Intelligence required for Bodybuilding

It's been my experience that most bodybuilders are pretty sharp. While it's difficult to quantify what qualifies as a bodybuilder and what does not, I think most of you guys know a bodybuilder when you see one. That got me to thinking. Do we become more intelligent than average as we pursue our passion for Bodybuilding or do superior intellects gravitate towards bodybuilding and our physical ideals? I pretty frequently have people make reference to my intellect. I don't feel I'm any smarter than anyone else, but I've noted that I rarely have difficulty understanding things. I certainly don't feel it's a genetic thing as my younger brother isnt exactly an intellectual. While he is in good shape, something I attribute to our better than average genetics, he's never been able to reach the level I have despite much fewer demands on his time and what seems to be more dedication to training and diet.

Really interested in seeing where this thread leads. Very interesting topic.

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Well I agree we are always researching something new and with cooking we know math and Chems we are smarter than the avarage bear. lol

I do consider myself smarter then average. Kind of like rain man smart though, just minus the genius.

trekrider215 said:

I do consider myself smarter then average. Kind of like rain man smart though, just minus the genius.

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Im pretty sure that makes you retarded then. just sayin...

Bravo! You caught on to the joke! See it must be true then.

camthman said:

Im pretty sure that makes you retarded then. just sayin...

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now that was funny

for me, i probably average out to an even intellect as I can say for certain my vocabulary is far above average, and i pride myself on that, maybe it has to do with reading and writing a lot and sitting on this forum for 16 years writing God knows how many articles, and answering questions or looking up and researching answers for members when i dont know it,

however, I can not follow the simplest of instruction, i fucking promise you i come off like a fuck-tard (thats worse than retard) lol, I have no idea why this is, im not mechanically inclined, and cant put shit together with instructions lol,

Truth is maybe if you average out the two , im below average lol, cause im telling you, its the simple shit i just dont get sometimes, and its weird! Its like im always over thinking it and not seeing just how A to B to C it really is, and i either fuck it up, or ask my wife to help me lmao, and she will look at me like im kidding, then she will tell me how it goes, and i will be amazed at how easy it was and how i didnt see it

I certainly don't feel any smarter than anyone, but my mind has always raced. I am always thinking of problems and possible solutions.... literally always. I review a days events in my head for several days and think of how I couldve better answered a question or addressed a situation. In order to keep from being overcome by depression or anxiety I am constantly trying to learn things. That's a large part of the reason I have so many well developed interests. Without focusing my mind on learning or problem solving I would likely become schizophrenic. My father was schizophrenic, Manic, and bipolar. It's exhausting, but it's better than the alternative. Like you I am extremely interested in thought processes, human interaction, and some of the more existential philosophies.
My main dichotomy (hope i didn't lose you there Presser) is... am I like this due to my early exposure to bodybuilding or was bodybuilding an outlet? Not too many guys can say they were reading college level text books at 11 to learn more about bodybuilding.
I see all these posts about different steroids and IGF questions and I wonder how many people just get on here to ask a question hoping to be handed an answer or have they researched and are wanting to incorporate members thoughts into their research... Think of the stuff that is 2nd nature to us. Units of measure, half lives, absorption rates, principles of volume vs intensity, muscle fiber types and composition. It's ALOT! My entire day is one huge mathematical equation! Then factor in the minimum amount of legal comprehension and if you're a little sharper then statistics will play a role... it's pretty deep shit all kidding aside..

I think many who visit forums such as this one are pretty intelligent. Forums like this one require you to actually think and learn about what you are doing, not just blindly do what others say to do.

The Dude said:

I certainly don't feel any smarter than anyone, but my mind has always raced. I am always thinking of problems and possible solutions.... literally always. I review a days events in my head for several days and think of how I couldve better answered a question or addressed a situation. In order to keep from being overcome by depression or anxiety I am constantly trying to learn things. That's a large part of the reason I have so many well developed interests. Without focusing my mind on learning or problem solving I would likely become schizophrenic. My father was schizophrenic, Manic, and bipolar. It's exhausting, but it's better than the alternative. Like you I am extremely interested in thought processes, human interaction, and some of the more existential philosophies.
My main dichotomy (hope i didn't lose you there Presser) is... am I like this due to my early exposure to bodybuilding or was bodybuilding an outlet? Not too many guys can say they were reading college level text books at 11 to learn more about bodybuilding.
I see all these posts about different steroids and IGF questions and I wonder how many people just get on here to ask a question hoping to be handed an answer or have they researched and are wanting to incorporate members thoughts into their research... Think of the stuff that is 2nd nature to us. Units of measure, half lives, absorption rates, principles of volume vs intensity, muscle fiber types and composition. It's ALOT! My entire day is one huge mathematical equation! Then factor in the minimum amount of legal comprehension and if you're a little sharper then statistics will play a role... it's pretty deep shit all kidding aside..

