The business of muscles: here's an intriguing story of turning bodybuilding into a profession.
| Auteur | O'Brien, Tom |
| Fonction | Business Unusual |
The fact is that the bodybuilding scene in Switzerland is miniscule when compared to the likes of the United States, where tournaments, advertising promotion and modelling contracts can earn your every day muscle bound bunk a reasonable living.
However, the beginnings of a professional bodybuilder scene are beginning to draw some well built young Swiss fellows into the limelight and even across to the United States, where most of the money remains to be made.
Renato Moccia is the winner of last year's Swiss Masters Championship. He is 28 and has been training for the past 12 years.
Competing at the level he does, bodybuilding has become something of a full time job. He tells Swiss News that in order to keep his physique in top shape he has to work out five to six times a week for between one-and-a-half and four hours each session.
"You have to be one of the best to earn money in this sport," says Moccia. "Another possibility to make money as a bodybuilder would be to get a chance in the film business, but that's not easy at all," he continues.
Getting Professional
To work as a professional bodybuilder, Moccia explains, one must be prepared to diversify. Other than focussing on his ow training and fitness, he now also devises client workout and nutritional plans for weight gain and weight loss, in addition to making bookings for guest posings.
"I'm trying not only to be active on stage, that's why I have my personal homepage www.renatomoccia.ch," he explains. "In my opinion, it's very important to think about the future seriously; my goal is to be among the top three at the World Championships, but to do that I need a good sponsoring contract."
Patrick Mueller is an amateur bodybuilder thinking of turning professional. He is based in Geneva. He agrees with Moccia on the policy of diversification. He believes it is key to gaining some sort of financial return for all that effort in the gym.
"A professional gets a little money on entry to the International Federation of Body Builders, but to earn a living, he must, have a little job besides his bodybuilding. He should also (if not one of the best and most paid body-builder of the world) make money by way of image modelling for magazines or doing some publicity for bodybuilding clothes or proteins," says Mueller. "He can also earn, both money and a reputation, by way of participating in seminars explaining the basis of a...
Pour continuer la lecture
SOLLICITEZ VOTRE ESSAICOPYRIGHT GALE, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
