Bodybuilding Hobby Site

What is Bodybuilding?

• "Bodybuilding is the practice of progressive resistance exercise to build, control, and develop one's muscles via hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. It is primarily undertaken for aesthetic purposes over functional ones, distinguishing it from similar activities such as powerlifting and calisthenics." - Wikipedia

About Me

• I have been weightlifting for a little over 2 years now, but I've really only focused on bodybuilding for a year and a half.
• Once I started looking into it, I went all out. I ordered a ton of books (written by the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jay Cutler) and did a ton of research on the best way to build muscle and train like a bodybuilder. It became an obsession.
• Looking up to fitness influencers on social media, bodybuilding quickly became a major interest for me and now it is one of my biggest hobbies and passions.
• Eventually, I would like to become professional and get my Natural IFBB Pro Card then I'll consider whether or not I'd like to take the enhanced route and get my IFBB Pro Card in an enhanced setting.

Best Gyms I've Trained At

Choosing a gym is a huge decision and there are a lot of factors to consider, such as how tailored their equipment is to your goals, what kind of environment they provide, and even what their policies are (not to mention the price). Here are some of the gyms that I've been to since I started lifting, ranked in order of my favorite to least favorite:

1. Southside Power & Fitness
2. UNC Charlotte UREC
3. Oak Island Fitness
4. Planet Fitness New York
5. Perfect Workout
6. Gold's Gym Greensboro
7. Planet Fitness Hickory

When ranking gyms, I think that environment is one of the biggest factors to having a good workout. There are two huge contrasts in environments, both being great, but if the environment isn't good then having a good workout is sometimes out of the picture completely. The two BEST types of gym environments are:

• Noisy & Crowded (full of passionate lifters)
• Empty & Dark, Oldschool Equipment

How to Get Started

• Getting started with bodybuilding is easy. You first have to assess what you're already working with, even if it's no lifting history whatsoever, and take the first step of going and hitting your first serious workout. The training style, music, food intake, and calorie counting all need to be on-point to fuel your training to the extend in which you're going to make great progress.
• I usually take a pre-workout supplement before I head to lift in order to wake up and be ready to go with the caffeine. I also spend some time choosing good music to listen to, because personally, my lift quality depends on the music I am listening to and how alert and carbed-up I am.

Why Bodybuilding?

• There are so many benefits that come with bodybuilding it is hard to even pick out the best ones. So, I queried ChatGPT on some of the benefits of bodybuilding, and here is what it had to say:

1. It Builds Unstoppable Discipline: Bodybuilding teaches consistency like nothing else. Progress isn't instant, but showing up every day—whether you feel like it or not—turns discipline into a habit. This mindset carries over into every aspect of life, making you more focused and relentless in your goals.
2. You Learn to Master Your Mindset: Lifting weights isn't just physical—it's a mental game. You push through fatigue, doubt, and discomfort, and in doing so, you train your mind to reject limits. That ability to embrace challenges makes you stronger in school, work, and personal life.
3. It Transforms Your Body (and Confidence): The results are undeniable. When you see your body changing as a result of your effort, your confidence skyrockets. You prove to yourself that you're capable of shaping your future—not just in fitness, but in anything you set your mind to.
4. It Teaches Patience and Long-Term Thinking: In a world that thrives on instant gratification, bodybuilding is the opposite. Progress happens over months and years, not days. Learning to trust the process makes you more patient, persistent, and resilient in all areas of life.
5. Strength is a Superpower: Being physically strong makes everyday life easier. You feel more energized, more capable, and ready to take on any challenge—whether it's crushing a workout, excelling in your career, or just carrying all your groceries in one trip.
6. You Become a Version of Yourself You Never Thought Possible: Bodybuilding forces you to evolve. The person who starts the journey isn't the same person who finishes it. You'll discover a level of mental and physical toughness you didn't know you had. At its core, bodybuilding isn't just a sport—it's a blueprint for success in life. It teaches you to commit, adapt, and become the best version of yourself. So why not start? The only thing standing between you and your strongest self is the decision to begin.

• Ultimately, the pro's outweigh the con's (there aren't many at all actually), and there are SO many different transferrable skills that can carry over from bodybuilding into anything in life, such as discipline, a strong mindset to succeed, or a newfound sense of confidence.

AI Prompts

All AI-generated content used in this project:

• "Create a realistic image of a crowded gym that is dark and full of giant bodybuilders."
• "Help me answer: Why bodybuilding? Write it as yourself, AI, trying to convince someone to start bodybuilding."
• "Create a cartoon-style toucan bodybuilder, flexing its wings, with a muscular physique, standing in a gym, vibrant colors, small enough for a YouTube profile picture (800x800 pixels)"