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THE BOUNCER
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Good read by Shawn Ray.
As a young upstart teenager, I had dreams of one day making it big in a sport filled with big boys! I dove in deep with both feet, abandoning a life long vision of playing football in the NFL one day. The further I got into the Iron Game, the more selfish I became in the ways of looking out for number one. Bodybuilding is so time consuming and so individual, that by the time I looked up, I was a 14 year veteran of the Pro stage and I hadn’t had a serious meaningful relationship in years nor did I develop the spiritual side of me I knew existed deep between my muscles and self centered ways of the sport. Sure, hindsight is 20/20 but when you get as deep into this sport as I have been, it is hard to see the Forrest for the Trees, as it relates to life’s simple pleasures.
The routine of preparing for competition then going on tour and repeating it over and over again, year after year, consumes Life at Warp Speed! Before you know it, kids that once admired my work as a young professional are now fathers with kids following in my footsteps. Where did the time go? Traveling each weekend to different parts of the country and later the world, would become a lifestyle for the rest of my 20’s and 30’s. I often wondered as time melted away, what happens when my time was up and there are no more tours? I mean, I have watched careers come and go while pursuing my own and yet, there are so many things in life I have yet to experience and do. I have seen nearly every country in the world and even more gyms than I can remember yet, I have a lifetime of catching up to do regarding family, friends and the Lord! I would like to make things right with the Man upstairs for all the blessings I have had throughout this journey of competition, while the nurturing of special friendships have been in a holding pattern for years.
In this Life or the Next, we all have to take time to LIVE!
Breath, take a step outside ourselves to see what the world is offering in the ways of “Simplicity”. You don’t have to be 300lbs to be respected. Nor do you have to be tested on stage, by being judged to validate your accomplishments in the gym. Sometimes, while I am enjoying my year off from competition, I find myself wondering if the One Dimensional drive of bodybuilding is even healthy for the fittest of individuals, while so many sacrifices for so little in return by comparison to other sports. I have a lot to be thankful for and not a day goes by that I don’t pinch myself to remind myself what this sport has given me.
That being said, Life is a precious thing. I have seen many guys shelf it in return for a shot a greatness in a sport as Unforgiving as bodybuilding to be spit out and chewed up by a system of opinions that rarely change and judges that have lifetime tenure. Sadly, the state of our sport as it pertains to representation for athletes, is in the dark ages with no relief in site. I would offer a friendly reminder to all those interested in chasing ghosts in the form of a Sandow Trophy. Time has proven that there can be only “One” when it comes to winning and holding the coveted title. Since 1984, no man has out right won the Mr. Olympia title from the defending champion, leaving some of our precious jewels out in the cold with out proper recognition for their dedication to the game:
Gaspari, Labrada, Wheeler, Levrone, Nasser, Cutler and of course, I felt I had at least two slip through the cracks!
If bodybuilding is your passion, pour your heart and soul into it and you will find it has many rewards. However, don’t let Life slip by you in pursuit of a dream that many may never reach in the chase for Sandow! The best you can do is what your body and soul will allow you to do. Do not let a contest or judge ruin your love for the game that brings us all together in search of physical perfection.
Life is living!
To be shared and enjoyed within the context of our other commitments. Do not exclude your loved ones and those who support you, for they are the backbone of Life. They will get you through the hardest part of Life when you need them the most.
While a bodybuilding contest is a subjective collection of opinions, Life and Love are both forms of unconditional support for all of us to be the best we can be. If you cannot find your best while here on earth, there is always tomorrow. We will be judged again by the character we have within.
Not by Man, who can be cruel and unforgiving but by God who loves us all!
Life is good, live it and you can make a difference.
Strength and Honor, is all we have in this business, lose sight of one or the other and your already dead.
Peace,
Shawn Ray
As a young upstart teenager, I had dreams of one day making it big in a sport filled with big boys! I dove in deep with both feet, abandoning a life long vision of playing football in the NFL one day. The further I got into the Iron Game, the more selfish I became in the ways of looking out for number one. Bodybuilding is so time consuming and so individual, that by the time I looked up, I was a 14 year veteran of the Pro stage and I hadn’t had a serious meaningful relationship in years nor did I develop the spiritual side of me I knew existed deep between my muscles and self centered ways of the sport. Sure, hindsight is 20/20 but when you get as deep into this sport as I have been, it is hard to see the Forrest for the Trees, as it relates to life’s simple pleasures.
