Muscle dysmorphia is like “reverse anorexia,” where you can never get muscular enough, big enough (muscle mass) or ripped enough. As a bodybuilder, involved in a sport where there is a common incidence of body image issues among participants, I find scientific studies on muscle dysmorphia interesting. I just read a new one that was recently published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Does muscle dysmorphia exist? Yes. The real question is, where do you draw the line between pursuit of excellence and self image disorder? It’s an interesting dilemma…

It was 1983. Less than one year earlier, I had taken up weight training for the first time, inspired beyond belief after watching Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan the Barbarian on the big screen. When Arnold appeared on the cover of Muscle & Fitness, I started devouring every word in that magazine every month. But there was one monthly column in Muscle & Fitness that captivated me above all others. Oddly enough, it had nothing to do with biceps or barbells. It was a mind and motivation column written by hypnotherapist Pete Siegel. Who would have ever thought that 22 years later, I would become good friends with that same man whose articles inspired me to work on my mind as much as my body…