Male Body Image Issues in the Powerlifting Community

People often think that only women struggle with body image, but as a powerlifter, I see a lot of guys who are really struggling too. There is this pressure to be massive but also lean, which is almost impossible without using PEDs. I have seen many friends get into a cycle of disordered eating to stay in a specific weight class.

I am in a heavier weight class myself and I sometimes feel judged for not having visible abs, even though I can squat five hundred pounds. It is like the strength does not matter if you do not look like a fitness model. We need to talk more about male body image in the strength community.

Have you noticed this trend? How do you manage the pressure to look a certain way while focusing on strength? I think opening up about this can help a lot of guys who are feeling the same way but are too proud to speak up.