7 Things People Don't Understand About Bodybuilding

1. No, you wouldn't be that big on steroids.

Many people who lift weights, or even those who don't, wrongly assume that they could look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, only if they spent all day in the gym and took steroids.

Wrong.

Bodybuilders who are huge, only get to that size because of insane genetics, plus years of hard work AND steroids. All 3 of these are crucial, yet the first (genetics) is the most important component. It doesn't matter how many steroids you take, if your genetics suck, you won't build much size.

2. Bodybuilding (steroids) do not shrink the penis

Not sure where this myth originated from, but this certainly isn't true. Ulisses Jr completely puts this myth to bed.

However, steroid-induced bodybuilders who take steroids, can experience low testosterone production, which can contribute to smaller testicles. This may affect the size of their thing when seen in trunks - albeit not their penis size.

3. If a bodybuilder looks in the mirror, don't assume he/she is vain

Bodybuilders have to do this to monitor progress. This would be the same as an artist not looking at his canvas and just drawing. This is how they tell if that new workout routine they implemented a few weeks a go is working or not, or whether the keto diet is shrinking their muscles, due to less glycogen.

4. Don't assume someone is on steroids, just because they're big

In nature, sometimes freakish things occur. The same applies to bodybuilding and people's genetics for building muscle. Did you know that some people suffer from mutations, which cause their body to build muscle at an unnatural rate; due to a lack of certain molecules (such as myostatin). This is a rare condition that also applies in some animals, causing extreme muscularity (without the aid of any drugs).

5. Bodybuilding is not merely about appearance

When competing, okay everything depends on the appearance in regards to how you'll place. But, for many bodybuilders and weight lifters who don't compete and just love the sport; it's more than how you look.

Undergoing an incredible transformation where you've lost 40lbs and got ripped, can edify the soul as much as the ego. This is because you learn important traits such as hard work, discipline, courage and a never-say-die attitude; than can transfer across into other parts of your life (such as work, your faith, marriage etc). This helps to breed more success and achieve what you want in life. Changing the body is as much of a mental challenge as it is physical. If you mental toughness improves, nothing is beyond you.

6. Not all of us like that mass monster look

A lot of bodybuilders don't actually like modern day bodybuilding (including Arnold). Some prefer the old classic physiques which weren't overly huge, such as Frank Zane and Robby Robinson. These guys were all about aesthetics and looked more natural and healthy than the IFBB pros you see today.

7. Not all bodybuilders are insecure

Some people believe that the need to build muscle stems out of insecurity. However, some people were simply born to lift weights. Many bodybuilders got into the sport, not because initially they wanted to be a bodybuilder; but to enhance their strength and size for other sports, such as football.

However, unfortunately not everyone becomes a pro athlete, and thus bodybuilding is often the plan B, a second way to excel in a sport (which people like Phil Heath didn't set his heart on initially - wanting to be a basketball player).