Any fitness or strength enthusiast should attend the Arnold Classic at least once in their lives. Of course, this is dependent on whether or not it is economically feasible. But if you have the time and the means, at least one trip to the Arnold is highly recommended. And while the free supplement samples and brazenly attired booth attendants are nice, the real reason is to see/meet the "celebrities" in person.
I say this for two reasons. First, you will be overwhelmed by the size, strength and persona of some of them. Years ago, I was standing in line for tickets and Jay Cutler walked by me (he of biceps, not of pigskins.) At the time, I believe Cutler was Mr. Olympia. He was and has been the only male that I was actually shocked by - slowly turning and staring as he strolled through the crowd. His shoulders and arms were enormous; it appeared as if each deltoid housed a human head under the skin. He was a caricature.
I've also seen other strength athletes who seemed and were larger than life. I'm not jealous of them nor do I hold them in any higher regard - but it is an awesome reminder of how there are still freaks on this earth. I love the inequality of nature.
On the other hand, you will be decidedly underwhelmed when you see/meet others. And I don't mean this in a bad way. I've met hundreds of fitness/strength people over the years and most of them are just a bunch of guys/girls who occasionally have diarrhea like the rest of us. This is too is an awesome reminder; only this time it reminds us that not much separates them from you. And that's a good thing. It's good to see people who have accomplished great things that you can readily identify with. In other words, these people should inspire some hope.
