Keith Crovatt asked:


Many think that bodybuilding is a modern day activity but it really has its roots in the ancient 12th century. India was where the first methods of bodybuilding training and related eating programs developed. Over the next 300 years, the people in India were having phenomenal success. The prototypes of dumbbells and free weights happened during this period. Weight lifting and body building found it element at the time.

It was not until the 1800’s when bodybuilders came into the western world like Eugene Sandow. It was not soon after that bodybuilding contests sprang up in the early 1900’s validating hard work showing their bodybuilding expertise. Bodybuilding competitions became a whole regime during this time. The first father of the modern bodybuilding movements was Sandow. He had frequent public appearances in organized exhibitions to guarantee his voice and ideas were heard. He also started a pioneering magazine on fitness called “Physical Culture”.

The authorities of the Olympic Games were pushed by Sandow to include weightlifting and bodybuilding as one of the many events. His tireless efforts in weightlifting awarded him one of the major attractions in the Olympic Games starting in 1896. It still this day is one of the most viewed events in the modern games.

When bodybuilders such as Charles Atlas arrived in the bodybuilding circuit around the 1900’s, the sport became even more widespread and lucrative. His legendary ads quickly engulfed much of the press and spread over the world, penetrating deeply in the psyche of all American men. Who wouldn’t want to look like Atlas with a great body?

Exercise equipments began gaining popularity quickly in the marketplace. People became more conscious of their bodies and the way the training should be performed. They learned how to eat properly, the exercise equipment to use in order to sculpt their bodies into a perfect shape. This was the beginning of the fitness industry forming as we know it today.

Of course, once the Tarzan and Hercules movies became a rage in the 1950’s and the 1970’s bodybuilding and weightlifting took off. The quest for the beautiful body and attention like Steve Reeves increased drastically.

Gold’s Gym and the World Gym, founded by Joe Gold took on a cult status in bodybuilding as many entrepreneurs scrambled to dominate the industry.

Weightlifting and bodybuilding were at odds to segregate themselves to become a sport by each group. The 1970’s created a new phenomenon in the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger as he took the world by storm with his incredible carved body of muscle. He also entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s best developed man and became a cult idol in his own sport.



Arlene

Dane Fletcher asked:


The sport of bodybuilding has been adopted by many for the sake of keeping fit. The sport has developed into a global phenomenon with many people hitting the gyms in a bid to get rid of those excessive fats. The many who have taken up this initiative are among the most fit members of the society. They are not only very healthy but they cut very good looks that distinguish them from non-trainers. The terms bodybuilding and fitness training have come to the point of almost being used interchangeably.

The modern society is one that has come to associate fitness with the positive things in life. This is a society that is very fitness conscious. These notions have almost everything to do with bodybuilding. The line separating the two ideals is getting thinner by the day. Fitness has come to be linked with much more than maintaining a trim and lean body. It is much more than losing weight and those fat bands. Fitness has come to be associated with eating according to a healthy diet regimen; a well balanced diet that is rich in all the three categories of food i.e. proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates.

Fitness is also part of the determination and quest to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You will concur that indeed many if not all of these descriptions of fitness can be used to describe bodybuilding.

Using bodybuilding as a tool to achieve fitness is a great strategy to attaining the type of body that you have always dreamed of. If you are one who is concerned greatly with the way in which you eat and maintain a superb looking physique then bodybuilding for the sake of fitness is indeed the way to go. Bodybuilding is pegged on two pillars. The first one is adhering to a strict and regular training regimen. The net effect of this is the development of more muscle mass and a strong physique.

The other pillar of bodybuilding is adhering to a healthy and well balanced diet. By following these two objectives it is easy to see why bodybuilding and fitness are so interrelated.

Eating from a well balanced diet will offer your body the advantages of healthy eating. The body will benefit from accessing the various essential nutrients that are vital for effective growth and development. The sport of bodybuilding is supported by the right quantities of both proteins and carbohydrates. With the full knowledge of this fact you will definitely be more fit just by considering what it is that you are eating on a daily basis.

Apart from the eating aspect, fitness and bodybuilding are also closely linked through the strenuous workouts and training regimens that are part and parcel of bodybuilding. These rigorous exercises and workouts help one to focus on developing the various muscle groups in the body. In due time, the body is really well chiseled and well-toned. The muscles become defined and exposed. The body becomes more appealing to the eye. These are some of the reasons why bodybuilding is the perfect choice for a fitness regimen.



Audrey

John Howard asked:


Most bodybuilders and all other individuals who are looking to improve their overall health and fitness are getting into and starting weight training programs to further improve their physical fitness levels. Two of the keys to successfully enhancing these bodybuilding weight training programs are using variable methods of exercise as well as engaging in cycle training or periodization.

There are other things to look into when starting a bodybuilding weight training program. Some of these items include the type of exercise, the method of execution, the quantity of repetitions, and the progression of the exercises. The types of exercises that are involved in bodybuilding weight training vary depending on every individual. The individual’s goals are also a factor in considering which exercises to include in a weight training program. Certain types of exercises target specific muscle groups; if you, for instance, want to improve on your muscle balance, you can choose the types of exercises that work on enhancing this specific item. The physical fitness level you want to achieve should also be considered.

