Bodybuilding in Russia and the world - history and modernity

Bodybuilding or bodybuilding is the process of transforming the body through physical training. Literally translated from English, the word “bodybuilding” is “ body building ,” that is, continuous work on developing strength, endurance and muscle building. Athletes involved in bodybuilding take bodybuilding much more seriously. Building a beautiful and sculpted body for them is a special ideology and leading a certain lifestyle.

Bodybuilders or bodybuilders are athletes who constantly perform exercises with various types of weights. They believe that bodybuilding is a whole life philosophy, and not just a sports discipline. A clear testimony to these words are the millions of people who engage in bodybuilding. The number of professionals competing in competitions is significantly smaller, but this does not affect the popularity of the sport.

What is bodybuilding?

Bodybuilding - (from the English bodybuilding - bodybuilding) - the process of body transformation, mainly due to muscle hypertrophy and reduction of fat deposits.

As a sport, bodybuilding has its own competitions, during which participants demonstrate their physique to the judges, for which they, in turn, assign a certain number of points.

The main idea of ​​bodybuilding is that every person, by working on himself, can build the body he dreams of.

The origins of bodybuilding lie in weightlifting, but unlike this sport, a bodybuilder does not care how much weight he lifts. But it matters how the working weight affects the appearance and proportions of the body, how much he was able to work large and small muscles, how prominent and voluminous they are, what is the ratio of fat and muscle tissue in the body.

To achieve significant results in bodybuilding, training alone is not enough; the athlete must pay special attention to his regimen: he must get enough sleep (at least 8 hours of sleep at night), maintain a certain diet, take nutritional supplements, and give his muscles enough time to recover.

In modern bodybuilding, the problem of doping is acute. Many athletes, both professionals and amateurs, risk their health and start taking steroid drugs for quick and impressive results.

However, anabolic steroids should not be confused with nutritional supplements, which contain vital nutrients that every athlete needs so that the body can cope with heavy loads and recover effectively.

Conditions for muscle growth

Workouts and exercises in the gym.

Proper nutrition is necessary for muscle recovery and growth.

Good and healthy rest and sleep.

➞ Effective exercises for training your back

Workouts for muscle growth

All people are the same from a physiological point of view regarding bodybuilding. The principles of training methods are the same for everyone and have been proven.

However, people who are the same physiologically and anatomically can have muscles that are different in composition. Muscle fibers are divided into “white” and “red”. The former are responsible for short-term maximum load, the latter, on the contrary, for endurance and the possibility of long-term work.

People's muscles can vary greatly in the ratio of muscle fibers. In this regard, successful training methods for two equally built athletes can be completely different. It is through trial and error that you can achieve maximum results and become a bodybuilding star.

Proper nutrition for muscle growth

High rates of muscle recovery and growth require bodybuilders to follow a specialized diet . Generally speaking, bodybuilders require more calories than the average person of the same weight to provide protein and energy for training, recovery, and actual muscle growth.

Reducing the level of dietary energy received in combination with cardiovascular exercise allows bodybuilders to lose excess fat, which is important in preparation for various competitions. The ratio of dietary energy obtained from carbohydrates, proteins and fats can vary depending on the bodybuilder's goals.

Meals for bodybuilders

An average person needs to eat three times a day for proper nutrition. Bodybuilders try to eat 5-7 times with an interval of 2-3 hours .

This method helps achieve the following goals:

1. increases the metabolic rate in the body;
2. eliminates excessive insulin secretion, which is caused by a large and one-time meal.

➞ Running program. How to start running correctly

Proteins for muscle growth

Protein is the main building material for muscle growth. It is the main nutritional component in the diet of bodybuilders. A bodybuilder needs more protein than an ordinary person.

The required amount of protein for muscle growth per day:

1. With moderate exercise: 1.5-2 grams of protein per kilogram of weight;
2. When increased loads and constant training: 4 or more grams of protein per kilogram of weight.

In this case, protein should make up 25-30% of the total calorie intake.

Main sources of protein:

1. eggs;
2. meat - chicken, turkey, pork, beef, lamb, fish;
3. legumes and nuts;
4. high protein dairy products. For example: cottage cheese.

