Over the years, your body seriously transforms - everything changes: hair, nails, skin, bones, heart, lungs and everything else. And no matter what type of figure you had in your youth - pear, apple or another - it will also change over the years. This metamorphosis can be attributed to two types of causes: those that you cannot control and those that you can.
The degree and speed of body changes directly depends on your lifestyle and habits: whether you play sports, smoke, go on diets, and so on.
Our bodies are made up of several components, but mainly bones, muscles, fat and water. Changes in body composition, that is, in the ratio of these components, directly depend on age and are sure to occur, even if in general your weight remains the same. Typically, fat increases while muscle mass and bone density decrease.
Fat
The focus is always on body fat percentage as obesity is becoming a widespread problem.
The total body weight “floats” under the influence of the number of calories we consume. If you eat more than you burn, you will become overweight over time. Without exercise, this excess weight will be distributed throughout the body in the form of fat, not muscle, and the ratio of the components that we wrote about above will swing towards fat.
This change in body composition can accelerate weight gain over time, since muscle is more metabolically active than fat tissue and burns energy, and if there is little of it, calories are lost more and more slowly.
Where fat is deposited, as well as body composition, changes with age.
In women, the decrease in estrogen levels during menopause causes fat deposits to shift from the lower body (pear body shape) to the abdominal area (pear body shape). The increase in this area occurs due to subcutaneous fat, as well as fat that forms deep in the abdominal cavity around the internal organs and is called visceral. The resulting “apple” body shape is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
In 2008, a large-scale study was conducted in the United States, in which 44,000 women took part. It turned out that women with a waist circumference greater than 89 cm were twice as likely to develop heart disease and cancer than those whose waist circumference did not exceed 70 cm.
In men, the age-related decline in testosterone levels also changes the topography of fat distribution. Their hip volume decreases over the years in proportion to the increase in waist circumference.
In Russia, the maximum norm for women’s waist circumference from the point of view of assessing health risks is considered to be 80 cm, the range of 80-88 cm is in the yellow zone, and all numbers above are a reason to urgently undergo medical examination and lose weight. For men, the norm is this: up to 94 cm there is no reason to worry, 94-101 - it’s time to think about possible risks, 102 and above - you urgently need to take care of yourself!
What to do? Maintain a healthy weight at any age to avoid excess fat that can accumulate around your waist.
Both subcutaneous and visceral fat can be eliminated through diet and exercise.
How to take measurements correctly
It is better to measure body volumes immediately after waking up. This will provide a more accurate measurement result, since in the morning, the muscles are relaxed and rested.
Be sure to read:
Separate meals: table, how to combine foods correctly, menu, what is unacceptable
It is difficult to obtain objective figures in the evening hours. Activity during the day leads to muscle tension and can distort real indicators. For measurements, you will need a centimeter tape measure. The correct measurement technique involves a number of nuances.
Table No. 2. Measuring technique
| № | Parameter | How to conduct |
| 1 | Neck | The ruler is applied across the neck line, exactly in the middle. |
| 2 | Breast | Measurements are taken three times: during even breathing, during inhalation and at the moment of exhalation. The approximate measurement line is the nipple area. |
| 3 | Shoulders | The biceps and triceps are fixed with the arm bent at the elbow. |
| 4 | Forearm | The widest part of the forearm is grasped. |
| 5 | Waist | The centimeter is located where the ribs end. |
| 6 | Hips | The tape must be fixed in a standing position, immediately under the gluteal region. |
| 7 | Shin | The distance of the widest part is taken. |
Read more: Cottage cheese at night (18 photos): the benefits and harms of eating it before bed, is it possible to eat it in the evening while losing weight, is it healthy to eat it after a workout
Muscles
In a healthy adult, skeletal muscle makes up about 40-50% of total body weight. Loss of muscle mass and strength, called sarcopenia, is a result of physical inactivity. According to some data, after 30 years a person loses about 1% of muscle mass per year. Reducing its amount negatively affects not only weight, but also overall health, making us weaker and more susceptible to various diseases.
What to do? Stay physically active and incorporate resistance exercise into your routine.
Resistance exercises help not only maintain, but also gain some muscle mass, even for people 80-90 years old.
How to become a participant in Men's Physique competitions?
To get into the beach bodybuilding competition, you need to know when and in what place it will be held. The next step is registration, the completion time of which depends on the level of the competition:
- You can register for a regional event, held in a small city or at the regional level, on the same day it begins.
