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Thank you for publishing this timely information Gatsby. I am not surprised at all that Mme. Abshire, like thousands of others, have left the World of Bodybuilding and her reasonings are perfectly sensible and understandable. Life, Living and Thriving all appear to be separate from the synthetic World of BBing.
What are your thoughts?
I think it depends on personality. Some women absolutely love it. Some are very driven and are on that constant pursuit of self-perfection. Some are somewhat "pushed" or encouraged into it by others, and do it for a while mostly to fit in (be accepted), but not necessarily because they like bodybuilding. Some do it for a while and then begin to hate it, either from burn out or for the reasons Megan had listed. Etc., etc.
Social media probably makes it a bit harder to leave behind something like bodybuilding. It's like an identity, and if they suddenly leave it behind then followers tend to see it her turning her back on them as well. Unfortunately fans tend to treat them like celebrities when in reality they're usually regular people, and harsh criticisms can actually destroy some of them. I don't know if there's a better way to go about retiring from bodybuilding other than to leave social media altogether, but again it probably depends on personality... some can handle criticism better than others.
This is basically true for all sports, right? The only difference is that it's unhealthy for females to take steroids and cut extreme amounts of weight. To compete at the top of any sport is an extremely selfish endeavor. Most fans care about the athlete, not the person. etc.
Not sure about what you say Tall. There is one obvious factor here: that of Age. IE., most pro hockey players are retired by the age of 38 and sometimes 40. Shot-put, runners and all high-end sports are for the younger set and the athletes all know they are working against the Clock. They all strive to go higher, faster, further in the time they have. Where 'selfishness' comes in is a mystery to me.
Of course Bodybuilding is an entirely different thing. But I take issue with you including All Athletes in the same docket --- such does not make sense.
Couldn't agree more. I love muscled women as much as the rest of us but it is an extreme lifestyle at the competition level. The gear and training wreak havoc on your system, hormones, and joints among other things. Selfishly i'd love to see them train and display their work for us fans indefinitely but i am glad when I see them get out or drastically cut back while they're still young and healthy enough to enjoy the rest of their life.
Good post, thank you for this Jay.
Really liked her response and reasoning. People are more than their abs, traps and glutes. Social Media tends to reduce a person to one or two standout features.
As an older former athlete myself, kids, friends and family are becoming more and more the everything of my world.
She is one of the smart ones I'd say.
Any sport taken to extremes becomes unhealthy. Bodybuilding is definitely one, but only really the competitive side with the dieting and peds. Everything in moderation! But for some it's all or nothing, they can't or don't want to find the middle ground where it's a healthy lifestyle choice. There are lots who do though and maintain a good physique throughout their life.
Not sure about what you say Tall. There is one obvious factor here: that of Age. IE., most pro hockey players are retired by the age of 38 and sometimes 40. Shot-put, runners and all high-end sports are for the younger set and the athletes all know they are working against the Clock. They all strive to go higher, faster, further in the time they have. Where 'selfishness' comes in is a mystery to me.
Of course Bodybuilding is an entirely different thing. But I take issue with you including All Athletes in the same docket --- such does not make sense.
Because you can't go higher or faster without being selfish. "In order to get to a certain level, you have to have a certain amount of selfishness." - Kobe Bryant.
In other words, while other people are hanging out with friends and family every Saturday night, a world class athlete is in the gym, focusing on their selves. It's not an insult, it's just the reality of what it takes to be great.
- All fans see is muscle and arms or something and don't know you inside.. Life isn't that way for me..
This is why I will always speak out against schmoes, a real fan would never see their favorites this way.
Truth is FBBs get treated worse than pornstars, at least the majority of their fan base Will want to keep up with them even when they’re old and wrinkled (Nina Hartley).. once the muscle is gone these girls lose their sense of community and themselves.
Number 1. for me is my son and spouse.. That's what makes me happy 😊
Is she still married to a woman? Megan was the first queer FBB I knew of well before Sophie was on the scene.
I can also imagine that unlike Megan talking about it, most of them decide to disappear off social media because they don't want to hear the comments of "what happened?", and when you have made that a part of your identity for so long, not having that anymore can be extremely hard on a psychological level.
