Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1995

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Education

Major Professor

Craig A. Wrisberg

Committee Members

Kathleen deMarrais, Christine Holmlund, William Morgan

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how one elite female bodybuilder became involved in the sport of competitive bodybuilding initially and to gain insight into the nature of her experiences for the duration of her involvement in the sport. In order to enhance the literature regarding the experiences of professional bodybuilders, this study used the qualitative methodology of dialogic interview within an interpretist framework. The data are presented as conversational narrative. The participant was one recently-retired elite female bodybuilder who had extensive participation in both the National Physique Committee (NFC) and International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) organizations and whose career spanned approximately twelve years. The qualitative technique of open-ended phenomenological interviewing was used in this study. The average interview lasted two hours with the toted interview time approximating six hours. Emerging aspects of the participant's experience included (a) how the participant got started in weight training, generally followed by competition, specifically; (b) personal drug use within the sport (e) surrounding issues of controversy the participant experienced; (d) the potential to earn a living while existing as a competitive bodybuilder and related expectations and disappointments; (e) personal self-esteem and how it influenced her decision to become a professional bodybuilding competitor; and (f) the way in which the participant is experiencing life after bodybuilding. These aspects or phases showed that the participant initially began general anaerobic conditioning to enhance personal appearance and moved into the sport of bodybuilding competitively to enhance self-esteem through recognition and approval. The primary aspect, however, related to the issue of the participant's prolonged performance-enhancing drug use because of its physical and emotional implications upon her life; past, present and future. The aspects of the participant's experiences were compared to those of others portrayed in the literature. Based on recurring aspects and experiential similarities, suggestions were made for internal checks within the organizations of the NPC and IFBB and for further research addressing controversial issues experienced by the competitive bodybuilder.

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