The routine of preparing for competition then going on tour and repeating it over and over again, year after year, consumes Life at Warp Speed! Before you know it, kids that once admired my work as a young professional are now fathers with kids following in my footsteps. Where did the time go? Traveling each weekend to different parts of the country and later the world, would become a lifestyle for the rest of my 20’s and 30’s. I often wondered as time melted away, what happens when my time was up and there are no more tours? I mean, I have watched careers come and go while pursuing my own and yet, there are so many things in life I have yet to experience and do. I have seen nearly every country in the world and even more gyms than I can remember yet, I have a lifetime of catching up to do regarding family, friends and the Lord! I would like to make things right with the Man upstairs for all the blessings I have had throughout this journey of competition, while the nurturing of special friendships have been in a holding pattern for years.
In this Life or the Next, we all have to take time to LIVE!
Breath, take a step outside ourselves to see what the world is offering in the ways of “Simplicity”. You don’t have to be 300lbs to be respected. Nor do you have to be tested on stage, by being judged to validate your accomplishments in the gym. Sometimes, while I am enjoying my year off from competition, I find myself wondering if the One Dimensional drive of bodybuilding is even healthy for the fittest of individuals, while so many sacrifices for so little in return by comparison to other sports. I have a lot to be thankful for and not a day goes by that I don’t pinch myself to remind myself what this sport has given me.
That being said, Life is a precious thing. I have seen many guys shelf it in return for a shot a greatness in a sport as Unforgiving as bodybuilding to be spit out and chewed up by a system of opinions that rarely change and judges that have lifetime tenure. Sadly, the state of our sport as it pertains to representation for athletes, is in the dark ages with no relief in site. I would offer a friendly reminder to all those interested in chasing ghosts in the form of a Sandow Trophy. Time has proven that there can be only “One” when it comes to winning and holding the coveted title. Since 1984, no man has out right won the Mr. Olympia title from the defending champion, leaving some of our precious jewels out in the cold with out proper recognition for their dedication to the game:
Gaspari, Labrada, Wheeler, Levrone, Nasser, Cutler and of course, I felt I had at least two slip through the cracks!
If bodybuilding is your passion, pour your heart and soul into it and you will find it has many rewards. However, don’t let Life slip by you in pursuit of a dream that many may never reach in the chase for Sandow! The best you can do is what your body and soul will allow you to do. Do not let a contest or judge ruin your love for the game that brings us all together in search of physical perfection.
Life is living!
To be shared and enjoyed within the context of our other commitments. Do not exclude your loved ones and those who support you, for they are the backbone of Life. They will get you through the hardest part of Life when you need them the most.
While a bodybuilding contest is a subjective collection of opinions, Life and Love are both forms of unconditional support for all of us to be the best we can be. If you cannot find your best while here on earth, there is always tomorrow. We will be judged again by the character we have within.
Not by Man, who can be cruel and unforgiving but by God who loves us all!
Life is good, live it and you can make a difference.
Strength and Honor, is all we have in this business, lose sight of one or the other and your already dead.
Peace,
Shawn Ray
just kidding fellas.
I'm trying to figure out why you would even post on this board if you feel that way about BBing and BBers!I for one would like to know if you ever dieted-felt ketosis-got on stage scared out of your mind?It is true that to be the best at anything requires sacrafices very few people understand and while the comparisons of these sacrafices is impossible you have no idea of the impact that deprevation and weight fluctuations,constant unrelenting training and stretching,scheduling of each and every part of the day as well as being absolutely emotionally drained 24/7 can and does have on your life as well as those close to us!So before you spout off any more BB bashing garbage-get off the couch-get in the gym-get to 4%-pick a song -get your comps down pat-get your 90 sec to where it's like tying your shoes-get your water table just right-get your sodium perfect and your carb load right on time-slug down a glass of good red right before you hit the lights and then post and lets us all know what pussies we are and how easy it was for you to take the overall at any NPC NC !Until that day comes SHUT TF UP!