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You didnt lose me man, Dichotomy is the loss or removal of ones penis, duh!

here you go, a little something i wrote on this subject pertaining to bodybuilders being smarter than the average bear:

http://www.musclechemistry.com/upload/bodybuilding-steroid-and-training-articles/81638-insulin-like-growth-factor-1-vital-enhanced-neural-function-greatly-improves-cognition-igf-1-lr3-brawn-brain.html

Presser said:

here you go, a little something i wrote on this subject pertaining to bodybuilders being smarter than the average bear:

http://www.musclechemistry.com/upload/bodybuilding-steroid-and-training-articles/81638-insulin-like-growth-factor-1-vital-enhanced-neural-function-greatly-improves-cognition-igf-1-lr3-brawn-brain.html

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That pretty well sums up my point. Most of us can follow things like Ethics, psychology, Economics, etc at the graduate level, but how many highly educated people in those fields could follow what we talk about on a daily basis

Well, from tests done in school, I am actually quite smart, if IQ really matters. I feel, quite lazy in many areas which makes it appear as I am dumb as rocks haha but when the fire is there it's apparent. I wosh I didn't have so much damn anxiety it really hinders my thought process. I would say though, it makes one more driven, thus smarter as in fine honing your skills and education yourself.

The Dude said:

I certainly don't feel any smarter than anyone, but my mind has always raced. I am always thinking of problems and possible solutions.... literally always. I review a days events in my head for several days and think of how I couldve better answered a question or addressed a situation. In order to keep from being overcome by depression or anxiety I am constantly trying to learn things. That's a large part of the reason I have so many well developed interests. Without focusing my mind on learning or problem solving I would likely become schizophrenic. My father was schizophrenic, Manic, and bipolar. It's exhausting, but it's better than the alternative. Like you I am extremely interested in thought processes, human interaction, and some of the more existential philosophies.
My main dichotomy (hope i didn't lose you there Presser) is... am I like this due to my early exposure to bodybuilding or was bodybuilding an outlet? Not too many guys can say they were reading college level text books at 11 to learn more about bodybuilding.
I see all these posts about different steroids and IGF questions and I wonder how many people just get on here to ask a question hoping to be handed an answer or have they researched and are wanting to incorporate members thoughts into their research... Think of the stuff that is 2nd nature to us. Units of measure, half lives, absorption rates, principles of volume vs intensity, muscle fiber types and composition. It's ALOT! My entire day is one huge mathematical equation! Then factor in the minimum amount of legal comprehension and if you're a little sharper then statistics will play a role... it's pretty deep shit all kidding aside..

Click to expand...

My theory is that what you describe is related to having a higher testosterone level. Before I went on HRT, I had always been smart about computers, science, etc., but you could put me in the lazy category. I didn't do much with the knowledge I had. Did what was necessary to do my job. The first year that I went on HRT however, I found myself doing more, thinking of solutions, and worked much harder. The difference was so much that my employer noticed and gave me a $7,000 raise to my salary. I still find the same to be true. The first couple of days after an injection my mind is going 1,000 mph, studying here and there, working on projects, but it winds down some as the level decreases. I'd say the effect is probably a lot more pronounced for type-A personalities (I'm type-B myself).

