Bodybuilders have evolved enormously since they first stood on stage, and this moving of goalposts has meant the criteria upon which they are judged has developed accordingly.
Gone are the days where these giants were assessed on athletic ability or their public speaking skills and character. Today’s contests are a pure physical trial, where each athlete is scrutinized on the overall excellence of their muscular development.
But how are these highly competitive events judged? And what qualities do bodybuilders need to impress with on stage?
The latter slice of the 20th century will live long in the memory for those who were around to witness it. We scratched our heads over the Rubik’s Cube, fanatically waved imaginary lightsabers and had our lives altered forever by the internet.
Meanwhile, another craze was erupting; bodybuilders were becoming larger than life, quite literally. Not only were they blowing up to sizes we couldn’t comprehend, but these outrageously proportioned athletes were becoming global icons.
This was the golden era of bodybuilding. But what happens when legends hang up their weightlifting gloves? Let’s take a glimpse into the lives of the most cherished iron men.
As another gruelling week nears its end, you look forward to escapism. The hard grind from work and the crazy gym sessions have left your battery down and in need of a fix.
That party, which has been long in the coming, is finally here and you intend to enjoy it to the max. But, before you turn up with a drink in hand, you’ll need to look the part.
Your mighty frame may give you a standout look—make sure it’s for the right reason. The sad fact is many bodybuilders get fashion wrong, and it’s often due to a badly fitted shirt.
The need for man to lift heavy objects and develop the body has been around for a tremendous length of time—an age where stone weights were the only way forward.
So, when you next step inside that hi-tech gym with machines beeping, flashing and vibrating, spare a thought for the hard toil of ancient bodybuilding. This public festivity of muscle development can be traced back to late 19th century Greek and Egyptian cultures.
But how did an activity that was first used to prime the human body for everyday life, turn into the ultra-competitive sporting event of today?
Perhaps you’ve just taken up a new sport but a scrawny frame makes competing tough, or maybe you’ve seen a bodybuilding contest and picture yourself posing in front of a crowd.
It could also be that you look in the mirror each day not liking the reflection. There are many reasons a person may turn to bodybuilding; whatever the motive, it comes down to the same principle—you want to build muscle.
The world of iron lifting can be daunting if you’re just starting, but get the basics right and you’ll be well-armed.
Perhaps you’ve just received an invite through the post; clutching it with eager hands you picture champagne glasses, stylish décor and joyful chatter. You can’t wait to greet the loving couple on their momentous day.
Then you look down at the hulking chest, arms and legs in front of you and a wave of panic sets in. Same problem, different event.
How on earth will you find wedding clothes that fit?
If you’ve spent countless years putting yourself through hell at the gym, you might be wanting to take things further and earn a genuine reward for all the muscle-tearing sessions.
Sure, you probably look and feel fantastic from your devotion to lifting weights and eating well; but for some, this isn’t enough. You’ve seen others prosper in this world of heavyweights and now you want a taste of the action.
A career in bodybuilding is your wish; you want that IFBB Pro card. But how do you go about getting it?
As a bodybuilder, you’ll likely spend a serious amount of time lifting weights and working on, what is, a genuine passion for perfecting your physique. If you’re a professional, you may already make a living out of this ongoing tough grind. However, most bodybuilders have other aspirations and dreams they’d like to complete during their lifetime. Many will have the talent and know-how to shine in the corporate world. But how can you truly fit in and look the part when your arms are like tree trunks?
If you’ve stepped into the world of serious bodybuilding, you’re probably aware of the challenge ahead. Whether you’re new to this body-sculpting art form or you regularly compete, there’s no doubt you’ll be searching for that little extra; an edge to propel yourself skyward. Ranking among the elite requires a meticulous diet, planned with the precision of a surgeon. And if you’re after impressive size, you’ll need high-quality supplements to add to an already exemplary regime. But with so many forms of bodybuilding supplements out there, where do you begin? Let’s look at your options if you’re aiming for the top.
Before beginning any exercise routine it is vital that you warm up. Spending about 5–10 minutes doing light exercises will ensure that blood is being moved around the body and your muscles have sufficient elasticity—crucial for preventing injury.
The session starts off with the arms by working on the biceps first before moving on to the triceps muscles. After annihilating your guns, the abdominal muscles will then be hit. Cardio will finish off this crushing session.
Perform each exercise for the specified sets and repetitions (4 x 10 means 4 sets of 10 reps). Take one-minute rests between sets and a two-minute rest between exercises.
There is an abundance of bad advice out there when it comes to growth of your arm muscles. Some passionately believe that you don’t need to train arms directly, as the biceps and triceps get ample workout from chest and back exercises. Others believe the secret to bigger arms is to train your legs right before. Unfortunately, if you rely on theories like this, you won’t be seeing big gains any time soon.
You must make arm workouts a priority if that’s the part you really want to grow. What that means is you don’t just fit in a few tricep exercises after a chest workout, or try to squeeze out some bicep curls having exhausted yourself with a pumping back routine. Arms must be worked out directly, while you're fresh and before any other exercise. Muscles which are worked on first in a routine will usually show quicker growth than those trained at the end.
If you were to ask an exercise novice which areas of their under-developed physique they forever dream of bettering; two parts would crop up more often than most—arms and abs. A thick set of guns underneath a short-sleeved shirt is a red-hot look. And the ultimate fitness statement?
That’s right, a hardened midsection which you’ll unhesitatingly let-loose on a splendid summer’s day. Now if you were to also ask a serious bodybuilder the same question, unsurprisingly, the answers will not differ much. A fantastic set of arms and abs have, and always will be in huge demand.
