Bodybuilding Techniques!
FAMOUS BODY BUILDERS
Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fibers through the combination of weight training, increased caloric intake, and rest. Someone who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. As a sport, called competitive bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their aesthetic appearance.
Arguably the most famous bodybuilder in the world is Arnold Schwarzenegger,
whose Hollywood acting career was launched after his success in bodybuilding.
His acting career was boosted by his appearance in the bodybuilding documentary
film Pumping Iron after winning the 1975 Mr. Olympia title. This film also
helped another bodybuilder, Lou Ferrigno, to get the part of The Incredible Hulk
in the 1980s TV series.
History
As a sport of aesthetics, bodybuilding can be traced back to the 11th century in
India where athletes created their own dumbells (called Nals) out of stone and
wood. There is also evidence that they created the first kind of gyms around
this period.
Early years
Eugen SandowBodybuilding did not really gain popularity until the late 19th
century, when the sport was promoted by the German Eugen Sandow - who is now
often referred to as the "Father of modern bodybuilding". He is credited with
inventing and selling the first machine made dumbbells. Sandow organised the
first ever bodybuilding contest on September 14, 1901 called the "Great
Competition" and held in the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK. Judged by himself,
Sir Charles Lawes, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the contest was a huge success and
was a sell-out with hundreds of fans turned away. The trophy presented to the
winner was a bronze statue of Sandow himself sculpted by Frederick Pomeroy. This
statue (known as "The Sandow") has been presented to the Mr. Olympia winner
since 1977.
In the early 20th century, Bernarr Macfadden and Charles Atlas, continued to
promote bodybuilding across the world.
Kung Fu Tae Kwon Do Tai Chi Chuan
The "Golden Age"
The period of around 1940 to 1970 is often referred to as the "Golden Age" of
bodybuilding due to the judging emphasis on muscular symmetry and definition
(rather than size). During this time training techniques improved, more
publications hit the shelves, and more contests were held. In this period
bodybuilding was typified by Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, California, US.
Due to the rise in popularity, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) added a
bodybuilding competition to their existing weightlifting contest in 1939 - the
next year this competition was named AAU Mr. America. Around the mid-1940s most
bodybuilders became annoyed with the AAU since they only allowed amateur
competitors and they place more focus on the Olympic sport of weightlifting.
This caused brothers Ben and Joe Weider to form the International Federation of
BodyBuilders (IFBB) - which organised their competing IFBB Mr. America which was
open to professional athletes.
In 1950, another organisation, the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA)
started their NABBA Mr. Universe contest in England. Another major contest, Mr.
Olympia was first held in 1965 - this is currently the most prestigious title in
bodybuilding.
Initially contests were for men only, but the NABBA added Miss Universe in 1965
and Miss Olympia was started in 1980. See Female bodybuilding#History for more.
1970s onwards
In the 1970s, bodybuilding had major publicity thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger
and the 1977 film Pumping Iron. By this time the IFBB dominated the sport and
the AAU took a back seat.
This period also saw the rise of
anabolic steroids both in bodybuilding and many
other sports. To combat this, and to be allowed to be an IOC member, the IFBB
introduced strict doping tests for both steroids and other banned substances.
In the early 2000's, the IFBB was attempting to make bodybuilding an Olympic
sport. It obtained full IOC membership in 2000 and was attempting to get a
demonstration event at the Olympics which would hopefully lead to it being added
as a full contest. This remains controversial since some argue that bodybuilding
is not a sport since the actual contest does not involve athletic effort.
Proponents argue that the posing routine requires skill and preparation. This
did not happen, and since it never had a demonstration sport in the IOC, there
is no chance that bodybuilding will now become an Olympic event.
In 2003, Joe Weider sold Weider Publications to AMI, who owns the National
Enquirer. Ben Weider is still the president of the IFBB. In 2004, Wayne DeMilia
broke ranks with the IFBB. AMI took over the promotion of the Mr. Olympia
contest.