It is, all of the women I’ve spoken to about this have struggled with the psychological part.. I think what keeps some one like Megan around is hope for a better future, it’s the same reason why I come back to GWM every few years.
It’s a sport and it’s definitely time consuming at the highest level. To differentiate yourself enough to either be a professional or to be consistently photographed, you have to have good genetics and a great work ethic.
We don’t expect other athletes to continue right to the grave. Some of the coordination sports like a golf, will let you compete in a meaningful way such that there as long as there’s a masters tournament, there will be a place for many of these golfers until they choose to hang up the bag. But we don’t expect an NFL lineman to just drop down to semi-pro and then pickup games as they age. They retire.
Eh. Okay, everyone is allowed to have their reasons.
I know plenty of women who love the lifestyle and the process. The mistake is trying to make it a full time job. It's simply not one for pretty much all women.. and the vast majority of the guys.
Someone that I really like is Dr. Scoopy (Alyssa Joan)
She's first and foremost a veterinarian. Put in the time and the work to get a degree and a professional career.
She's a competitive bodybuilder and a powerlifter. This is clearly her hobby and her passion and her day job pays the expenses.
She does onlyfans and is very much in touch with her sexuality. I don't think she earns a ton but she seems to enjoy it and find it empowering. Good for her.
She's dating a guy who seems supportive of every part of this lifestyle.
Just because this didn't work out for Megan doesn't mean that other women can't enjoy it and maintain a healthy balance.
I agree Muscle_Toez I think she brings up some great points but I dislike it when people feel like everyone should live the same. Like you said at the end of the day it’s all about balance.
I would have to agree with some of the earlier posts. I'm glad Megan is in a place where she's happy. But saying others will regret is a bit of an overreach. What works for one doesn't mean it will work for others. I would like for everybody to be healthy and happy. But what that looks like varies depending on the person.
Broadly speaking, if all an FBB posts on her social media are pics of her flexing or promoting a product, then how can a fan know her past her athletic endeavors or physique?
They talk to them.
More women need to have kids/family first, then start bodybuilding after.
If you do bodybuilding first, it is so hard to get back into it once you have children and see the body that you built, revert back. Not to mention the risks of not being able to have children. I think a lot of women have a desire to have kids, and call it quits to do so
The best route to go IMO, is like Sherry Priami. She didn't start until she was like 39-40. Use bodybuilding to get back in shape and build a muscular frame to carry later in life
Yeah, she had a kid and settled down into a more domestic life. Doesn't stop me from admiring her though, as she is still a very sweet woman and was one of the greats. I've called her "the new Tina Lockwood" because of her absurd muscle genetics. She was muscular even at the age of 8 and did not need to use PEDs very heavily to get freaky huge.
She will also do anything for her son, which makes her even more admirable.
The entire bodybuilding industry is just all kinds of weird and fucked up. It's no different from the carny days of professional wrestling.
Megan Abshire was huge (pun intended!) in the late aughts and early 2010s. I was a big fan of hers and also watched videos she was featured in through Utopia and Crushwrestling, though sadly I was never able to session with her. However, she suddenly dropped off the bodybuilding world. She is still on social media, though, and earlier in October she wrote this in regards to why she left bodybuilding:
I wanted to post this here because it made me think about all the other posts I have seen (including from me!) about bodybuilders and other strength athletes who were extremely prominent for a chunk of time but then suddenly disappear. Most of those former bodybuilders not only leave bodybuilding but also completely go dark on social media, or if they don't they almost never refer to or talk about that past. Megan is one of the few I have seen who actually address them leaving and why (another former female bodybuilder commented on that post agreeing with her and said her reasons for leaving were the same.) It also got me thinking about just how much of a sacrifice it takes to be even an amateur bodybuilder. I'm not a bodybuilder, but I am a CrossFitter who for years trained very extensively, competed and practically made it my life. It wasn't until I got older and dealt with some severe injuries that I decided to dial it back. I still train a lot, but I have a lot more balance now.
It's always a bummer to see our favorite athletes disappear, but I also hope that that decision makes them happier and gives them more of a balance. I can also imagine that unlike Megan talking about it, most of them decide to disappear off social media because they don't want to hear the comments of "what happened?", and when you have made that a part of your identity for so long, not having that anymore can be extremely hard on a psychological level.
What are your thoughts?