Is body building healthy? It’s a question that’s been asked over the years, and I decided to answer the question (hopefully!) once and for all. The answer it, it depends….
Will Brink is the owner of the Brinkzone Blog. Will has over 30 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published. Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies.
His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors.
He’s also been published in peer reviewed journals.
Will is the author of the popular e-books, both accompanied by private members forum access , Bodybuilding Revealed & Fat Loss Revealed.
You can also buy Will’s other books on Amazon, Apple iBook, and Barnes and Noble.
Will,
I am completely in agreement with you. As a competitive drug free bodybuilder who was lucky enough to win the World Championships(in 1985), I confirm all that you have said. On the day of the show you look great but feel terrible. Yet a lifestyle of exercise and good nutrition is hard to beat- I’m still training 30 years after the contest and still in great shape.
Good feedback Carlos, thanx! 🙂
I agree with you Will. Im not a pro bodybuilder but Im pretty damn fanatic (I actually have a workout blog on BBR). And though you sometimes ask too much of your body, I prefer this lifestyle over any other any day. The gratification you get from being in the gym, pushing yourself and changing your physique are so immensely rewarding that even if it were somewhat ‘unhealthy’ I think for most dedicated bodybuilders the essential values outweigh the temporary illnesses and injuries. Ripped and healthy over a beerdrinking gut any day.
Awesome Blog Post Will!
Rob
Hi Will:
… as usual, you bring lucidity to the subject matter being addressed. We are fortunate indeed that you choose to champion these fitness areas, and share them freely (with us mere mortals!) as you do.
Thanks for the common sense insight.
Will, that’s the best recovery I’ve ever seen! I’m chuckling about the helicopter “intrusion”, of course. Seriously, though, thank you for showing the differences between competitive bodybuilding and the bodybuilding lifestyle. I’ve been around competitive bodybuilders for many years and have witnessed, personally, the damage done by steroids and other performance-enhancers. Whatever problems I’ve experienced from competing, in younger days, in football, wrestling and powerlifting, are minimal compared to what has happened to former athletes like José Canseco, Barry Bonds and others. I look forward to your next video about these performance-enhancing drugs so, in the meantime, keep up the great work! Take care.
Kent, glad you enjoyed the video! However, are you not confusing legal problems vs health related issues for athletes such as Bonds and Canseco? I don’t know of any health related issues they have had that could be directly attributed to AAS use. However, I have not followed their personal medical histories either, but their “issues” were legal in nature vs physical/health as far as I know, which is really the focus of this particular vid.
No, no confusion. Both Canseco and Bonds have both legal and physical issues to face. Canseco, in particular, was featured in a cable documentary about a year, or so, ago. He’s unable to produce his own testosterone and has suffered with testicular atrophy, as a direct result of his continuous use of anabolics throughout his baseball career. And I mean by “continuous”, he never stopped the cycle, until he couldn’t play anymore and had to retire. He admitted all that on-camera and, shortly after the show’s airing, he was arrested by border agents, trying to sneak a supply of artificial testosterone from a Mexican physician. It was an act of pure desperation, it appears. I haven’t heard much about his case, since then. In Bonds’ case, with his involvement in BALCO and Victor Conte, showed incredible, obvious signs of anabolic-type use: his hat and shoe size increased in the off-season to be physically noticeable. He also had chronic knee problems, similar to what Mark McGwire had, which indicates to me, since both athletes used performance-enhancers, that their drug use caused those muscles to outgrow the tendon and ligament’s abilities to support that growth, hence they both suffered chronic knee inflammation, which forced McGwire to retire. Once he nailed down a job with the Cardinals, he finally admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds, on the other hand, has never confessed, even after going to court numerous times. Victor Conte has steadfastly refused to testify or confess to anything, to this very day, to the best of my knowledge, as well.
Great! How old are you? I am 74 and training. I eat a lot better than ever here in Spain. I am in better health than ever before, and my mirrors tell me, that I am in the best shape ever. So do the photos, too. I placed second in a competition of before and after photos last year sponsored by Vince Del Monte last autumn. That was my first and best thing ever in this type of competitions! It really was a great surprise and pleasure of my life! I am going to continue competing, when ever it will be possible…
Great video and nice T-shirt 😉
Will:
“Fitness by the cup”
“One cup at a time: — With your picture holding your MUG
in my late forties at the doctors office the scales hit 284 I had to take a look at my life a fat aging balding out of shape drunken carpenter that smoked and I was losing the ability to do my job… can’t change some things hair loss, aging but for the rest of it …now 7 years later sober, non- smoker, @ 213, made a gym in my shop and use it like a mad man I eat very clean and only the proper quantity (the key every thing health) I did not know how to do any of this! I am but a carpenter my brain just never cared to branch out to things other than cabinets and trim and that is where you so very generously have passively surely unbeknownst to you through videos just like this have helped along with Venuto and Marc David and many others providing a constant drum beat of the proper methods of exercise and nutrition via the web. I am indebted to you, Will, thank you
Excellent Vid Will, thnx. I am not a a pro, and wanted to continue my bodybuilding interests for past 8 years. I always had this question, is this healthy? .. and you have answered it all, I will now enjoy it more than ever before. 🙂
Interesting topic Will, thanks.
Totally agree with you Will. This is crazy how much steroids are being taken by competitive bodybuilders. I just like to lift weights and stay in shape all year around. I do take supplements but not steroids.
Great post!
Bob
hey will this is a little off topic; what is the name of the article that addresses creatine and carb such as maltoedextros or dextrose combinations thank you.