He's a better dancer than I am

November 4, 2013 4:09 AM

A Russian bodybuilder shows off his build with a routine that brought a smile to my face almost as large as his.
posted by Purposeful Grimace (37 comments total)

Beefcringe?
posted by MuffinMan at 4:12 AM on November 4, 2013

Beefcringe?

Cheesecake?
posted by pipeski at 4:14 AM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Beefcringe Cheesecake!
posted by Slap*Happy at 4:42 AM on November 4, 2013 [6 favorites]

That was great but the "more LGBT than KGB" caption bugged me for obvious reasons. It looks like he's having fun. I liked the way a lot of his dance moves ended in typical strongman poses with the addition of a thumbed nose or a wink at the audience.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 4:45 AM on November 4, 2013 [12 favorites]

I have zero interest in body building and very little knowledge/interest in dancing but I found this amusing if not almost ( but not quite ) charming. I just did not see anything cringe worthy. And I am sure that I would rather have a root canal than go to a body building contest.
posted by rmhsinc at 5:29 AM on November 4, 2013 [2 favorites]

I liked how expressive his face was, and how much fun he seemed to be having. From the title and the caption I was expecting something else, but instead this was "gay" in the sense of being playful and fun. If bodybuilding competitions were always like this I'd be a fan.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:34 AM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

"...with a routine that brought a smile to my face almost as large as his.
posted by Purposeful Grimace (5 comments total) [add to favorites] [!] [quote]"

Eponysterical!
posted by jquinby at 5:34 AM on November 4, 2013 [5 favorites]

What a charming man! It's hard to reconcile his relaxed sense of humour about himself with the seriousness with which he's built his body. An intriguing contradiction.
posted by Erasmouse at 5:35 AM on November 4, 2013 [8 favorites]

He seems to be a guy who would be fun to hang out with--not a statement one would normally make about an American bodybuilder.
posted by leftcoastbob at 5:42 AM on November 4, 2013 [5 favorites]

He seems to be a guy who would be fun to hang out with--not a statement one would normally make about an American bodybuilder.

I don't know -- I used to go to a gym that was apparently quite the meat market in the evenings, but the early morning group were people working out before work and some serious local body builders. And the body builders were pretty much unfailingly pleasant and cheerful, willing to take a second to correct your form or give pointers (once your put in enough time that they felt you were serious with whatever you were doing). Maybe at the upper levels of national competition it's all ego, but the local guys were always really nice.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:00 AM on November 4, 2013 [6 favorites]

Aw, this is charming. I approve anything that runs contrary to the narrative of the joyless super-serious angry meathead. Bodybuilding is silly (this does not mean people should not do it), and is all about display, posing, etc. It's really not all that different from drag. Run with it!
posted by erlking at 6:14 AM on November 4, 2013 [8 favorites]

I like how he managed to work all of the required muscle-group displays into a dance routine - or vice-versa. Either way, love this guy.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 6:30 AM on November 4, 2013 [2 favorites]

I'm not much into body building, but my, what fun that was!
posted by SLC Mom at 6:37 AM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Yes! Get down with your bad self and bring the whimsey!
Good for him.
posted by rmd1023 at 6:58 AM on November 4, 2013 [3 favorites]

the body builders were pretty much unfailingly pleasant and cheerful

Yeah, it's the amateur athletes and personal trainers shepherding clients who act as if you're taking up valuable air they could be breathing. The bodybuilders are weird but nice.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:02 AM on November 4, 2013 [5 favorites]

What the world needs now is two more of these guys and a new edition of Three Stooges shorts.
posted by bukvich at 7:16 AM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

That was great but the "more LGBT than KGB" caption bugged me for obvious reasons.

Same here.

I really enjoyed that he took something that is normally so-stern-serious and had a good time with it.
posted by sm1tten at 7:54 AM on November 4, 2013

To my eyes, body builders usually look like they couldn't possibly dance. He can.
posted by Goofyy at 8:38 AM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Loved this! I like that he was also a lot more limber than one would expect from the stereotype of the musclebound jock. He could even do a cartwheel!
posted by maudlin at 8:39 AM on November 4, 2013

With regard to the niceness of bodybuilders: the only one I know has the personality of Phil Dunphy from Modern Family.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:42 AM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

leftcoastbob: "He seems to be a guy who would be fun to hang out with--not a statement one would normally make about an American bodybuilder."

