The Sport of Body Building: Wonders and Controversies
Bodybuilding is now considered to be a sport rather than just an act of vanity. Body sculpting has already been part of human existence since time immemorial. Since the Renaissance, there are already surges of men building their bodies into a specific proportion. It could be seen in their work of art, where bulk of muscle is associated to something that is beautiful. Today, bodybuilding is more than an act to reach the goal of reaching proportions for vanity sake. It has now developed into a sport that is recognized world wide.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been popularized by such sport. It was in his documentary film "Pumping Iron" where he took casual audience into the world of bodybuilding. It was the 1975 Mr. Olympia. Arnold Schwarzenegger battled rival Lou Ferigno, a young up comer who was 6'5 "of solid muscle mass in built.
Today, though decades have already passed since the docudrama of Schwarzenegger; bodybuilding is still alive and kicking. From the pros who compete in annual competitions like Mr. Olympia and Musclemania to the bodybuilding hobbyist who are dubbed as gym rats; the culture of machismo and perfection of the human body is getting more popular than ever.
In every fitness store you go to, you can not fail to notice the different brands of protein beverages used as supplements for those engrossed with bodybuilding, fitness sports and at times even combat sports. There are now different gyms that prosper in the different parts of the world making the sport even more accessible to many. Recently, after the fall of Iraq's Saddam Hussein, bodybuilding in their country has been open to the average Joe. During the time of Saddam Hussein, only the privileged could do bodybuilding in the gyms. But today, more kids are getting into the sport; either because for the love of it or because of the demand for bodyguards in Iraq.
Though how much popularity it is gaining today, there are a lot of controversies that has been circulating in their sport. The primary concern would have to be the use of anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids, unlike the circulating steroids normally secreted by our body, is synthetic. To put things into an easier perspective for non-medical readers, anabolic steroids or more commonly termed as "roids"; stimulates hormones to build muscles. Because of this relative advantage against "clean" bodybuilders, it has been termed as an open secret for the bodybuilding community. But the recent controversy with anabolic steroids has now been circulating even in the world of other sports such as baseball, boxing and more recently MMA.
Could it be that people's natural tendency to find a way to improve his physique taking its toll on us today? Could this simply mean that right diet, and a proper exercise program just will not do it anymore that professional bodybuilders are now relying on "roids" as a supplement to what they do; though steroid use has already been faced with different side effects including liver problems? What ever it could be, the sport of bodybuilding is here to stay; as our tendencies to make a bulkier male physique is an imprint to our genetics as human beings.
The Sport of Body Building: Wonders and Controversies by John Michael Jayme