- For a regional one, if we are talking about a large populated center, you should go through the registration procedure the day before.
- You can participate in the championship, national cup and above only if you have qualifications.
To qualify, you must successfully perform at a regional or regional level tournament. It is usually assigned by the president of the federation or the chief judge.
The competition is held in several stages. First there is a presentation, during which the athletes come out one by one to the judges. The competition then begins with athletes in groups of five demonstrating four different poses. The winners ceremony takes place after all bodybuilders have finished their performances.
If the competition is held at the regional level, participants register before the start. For regional performances, your name is added to the list of participants the day before. For international competitions – “Olympia” and “Arnold Classic” applications can be submitted by professionals who have received the status after successful performances at local competitions.
Height loss
With age, alas, you become not only wider, but also shorter. Bones make up about 20% of the total body mass. Changes in their structure, as well as in muscles and joints, cause you to lose about 1 cm of height every 10 years, and even more after age 70. Over the course of a lifetime, a person, regardless of gender or nationality, can become 2-8 cm shorter.
What to do? Bone mineral density peaks around age 30 and then declines. Especially in women in the first years after menopause, which entails the risk of developing diseases such as osteopenia or osteoporosis (both are thinning and brittle bones). Quitting smoking, consuming adequate amounts of calcium, resistance exercise, and frequent walking can help reduce bone loss.
Scientists continue to study age-related changes in body composition and the impact of these processes on health. In the meantime, remember that many problems and unwanted metamorphoses can be avoided if you exercise regularly, eat right and stop smoking.
Mandatory poses.
During bodybuilding competitions, competitors very often deviate from the requirements and standards of the IFBB for Men's Physique. Poses presented by participants in competitions are not subject to evaluation. Judges give assessments only according to international standards, that is, according to the IFBB rules for competitions.
Face. Turn to the judges: You must stand straight, with the direction of your head and gaze coinciding with the direction of your body. One hand is on the hip, and the leg on the opposite side of the body is slightly back. The second arm hangs freely along the body. For a more natural pose, you can bend it slightly at the elbow, with your fingers straight.
Turn to the left: The first turn, which is presented by the participants, is to the left. When demonstrating this pose, you must face the judges with your left side. The torso and head are slightly turned towards the referee team. The left hand is on the hip, and the right hand, bent at the elbow, is in front of the upper body, in the center.
You need to stand straight. The gaze and head are directed along the same axis of body direction. The position of one hand is on the hip, and the second is along the line of the body, slightly turned out and bent. Keep your fingers straight. The leg is set back, resting on the toe. The second is bent, but stands straight. On the back, the latissimus muscles should be toned. The head is raised.
When demonstrating this pose, it is necessary to stand with the right side of the body at the place where the judges sit. The head and upper body should be turned slightly towards the judges. The right hand is now placed on the thigh, and the left hand, bent at the elbow, is located in front of the body, in the center. Keep your fingers straight. The right leg must be bent, resting it on the floor. The left leg is also bent, but placed on the toe, set back.
Important!!
- When performing the required poses, one hand should always be placed on the hip line.
- Excessive muscle tension is contraindicated, since this demonstration is close to bodybuilding.
- The frontal pose, as well as the back one, is demonstrated so that one leg, on which the body weight is transferred, forms a straight line with the body, descending at right angles to the stage. The other one has been abandoned.
- Sideways poses also require proper leg placement. The leg closest to the judges is not moved back. The main thing is not to confuse.
Body beauty vs health
The cosmetic effect of training was not a priority without physical strength, strength and health. The names of the magazines carried the idea of a healthy lifestyle - “Strength and Health”, “Health and Strength”, “Physical Culture”, “Strength”, “The Strong Man”. Gradually, these magazines replaced publications where the beauty of the body came to the fore. At best, the force was parallel. Today, force is generally relegated to the background. The modern fitness industry helps you quickly build muscle, without much investment of effort and patience. An army of cretins “renting their muscles”, if there is a pharma - it’s puffed up, no - it’s blown away.
Famous athletes: top parade
Today's popularity of bodybuilding owes to the merits of famous athletes, whose pumped up bodies and lifestyle have become an example for many.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Sergio Oliva.
- Steve Reeves.
- Jay Cutler.
Next are: Doriant Yates, Franco Colombo, Ronnie Coleman, Lee Haney, Phil Heath. in the ranking of the best athletes in the world . That is why the gold-plated Mr. Olympia figurine depicts the figure of an athlete.
