CHAPTER 60

Hair Style

“Receding hairline? Don’t despair. Bodybuilders these days are taking a cue from athletes in many other sports. The bald look is in. Even athletes with naturally full heads of hair are taking a razor and buzzing it all off.”

– Gerard Thorne, regular contributor to Reps! magazine and author of numerous books on bodybuilding, on losing hair.

Most bodybuilders take great pride in how their hair looks. Besides the extra touch it will add to your physical appearance, there are practical reasons for keeping your hair neat and tidy. For instance, a large mass of hair will actually make your shoulders look smaller. Just look at many of the great African American bodybuilders from the ’70s with their afro hairstyles and compare them with photos from the early ’80s. See the difference? While the afro may have been all the rage, it certainly didn’t do the bodybuilders of that era any favors. Of course, if you have long flowing locks, much of your musculature won’t just look smaller by comparison, it will actually be hidden. If your hair tends to be fuzzy, curly, or you just have too much of it, seriously consider getting it trimmed way back. Your traps and shoulders (and the bodybuilding judges!) will thank you for it.

Another reason to avoid long hair will quickly become apparent at the contest. Given the heat of the lights plus the sweat you’ll work up from posing, it won’t be long before that long hair of yours will become soaked and strung out. This is fine if you’re going for the drowned-rat look, but odds are it won’t garner you any extra points from the judges. If you must wear your hair long, tie it up and out of the way.

The other extreme of hairstyles is to get rid of it all completely. Many bodybuilders start balding prematurely because of steroid use, and decide to shave it all off instead of having hair in patches. There are numerous advantages to the cue-ball look. For starters it’s one less issue to worry about on contest day (or any other day, for that matter). And as we already saw, short or no hair creates the illusion of wider shoulders. Finally, a bald head is considered downright sexy by many women. You’ll have more women trying to touch you than you ever dreamed possible. Give it a thought.

THE LOOK

If you have any doubt as to whether your hairstyle suits your body, get a second or third opinion. While your buddies can offer suggestions, I’ll have to admit that the best people to talk to are women. Women tend to be best at judging men’s hairstyles (and clothes). Head to a men’s hair salon and drop a few dollars. Ask the hairstylist to recommend something that will suit your face and lifestyle. Even better, experiment a few months in advance and see which hairstyle most people think suits you best.

Some hairstyles will detract from your physique. Take the time to figure out which style will best suit your features.
Photo of Lee Priest by Raymond Cassar

Photo of Dave Draper