The Bodybuilding community is unlike anything else I have trained in

I've done gym, running clubs, and team sports. The Bodybuilding community is different. There's something about shared struggle around peak week water manipulation and hypertrophy training that creates a genuine bond. People at my gym remember everyone's name. Higher belts and better athletes make time for beginners.

stepping on stage for the first time was the thing that made me feel like I belonged. the physical and mental brutality of peak week came up early and the gym had good collective solutions for it. Even if the sport itself didn't suit me — and it does — the community alone would be worth the membership.