The Golden Era of Bodybuilding

To be a competitive bodybuilder in the late 60’s and 70’s was a calling, not a choice, it was in their blood. They loved it, and lived it despite the lack of motivation from the fame and fortune competitors can achieve today.

Unlike today, being a top bodybuilder revolved around other facets of their life, like work. Getting freaky big and strong, wasn’t a means to contracts or endorsement deals. Add to this; the fitness industry was in its infancy, and careers were almost nonexistent. Gyms were few and far between, personal training wasn’t a profession, and the few supplements that were available were garbage. Most of today’s competitors wouldn’t consider, let alone have what it takes to be a bodybuilder in the Golden Era.

Bodybuilders in this era achieved without the external motivators like money. One can only imagine the deep passion necessary to be the best at something simply for the right to say, “I’m the best.” Raw passion is something that the average individual couldn’t possibly understand because doing what’s necessary to be the best at something is completely foreign. Without the ability to say, "Look at me." on social media to stroke their participation medal egos, most competitors of today wouldn't be working out let alone competing.

The journey many individuals took in the Golden Era to achieve in the sport of bodybuilding gave them the prerequisites to transfer that success to achieve in all endeavors. Many of these highly driven, internally motivated bodybuilders of the 70's paved the way for modern bodybuilding as we know it today through publishing magazines, starting supplement companies, and creating the personal training industry.