Men’s Physique Athlete Alex Toplyn’s Advice for Making a Living as a Bodybuilder

Three Pro bodybuilders reveal their strategies for achieving financial freedom.

Last updated on April twenty eighth, 2024

Crafting an award-winning physique requires years of dedication and commitment in competitive bodybuilding. Even then, financial stability is way from guaranteed.

Prize money for a lot of top-tier pro bodybuilding shows often fails to offset the price of prep, which incorporates food, supplements, gym memberships, coaching fees, gear, and traveling.

So, how can skilled bodybuilders make a living? On the April 24, 2024, episode of the  podcast, IFBB Pro Men’s Physique competitor Alex Toplyn sat with former Men’s Physique Olympia champion Erin Banks and fellow competitor Drew Cullen to share advice for aspiring bodybuilders who dream of turning their passion for right into a career.

How To Make a Living as a Bodybuilder

Here are six takeaways from the podcast:

• Expand your knowledge
• Create a private brand
• Seek sponsorships
• Offer coaching services
• Develop and sell products
• Become a content creator

Check out the video below, courtesy of Toplyn’s YouTube channel:

A knowledgeable coach is invaluable, but Banks stresses the importance of expanding your personal knowledge via training courses. He believes that’s the starting path to developing your personal coaching practice.

Banks highlights sponsorships as crucial for competitive athletes. “You must know how you can present yourself to brands,” said Banks. “You can’t quit after sending one message or email to a brand you would like to be an element of — be consistent and chronic,” Toplyn added:

If you would like to be a full-time bodybuilder, you possibly can’t just be a bodybuilder.

Toplyn cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset to create assets that generate revenue, like content or businesses with digital or physical products. Building a presence beyond competing (i.e., a private brand) can open doors to varied income-generating opportunities to spice up financial stability.

“You don’t make crazy money as a [pro] bodybuilder,” Cullen said. “You earn a living from bodybuilding.” Success in competitive bodybuilding is dependent upon various aspects, including genetics, age, and access to resources, which could affect earning potential. Cullen recommends using your personality to create unique value for which individuals are willing to pay.

If you could have the requisite knowledge and experience, offering personal training and training services to aspiring bodybuilders or general fitness enthusiasts will be lucrative.

The trio agrees that a robust personal brand is crucial to make a living as a bodybuilder. An athlete must transcend their physique to ascertain themselves as an industry expert. Doing so can attract a wider audience.