Do you know many?
posted by IAmBroom at 8:52 AM on November 4, 2013 [3 favorites]

I like how he managed to work all of the required muscle-group displays into a dance routine - or vice-versa.

Not enough of the gluteus maximus, IMO. I watched the whole thing just waiting for him to do some twerking. Nice moonwalking though.
posted by fuse theorem at 9:33 AM on November 4, 2013

Heh, some of the songs and dance moves are from some famous Russian movies, which makes it extra fun. There's the dance scene from the 1973 comedy Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Professions, and the ending song from Buratino, the Russian Pinnochio.
posted by Pwoink at 10:29 AM on November 4, 2013 [4 favorites]

He seems to be a guy who would be fun to hang out with--not a statement one would normally make about an American bodybuilder.

This was my perception for a long time until this year when I joined a new company and found out that both my direct manager and director of our department were both competition bodybuilders. Groan, I thought, this is going to be a tedious douchefest isn't it.

On the contrary it's turned out to be a super fun place to work and both these guys, despite having pretty serious physiques, don't take themselves very seriously and are some of the most fun and interesting people around.
posted by Doleful Creature at 11:30 AM on November 4, 2013 [2 favorites]

So, stereotypes are ok, so long as they fall neatly into a "jocks vs. nerds" trope I guess.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 11:45 AM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

If you don't actually read all the comments, sure.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 1:22 PM on November 4, 2013 [3 favorites]

Oh FFS. No nerds are piling on jocks here. I probably should have written: This particular bodybuilder on this particular stage appears to have the demeanor of the sort of person who would be fun to hang out with, as opposed to the demeanor of the bodybuilders I have seen in American competition--none of whom have, imo, his whimsical quality.

YMMV.
posted by leftcoastbob at 1:22 PM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

You might enjoy Teddy Bear, a film about a 38-year old bodybuilder who lives with his mother in Copenhagen. It's an understated portrayal of a soft-hearted muscle-man that manages to touch on but not exploit some sensitive topics. Anyway, he's the ultimate nice-guy bodybuilder.

Kim Kold also played a heavy in Fast & Furious 6, and every time I saw him, instead of fear and awe at his menacing thuggery, I thought, Aww, that guy's so nice, I hope he finds someone to love.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 1:33 PM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Dat lat flare.
posted by turbid dahlia at 1:58 PM on November 4, 2013

He seems to be a guy who would be fun to hang out with--not a statement one would normally make about an American bodybuilder.

Allow me to introduce you to based Scoobs.
posted by turbid dahlia at 2:01 PM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

You might enjoy Teddy Bear, a film about a 38-year old bodybuilder who lives with his mother in Copenhagen.

Seconding this, it's a really lovely film.
posted by turbid dahlia at 2:05 PM on November 4, 2013

Not enough of the gluteus maximus, IMO

I really wanted a butt waggle or two--not the sexy kind, the kind that pokes fun at sexy butt waggles.

That said, I almost didn't watch it, but was cheered when I did. I like silliness.
posted by BlueHorse at 2:10 PM on November 4, 2013

This was delightful. He was having fun with it, the audience was too, happiness all around.

Also, somehow, he reminded me of The Tick.
posted by cmyk at 5:01 PM on November 4, 2013 [2 favorites]

Wait, wait, wait... I've seen that facial expression before. Mid-late-40's, doesn't give a fuck, seems to be intent on making only one person in the audience laugh...

He's a grandpa, isn't he? He's making a mockery of the sport of bodybuilding to embarrass his kids and delight his grand-toddlers!

I approve.
posted by Slap*Happy at 6:47 PM on November 4, 2013

HE IS HOT AS FUCK. And I'm not even into bodybuilders (usually). Incredibly beautiful STRONG proportions, huge legs, a handsome masculine Slavic face, a great smile. I sure hope he's gay.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 9:18 PM on November 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

He seems to be a guy who would be fun to hang out with--not a statement one would normally make about an American bodybuilder.
posted by leftcoastbob at 8:42 AM on November 4 [5 favorites +] [!]
...
Oh FFS. No nerds are piling on jocks here. I probably should have written:


Yes, you probably should have. Glad we agree.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 5:39 AM on November 5, 2013

Also this video is wonderful.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 5:40 AM on November 5, 2013