The Biggest Joke in Sport

Sport is amazing. I love sport. As many coaches and slogans say, “It doesn’t build character, it reveals it.” Even as a sports psychologist of sorts, I agree with this statement. It is an activity that makes it so we don’t find flaws in each other but rather, in ourselves. My sport is the Iron Game. The Iron Game includes a variety of strength and power sports.

Weightlifting (Snatch, Clean & Jerk)
Powerlifting
Highland Games
Strongman

These are the primary sports that reflect the main goals of the iron game. Some of you may still read this and think; wait where is body building?

Time to come out with it; Body building is not a sport and neither is Figure Competition.

I know I will receive hate mail for these comments but, I make them with the utmost certainty. I also have backing to my statements about these competitive and narcissistic pageants of muscle and fake tanner. What backing could defend such a bold and audacious opinion?

1) Regardless of Work Ethic, You Are Models
My favorite comebacks, when I mention that Jamie Eason, Jay Cutler or Dexter Jackson are not athletes are, “Do you know how hard they work?” If work ethic was what mattered most rather than ability, I am sure we wouldn’t have so many greedy money grubbers in pro sports. What matters is ability in sport, not how hard you work though; I will acknowledge that if you work hard, your ability will improve. When you get up on stage you slather yourself in fake tanner and pose. You are not performing to any degree on stage. You are standing there trying to looking pretty or at least your definition of pretty. Tell me what is athletic about this because to my knowledge only athletes compete in sports. This is a beauty pageant that is no different than a Miss America pageant.

2) There is no competition of motion.
To say that one does not compete in sport is to say that one is not an athlete. For that we need to define what an athlete is. In the olden times, the athlete was considered the track athlete and the most all around athlete was the Decathlete. From this blueprint competitor, all other athletes were judged. An athlete is one who competes in an activity that focuses on demonstrating the ability of motion. Motion can be Climbing, Running, Walking, Lifting, Throwing, Pushing, Pulling etc. You must be proficient with a certain motion in order to succeed as an athlete. In the end only athletes compete in sport

3) The stronger, faster and more agile competitor doesn’t even matter.
In any given REAL sport, let’s take rowing for instance; an individual will train very hard all year long for a few competitions (or possibly one). When they compete in rowing all that matters is how they row that day. Do they have the mental fortitude and the physical capacity to out row their best performance and out row the competition? One can only answer this question with the outcome of the race. His size does not matter, nor his muscle tone. All that matters is his ability to row the boat that includes his stamina, his power and his strength. His training before hand matters to an extent and helps him but, all that matters in the end is what the score is.

In the events of Body Building or Figure Competition an individual’s strength never matters. Competitor One could lift 700lbs in the deadlift and Competitor Two could lift only 400 but, Competitor 2 won because he had better symmetry and definition. Comp. One didn’t get to showcase his ability that he had garnered from hard training. All that mattered was all the training days up to that body building competition and not the competition itself. Maybe you didn’t starve yourself enough to get down to 2% body fat. Meanwhile competitor 2 needs help on stage as he can’t move because he is so exhausted by walking up the 3 steps to the winner’s platform.

I feel as though I have illustrated my point. If one wishes to participate in the bodybuilding or figure competition world I will not stop them. I always advocate people following their passion. However, don’t give yourself the delusion that you are part of some elite group that is of a higher caliber of performance ability. This is what an athlete is and you sir or madam are not an athlete.