The pro bodybuilder life, is it worth it?

The picture above was taken about 4 months before the 2005 Mr. Olympia and shows Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman, respectively. Considering most pro's start their diet 12-18 weeks out, it is unlikely they have started their diets at the time the of the picture.

It's amazing that these guys pack on so much bulk in the off-season. For some, these pictures may even make them rethink their decision to pursue pro bodybuilding as a career. Personally, I love to see this because it lets me see the reality of the sport. In magazines you only see these guys at their 100%, but the truth is no one can hold on to such a state for a prolonged period of time.

You also get to see the amount of dedication and love these guys have for the sport. It's not easy to put themselves through the endless struggles of weight gain/weight loss, intense training, etc. I also find it extremely unfair that most of this effort goes unrewarded... in most competitions if a bodybuilder is placed out of the top 5 they don't even get paid! Considering bodybuilding is a 24/7 sport, it deserves to be rewarded. It is very difficult to argue of any other sport requiring the same or similar amount of time, dedication, and infinite patience required to be successful. The Mr. Olympia, the premier bodybuilding competition in the world, pays out $100,000 to the winner. The worst baseball or basketball player probably doesn't get paid under $700,000 a year.

Is it worth it? If you love the sport, yes. If your in it for the money, no.