What is fitness?
The word fitness is derived from the English verb to fit, which in Russian means to be healthy, in excellent physical shape. However, if we take it more broadly, then this is the general physical preparation (many probably remember general physical training) of a person. The main goal of fitness is not the result in sports, but a healthy lifestyle. All classes are organized in such a way as to be the most useful and effective for human health. We can also say that fitness is the accumulated practice of many different specialists: professional athletes, doctors, trainers, psychologists, etc. This is a combination of their long experience in the struggle for excellent mood and well-being, as well as for a healthy lifestyle.
The main task of fitness is to make life joyful and energetic, to give more strength for further self-improvement. Such a person has the opportunity to constantly improve his health, and also allows him to improve spiritually. In addition to all this, it is also a certain aesthetics, as it encourages one to be active, get involved in creativity, listen to music, play and more.
Bodybuilding (derived from the English words body - body, as well as building - construction), as well as bodybuilding (derived from the French word culturisme) - a system of increasing and developing muscles through physical exercise with weights and high-calorie nutrition, with an increased content of nutrients, especially proteins , necessary for hypertrophy of skeletal muscles.
A person who is fond of lifting weights in order to increase the quality or volume of muscles (relief and density) is called a bodybuilder or bodybuilder.
Competitive bodybuilding (bodybuilding) is nothing more than a typical beauty contest in which the jury evaluates the beauty of the muscles of performing bodybuilders (bodybuilders) based on selection rules for volume, body proportions, as well as balance and symmetry, and selects the best bodybuilder, with better muscle development.
History of bodybuilding
The time from 1880 to 1953 is the first (early) period of development and popularization of this sport.
50s - 60s of the XX century
Bodybuilding or bodybuilding became extremely popular during these years. Huge propaganda was made by Charles Atlas, who advertised bodybuilding (bodybuilding) in various publications, in particular comic books in which he used muscular superheroes. It was this hidden advertising that became the reason for many guys to start developing their body. At the same time, well-known competitions and contests such as “Mr. America” and “Mr. Universe” arose. It was these competitions that became the basis for other modern competitions. Magazines promoting bodybuilding also appeared - “Muscular Development” and “Strength & Health”. Filming bodybuilders also added to the popularity of bodybuilding. Steve Reeves, who played Samson, Hercules and many famous heroes, gained enormous fame in cinema.
70s - our time
"Mr. Universe"
The first such tournament was organized in 1948 in London by the editors of the British specialized magazine “Health and Strength”. The tournament was won by American John Grimek. Since 1950, competitions have been held under the auspices of the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA), organized in the same year in Great Britain, and since 1984 - the newly created NABBA International.
It was at the Mr. Universe tournament that Schwarzenegger's career really began, winning once in the amateur category and three times in the professional category. In addition to Schwarzenegger and Grimek, three more legendary holders of the Mr. Universe title deserve special mention: Americans Steve Reeves and Bill Pearl, as well as Englishman Reg Park.
Currently, several dozen athletes representing various countries in Europe (including Russia), North and South America, Africa, Australia, etc. are taking part in the tournament.
Anabolics and bodybuilding
Despite the fact that steroids arose a long time ago, only the seventies of the 20th century are called the “breakthrough of anabolic steroids,” and most importantly, not only in bodybuilding (bodybuilding), but also in other areas of sports. In bodybuilding, this has been associated with a rapid increase in muscle mass, starting with "Iron Arnie", Dorian Yates, Paul DeMaio, Franco Colombo, Lee Haney and Louis Ferigno, and with the development of athletes such as Andreas Muenzer and Rich Gaspari. The 1970s saw the rise of debate about the use of anabolic steroids, but they remained legal drugs until 1990. In the nineties, the Congress of the United States of America included “anabolic steroids” in the register of “controlled drugs.” In Canada, after a skirmish with Ben Johnson at the Seoul Olympics, anabolic drugs were included in the Criminal Code of Canada in the 6th class, specially organized for anabolic drugs.
Goals and methodology
The question of determining the goals of your bodybuilding activities is the most important question that you must immediately decide for yourself. It's no secret that elite sport does not promote health in any way; it is a way of making money. Hence there are many negative consequences associated with this. Everything depends on the intensity of the training. Determine for yourself what you want, and choose a technique according to this decision.
As in any endeavor, a lot depends on the motivation and goals you set for yourself. If you dream of yourself as a champion, standing on the podium as a professional, then get ready for many years of hard labor. You will have to invest a fair amount of financial resources, and with luck and a good genetic predisposition, you can achieve your dream. If you set yourself not so grandiose goals, if you want to become physically stronger, gain sculpted muscles, get rid of fat “accumulations,” then success is guaranteed for you.
There are a great variety of techniques in bodybuilding, sometimes directly opposite to each other. Don't panic, choose those that benefit you. Take the assurances that “using this method anyone can pump up in two weeks” critically. As a rule, this is just an advertisement to sell a second-rate product. Bodybuilding, also known as bodybuilding, has existed for about 100 years, and its main principle will always remain hard, regular work, and there are no miracles in the world.
