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What is Bodybuilding?

Brendan McGuigan
Brendan McGuigan

Bodybuilding is the act of putting on muscle by working out and shaping one's diet to put on more muscle mass. Often bodybuilding is referred to as hardgaining, indicating a regimen tailored for a person without a predisposition towards acquiring muscle mass. Bodybuilding may be done for recreation, for personal betterment or as a competitive sport.

The sport of bodybuilding is judged based on the physical appearance and demonstrations of the participants. There is currently a campaign to have bodybuilding adopted as an Olympic sport, but this campaign is met with strong resistance by some sectors. It is commonly argued that bodybuilding is not an actual sport, as the contest itself is non-athletic.

For men who are naturally really thin, hardgaining is necessary to build muscle mass.
For men who are naturally really thin, hardgaining is necessary to build muscle mass.

When competitive bodybuilders compete, they demonstrate a number of poses intended to accentuate certain muscle groups. This posing is a large part of competitive bodybuilding, and many bodybuilders spent up to half of their training time perfecting their posing routines.

Bodybuilding as a sport is not athletic and should not be confused with lifting sports or strongman competitions. The focus on bodybuilding is a specific aesthetic and balance of muscle mass, not feats of strength of agility.

A person must lift heavy weights in low repetitions in order to build muscle mass.
A person must lift heavy weights in low repetitions in order to build muscle mass.

There are a number of techniques used for gaining and sculpting muscle mass, both in the competitive and personal arena. A distinction is often made between those who are able to continually gain mass and strength through a regular routine, and those who quickly plateau. The latter are often referred to as hardgainers, because it is more difficult for them to gain strength than for many others who pursue bodybuilding seriously.

The focus of bodybuilding is not necessarily strengthening muscles, but improving their appearance.
The focus of bodybuilding is not necessarily strengthening muscles, but improving their appearance.

The most common technique is to acquire as much mass as possible for an extended period of time, working on being able to lift more and more weight each week. Once a threshold has been reached, or in the case of competitive bodybuilders, once a major competition is nearing, the focus is shifted to sculpting the existing muscle mass.

Some experts on bodybuilding advocate a training program of moderate weight for extended reps until failure, followed by occasional high-weight sets. Others advocate a system focusing on very difficult weights for low reps and low sets.

Bodybuilding in general requires following a tough regimen focused on both workouts and diet.
Bodybuilding in general requires following a tough regimen focused on both workouts and diet.

While bodybuilding, it is important to increase one's intake of vitamins, minerals and protein. A wide range of bodybuilding shakes and supplements are available on the market, most of which will be more than adequate for a beginning bodybuilder. Chemical supplements are also available, though their use is prohibited in most competitive bodybuilding arenas and they are not recommended for health reasons.

Ultimately, the best tactic for bodybuilding is to experiment with a number of different workouts to find what works for your body. Combining a suitable workout with a high-protein diet and plenty of rest in off-times will ensure pleasing results.

Discussion Comments

donbri5

@flowerchild--When my husband and I were into bodybuilding, we ate a diet rich in carbs, protein and good fats at every meal. We tried a combo of forty percent of the carbs and protein and twenty percent of the good fats. We also ate six small meals a day instead of three larger ones.

You can of course add a lot of veggies and fruits, and organic eggs or egg beaters, oatmeal, and like six to eight ounces of meat at every meal. If you look online or at a local supplement shop they might offer some recipes. You can also find a good meal replacement powder drink with the calories you need.

flowerchild

Can anyone give me an example of what a good bodybuilding diet consists of? Not specifics, just a good place to start. I am going to the gym and want to buff up with bodybuilding and want to have a diet that works with that goal. Thanks!

anon87214

How strong can be a super heavy bodybuilder than an average man (e.g.Man 1.70mts height and 70 Kg weight) maybe four or more times stronger than the average?

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    • For men who are naturally really thin, hardgaining is necessary to build muscle mass.
      By: theartofphoto
      For men who are naturally really thin, hardgaining is necessary to build muscle mass.
    • A person must lift heavy weights in low repetitions in order to build muscle mass.
      By: Christopher Howey
      A person must lift heavy weights in low repetitions in order to build muscle mass.
    • The focus of bodybuilding is not necessarily strengthening muscles, but improving their appearance.
      By: tankist276
      The focus of bodybuilding is not necessarily strengthening muscles, but improving their appearance.
    • Bodybuilding in general requires following a tough regimen focused on both workouts and diet.
      By: Mat Hayward
      Bodybuilding in general requires following a tough regimen focused on both workouts and diet.
    • A bodybuilder needs to eat plenty of high-quality protein, such as that found in lean meats and low-fat cottage cheese.
      By: MSPhotographic
      A bodybuilder needs to eat plenty of high-quality protein, such as that found in lean meats and low-fat cottage cheese.
    • There are a wide variety of protein shakes on the market that may be helpful to bodybuilders.
      By: Alliance
      There are a wide variety of protein shakes on the market that may be helpful to bodybuilders.