Bodybuilding Research Paper
Bodybuilding is a process of developing muscle fibers through special muscle training exercises, increased calorie diet, and sufficient amount of rest. The sport is called Competitive Bodybuilding, where bodybuilders display their physical body to judges and receive points for their musculature appearance (Wikipedia, Bodybuilding). Many people believe that in the end of 20th and 21st century bodybuilders have formed a unique subculture with their own set of values, beliefs, traditions, etc. Now, bodybuilding is regarded as a life style, an attitude towards life, people, and the human physique. As a sport, bodybuilding started back in the 11th century in India. Back then the first dumbbells was created, and the first gyms were opened. The early period of bodybuilding, however, is considered not earlier than between 1881 and 1930 (Wikipedia, Bodybuilding). Eugene Sandow from Prussia, now referred to as “The Father of Modern Bodybuilding”, started promoting this type of sport in Europe. He was the first man to display his physique to live audiences in public performances. In those times, the male bodies were simply displayed during in strength demonstrations, and not for simple aesthetics. Wrestling matches were also a part of these performances (Wikipedia, Bodybuilding). Eugene Sandow later built several businesses upon the bodybuilding success in his early career, and the bodybuilding sport evolved. Machined dumbbells, spring pulleys and tension bands were also invented by Eugene Sandow (Wikipedia, Bodybuilding).
Ray 2 Sandow was a proponent of the so-called “Grecian Ideal”, which claimed that the perfect musculature of a human was close to the standards set by the Ancient Greek and Roman statues. Many bodybuilders strove to make their bodies close in appearance with the ideal (Wikipedia, Bodybuilding). Sandow also organized the first bodybuilding contest in 1901 in London, called the “Great Competition”. It was a great success, all tickets were sold
Cited: Wikipedia. Bodybuilding. The Free Encyclopedia. April 2006. Web. April 5, 2011 Berardi, John. Bodybuilding Subculture. Web. 20 March, 2011. Bodybuilding.com Cheeke, Robert. Bodybuilding Quotes. Web. 20 March, 2011VeganBodybuilding.com Kennedy, Robert. Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding. Mississauga, ON: Robert Kennedy Publishing, 2008. Print. April 10, 2011