Bodybuilding

Body building is a form of training your body for maximum size of particular muscles (and groups). Emphasis is on both size and definition. People exercise to increase their strength and endurance, which is an excellent way to attain better health. Body building is very popular among men because muscle strength and size can be equated to masculinity. Although this is a debatable presupposition, it clearly takes discipline to spend serious time on the muscles in your body.

Different types of exercise include aerobic, cardiac, and strength training.

Types of Strength Training[edit]

The Bench Press is probably one of the most widely used exercises in body building, but body builders prefer to do multiple exercises to have a balanced development of all the muscles in the body.

Contests and famous Bodybuilders[edit]

Although contests are less useful for health and endurance reasons, men do compete in them. Arnold Schwarzenegger won several Mr. Universe titles and helped to give the sport notoriety.

Another notable Mr. Universe contestant (coming in 3rd) was future James Bond actor Sean Connery, entering the 1950 contest.

The most prestigious contest is the Mr. Olympia contest, held every year since 1965.

Female Bodybuilding[edit]

Since the late 1970s, female bodybuilding has been on the scene, with the Ms. Olympia contest being held since 1980. Some people dislike female bodybuilding, since to many, women bodybuilders look very masculine with their well-developed muscles and low body fat. However, there is still a strong base of fans who defend it, citing that the bodybuilder's physiques are very aesthetic.

Ever since the late 1990s, fitness and figure competitions for women have become popular, with slim, toned women demonstrating athletic and phsyical prowess. The Fitness Olympia and Figure Olympia are the best known of these.

See also[edit]

• Physical Culture
• Bernarr Macfadden
• Charles Atlas
• Alois P. Swoboda
• Sports, exercise and diet.
• Exercise
• Vanity

External links[edit]

• Training - Bodybuilding, Fitness and Sport.
• Ten Minutes a Day.
• Rudolph Valentino tells 'How You Can Keep Fit'.
• Fasting, Hydropathy and Exercise | by Bernarr MacFadden.
• ABC Bodybuilding.