DEFINITION – What does Bodybuilding mean?
Bodybuilding is the activity of working out to increase the size of your muscles. More specifically, it is the application of exercise with increasing resistance and adherence to a strict diet in order to enhance one’s musculature.
The word itself brings to mind images of scantily-clad men and women flaunting gargantuan muscles, but the truth is that anyone who lifts weights or performs resistance exercises with the goal of increasing musculature could be considered a bodybuilder. There are many reasons the average person would want to start bodybuilding. For example, for athletes such as football players, body-building could could mean the difference between a takedown and a failed opportunity. Firefighters bodybuild to increase their stamina and their ability to carry hoses, equipment, and people. For many others, it’s simply about building self-esteem. It’s a healthy sport that can grow your confidence and well-being in addition to your size.
BREAKING DOWN – Bodybuilding
What your mental images denote is the competitive sport of professional bodybuilding, an enormous, billion-dollar industry that is generally more about physique than strength. Professional bodybuilding is an art form, perfected through years of heavy lifting, excellent nutrition, expert guidance and unwavering dedication. One of the most well-known body-builders of our times is Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-American who went on to become Governor of the State of California. Although prize-money can reach into the millions for elite competitions, making money from bodybuilding is incredibly difficult. Most athletes don’t make enough to live on, instead using it to supplement their income. In many cases, successful athletes live on sponsorships from gyms and supplement companies, and others get into the lucrative business of personal training.
