Arnold Schwarzenegger to Bodybuilders: Stop Shaking!

Arnold Schwarzenegger Bans Shaky Bodybuilders

Upon my initial encounter with the video bearing the appellation “ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER: No Shaking in Bodybuilding,” I found myself ensnared in a maelstrom of conjecture. My cognitive faculties meandered towards the expectation that Mr. Schwarzenegger would embark upon a discourse directed at those adherents of the iron-clad discipline who, perhaps in an attempt to infuse novelty into their routines, were found culpable of incorporating rather effeminate hip-hop gestures therein. It appeared as though he was poised to embark on a disciplinary crusade aimed at quelling a phenomenon analogous to the proliferation of ostentatiously ludicrous and, dare I say, egregious thong-based sartorial choices that have been foisted upon unsuspecting audiences of late.

Yet, my anticipation was soon laid asunder, for it became evident that Arnold’s disquisitions revolved solely around the issue of involuntary tremors and oscillations that afflict certain bodybuilders while they are stationed upon the hallowed stage. The affliction, it seems, is engendered by an assortment of causative factors, including extreme dietary depletion regimens and the utilization of diuretics. This lamentable spectacle casts a pernicious shadow upon the venerable Arnold Classic bodybuilding contest, an event adorned with the imprimatur of the illustrious Austrian Oak himself, over which he exercises a modicum of dominion.

It is a curious omission indeed, for Arnold eschews the articulation of concerns pertaining to the etiology of such involuntary corporeal agitation. He ventures not into the territory of what begets the shaking, such as the very measures he imposes for qualification in his own contest. The stringency of these impositions necessitates the enforcement of extreme dietary deprivation, characterized by stringent depletion and the concurrent use of diuretics. A notable exclusion from his discourse, it appears.

What about the participants, both men and women, who embark on the treacherous path of artificial augmentation through the administration of male hormones, growth hormone, insulin, and synthol? A noticeable lacuna in Arnold’s address, for it prompts contemplation on the unusual phenomenon of individuals partaking in a profession wherein the requisites for success encompass the ingestion of substances that not only jeopardize their health but also abbreviate their lives. One cannot help but ponder how many occupations in the annals of human endeavor necessitate the incorporation of artificial and life-abbreviating agents as an indispensable adjunct to the execution of one’s professional duties.

The scrutiny extends further still, with Arnold offering no explication concerning the intriguing enigma of individuals who grapple with a litany of mental and physical vicissitudes. The specter of body dysmorphic disorders looms large, afflicting those who are ensnared within the suffocating embrace of an obsession with the magnitude of their musculature. “Bigorexia” lurks as yet another disconcerting affliction, wherein individuals remain ensnared in a relentless state of dissatisfaction with the extent of their muscular development.

Moreover, the deployment of synthol, an agent meticulously contrived to artificially enhance the appearance of muscularity, finds no mention within the contours of Arnold’s discourse. One cannot escape the disconcerting tableau that emerges, wherein these concerns remain unaddressed and unresolved.

Adding to the list of omissions, Arnold avoids casting a discerning eye upon the grand tapestry of imagery that adorns modern bodybuilding competitions. The participants, bedecked in spandex regalia, exude an air of self-consciousness and a proclivity for what is colloquially designated the “lat syndrome” – an exaggerated impression of the musculature of the back. It is a curious tableau, wherein the accentuation of certain anatomical aspects appears to eclipse the essence of bodybuilding as an art and science of holistic physical development. The conventional standards of bodily aesthetics have undergone a metamorphosis, now encompassing a visage characterized by an abundance of vascularity and a distinctly square-jawed countenance among the female participants in the assembly, one that may evoke a sense of trepidation within the onlooker.

Curiously, and perhaps incongruously, while strides are being made to denounce and castigate those bodybuilders who experience these involuntary tremors as a result of adhering to the stringent prerequisites imposed for qualification in Arnold’s contest, the issue of rampant, unhealthy, and illegal drug usage remains ostensibly relegated to the backburner. The matter entails the consumption of diuretics and the adoption of stringent fasting practices, exigencies enforced in order to achieve the coveted “dry” or “grainy” look, an epitome of muscular definition to which modern contestants are expected to conform.

The profundity of this paradox cannot be overstated. Even as competitors dance along the precipice of imprisonment for their illegal drug use, the primary focus appears to shift towards the corporeal manifestations of their practices while on the grand dais. It symbolizes a notable transition in the salient priorities that animate the spirit of this discipline.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proclamation, at its very core, beckons us to traverse a labyrinth of contemplation regarding the trajectory upon which the world of modern bodybuilding now teeters. The ethical and health-related considerations that should serve as the lodestar for a competition designed to extol the zenith of human physical prowess find themselves mired in a quagmire of moral conundrums. The earnest concern he exhibits for the welfare and longevity of those who devote their lives to the unforgiving rigors of bodybuilding resounds profoundly.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s anti-wobbly rhetoric in the original video: