The cost of...

... body building
No matter how in shape you are, the chances are that you don't quite measure up to Joe Weider's ideal. Weider is the founder of the Mr Olympia body-building competition and he believes that statues of famous Greeks should be the template for the optimum male physique. No, not 9ft tall and missing an arm, but seriously muscled; 'ripped'. But it is quite clearly an unhealthy hobby, with overinflated bodies cajoled into grotesque shapes in a variety of damaging ways.

Weight training does the groundwork. Dumbbells will cost you at least £25, while a complete home weight station will set you back £1,000. But if you want to make it into the real big time, you may have to use food supplements such as creatine. Many body-building competitions now have two categories - one for those who use steroids and hormones, and a 'clean' category - and there is an obvious size difference between the two types of entrant. Steroids are readily available, in gyms or via the internet, and they can be taken orally or injected. A standard anabolic steroid such as Dianabol should cost about $300 for 1,000 tablets, while an injectable will be about $25 per ampoule. A commonly used hormone - testosterone, for example - costs about $16 per ampoule. Steroids are taken in cycles, to boost the body and then give it a chance to recover.

Commensurately, the average shopping trip will become more expensive; fat needs to be excised from the body-building diet and vast amounts of protein are required to fuel muscle growth. Come competition day, however, and it will be just snacks. Dehydration is necessary for the 'ripped' look, with skin stretched tight over muscle, so don't worry about bottles of water. In fact, the only bottles you will need will contain baby oil, for that spotlight-friendly sheen, and fake tan. You will also need a razor to remove all body hair (hairy body-builders are rarer than yetis), so you won't get much change out of £20 at the chemist's. The final touch is a comicly tiny posing pouch (£5).

And what is all this for? Well, up to $325,000 in prize money at Mr Olympia.

Weights from £25 to £1,000
Steroids about 50p per tablet
Creatine £25 per 500g
Baby oil £4
Fake tan £9
Thong £5

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