Sport
In competitive bodybuilding, bodybuilders aspire to develop and maintain an
aesthetically pleasing (by bodybuilding standards) body and balanced physique.
The competitors show off their bodies by performing a number of poses -
bodybuilders spend time practicing their posing routine as this has a large
effect on how they are judged.
A bodybuilder's size and shape are far more important than how much he or she
can lift. The sport should therefore not be confused with strongman competition
or powerlifting, where emphasis is on actual physical strength, or with Olympic
weightlifting, where emphasis is equally split between strength and technique.
Though superficially similar to the casual observer, the fields entail a
different regimen of training, diet, and basic motivation.
The main organization that promotes, funds, and judges bodybuilding competition
is the International Federation of BodyBuilders. They organise bodybuilding's
most prestigious competition - Mr. Olympia.
Contest preparation
The general strategy adopted by competitive bodybuilders is to make muscle gains
for most of the year (known as the "off-season") and approximately 3-4 months
from competition attempt to lose body fat (referred to as "cutting"). In doing
this some muscle will be lost but the aim is to keep this to a minimum. There
are many approaches used but most involve reducing calorie intake and increasing
cardio.
On the day before contest, some bodybuilders attempt to dehydrate themselves to
make their muscles more defined. However, some experts argue against this since
it can reduce blood pressure which affects the vascularity (size of the blood
vessels). Bodybuilders also increase their electrolyte consumption (potassium
and sodium) to reduce the risk of muscle cramps when on stage.
Right before performing on stage bodybuilders will apply various products to
their skin to improve their muscle defintion - these include fake tan (to make
the skin darker) and various oils (to make the skin shiny). They will also use
weights to force blood to their muscles to improve size and vascularity.
Female Bodybuilding
In the 1970s women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions. However,
they often face difficulties for a number of reasons:
The standards for judging of women bodybuilders change almost every year.
They are criticized and viewed negatively for not conforming to traditional
ideas of feminine beauty and gender roles.
Female bodybuilders are given prize money that is often a quarter or less of
what is given to male bodybuilders.
Female Fitness and Figure
Closely related to female bodybuilding (often held as part of the same event) is
female fitness and figure competitions. Whereas female bodybuilding is judged on
muscle size, fitness is judged on the competitor ability in a number of strength
and flexibility exercises, and figure is judged purely on the physical form
(there are no muscle flexing poses).
Strategy
In order to achieve muscle growth (hypertrophy), bodybuilders focus in three
main lines of action:
Resistance weight training
Specialized nutrition, incorporating extra protein and supplements where
necessary
Adequate rest to facilitate growth
Resistance weight training
German Bodybuilder Markus Rühl posing in Biberach an der RißResistance weight
training causes microtears to the muscles being trained; this is generally known
as microtrauma. These microtears in the muscle contribute to the soreness felt
after exercise, called Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It is the repair to
these microtrauma that result in muscle growth (anabolism). Normally, this
soreness becomes most apparent a day or two after a workout.
Nutrition
The high levels of muscle growth and repair achieved by bodybuilders require a
very specialised diet. Generally speaking, bodybuilders require anything between
500-1000 calories (2000 to 4000 kilojoules) above their maintenance level of
food energy while attempting to increase lean body mass. A sub-maintenance level
of food energy is combined with cardiovascular exercise to lose body fat in
preparation for a contest. The ratios of food energy from carbohydrates,
proteins, and fats vary depending on the goals of the bodybuilder.
Bodybuilders usually split their food intake for the day into 5 to 7 meals of
roughly equal nutritional content and attempt to eat at regular intervals
(normally between 2 and 3 hours). This is thought to allow greater absorption of
nutrients and increase basal metabolic rate. The process is also used by people
trying to lose weight.
