[rafaelmn]

Bodybuilding is something where you cannot shape your reality - no matter how hard you work - if you don't have the right build for it (genetics). Any elite BB will tell you as much (I've heard multiple give advice to guys that don't have the right built to not even bother with the sport).

It also built a fitness industry that sells steroid gains as "hard work". I was shocked recently talking to my coworkers about Arnold, they didn't know he was on roids... The perception of what an average person thinks is achievable with "hard work" is highly distorted in this regard.

[asynchronous]

Realizing just how much of Hollywood is the result of pharmacology genuinely depressed me as a male for a bit, knowing those results are actually unattainable naturally

[SoftTalker]

As GP said, you need the genetics, and to get the sort of body that Arnold or other top bodybuilders have you can't do it naturally.

However none of those things stops you from lifting weights for strength training, which is good for your body, your skeleton, your appearance, and your mental health. If your goal is to get strong, that is attainable naturally by anyone. You just need to do it.

[rafaelmn]

If the physique is all you are after then it shouldn't be depressing since the solution is easily attainable (unlike many other physical attributes)

[_dp9d]

> Bodybuilding is something where you cannot shape your reality - no matter how hard you work - if you don't have the right build for it (genetics).

I am a tall, very thin male who struggles to gain weight. I can eat 5,000 calories a day while working out hard and barely gain a pound every month. I was made fun of in highschool and university for my body, and that made me very self conscious and shy. Typical "computer nerd" stuff.

From about age 20 onwards I've enjoyed and benefited from Bodybuilding immensely. It has changed how I view myself, how I view the world and changed my personality. I gained a lot of confidence, and I gained a perspective on the world I never had - doing difficult tasks and slow and steady improvements were important lessons for early 20s me.

I'll never compete, I'm not "huge" and was rarely even "big". (A few times people asked if I compete...) but I got stronger, fitter and for sure my body became a lot nicer to look at.

I'm 41 now and I'll never stop. I don't have incredible genentics, but I didn't let that stop or even slow me down.

Yes, you absolutely can shape your reality through bodybuilding.

[rafaelmn]

Don't know what we're talking about here tho :

- Lifting for fitness/looks - 100% agree - best bang for buck for self-improvement, and as you say it's about sustained incremental progress that translates well to other things.

- Rec PED use - health risks, illegal substances (not that big of a deal in terms of use, but since you can't get it legally you're basically injecting yourself with shit that's been mixed in some dudes bathroom), further downsides once you get off. This one highly depends on what you want.

- Bodybuilding as a competitive thing - here you'll get nowhere without genetics

In context of Arnolds success I'm talking about the last definition, where his success in competitive BB lead to other opportunities.