Bodybuilding is the sport of specifically building your body (as the name suggests) into the best version of it possible. This usually happens through intense bulking and cutting cycles where people aim to put on as much muscle as possible and trim off most of the fat.
But, at the end of the day- is bodybuilding a hobby?
Yes, bodybuilding is a hobby. People often confuse it because it’s not a ‘conventional’ hobby. But, a hobby is an activity done in someone’s free time for leisure. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bodybuilder that doesn’t LOVE working out and seeing their body grow.
Let’s cover this a bit more.
- Read: Is Bodybuilding a Sin?
What is the Definition of a Hobby?
The definition of a hobby is something that somebody does in their free time for leisure.
Now, many people make the argument that bodybuilding isn’t necessarily a hobby because it is important to your health. For instance, a hobby may include dancing- but you don’t really do that for the cardiovascular benefits.
However, that is a flawed argument. Bodybuilding and just working out here and there for your health is a completely separate thing.
A good analogy is this:
Everybody eats, right? But some people LOVE eating, like taste-testers that specifically go out and try new and exotic foods. It’s what they do for fun, and they will often tell people like, “Hey, I just tried this incredible Filet Mignon that had literal gold sprinkled on it”.
(Have you ever seen Buzzfeed’s Try Guys? It’s one of my favorite series on YouTube, plus this ONE video has 40 MILLION views!)
You see the difference there? We may all eat and say that a certain food is good, but those Try Guys above are going above and beyond to purposely try exotic and expensive food.
It’s Like How Bodybuilding and Working Out Is Different
It’s similar to how bodybuilding and working out is different.
“Working out” is like normal eating. Most people do it and it’s important for your health.
“Bodybuilding” is almost like trying that $300 steak for fun, it’s a whole different level of working out. You are taking the sport to the next level.
With that in mind, let’s talk about what exactly makes bodybuilding so different.
Bodybuilding is WAY Different Than Just Working Out
At first glance, it’s easy to say that bodybuilding is like working out. In fact, I’d say most people don’t really understand the difference.
When you work out, most people somewhat enjoy it, but they usually do it with their health as the specific goal. For instance, they may want to lose some fat or strengthen their heart.
Bodybuilding, however, while it uses some of the same concepts, the goal and how much people enjoy the sport are way different than normal working out.
Bodybuilders actually ENJOY working out, they always look forward to the hobby.
That’s a big difference right there, most people don’t look forward to their next workout and frequently skip the gym.
However, bodybuilders find the gym to be right at home.
Furthermore, while most people that work out try to just improve their health, bodybuilding usually has a different mission of making the body look as shredded as possible. And sometimes, not placing health as a priority.
(While many bodybuilders are healthy, I want to stress the point that many bodybuilders often take the sport too far and put their health last, see: Zyzz and Rich Piana)
It’s Hard To Be a Bodybuilder Without Enjoying The Sport
The truth is, it’s hard to be a bodybuilder without enjoying the sport.
As I mentioned, you’d be hard-pressed to find a bodybuilder that doesn’t enjoy the sport. There’s a good reason for this.
Bodybuilding is possibly the most frustrating, agonizing, and slowest sport out there. You have to spend literal YEARS consistently dieting and working out to see any results.
This isn’t like other sports like wrestling where you can go to a camp, get really good and get better as the seasons go on.
Bodybuilding is harsh, it doesn’t matter who you are- there aren’t any shortcuts.
- Read: Best Bodybuilding Poses
Everybody has to go through the same ropes of hard lifting and a ton of eating. (Read: Top 10 Best Dirty Bulking foods)
That means, unfortunately, it’s not that fun of a sport. You constantly wake up and get discouraged because the results don’t come for a long time. It just feels like you’re spinning your wheels constantly, and a ton of people quit.
The people that do stick with the sport for a long time have a real reason they enjoy the sport.
For some people, it’s a mental release from all the stress. Some people just love chasing after that goal and the satisfaction of getting stronger. And some people love the process of actually just lifting things.
Whatever your reason is, bodybuilding is tough, and because of that you can’t just do it ‘here or there’ for fun- you need to be dedicated to it, it has to be a hobby.
So, Yes- Bodybuilding is a Hobby!
Bodybuilding is a hobby, a tough one at that.
But, by definition, it is a hobby. It’s a little different than just going to the gym here or there for your health, there’s a lot to it, it’s a lot of fun, and it takes a lot of skill to master.