Carbohydrates
Having a large proportion of the diet come from carbohydrates gives the body
enough energy to deal with the rigours of training and recovery. Bodybuilders
require complex carbohydrates, which release energy more slowly than simple
sugars. This is important as simple sugars cause an insulin response, which
places the body in a state where it is likely to store additional food energy as
fat rather than muscle, and which can waste energy that should be going towards
muscle growth. However bodybuilders do ingest some simple sugars (often in form
of pure glucose or maltodextrin) post-workout to replenish glycogen stores
within the muscle.
Protein
It is recommended that bodybuilders receive 1 to 2 grams of protein per pound of
lean body weight (2 to 5 g/kg) to help the body recover and build. It is a
widely debated topic, with many arguing that 1 gram of protein per pound of body
weight is ideal, and others recommending 1.5 or 2. These protein sources should
be of a high biological value such as whey, steak, chicken, fish, milk, pork or
egg whites. Chicken, whey, and egg whites are often preferred due to their
relatively low fat content. Many bodybuilders prefer to alternate between solid
food and protein powders. It is believed that the best times for bodybuilders to
intake protein is immediately following a workout and before going to sleep.
Vitamins & minerals
Bodybuilders almost universally take a multi-vitamin each day. Essential fatty
acids (including omega-3s), which the body can not synthesize, are also
consumed. Since anaerobic exercise is a very oxidizing process, most supplement
with antioxidant vitamins such as; vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B and Selenium.
Since joint problems can cripple a bodybuilder's career, glucosamine,
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), and chondroitin are taken to help promote strong
joints. Research has also shown Inositol's positive effect on joint health and
as an anti-inflammatory. As with all supplements, it is preferable to get the
vitamin and mineral requirement from whole foods, though this is not always
convenient.
Supplements
Supplements can help muscle gain, although some are unproven and many are
ineffective. One supplement which has been proven to help bodybuilders gain and
maintain size (without unhealthy short term side effects) is Creatine. Like all
supplements, these only help if used in conjunction with a solid nutritional
base and weight training program.
Some bodybuilders may use drugs to gain an advantage over results due to natural
hypertrophy, especially in professional competitions. Although many of these
substances are illegal in many countries, in professional bodybuilding the use
of anabolic steroids and precursor substances such as prohormones are used in
high level competitions. Most steroids allow the human body to be in a more
anabolic state. Some negative side-effects accompany steroid abuse, such as
liver damage and a decline in the body's own testosterone production, which can
cause testicular atrophy and possible infertility. Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
and insulin are also used by some of the larger bodybuilders. HGH is incredibly
expensive compared to steroids while insulin is very readily available yet fatal
if misused.
Overtraining
Overtraining is generally regarded as one of the biggest and most common
problems body builders face. It refers to when a bodybuilder has trained hard
over the course of a training schedule and is extremely fatigued due to lack of
required rest from previous workouts. This is thought to decrease muscle growth
and inhibit strength gains. Sufficient recovery time is generally seen as an
important factor for bodybuilding at any level. Many serious bodybuilders train
almost every day (even several times a day for professionals) and it is
important that sufficient recovery time (usually 2-3 days) is allowed between
training the same muscle groups. Bodybuilders therefore should design their
training programs to allow time for recovery and growth.
Overtraining can also lead to a weakened immune system, making it harder for the
bodybuilder to fight off a cold or infection.
On the other hand, it has been argued that overtraining can be beneficial. One
article published by Muscle & Fitness Magazine stated that you can "Overtrain
for Big Gains". It suggested that if one is planning a restful holiday and they
do not wish to inhibit their bodybuilding lifestyle too much, they should
overtrain before taking the holiday, so the body can rest easily and recuperate
and grow.
Rest
Related to overtraining is rest. Without adequate rest and sleep, muscles do not
have an opportunity to recover and build. About eight hours of sleep a night is
desirable for the bodybuilder to be refreshed and ready for the next session,
although this varies from person to person. Additionally, many athletes find a
daytime nap further increases their body's ability to build muscle.
The source of this article is
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this
article is licensed under the
GFDL
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