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Bodybuilding is the process of developing a muscular body through particular combinations of diet and physical exercise. The main form of exercise usually used in bodybuilding is weight training. And the diet generally consists of foods that are high in protein, as well as other vitamin and mineral supplements. The purpose of bodybuilding is to be able to display well-defined muscle tone and exaggerated muscle mass. This combined with detailed definition provides a complete aesthetic effect. Bodybuilding is also often done for competitive exhibition. The strategy in bodybuilding involves three main courses of action: Resistance weight training, specialized nutrition and adequate rest. Resistance weight training is important in achieving muscle growth, or hypertrophy, since it causes micro-tears to the muscles being trained. This is commonly referred to as micro-trauma. The micro-tears you receive in the muscles add to the soreness that you feel after exercise, or what is normally called delayed onset muscle soreness. The soreness typically becomes noticeable within a couple of days after workout. Repair to the micro-trauma will eventually cause muscle growth. Nutrition also plays a significant role in bodybuilding since bodybuilders need a specialized diet in order to achieve the highest levels of muscle growth and repair. In general, compared to an average person of the same height, a bodybuilder needs more calories above the maintenance level to be able to boost muscle mass. But the ratio of food energy that comes from proteins, carbohydrates and fats tend to differ, depending on the objective of the bodybuilder (whether it is for bodybuilding competition or not). As a sport, bodybuilding started in European theatrical and circus acts during the 19th century. But in was not until 1947, when they founded the first important international competition called Mr. Universe. Then this was followed by Mr. Olympia, which is an even more prestigious competition that began in 1965. The competition for women though, started in the 1970s. Since the beginning of bodybuilding contests, there has been a controversy regarding the use of steroids to enhance performance. Although the use performance enhancing drugs is common among bodybuilders, it is still generally illegal without prescription in many countries. Many bodybuilders opt to use these drugs in order to have an advantage in hypertrophy. Anabolic steroids and precursor substances like prohormones are used frequently in professional bodybuilding. The anabolic steroids result in muscle hypertrophy of types I and II of muscle fiber that are probably caused by an increased synthesis of muscle proteins. But steroid abuse comes with some negative side effects such as hepatotoxicity, acne, gynecomastia, male pattern baldness and even a temporary decline in the body’s testosterone production that can lead to testicular atrophy. Other specific drugs that might be used in bodybuilding are Growth Hormone and insulin. Compared to steroids, the Growth Hormone drug is more expensive. And although insulin is readily available, it can be fatal if it is not used properly. In addition to performance enhancing substances, another issue that is related to bodybuilding is the use of dietary supplements. Many bodybuilders consume different kinds of dietary supplements to help lose fat and build muscle. There are a lot of available products that can be helpful in increasing the rate of fat loss, enhancing muscle size, improving joint health and preventing probable nutrient deficiencies. Only a small number of commercially available supplements have been proven effective by scientific research. The most widely used is probably Creatine, and it is also perfectly legal. Creatine can be beneficial in bodybuilding since it provides more energy, which lasts longer during those brief and intense bits of workout. Another controversial issue that surrounds the bodybuilding workout routine is the fact that some people have intense opinions about what works and what does not. A particularly fine example is the issue regarding carbohydrate restriction. There are some people who believe that lessening carbohydrate intake will allow you to effectively drop weight. But others feel that this is not necessary at all. The truth is, both of these views are correct since weight loss actually depends on calorie restriction. A bodybuilder can cut calories not just from carbohydrates, but also from fat or protein, or even a combination of these. The important thing to consider in reducing carbohydrate intake is deciding whether which ones are the good carbohydrates and which are the bad ones. As a rule of thumb, anything white has been processed and have less nutrients and more carbohydrates, thus being considered as bad carbohydrates. Specific examples of bad carbohydrates are white bread, potatoes, ice cream and ‘fat-free’ foods. While foods that have good carbohydrates usually contain whole-grain ingredients. A less controversial issue is the over training. In bodybuilding, over training happens when the bodybuilder reaches the point where his workload goes beyond his recovery capacity. There is an ongoing argument that over training can be beneficial to those who are into bodybuilding. In a way it can be advantageous. Especially when a bodybuilder is intentionally over trained for a short period of time to be able to compensate during a regeneration period. This is referred to as “shock micro-cycles” and is commonly used when training Soviet athletes. The over training that happens in the majority of average bodybuilders is usually unintentional and totally unnecessary. Over training in bodybuilding normally occurs due to lack of sufficient nutrition, lack of recovery time between workouts, training at high intensity for a long period of time and also lack of sleep. There is also a myth concerning food intake during bodybuilding workouts. Usually, bodybuilders break up their food intake into five to seven meals a day, with roughly the same nutritional content. They believe that eating at regular intervals of between two to three hours will increase their basal metabolic rate, compared to having less frequent meals with equal amount of energy content. Research has debunked this bodybuilding myth. However, bodybuilders still practice this belief. It is really up to the person doing the bodybuilding to decide on what works best for them. 

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