Competitive Bodybuilding and the Most Famous Bodybuilders of Our Time
By: Benedict Smythe
Submitted: 2008-10-31 06:05:46 | Word Count: 505
Bodybuilding is a method of maximizing muscle hypertrophy and a person who does bodybuilding is called a bodybuilder. Most people identify bodybuilding with competitive bodybuilding which is a type of sport. During such competitions, the bodybuilders display their tanned and oiled bodies to a panel of judges. These judges, in turn, give points based on the aesthetic appearance of the bodybuilder’s muscles.
A Professional Bodybuilder versus a Natural Bodybuilder
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A bodybuilder can only be tagged as a professional once he has earned a professional card from the IFBB and has also won qualifying contests as an amateur. As a professional, a bodybuilder will have the right to compete in contests such as the Arnold Classic and the Night of Champions.
When the contestant gets an award on the said competitions, he will be able to compete at the Mister Olympia competitions. This is revered to be the highest competition that any bodybuilder can ever join.
Natural contests for bodybuilders include the NPA or Natural Physique Association and the NANBF or North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation. Contests under this category always require tests for use of illegal substances such as anabolic steroids, diuretics, and pro hormone. Tests can be done with the use of urine samples yet, most of the time, only polygraph tests (or lie detector tests) are carried out.
Famous Bodybuilders
• Arnold Schwarzenegger—bodybuilder turned politician, Arnold had his first barbell in the year 1960. At 14, he decided to choose bodybuilding over his football career and his decision paid off. He was only 17 when he officially started his competitive bodybuilding career. And the rest, as they say, is history as he was also able to conquer the world of show business.
• Jay Cutler—won the much coveted Mr. Olympia title in 2006. During the competition, he announced that he only weight 286 pounds with only 3 of body fat. This is not a surprise as he started working at his family’s construction business as early as the age of 11. But it wasn’t until he was 18 years old that he began to do some serious training. The very first contest he won was in 1992 for the Gold’s Gym Worcester Bodybuilding Championships (second place). He was able to bag 3 consecutive years of the Arnold Classic (2002 2004) before he went on to compete in Mr. Olympia.
• Lee Labrada—is now better known as a fitness guru as he promises to deliver lean muscles with his Labrada Nutrition, Inc. Labrada has won 22 major titles before he competed in Mr. Olympia. Currently, he is a book author and the CEO of his own company.
• Rich Gaspari—was famous bodybuilder from the 80’s even up until the 90’s. Gaspari also started his own supplement company back in 1991. He also bagged many major awards before going away with the second place for Mr. Olympia in 1987.
These famous men have conquered other fields after they have proven themselves as worthy bodybuilders. Looking at their track records, it would be safe to say that healthy people not only live healthy but also wealthy lifestyles!
