The perception of bodybuilding in my home town

Irishswede

Hi All

I have been weight training for about 10 years of my life but every time I visit home (Kilkenny) I am given comments by my brother or mother about the lifestyle I live. This is to do with my diet and my workout routine. They dont understand why I want to be big and it never seems to be accepted. I had been living in Dublin and I have never had issues with this. I have gotten plenty of support from Friends there. I now live in London. But coming home this Christmas for about a week and don't want to have to put up with this.

Is there anyone who has ever experienced this? and how did you deal with it ?

Kevin Duffy

What's to deal with? Over the years I've experienced similar attitudes to rock climbing - you'll be killed! - long distance running - can't be good for you! - and mountain biking - you'll be kiled and it can't be good for you! - but since I'm not doing them for other people's approval or validation, what of it?

People frequently oppose things they simply don't understand and it's difficult to tackle all the prejudice you'll face if you do something non-mainstream, so don't waste energy trying. Explain what you love once or twice, then leave them to it and enjoy your sport.

Hanley

HTFU. People don't want to and aren't willing to understand and change their mind.

"There's a lot worse I could be doing with myself sure. Anyway, how are you?". Simple.

Irishswede

Hey Kevin

Yea similar comments like that to myself over the years, especially when I was doing Taekwondo in College. Kept saying I was going to be killed , yet hurling was a perfectly safe sport. Oh the obsession of that sport in Kilkenny just drives me mad. As for Christmas I just booked a few days off to go home. I think if I book to many if things can back fire.

Glowing

Yeah and apparently according to my mother the only reason I go to the gym and train with weights 3 or 4 days a week is because I want to get really *really* skinny (i mean why else would one possibly want to work out that much for), oh and 'i've to be careful I don't get too muscley'. God forbid ...... I just have to take a deep breath

Just continue to do what you enjoy, try help them understand but don't make too big an issue out if it, you'll only stress yourself out!

odin_ie

Irishswede, I'm from Kilkenny too, and my dad was very like that in attitude towards pretty much everything. I think it is just a Kilkenny thing. Your not playing the typical religion of hurling, so the question is asked why would you do anything else. There is also a lack of understanding as to diet, unless it is based around meat and spuds. I mean, the looks I got when I started eating sweet potato were comical.

The way you deal with it is you live your life, and let them live theirs. Simple as really. Just cause you train and watch what you eat doesn't make you a different person.

Oh, and the fact that James Fennelly has become somewhat of a local legend in the last few years might have an effect on attitudes.

Doolee

Maybe it its a Kilkenny thing cause it's the same for me when I go home!:) But to be fair, at this stage my folks have just accepted that going to the gym and weights is important to me and they know it's just something I have to do. There's the usual comments about diet and whatever but they expect that I bring my own "weird" food with me when I'm home as they're happy as long as there's enough potatoes bread and milk in the house, plus it's a small village so shops are pretty basic:)

I kind of like it tho, having an unusual interest that's got nothing to do with hurling! Just be yourself op and let them be themselves too. Each to their own is a good reply I reckon, or, sure if everyone did the same thing, it would be a boring world;)

AMT

That sucks man

Nothing you can do...I have lost a few lbs recently but I remember arriving home from college to a lecture from a women with 3 chins calling me disgusting and saying that no one else she saw in the supermarket had grossly pumped up arms like that.

Wanted to drag them to Venice beach to show them how gods looked

Irishswede

Thanks for the responses guys. Nice to know I am in the same boat as some other people. Love the story about the woman with tripple chins telling you off about your pumped arms LOL !!

AMT

Irishswede wrote: »

Thanks for the responses guys. Nice to know I am in the same boat as some other people. Love the story about the woman with tripple chins telling you off about your pumped arms LOL !!

I should have been more specific... She's my fathers second wife

I have better stories, one time she spread half a bag of ON serious mass I left at my parents, on the back lawn 'for the birds'

SanoVitae

At that rate, she's soon to be your father's second ex-wife......

rubadub

AMT wrote: »

I have better stories, one time she spread half a bag of ON serious mass I left at my parents, on the back lawn 'for the birds'

she bettter be careful, this is what'll happen taking those crazy drugs

Jimmy Bottlehead

It's primarily a country thing - if it's not GAA or football, it's a mystery and therefore evil.

My response to my hobby is usually "Ah yeah it's a little strange, but sure it keeps me out of trouble", or as Hanley said, "I could be doing a lot worse".

Just leave 'em to it - if you keep fit or happy, that's all that matters.