To provide the necessary amount of protein to their body, many bodybuilders use essential protein supplements in their diet, such as whey protein and casein.

More about proteins

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates in bodybuilding are an uncompetitive source of energy. The physiological tone of the bodybuilder and the success of his training depend on them. It is necessary to increase carbohydrate intake when gaining muscle mass, during intense training and heavy loads.

If, on the contrary, it is necessary to reduce body weight, due to excess weight, it is advisable to reduce the amount of carbohydrates, as well as fats, to a minimum.

➞ Article about carbohydrates

Rapid muscle growth is impossible without rest

Although stimulation of muscle growth occurs in the gym due to weight training, muscle growth itself occurs during rest , the main peak of growth is in the first 40-50 minutes after training, and lasts several hours. At this time, the body simply needs protein!

Without adequate rest and sleep, muscles do not have the opportunity to repair and grow.

The average required amount of sleep for bodybuilders for full muscle growth should be 7-8 hours. However, there may be exceptions when 5 hours or less is sufficient.

Overtraining

Too little rest between workouts or too much load leads to overtraining . If you start your next workout without sufficient rest, fatigue will accumulate and progress in muscle growth or strength will disappear if the goal is heavy weights.

It is important to find the right period and start gradually. There are examples when people need up to 9 days of rest. On average, you can start with 2-3 workouts per week.

Some professional bodybuilders have up to six workouts per week, 1-3 workouts per day.

➞ Effective exercises for a slim body

From the history of bodybuilding

Three key milestones determined the development of this sport in the last and current centuries.

The Beginning - Eugene Sandow

The first person who began to develop serious training programs was Eugene Sandow, he is called the “Father of modern bodybuilding.”
The most honorable award for a professional bodybuilder - the figurine of the winner of the Mr. Olympia competition - depicts precisely the pioneer of modern professional bodybuilding. Eugene Sandow, a native of Germany, began his career by demonstrating power tricks to the public. However, over time, he realized that it was not only the weight he could lift that was important, but also the beauty of his body.

He developed harmonious, powerful muscles and based his performance program on imitating the poses of ancient sculptors, demonstrating his muscles. Eugene took this show all over Europe and America.

In England, he created a network of athletic clubs, published a specialized magazine, produced training manuals, published his training programs, and in 1901 held the first bodybuilding tournament. He was even appointed personal trainer to King George V of England.

Eugene Sandow died in 1920, according to the official version, as a result of a stroke.

New Level - Wider Brothers

At the time when the Wider brothers entered the game, bodybuilding did not stand still, it had already reached a certain level: training manuals appeared, specialized magazines were published, gyms were opened, and competitions were held.

However, the brothers were able to take bodybuilding to a new level. It is with their name that the creation of the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) in 1946 and the beginning of the most prestigious competition among professional bodybuilders, Mr. Olympia, are associated.

It was thanks to the Weider brothers that Arnold Schwarzenegger, a bodybuilding legend who became Mr. Olympia seven times, came to America from Austria.

The story of Joe Weider, perhaps a key figure in the popularization of modern bodybuilding, a commercially developed industry with millions of fans, can be seen in the following video.

Modernity - World of Professionals

According to unofficial data, today there are about 300 professional bodybuilders in the world (to get a professional card, you need to win an international competition).

Each professional is assigned to a federation, which pays him money for training and competing.

Only professional members of the IFBB can participate in the Mr. Olympia competition. In addition, members of this organization are not allowed to take part in competitions organized by other associations.

The International Bodybuilding Federation holds competitions among professionals in various categories:

• Mr. Olympia (male bodybuilding),
• Miss Olympia (women's bodybuilding),
• Fitness Olympia (women's fitness) and
• Bodyfitness Olympia (women's bodyfitness),

In which the winners of intermediate competitions in the relevant categories participate.

Arnold Schwarzenegger holds competitions every year:

• Arnold Classic (men's bodybuilding),
• Miss International (female bodybuilding),
• Figure International and
• Miss Fitness International.

Also popular are the Mr. Olympia for Veterans competitions (for bodybuilders over 40 years old) and the Night of Champions.

