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What is a Muscle Head?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

A muscle head is a slang term for someone whose life revolves entirely around training, specifically weight training. It is generally considered a derogatory term, and it implies that the muscle head has little or no real brain function beyond lifting weights. The term has, however, become a sort of badge of honor in some circles, especially among bodybuilders who take pride in doing one activity extremely well. A muscle head is immediately recognizable at gyms and fitness centers as the person who has overbuilt muscles and spends a significant amount of time lifting weights daily or at least regularly.

A certain amount of vanity is also associated with being a muscle head. Most gyms and fitness centers have weight rooms lined with mirrors so lifters can track muscle growth and development as they work out. A muscle head is likely to show off his or her muscles by wearing tight or skimpy clothing and flexing in the mirrors often. As a stereotype, the muscle head has appeared in the media as an overdeveloped bully who has little mental capacity and no compassion for anyone smaller than himself.

Bodybuilders may be referred to as "muscle heads".
Bodybuilders may be referred to as "muscle heads".

That stereotype has begun to fade as more people join gyms and reap the benefits of weight lifting. In order to get as large as a muscle head does, he needs to not only lift consistently, but also correctly. This means there is a fair amount of planning and researching to find the right techniques, the best workout, and the healthiest diet. In this sense, muscle heads are more than just rude, overbuilt men and women at the gym. They are often personal trainers who have done research on the human body; many even have degrees or specialized training that can help new gym members get on a healthier track.

Bodybuilding takes intense focus and positive thinking.
Bodybuilding takes intense focus and positive thinking.

While muscle heads may have a one-track mind when it comes to working out and growing stronger, much can be learned from their processes. Bodybuilding takes intense focus and positive thinking. Muscle heads must be self-starters who can motivate themselves through difficult and painful experiences. The stigma may suggest that muscle heads have little or no brain activity, but the truth is the brain activity in muscle heads is the same as in any other human, and this particular group of people has figured out a better way to motivate themselves and stay positive in difficult situations. Each muscle head is an individual, just like anyone else in society, but the sport in which they participate has inherent benefits on which they have capitalized.

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    • Bodybuilders may be referred to as "muscle heads".
      By: Csák István
      Bodybuilders may be referred to as "muscle heads".
    • Bodybuilding takes intense focus and positive thinking.
      By: Antonioguillem
      Bodybuilding takes intense focus and positive thinking.
    • Muscle heads are generally recognizable.
      By: Christopher Howey
      Muscle heads are generally recognizable.