have decent homes, cars, clothes, are able to travel frequently, and treat themselves to various luxuries and creature comforts.  When I started reading bodybuilding forums, one of the common reasons cited not to pursue it as a “career” was because of how little money was in it.

So, do Pro bodybuilders make decent money (arbitrarily defined as ~$85,000+)?

[IroNat]

I think these guys are like Real Housewives.

They are likely in hock up to their eyeballs trying to live large and impress people.

Or they deal drugs or are supported by schmoes.

[Mothballs]

Outside of the Olympia/Arnold winners they’re all broke unless they married an earner or heiress.

[bhank]

They run the full spectrum of incomes just like everyone else remember some of them also have real full time jobs

[BB]

The thing is, you don't really hear about old bodybuilders, and out of Olympia / Arnold contention bodybuilders all that often. When you do, a lot of those stories are sour or they're just barely making it. Also we don't know how much of that life style is on credit. "You had a 4 bedroom mini-mansion a decade ago, now you're in a studio apartment?".

It would be interesting to see if there's an average cut off age where these guys should give it up. Like an age where if you're not in Olympia contention, you should fold up your tent, and become a family man.

[Humble Narcissist]

Is water wet?

[Spike]

the ones you see now - the ones posting on YouTube and social media

all have supplement sponsors/contracts so they are obligated to push out "content"

isn't a avg supp contract/sposship like 100k ?  that would afford a decent home in Vegas (like Regan and Nick W both have)

I don't see "guest appearances" anymore these days - unless its nearby home base

its like most pro athletes I know - NFL guys can be "in the league" for 3-4 years , never play a full season , just kind of show up to game type dudes - they get paid rookie numbers , still

I'd image any pro sports would be like a sales team - you only have the top 2-5% who top perform and get paid the most

[ProudVirgin69]

the ones you see now - the ones posting on YouTube and social media

all have supplement sponsors/contracts so they are obligated to push out "content"

isn't a avg supp contract/sposship like 100k ?  that would afford a decent home in Vegas (like Regan and Nick W both have)

I don't see "guest appearances" anymore these days - unless its nearby home base

its like most pro athletes I know - NFL guys can be "in the league" for 3-4 years , never play a full season , just kind of show up to game type dudes - they get paid rookie numbers , still

I'd image any pro sports would be like a sales team - you only have the top 2-5% who top perform and get paid the most

Wow I had no idea the supplement contracts paid that much, but if anything the supp business seems bigger these days than in years past.  I thought I had read that some of the old contracts were basically free supplements and little else.

Anyways, with the rise of social media and online coaching you’d have to be a total lunkhead not to capitalize on it.  Online coaching seems like the easiest money maker possible

[Spike]

Wow I had no idea the supplement contracts paid that much, but if anything the supp business seems bigger these days than in years past.  I thought I had read that some of the old contracts were basically free supplements and little else.

Anyways, with the rise of social media and online coaching you’d have to be a total lunkhead not to capitalize on it.  Online coaching seems like the easiest money maker possible

apparently its "undisclosed" but Yamamoto pays the most

not sure what its close to but the Italians have the supp game on lock in the Middle East

but I know for a fact most of the guys in Vegas at least make most of their income money from social media
Nick Walker makes most of his from Youtube and his contract was based a lot on his "fan base"

[Never1AShow]

90% do not have and cannot afford health insurance.

[Dave D]

90% do not have and cannot afford health insurance.

Can’t afford it or willfully choose to go without it?

I listen to what people tell me that can’t afford all the time, but they still have outlandish car payments, use Uber eats on the regular, drink Starbucks daily….

[sync pulse]

For the most part...yes.

[sway]

the ones you see now - the ones posting on YouTube and social media

all have supplement sponsors/contracts so they are obligated to push out "content"

isn't a avg supp contract/sposship like 100k ?  that would afford a decent home in Vegas (like Regan and Nick W both have)

I don't see "guest appearances" anymore these days - unless its nearby home base

its like most pro athletes I know - NFL guys can be "in the league" for 3-4 years , never play a full season , just kind of show up to game type dudes - they get paid rookie numbers , still

I'd image any pro sports would be like a sales team - you only have the top 2-5% who top perform and get paid the most

Regan lives with ManagerMatt. It’s his house not Regans. He’s Cutlers and DLB and Regans manager.

[DIABOLIC]

A lot of them do muscle worship and escorting.

[pkaz]

Looking at Robby Robinson. On Gov disability...

[Never1AShow]

Can’t afford it or willfully choose to go without it?

I listen to what people tell me that can’t afford all the time, but they still have outlandish car payments, use Uber eats on the regular, drink Starbucks daily….

Can't afford, and half or more of the rest willfully choose to go without.

[The Keto Kid]

Majority do online coaching, let's say on average they have 40 clients (which is very low) and they charge $300 a month (which is low, average is $300-500) from that alone that's $12,000 a month, toss in various other income streams like consultations, sponsorships, appearance fees, seminars, etc... the ones that do coaching do well.

[Flexacon]

Do a lot of them marry normal women who have regular jobs to get on their insurance?

[Flexacon]

Regan lives with ManagerMatt. It’s his house not Regans. He’s Cutlers and DLB and Regans manager.

ManagerMatt was a legit fat turd and I loved giving him shit for it back in the day, but to his credit he's got himself semi decent shape.

[The Keto Kid]

Do you think they can't afford insurance??

Do a lot of them marry normal women who have regular jobs to get on their insurance?

[keanu]

The money used to be all at the top. Most guys made peanuts. Prize money is laughable, and it costs quite a bit to get ready for a show. The internet has opened things up. There are social media stars with good followings that make good money. Larry Wheels has 4.5 million Instagram followers. Minus the bots he is still making big money.

[Flexacon]

Do you think they can't afford insurance??

Absolutely.

Most "pros" these days won't make a single dollar out of bodybuilding.

[keanu]

Absolutely.

Most "pros" these days won't make a single dollar out of bodybuilding.

  Yup. All those pro cards floating around , the prestige is gone. Some of these guys look terrible.

[Flexacon]

  Yup. All those pro cards floating around , the prestige is gone. Some of these guys look terrible.

Yeah pretty much, as bhanky said a lot have real full time jobs and probably fairly well played jobs as bodybuilding is expensive. Loads get the pro card and never even get on a pro stage.

There must be some bums out there though who scraped together a pro card whilst mooching off the spouse. Bodybuilders were notorious in the past for using others, can't have changed that much.

[Coach is Back!]

Majority do online coaching, let's say on average they have 40 clients (which is very low) and they charge $300 a month (which is low, average is $300-500) from that alone that's $12,000 a month, toss in various other income streams like consultations, sponsorships, appearance fees, seminars, etc... the ones that do coaching do well.

This…for the most part.