Very interesting. I am curious what part if any the anxiety plays. I have atrocious anxiety. Until I've thought of every aspect of the next 6 months down to the most specific detail I feel like the world is ending. Just today I've reached the point where I can say most things are under control (other than a serious issue I'm having with a Professor stepping way outside of grading guidelines for some reason, basically I had to give a speech. She handed out the evaluation form complete with the point scale for each category. I went over on time supposed to be 6- 8 minutes so rather than giving me a score of between 1 and 5 as was stated on the evaluation form, she not only didn't give me ANY POINTS she SUBTRACTED 25 points! This brought my grade from a B to an F. Outlandish... ). Now I have a temporary sense of total peace that may last a couple days. My scores are so high in my Applied Ethics and my Western Humanities class that I not only don't have to do the final assignment... I don't even have to take the final exam. Both grades are in excess of 100%. This other professor isn't going to have leg to stand on so I'm comfortable that the Dept Chair will address my issue to my satisfaction

All of this being said, and ladies and gentleman the amount of respect that has developed for all of you on this site from me is awesome. All of you k ow your buisness, and most are so much more successful in this mess we call our world which I love. Yes a great deal of intelligence is required in bodybuilding. I would like to open this up a little bit. I would never want to come off as arrogant, but I know that I'm intelligent. In fact so intelligent, that I have disappointed most including myself for the better part of my life. Or I should say youth. Misspent youth I have always excelled at everything that I have tried, and that is a great thing if you have the maturity to handle it and harness it. People often say that maturity comes with age and I do agree that some forms may develop with time. I'm speaking of that inner maturity that allows a person the ability to except who they are and know what they want to do with their lives. A little history. High school easy, never took a book home never did any home work, but would ace the test, and make c, or high d for the class yeah I passed. No maturity, but proved I was intelligent. Then in 1990 or country declared war on Iraq. In my mind I had no choice but do join the military. Again easy while in the Air Force I became the 1st air man first class to lead an inspector General inspection through our bomb dump and munitions facility. Intelligence proven yet again. Which led to disapointmant, due to lack of immaturity. Military showed me that intelligence didn't get you far their, they would promote people that didn't know their job and would in no way ever have the back of the man standing beside them in a fight cause I've seen it with my own eyes, just to get them out of the way. Without maturity I was unable to deal with this, and wound up getting a general discharge. Squadron commander, and base commander both attended my going away party, and played for my plaques that should have been military funded cause I did my job very well. As of that time I was the only generally discharged military member from that base to be thrown a going away party. Their words not mine. Again intelligence without maturity, which leads to disappointment. Oh wait this has a happy ending I have finally mature into the man I should have been from the beginning. That maturity came from accepting who I am. I am that person who won't be bullied for lack of a better word. If I believe I'm right I have never had the ability to accept that it doesn't always matter that I might think I'm right. My own stubbornness has cost me Over and Over In this world not knowing when to fight and when to roll with the punch's. A lack of maturity. So now that I have said all this I think intelligence is a key player in life but a maturity in one's self, and knowing who you are and how to deal with that part of yourself is what makes intelligence shine. Right now in life I am happier than I have ever been. I'm a journeyman residential house plumber trying to be the best bodybuilder that I can be. Most people would look at my 45 year old ass, and think what a dumbass. I work for someone I make them a pile of cash everyday and eat the shit sandwich. And if you have read this and think I'm eating the shit sandwich. I hope that you too can find that maturity that I'm speaking of. That my take on intelligence In bodybuilding life whatever it maybe. Intelligence without maturity is worthless.

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That pretty much sums up my experiences. I didn't study or work in HS and graduated with a 3.8 GPA. I got into LE and experienced exactly what you did to a T. I'm back in school now. I've accepted that I need to have legitimate skills so that I can choose who I work for... or better yet... work for myself. I'm right there with you

I dont believe bodybuilding improves your intelligence. .. i know of many body uilders who are quite massive yet dumb as dogshit. In saying that they have never been able to figure out different exercises to target certain body parts, never able to figure out how or why doing certain things makes certain body parts grow etc... they have always done what ppl have told them, just been lucky enough to be consistant with eating and training to get results,... in saying that although they are big they dont look good, out of proportion etc... the good looking bodys generally belong to the ppl who can break down the exercises in their brain figure out the mechanics, understand where the load and resistance lies to pinpoint how they want to grow, always analyzing. I think that comes to natural intelligence common sense, things you cant teach.... i dont think bodybuiling creates intelligence but i do think intelligence creates better bodybuilders

I think being smarter is related to being open minded and devoting time and research to specific topics and following the path that the research may take you! Even taking too much of a vitamin can be detrimental to your health.