Some time ago I was having this discussion with my brother. We've been hardcore fanatics of this amazing concept since we were kids and when we tried to figure out or define the essence of this discipline we came to a crossroads, we couldn't agree on our individual perspectives. For him it's simply a sport, for me it's much, much more.

I have great respect for the people who dare to compete in bodybuilding and that's maybe why I find that the end result of this discipline falls short of what could really be.

My perspective regarding this incredible discipline is a little different from the mainstream thinking, but don't stop reading and don't jump to conclusions, you'll see my logic and reasoning at the end.

Definitely the process of training, understanding the mechanics of range of motion and everything that has to do with the physical activity of the discipline could be referred to as a form of sport and to a certain extent also a science. Given the fact that the bodybuilder needs to understand the function, movement and location of every muscle, there's a certain level of science involved.

The nutritional manipulation and the hormonal supplementation involved in bodybuilding definitely falls under the realm of science. Understanding our endocrinology, metabolism and the infinite complexities of our body takes a great deal of studying and understanding scientific concepts. Knowing the differences between compounds, their molecular structures and their specific purposes takes a great deal of scientific knowledge. This is why you see so many people asking basic, stupid stuff in the forums, because when they realize how much they need to understand, they just give up and try to take the easy road: "Just do it for me so I don't have to put in the time". Fuckers, go and do the work....
Anyway, yes, this part is a science.

Now, this last part is where things lose all meaning for me, well, not all but let's say most and this is why.

A sport is determined by how many runs a team scored, how many points a team scored, who ran faster, who knocks out the opponent, who gets the biggest fish etc. What I mean is; sports are objective in their determination of who wins and who loses. In bodybuilding the determination is completely subjective and dare I say, bias. My favorite bodybuilder of all times is without a doubt Dorian Yates, he was the first mass monster, but it only takes having eyes to see, that when he last competed against Nasser El Sombaty, Dorian was not the clear winner. In 1981 Franco Columbu won the Mr. Olympia even though he was clearly not in prime shape and had a bad case of gyno. One year before Arnold also won in very suspicious circumstances, even though Frank Zane and Mike Mentzer were in the best shape of their lives. So what determines the winner in a bodybuilding competition, well is completely subjective and in the hands of people who probably have never competed in their lives: judges.

There's a very unfair factor that I cannot get through, even if I try. For me this last part of the discipline of bodybuilding is the culmination of a long and painful process. It's the product of try and error, is the product of failure and success, there's blood, sweat, tears, depression, anxiety mixed with happiness and expectations. Bodybuilding is basically the product of life. When you see it like that, you'll understand that the last product in bodybuilding is a work of art, where the bodybuilder is the artist, his body is the canvas.

Now think of this; would it be fair to take a Picasso, a Monet, a Dali, a Mondrian and a Van Gogh and put them side by side to determine which one is better? That would be preposterous, they are works of art with their own history and process. So what's the difference with the final product of a bodybuilder? It's their personal work of art, with it's own history and process. Trying to determine which bodybuilder is the best on a specific occasion takes away all the hard work, passion and determination of those who don't make the cut, for me is just unfair and on top of that putting a price of a few thousand dollars on basically the life and passion of a person is downright demeaning.

For me Branch Warren was one of the most freakish bodybuilders ever, impressive to the eyes, yet many people argued that his body wasn't aesthetic enough, but who decides what's pretty and what's not. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I wish this sport, science and art of bodybuilding would be a better deal for our bodybuilders, our artists. I think they are not being given the right recognition and compensation for their art. I would like to call it a sport, but it would need to be restructured from scratch. For me bodybuilding right now, as it is, is an art form, beautiful and priceless.

Anyway, how do you guys see it?

Is it a sport, a science or an art?

(This writing was created in order to see different points of view in an argumentative and intelligent manner. There's no right or wrong, just points of views and we need to respect every point of view even if we don't agree with it.)