Don't get me wrong, I admire the qualities it takes to get to the top in bodybuilding. I couldn't do it. But they're not athletes in the same sense that neither is the world's greatest sculptor.

David Ginola, a former soccer player, considered himself to be an artist because of his creativity on the field. It doesn't mean he was one.

So powerlifters are atheletes because they compete at lifting. Even though bodybuilders engage in the same activity since the element of competition isnt there while lifting they arent atheletes. This is the philosophy?

I'm cool with that technicality. Just rubs me wrong when an Olympic ice curler is considered an athelete and bodybuilders arent.

Athleticism is more than just being strong.

Strength, agility, fitness, speed, etc.

Ice Curlers sure af aren't artists.

Thats why, imo, it's reasonable to be upset about the direction body building has taken. Aesthetics have taken a back seat, and size is the main priority. What separated body building from sport, was this form of artistic preparation done via athletic maneuvers such as lifting. The actual competition and demonstration is a pageant of sorts; no athletic endeavor is performed. I think this is to be celebrated, as it's a competition of premeditation and a complete battle against one's self. That "battle" does happen in the weight room, but it's results manifest that day. In that sense, the athleticism is directly connected to the results of the competition, with the competitor's skill being judged as a combination of lifting ability and introspective judgement. You could call body builders athletes, I wouldn't get offended. But I think less people would get offended if it was more about aesthetics than hording down every experimental hormone you can source.

lets see where bodybuilding is rank on this list of sports

https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/sportSkills

oh wait, bodybuilding is NOT a sport..

IDK brah it definitely takes some stamina to pose on stage when you're depleted at sub 5-8% BF

Not a sport as most BBers I know aren't very athletic whatsoever, but it takes a different kind of discipline that I do admire somewhat. My issue with it is it's just completely ****ing boring and mind numbing.

Arnold likes to troll people
GreAt oratory, he was just ****ing with lifters in typical troll fashion

Wwe is very real ATHLETICALLY but since the bouts are not actual fight exhibitions and the outcomes are chosen beforehand it doesn’t count as a sport.

So not everything that takes real physical strength and or agility counts as a sport.

But really Arnold has been involved in wwe too and was just joking about lifting being one.

Cheeky goobnah ah-nold at his goat lol

It’s not a sport brotha. It’s a aesthetic pageant. No athletic competing takes place on stage. Holding your breath does not require athleticism. Top that off with the fact most bodybuilders, and complete opposite of athletic.

I'm pretty sure they're being sarcastic when they say that. Even mountain bikers will call themselves athletes and start LOLing right after.

Lol bodybuilders are built literally too nonathletic to play sports.

x 1 agreed NL93 yeah mate!!

APoint but I agree more that Bodybuilding is'nt Sport (par Weights and lifting etc etc)!!

True I agree - but only in certain way's in relation to certain sports!