Performance V's Aesthetics

(Disclaimer: These are all personal reasons to me and not the be all and end all)

1. Motivation. Achieving a new mile time or snatch PB or your first pull up is more rewarding than losing a couple of pounds.

‍2. Happiness. Bodybuilders and physique athletes have my full admiration when it comes their dieting adherence. When aesthetics is the primary goal however, negotiating nutrition at social events can be very tricky whereas gaining a couple of pounds probably won’t affect your performance much.‍

3. Athleticism. Being agile, strong, fit and well rounded opens up opportunities to other sports. I like to the think of the human body as an instrument not an ornament that should be used to perform athletic endeavours instead of just being looked at.

Don’t get me wrong the majority of people want to look better (myself included) and start going to the gym to do so. I totally get the appeal as vanity is a message that’s consistently pushed by the media/fitness industry.

I believe focusing purely on aesthetics is not as enjoyable or as rewarding as focusing on your fitness. I also think if you focus on increasing your strength and other aspects of your fitness (cardiovascular health etc.) the physique comes naturally so it’s a win/win.

Sam