With the popularity of physique shows increasing and your average gym goer becoming more interested in bodybuilding & competing, there is a lot to be said for deciding to step on stage. It is not something that should be taken on lightly or without expert help & guidance both pre & post show. It is something that requires utmost dedication, commitment, and a very thick skin, not just a colourful bikini or posing trunks, grimaced faces & fake tan! Categories now range from women’s bikini (most natural looking) & fitness model to men’s height or weight class bodybuilding. These are what make up a show of competition and entertainment. Either way the ultimate goal is to build and sculpt your body into an ideal version of yourself which fits specific criteria within your chosen federation. Changing body shape and building muscle whilst also reaching a bodyfat target, just like an art. Many gym goers who lift weight are bodybuilders, just not all of them want to work to an extreme level or step on stage to be compared with others.
From the world outside of Bodybuilding it is looked upon as weird, odd & freaky. But inside the world of bodybuilding there is a community of likeminded people thriving to be something & achieve something others would or could never even contemplate. A passion for dedication & lots of blood sweat and tears are all required. The need to better themselves and hopefully come away with a prize is always at the forefront of a competitors mind.
I personally never realised the extent of dedication required, all that comes with those few minutes on stage to look your ultimate version of YOU! These days there are so many categories and various federations that it is accessible to so many, and no you don’t require a great deal of fitness knowledge. In fact if you have the right genetics, you could be at a great advantage of a head start.
The lifestyle changes are the key areas that lead to results and success for many. Not only for aesthetics but for their health inside and out, many dedicate their lives to the sport and generally what can come with that is a healthy relationship with clean food and regular exercise… sometimes taken to the extreme for these measures but then not many would choose to remain contest ready year round, Which is an unrealistic and unhealthy expectation anyhow. On the flip side, bodybuilders of all categories essentially follow a yoyo-styled diet mentality whereby they have the need to gain then lose weight over set periods of time and not always with their inner health in mind, not something true fitness professionals amongst them should promote to general clients. For some this can create a bad relationship with food or eating disorders but for many it can help them understand the importance of quality nutrients and fuelling the body for its needs and learning to listen to and truly understand the body.
For me personally, I have managed to improve my own health, aesthetics, mental attitude towards life & people around me through bodybuilding. Stepping on stage isn’t something I had or have planned to do religiously or forever but what it has taught me, the people it has led me to and the great relationships I have made will always remain and I am extremely thankful for that. There is a whole exciting world within this area of fitness, something definitely to be explored and experienced by those interested!!!