Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is more than just a sport or hobby; it is also a life changing activity. Bodybuilding can bring positive changes, such as confidence and a stronger and healthier physique, along with some negative affects.
The International Olympic Committee claims that bodybuilding is not a sport and therefore has no place in the Olympic Games.
Supplements and Muscle Enhancement
Bodybuilders consume a wide variety of drugs and nutritional supplements in the quest for the perfect physique. They take these substances to enhance muscle hypertrophy. Also, speed recovery
and prevent the effects of over training. Increase training intensity and aggressiveness, control fat, body water, and appetite.
Bodybuilding has become a very popular, high-profile sport. Several champions have become international film star. Many make a great deal of money endorsing sports supplements and other related products.
Numerous bodybuilding websites and magazines serve as promotional vehicles for many products of value to bodybuilding athletes. The most frequently promoted health benefit was muscle growth and fat loss.
The effects of the large variety and combination of supplements and drugs used in bodybuilding make it extremely difficult to determine the efficacy of these practices or predict their side-effects.
Many reports describe catastrophic side-effects from over use or performance enhancing drugs. Clearly the sport of bodybuilding has transitioned from the quest for a healthy, attractive looking body to one where muscle size and dangerously low body fat levels are the only goal.
Bodybuilders like to think that their chosen sport reflects who they are and the attributes of which we are blessed: strength, commitment, discipline, courage, passion and sacrifice. After all, does bodybuilding not require all of these things?
Working hard and sacrificing many of life’s simple pleasures to reach specific goals requires strength of character unparalleled in many other sports.
A competitive bodybuilder must balance many things to reach their physical targets while maintaining perspective if they desire to be psychologically and spiritually healthy also.