The method of exercise is also a consideration when creating a bodybuilding weight training program. Every individual performs exercises in a specific manner every single day. To enhance the effectivity of these exercises, you can try taking the exercise apart component by component. This way, your techniques can be modified and you can also identify the muscles being worked using that specific exercise. To do this, you can study books and maybe even look at videos that detail the specific instructions on how to perform the exercise properly.

The volume and quantity of the exercise should also be looked into. The number of repetitions for every workout is as important as the type of exercise itself. What is important when starting out a weight training program is to enhance your body’s ability to do an increased amount of work. Your body should be able to adapt to your bodybuilding weight training program before increasing your workload.

The intensity of the exercise is also a factor. This is important especially if you want to achieve your goals for a specific phase of training. You should learn to concentrate and focus on the movement of every exercise. The progression of the work out is also a considerable issue. Certain steps are necessary to become fully fit – and all of it depends on your body.

When engaging in weight training, it is important to not strain yourself nor put too much pressure on yourself in achieving your goals. Seeing the effects of bodybuilding weight training requires effort, patience, and both mental and physical conditioning.



Jose

mary005 asked:


Fitness training is only a small step towards winning a bodybuilding competition. It often requires a huge life change for the average individual. Bodybuilding is not only fitness training. However, the business of bodybuilding can be a highly fruitful and personally gratifying field for those who choose to pursue its long road. Strength training is the first step for bodybuilding competition. You must consider all of the competition’s elements if you want to win a bodybuilding competition. If you equipped with knowledge of what you need and dedicate yourself to the training, you will conquer yourself and have a shot of winning a competition. It’s not a dream if you work hard.

First you should ask yourself whether you are self motivated, driven, and disciplined. Think about the time commitment needed to invest in building a bodybuilding career. If you made your decision to be a professional bodybuilding competitor, you should begin by assessing whether you possess the characteristics of a good body builder. You could consult to a personal trainer. He will tell whether you are suitable for this competition.

If everything is OK, you should hire a good physician trained in assisting fitness competitors and a nutritionist. Develop a good initial plan with your trainer and nutritionist for the preliminary phase of bodybuilding training, including intensive weight loss or gain, depending upon your current size. Your goal is to reach between 6-9 percent body fat. That’s not easy unless you train hard.

If you are ready for a bodybuilding competition, you should choose a competition you want to enter and find out who runs it. Different organizations have different standards by which they judge competitors, and they also have different mandatory poses. So you should learn the mandatory poses carefully for your bodybuilding competition. Practice the poses as soon as you decide to enter the competition, and keep perfecting them until the competition date. Confidence in the poses helps you have good stage presence. If you want to win the bodybuilding competition, you should work hard. Or your dreams won’t come true. That’s the nature of competition. You should always remember that all the competition is cruel.

Before your bodybuilding competition, you should evaluate your condition using video or photography. Strike the mandatory poses for the camera and analyze them with another bodybuilder or a personal trainer. Only in this way you could improve your performance and beat other competitors. Work hard to win and you will make the dream come true.



Lois

Martin Haworth asked:


The level of commitment and work involved, just to be competitive, requires a lifestyle for women especially, that centers around intense training and a strict nutrition regime.

The rules for competition include somewhat pedantic categories such as ‘femininity.’ The prize money is also a quarter of what male bodybuilders can win.

So Why Is Female Bodybuilding So Popular?

For many, the point is not to get as big as possible but to attain a level of fitness and strength not often seen in women. The challenge you present yourself, when as a women you decide to pursue a female bodybuilding style of exercise and development is probably a lot of the reason women do it.

To push yourself and attain such lofty goals even when not for competition is admirable. So, challenge to show that ‘you can’ and the real benefit of feeling toned and strong are the major drivers

Bodybuilding for Women – Myths Exposed

There are some myths that must be confronted about female bodybuilding.

The first myth is that exercise can increase chest size. Oh, if only that were true, all the plastic surgeons would be broke! But, it is not. Women’s ******* are composed of fatty tissue for the most part so building muscle will not grow that part of the body.

Female bodybuilding myth #2, training with weights turns fat into muscle. This is not accurate. You can only burn fat through cardiovascular activity and you can only gain muscle by weight training. No doubt these will not be the only myths that need to be addressed in the future.

Male vs Female Bodybuilding – What Are The Differences?

Female bodybuilding is still an evolving sport that is fighting myths and perception problems. Unfortunately women cannot gain the kind of mass that men can due to women’s inability to produce as much testosterone as men.

To gain the bulk needed to be competitive, alternative measures are usually taken. That’s why anabolic steroids are a problem in female bodybuilding – a controversial topic we are sure to continue to hear more about.

No women should fear female bodybuilding. You need not look like the oversized competitive bodybuilders you see in picture or on tv. You can train hard with weights and sculpt your body how you want – it does not mean you even need to go beyond basic definition on your body.

Women need to remember that if they only do cardio their bodies burn both fat and muscle to use for fuel, so a weight training program, even if you are not interested in a female bodybuilding regime, can benefit you in and out of the gym.

Bodybuilding For Women – What’s The Future?

There is clearly room for growth in the female bodybuilding industry. The competitions will begin to focus on the right things and the prize money will surely grow. There are many varying opinions out there about female bodybuilding, but you can’t deny the drive and dedication women show when they train for competition.

It is impressive and many women would love to be able to do it – more and more are, every day.

For whatever reason some women catch the competition bug and others don’t, but for those of us who don’t, we can still, in our own way, participate for the good of our own fitness.



Bradley