Female bodybuilders are more like males

When it comes to weight gain, men and women look at things differently: men make every effort to add an extra kilogram, but women, on the contrary, are afraid of becoming too big. An interesting fact is that the female body, by its nature, is much less inclined to form new muscle mass than the male one, due to the fact that the production of testosterone, the male hormone, is negligible in women, and it is this hormone that is responsible for muscle growth. Therefore, in this regard, men are simply unattainable for women and girls. But becoming slimmer, fitter and correcting your figure is absolutely possible, and there is nothing supernatural about it. Many people are frightened by photographs of bodybuilding champions, since in them the women look too big and sculpted. You just need to know that just before the competition, the contestants remove excess water from under the skin and practically reduce the fat layer to zero, in accordance with the requirements of the competition. In ordinary life, such women can give a head start to many in matters of femininity, attractiveness and sexuality.

Now, having a sufficiently large amount of information on the issue of bodybuilding, you can draw your own conclusions and understand that a beautiful body is an important step towards personal harmony and perfection. You may not have the desire to immediately go and start training, but the understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle will be strengthened in your mind and heart.

"Mr. Olympia"

The first annual international competition among professional bodybuilders, Mr. Olympia, was held in 1965 in New York. The first winner in the history of these competitions was Larry Scott (he received the title of Mr. Olympia for the second time in 1966).

Arnold Schwarzenegger won 7 Olympia statuettes from 1970 to 1980, his record was broken by Lee Haney, the “Black King of Bodybuilding,” who became an 8-time Mr. Olympia champion.

Also follows: Dorian Yates - “British Hippo” won 6 Olympia titles (1992-1997).

He was replaced by Roney Coleman, who has now won this international competition eight times, but surpassing Lee Haney's achievement already seems unattainable. In 2022, Shawn Rhoden became the new champion.

Winners of the competition and the number of their victories throughout history:

And the fight for the main prize in bodybuilding is only getting tougher every year.

Competition rules

Participants compete in several weight categories. As a rule, these are weights with limits of up to 65 kg, up to 70 kg, up to 80 kg, up to 90 kg and over 90 kg. The competition is divided into several days. On the first day, there is a demonstration of seven poses of the upper muscular corset: shoulders, arms, abs, back. The athlete has no more than 5 seconds to prepare the pose. The position is changed upon the judge's signal. If a participant takes a long time to prepare or changes his position earlier than expected, his score in the overall standings decreases.

On the second day, bodybuilders perform various exercises accompanied by music, and the overall impression and correct technique are assessed. Based on the results of the competition, the judges give scores and reward the winners.

Women's bodybuilding

Women's bodybuilding as an independent discipline began to develop at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1965, the first Miss Universe competition was held, and in 1980, the Miss Olympia competition.

The first record for the number of victories in the Miss Olympia competition was set by 6-time winner of the statuette Cori Everson. Only Lenda Murray was able to overtake her, who climbed to the top of Olympus 8 times (last time in 2003).

21st century trends indicate a decrease in interest in female bodybuilding, so financial support from sponsors is also moving downward. In recent years, the popularity of fitness competitions has grown rapidly.

These changes have even encouraged four-time Ms. Olympia Kim Czyzewski to lose muscle mass and switch to fitness competitions.

Competition classification

All competitions are divided by type and status. By type they are classified into:

• Personal (applies to an individual athlete, he alone is awarded all points and awards).
• Individual-team (the competition is held between teams of bodybuilders who took 1st to 10th places and brought points for calculation to each group of participants).

At the end of the individual-team competition, three winning teams are determined and awarded titles and prizes.

Judging system

A jury member is an impartial judge of the competition who is selected by the competition organizer to comply with the rules and regulations. The judge must be an expert in the sport and must have been trained and qualified before the competition.

The full composition of the jury is approved by the federation or also by the organizer of the event. The main panel of judges consists of:

• chief judge (controls all members of the jury, it is his opinion that is decisive, he is responsible for maintaining order and regulations);
• deputy judge (follows the instructions of the chief judge, and if he is absent, then performs his direct duties);
• chief secretary (manages the work of the secretariat, controls document flow, calculates points);
• deputy secretary (replaces the chief secretary in his absence, prepares awards for the winners).

