99{a3acb2be643effc4b7b4b3705df5cb2eae026059a1d075d54be8af4d92e7e619} of bodybuilders on this planet are not “hardcore”. You can have a hardcore attitude, you can have hardcore goals. You can admire hardcore physiques and the devotion of the men and women who sport them. But for most of the waking population, true hardcore is not the way to go.
First off, what is hardcore? Hardcore bodybuilders are those who, for better or worse, LIVE the bodybuilding experience. The guy who sleeps in his car behind Gold’s and trains 40 hours a week in hopes of winning his pro card? That is hardcore. The woman who takes enough androgens to kill a full-grown horse and has to shave her face twice a day? THAT is hardcore. The man who loads up on painkillers and squats 405 for reps despite a slipped disc in his back? That’s hardcore. The 315-pound behemoth that consumes five pounds of ground beef daily with no regard for heart health, yet meticulously avoids all vegetables for fear of disrupting his ketones? Hardcore, baby.
Hardcore is inspirational. Hardcore is fun to watch. Hardcore is the mindset, which creates the physiques we admire and use for inspiration as we strive for greater muscular size and strength. Hardcore are the actions that lead to men weighing 300 pounds of muscle. Hardcore is the devotion and drive and repetition that allows a man to lift 1000 pounds from the floor. Hardcore is the insanity that makes all these things possible.
But hardcore is not realistic. People who choose this hardcore lifestyle often find themselves in very rough spots. Health issues are usually noticed first – the human body cannot face the rigors of true hardcore bodybuilding without some serious side effects. Also, one should consider the opportunity cost – all the time and effort spent in the gym often results in shortcomings elsewhere in life – whether it be family, career, education, or otherwise.
Most of us should follow mainstream bodybuilding principles in training, nutrition, and supplementation. We should train 3 to 5 days a week, and train very hard. We should eat about six very good bodybuilding meals each day. We should sleep 8 to 9 hours each night, giving our body plenty of recovery. We should consume supplements, which help us overcome shortcomings and create advantages for us. But we should NOT succumb to the temptations to let bodybuilding rule our lives. Bodybuilding should be something, which enriches your life – not something that defines or dominates it. Not that there’s anything wrong with those who choose to go all-out and live the hardcore lifestyle, just as long as you understand the dangers and long-term issues which often accompany this lifestyle. For most of us, following mainstream principles and using hardcore examples for inspiration is the best way to go!