Almost all the literature on bodybuilding talks about the achievements and techniques of those who are genetically predisposed to this sport. But natural talent is rare. Most bodybuilders are ordinary people with average genetics. They cannot boast of the natural advantages of professionals. So what benefit will the “star” techniques of the champions bring to the average “jock”? No way! There is no point in focusing on “supermen” for an ordinary amateur. Elite techniques are for the elite. But for a person with average abilities, imitating champions will only lead to a dead end. In addition, most of the “stars” are, simply put, pumped up on steroids. They don't know how to train without pharmacology. Hardly any “serious” training takes place without artificial drug stimulation. It is anabolic steroids, combined with genetic talent, that allow them to achieve championship titles in a matter of years.
You open a magazine and read an article about a “brilliant” winner who has taken the bodybuilding world by storm - and all, they say, thanks to enthusiasm, will and hard work. Do not believe! Every rapid rise has a shady downside: steroids.
Let's come down from heaven to earth. An ordinary amateur needs not “star”, but “amateur” techniques. Let's take a smart approach to training. Let's finally become realistic! This does not mean that we should be content with paltry achievements. Nothing like this! The most ordinary amateur can achieve phenomenal results if he begins to act methodically competently and has patience.
Sets of exercises for bodybuilders are here...
Bodybuilding Federation
In the 90s of the last century, promoter Vince McMahon announced the organization of a world bodybuilding federation - the World Bodybuilding Federation. By doing this, he tried to add more entertainment, thereby enlarging the tournament prize fund. But in July of 1992, the federation was formally disbanded. Among other reasons, there is a lack of profit from paid broadcasts of WBF competitions, insignificant sales of the WBF magazine “Bodybuilding Lifestyle” (later became WDF), and plus the huge expenses for creating 2 TV shows and printing the magazine every month.
Olympic sport?
At the very beginning of the 21st century, the International Federation of Bodybuilders & Fitness wanted to give bodybuilding Olympic status, this was due to the fact that in 00 this corporation received full membership of the IOC. It is with this that the IFBB tried to consolidate bodybuilding as a sport at the Olympic Games. But this did not happen because the vast majority do not consider it a sport.
Professional bodybuilding
Nowadays, a professional is usually a person who has won qualifying competitions as an amateur and received a "Pro Card" from the International Federation of Bodybuilders & Fitness. Owners of this card have the opportunity to take part in pro tournaments, for example, “Night of Champions” and “Arnold Classic”. The titles won in these competitions give them the right to take part in the Mr. Olympia competition. This title is the highest honor in professional bodybuilding.
“Natural” bodybuilding (“no chemicals”)
There are associations that proclaim and fight for the so-called “chemical-free” bodybuilding - it is also called “natural” bodybuilding. These organizations include: 1. North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation (NANBF); 2. "Australasian Natural Bodybuilding Association" (ANBA); 3. Natural Physique Association (NPD); 4. “The International Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation” (INBFF); 5. International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA);
Such organizations proclaim bodybuilding without the use of pharmacology and steroid drugs. Fans of “chemical-free” bodybuilding say that their classes are more related to a healthy image and are focused on natural struggle in competitions.
Female bodybuilding
The first women's championship "Phisique" took place in America, in the city of Canton, Ohio. This was made by Henry McGee in 1978. This women's competition was the first in the world where competitors were judged only on muscles. Since then, many women's competitions have been organized, the most popular of all being Miss Olympia. The first winner of the competition, which took place in 1980, was Rachel McLeish.
Here we briefly told you what fitness and bodybuilding are. It's up to you to decide what suits you best.
Description of bodybuilding as a sport
If you decide to gain muscle mass or lose weight, in order to look more attractive, you need to change your previous habits, your diet and daily routine as much as possible. Here is a list of what a bodybuilder needs to grow muscle mass without excess fat:
- Training in the gym with weights (free weights or machines).
- A high-calorie diet, excluding fatty foods, high in protein and carbohydrates.
- Consumption of sports nutrition (protein, gainer, BCAAs, creatine, pre-workout complexes, etc.).
- Maximum healthy sleep 8-10 hours a day.
The main goal of bodybuilding
The main goal of bodybuilding is to gain high-quality and sculpted muscle mass without deposition of fat. To reduce body fat, athletes add cardio activities to their workout routine, such as cycling, running or swimming. For better results, all types of cardio training can be combined. This varied approach to training helps build muscle and lose fat. Athletes who practice this way are distinguished by a strong character and have enough motivation to achieve the main goal of bodybuilding - creating a beautiful and athletic body.
Powerlifting and weightlifting are different in that muscle proportions and volumes do not play a special role in them; what is important here is the weights that the athletes lift.
The description of bodybuilding will be a little different. This sport does not necessarily involve lifting heavy weights. In this sport, more attention is paid to the high-quality development of each muscle group. This is what affects the effectiveness of training.
Professional-level athletes who participate in bodybuilding competitions show their body to its maximum advantage in terms of volume, proportions, “dryness” of muscles and other factors. Participation in the competition involves showing compulsory classical poses and free ones (depending on the individual program of the athlete). As a rule, those athletes who have the most athletic and aesthetic figure win.
Young boys and girls who decide to start bodybuilding often ask at what age they can start training. Doctors advise starting gym classes at the age of 18. During this period, the endocrine glands are already fully formed, and hormone levels are adjusted to work more stable. By the age of 18, the skeleton is almost completely formed, and the joints are ready for stress.
