MisterJC’s BodyBlog

I watched the opening ceremony last night for the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, and despite the hype the commentators made about how grand the show would be, I was completely blown away. What impressed me most wasn’t quite how grandiose of a spectacle they made it, or the obvious fortune that was spent to pull something of that level off, but rather the creativity that was shown by the orchestrator.  Simply amazing!

That said, I still have beef with the Olympics.  Don’t get me wrong, I am looking forward to watching as much of the 2008 games as I possibly can, in fact I currently have the US vs Japan womens soccer game on the TV as I write this (we are up by 1!), as well as a live feed going on the computer of the Mens Judo competition.  But I cant get by one simple irritation; why in the world has the sport of Natural Bodybuilding not made it into the list of Olympic events yet?  I know this is a tired subject, I have read many articles on it and sorry attempts to justify why it is not included, but with the onset of these 2008 games, the feelings and questions are renewed in my mind, and I wanted to resurface the topic.

Let me start by stating the obvious, at least the obvious in my mind.  I am specifying the sport of NATURAL Bodybuilding, in no way do I believe that the untested side of this sport should be even on the table for discussion.  That fraction goes against everything that the spirit of the Olympics stands for, and the IOC has gone to extreme lengths to uphold this standard.  I am going to leave the remainder of that debate to someone else, as I feel it is a waste of time to include here.  Never will the untested Bodybuilding athlete be included in the Olympics, so just give it a rest.

On the other side of the table you have the Natural, tested, bodybuilder.  Now this athlete exhibits the very essence of what the Olympics is all about.  This is not to say that the bodybuilder is above another Olympic athlete, there are many events that I feel embody the true spirit of the Olympics; Wrestling, the Triathlon, Gymnastics, Weight Lifting,  Cross Country Skiing, Swimming, just to name a few.  But in my mind it is insulting to know that Natural Bodybuilding is left at home while some events are included that in my mind have no business being part of the Olympics, I wont call out which ones I am referring too, as that would be unsportsmanlike, but I strongly feel that if some of these sports are present then there are a myriad of sports that deserve inclusion in the Olympic games as well.

The Natural Bodybuilder displays a level of athleticism, will, dedication, strength, intelligence, perseverance, and focus that was made for the Olympics, not to mention the physique aesthetics that embody what most of the world picture the ideal athlete to look like.  Does it get any more tailor made than that?!  Then WHY does this sport continue to get overlooked.

Aside from the fact that the Natural side of the sport gets lost in the shadows of the freak show that is its untested sister side of the sport, the most common argument I hear is that is is just too subjective of an event.  WHAT!?  Then how in the hell did events like, figure skating, diving, equine, synchronized swimming (don’t even get me started on this one), and gymnastics make it onto the scene?!?!  These are all sports that are completely dependent on judges scoring an athletes performance, not unlike that of Natural Bodybuilder.  So to me, that argument is simply ridiculous and holds no water.

So then what other reason could there possibly be to overlook this sport that quite honestly is so fundamental that its very nature can be seen in the training of virtually every other athlete on the planet.  Show me one athlete that does not have the goal of building muscle.  Whether it be in a gym, on a track, or in the water, every athlete wants to be stronger, healthier and more athletic, and that is the very essence of Natural Bodybuilding.  How insulting it is then, to have the entire sporting world discredit our efforts as athletes, and to deprive us the opportunity to compete on the most prestigious of world stages.

As I watched the opening ceremony last night, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride in myself and in my sport as I watched the montage of athletes talking about what it means to them to be at these games.  I almost teared up as I watched, because as I listened to them, it recalled the shared feelings that I myself had for what my sport means to me; the struggle of the countless reps in the gym, pushing past the point of comfort deep into failure, working towards something that you want even though the pain is almost unbearable because you KNOW it will be worth it, and because you KNOW not just anyone can do it.  Isn’t this what the Olympics is all about, unwavering focus and drive to reach a level of elite athleticism that is anything but commonplace?  And of course, the sportsmanship, respect and comradery among athletes across our various disciplines?  Then I ask you…where is the respect and love for the sport of Natural Bodybuilding?