Land of the selfie, home of the cliche. Thatʼs what a vast majority of social media has become. It doesnʼt take long to scroll through an Instagram feed and notice how similar and almost dogmatic most post are. Iʼd like to preface this saying I too have been guilty of being drawn into the trap that social media can be.

Social media, to me at least, is meant to be a platform of personal expression. Where we can engage with individuals who share similar hobbies, beliefs, careers, or passions.

If you looked at the average social media account you would believe everyone in our industry only only lifted weights, ate chicken and rice with the occasional sushi or burger, and took pictures with Instagram celebrities.

I personally feel a lot of this is due to people not wanting to “stand out” or be unique. Itʼs easier to avoid confrontation or someone not agreeing with you by being a sheep in the herd than it is to show your own flare for life and be questioned/scrutinized for it.

Obviously there are those people who “overshare” and not every instance of your life should be a broadcast on social media. These words are for the person who just needs to put themselves out there more. A video of a big lift with the caption ( Easy triple 5 weeks out) is great, but why not show the lift that didnʼt go so perfect. Or maybe just video yourself having fun at the gym. Not everything has to be so serious and “professional” all the time.

People connect best with those they can relate to. If youʼre a top level bodybuilder, physique competitor, or elite level powerlifter, most people will not be able to relate. 90% of people will never relate to having 800lbs or more on their back, nor will most ever know what itʼs like to be a human anatomy chart on stage. But everyone can relate to the day to day struggles we all face, the music that some love and some hate, the ups and downs that come with life.

Why do fans tend to lean towards a guy like Kai Greene more than Phil Heath? Because Kai, as eccentric as he can be at times, puts his personality on display. Instagram “influencers”, these individuals separated themselves by doing nothing more that just sharing who they are and their personalities.

The days of just eating chicken and rice and lifting weights to be noticed are done. If youʼre someone who aspires to make a path in this industry, start by putting yourself and who you are out there. Not just what you look like or what you can lift. Big lifts and great physiques will impress people, but personalities will relate to people.

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