I think the bodybuilding has lost popularity because there’s just no passion or humanity it it anymore, it’s been forgotten that at their core bodybuilders are showmen, the physique is the show but so is the character behind it, there’s a reason people like lenny or jason or rich piana are about as popular as mr olympias nowadays and definitely more popular than a lot of ifbb pros (at least back in 2017 or so), they have bad physiques but are extremely entertaining as a bodybuilder should. I think after dorian yates, great as he was, it became acceptable for bodybuilders to walk around as some sort of badass when everyone knows a bodybuilder (I’m talking top level over 270lbs) functionally is a joke, can’t fight, can’t run, will tear muscles if you look at them wrong, only yates could pull that off as he was miles ahead of everyone else, but when you’re “generic muscle man #265” it’s just boring, it’s a bore even to gym rats, it’s absolutely crushing to an average person.

  • @Horriblywornmother
    3•2 years ago

    Gone from this to promotion of “lifestyle/brands” etc as others have said, which ultimately was what all of these guys yearned for. There was a brief sort of revival continuance of “bodybuilding” niche subculture with the “No Fear” mma style Hardcore rip off in the mid to late 00’s early teens, which was even cookie cutter in itself to a large extent, but ultimately it has just descended even futher into mainstream cookie cutter blandness.

    Ultimately the fitness industry and lifestyle outgrew and discarded bodybuilding, which to a large extent brought, or tried to, bring it and itself into the mainstream. As said below, this has culminated in fart powder/gym shark/instathot/arse workout/lifestyle - empires.