Written by: Shawn Serafin, Marketing Lead for Meals of Dopeness
A four-minute read.
“I’ve never seen so many jacked people in one place” was the first thought I had when I parked my car.
I helped Christina with vending at OCB the Conquer 2024 Natural Bodybuilding Show in May.
It was an illuminating experience.
As someone foreign to the bodybuilding world, I was totally shocked… and not in the way you probably think.
You see, my fitness background comes from being a relatively dedicated gym goer for the past five years and my most recent two to three years of martial arts training, so I truly didn’t know what to expect when attending a bodybuilding show.
It wasn’t the shredded physiques or the sheer number of overwhelmingly fit people densely packed into one building.
It was something else….
Something more fundamental.
It was the underlying vibe of the whole event…
There were lots of lessons that I learned through attending The Conquer…here was one of the most personally valuable lessons.
The true potential of Natural Athletes is not what you think
For starters…there is so much more potential for every natural gym goer to improve their physique!
During the event, I saw many men or women possessing physiques akin to those of a Greek god or goddess.
I’m talking about physiques that you only see on Instagram and write off as Photoshop or “steroids.”
This was an extremely motivating experience.
Not only did I see people like this, but I also spoke to them and found that they seemed like relatively normal people.
For me, this experience revealed the true potential of hard work day in and day out for a natural athlete.
I couldn’t help but think, “Man…I gotta be more consistent in the gym.”
The Unexpected Reality of OCB the Conquer
From the outside looking in, a cynical person may be tempted to think that a bodybuilding show is just a freakshow full of arrogant gym rats obsessed with how they look, up on stage, flexing for the whole world to see how great they are.
And while I’m sure that’s true to an extent…and I can’t speak for all bodybuilding events…
After reflecting on my personal experience… The Conquer was NOT some “freakshow”…
I spoke with endless people that day…
If the vibe seemed right, I would chat with the customers as I served their food.
I asked almost every person I spoke to, “Why are you here today?”
With each response returned, I was pleasantly surprised.
I spoke with coaches, friends, family members, spouses, children, gym buddies, and even some potential future competitors who were doing recon for their first competitions.
It may almost seem obvious, but the one thing in common was…
An overwhelming sentiment of love and support for the competitors.
Everyone had gathered on that day to celebrate the hard work and superhuman discipline that was evident in every competitor.
If I had to describe it…
OCB the Conquer, 2024, was a true celebration of some of the most hardworking and dedicated athletes in the art of bodybuilding.
Have you attended a bodybuilding show either as a spectator or a competitor? Share your experience in the comments below!
Professional Photo Credits: The OCB the Conquer Instagram
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