The chief judge resolves all conflict situations, checks the competition venue for compliance with fire safety rules, and inspects inventory and equipment. He has the right to decide to stop the athletes’ performance if an unforeseen situation occurs; makes changes to the competition schedule, removes jury members from judging if they do not fully fulfill their duties; at the end of the performances, announces the results, and can also impose sanctions on participants and coaches.

If the competition has an international format and a large scale, then there may be several deputy judges. The deputy monitors how sanitary and hygienic requirements are observed at the competition and provides technical specifications containing information on how to conduct performances. His responsibilities also include preparing the venue for performances: designing advertising, purchasing office supplies for judges, preparing the stage and utility rooms.

The chief secretary must be proficient in computer programs and prepare documents before the start of the competition for jury members and team representatives. The secretary also compiles a list of participants and the judging panel, prepares diplomas and awards for winners and prize-winners; controls the results produced by the computer and contacts the press center.

The panel of judges includes:

• Judge-commentator (announces poses during bodybuilders’ performances, if necessary, informs the public, conducts the award ceremony);
• Music judge (collects sources with musical accompaniment from team representatives, checks sound quality, controls the order of performances);
• A judge for the participants (responsible for drawing lots and awarding, assists doctors if injuries occur);
• A judge on the refereeing team (has the right to remove anyone from the team from duties if he does not comply with the rules or dress code).

Before the start of any competition, a meeting is held where technical issues are discussed and judges are appointed. Judges must wear clothing according to the dress code: gray trousers or skirt, white blouse or shirt, tie or scarf, and, if necessary, a blue jacket. It is mandatory to have a referee badge on the left side of the shirt or jacket.

Prohibited tricks

When an athlete is on stage, he is prohibited from:

• chew candy or gum;
• use doping;
• bring props that have not been approved by the competition organizer, as this may disrupt the order, require cleaning, or harm other participants in the competition.

When preparing for a performance, you should not use lotions with shiny particles or tanning creams that add shine to the skin. Regular “care” creams are allowed, but not body oils.

Performance evaluation system

Each jury member is based on the criteria for evaluating the participant in body proportion and symmetry, muscle balance. So, the judge places the contestants on the list, with the one who, in the expert’s opinion, should be the winner, in first place, and then in descending order of points. After this, the scores of all judges are summed up, the arithmetic average is allocated and the bodybuilders are awarded prizes.

In the demonstrated poses, the jury member first evaluates the muscle group that is being emphasized, and only then evaluates the entire physique. It is important that there is relief, that the right and left sides, muscle density and volume are symmetrical. Each muscle group is taken into account: neck, chest, shoulders, arms, abs, waist, hips, calves, legs. If the pose is from behind, then the muscles of the back, buttocks, and back of the thighs are also assessed.

The jury values ​​a harmonious appearance, when all muscles are equally pumped, there is beautiful posture, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and body proportions are maintained. Judges reduce points for tattoos, skin rashes, unkempt hair, legs, hands and nails, and plastic surgery.

Athletes are graded on a ten-point scale, where the highest points - from 8 to 10 - are given for each position separately, and are summed up at the end of the competition.

Equipment

The costume for the competition must meet certain requirements. Men usually perform in neutral-colored swimming trunks. Swimming trunks made of brocade or lurex are prohibited.

Women perform in a two-piece swimsuit and high-heeled shoes. The color of the swimsuit can be any, the main thing is that the chest and half of the buttocks are covered; Thong swimsuits are strictly prohibited. In fitness, when demonstrating a free program, a dance costume is also implied, but there are no strict requirements for it.

Admission to competitions

Only those bodybuilders approved by a special commission are allowed to perform. First of all, an application for participation must be submitted and a medical certificate stamped by a doctor must be provided. Only after a medical examination is the diagnosis given. The application for participation is sent to the federation or organizing committee by mail no later than three weeks before the competition. A certified application with a mark and seal from the doctor is submitted until the day of the performance.

Bodybuilders draw lots, after which they are assigned certain numbers under which they will perform and be listed on the lists of the judges. As soon as the admission committee completes its work, a meeting is held for the participants and jury members, at which detailed useful information about the performance is provided.