Going to the gym be like: Uneven Protein Distribution
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PROTEIN (pipe), MY BICEPS (small figure), MY ASS (large figure)
Overview
This is a relatable gym joke meme that exaggerates a common frustration among people who lift weights: that most of the protein they consume goes to building gluteal (butt) muscle instead of the arm muscles (specifically biceps) that they want to grow. The illustration shows a large pipe labeled 'PROTEIN' pouring an entire massive stream of protein into the wide-open mouth of a large seated figure labeled 'MY ASS', while only a tiny few drops fall onto a small, emaciated, starving-looking figure labeled 'MY BICEPS', who desperately looks up waiting for more protein. The joke plays on the common experience of uneven muscle growth where some body areas grow much more easily than the areas people prioritize training.
Origin notes
This meme originated on Reddit with the original title 'Going to the gym be like:', it was created by adding text labels to an existing hand-drawn editorial cartoon, edited on Imgflip (a popular online meme generator that leaves its watermark on the image), and has been widely shared across fitness and general meme communities online.