Bodybuilding competition requires physical and mental discipline, attention to diet, training, nutritional supplements, and physical appearance. Nutrition is closely monitored, training requires lifting weights, and bodybuilders practice poses, apply tanning products, and choose posing outfits. Bodybuilders can choose from a variety of competition types, and the main focus of preparation is training. Nutrition is important, and many bodybuilders use a variety of nutritional supplements. As competition approaches, many bodybuilders change their diet and exercise routines to make drastic alterations in appearance.
Preparing for a bodybuilding competition requires a great deal of physical and mental discipline, and often the assistance of a nutritionist and fitness trainer. Bodybuilding is a sport that requires attention to diet, training, nutritional supplements, and physical appearance. Nutrition is closely monitored and typically involves eating large amounts of protein, vegetables, and unprocessed or “clean” foods, while limiting sweets and high-fat foods. The training requires hours of lifting weights in an effort to gain muscle mass. As competition day approaches, bodybuilders practice poses, apply tanning products, make travel arrangements, and choose posing outfits.
Depending on a bodybuilder’s goals, gender, body type, age, genetics, muscle symmetry, and interests, bodybuilders can choose from a variety of competition types. For both men and women, there are pro, amateur, teen, and natural bodybuilders who are not using steroids. Only for women there are fitness, figure and bikini competitions. As a rule, men and women do not compete with each other.
The main focus of a bodybuilder’s preparation is training. Bodybuilders exercise virtually every muscle group with weights several times a week. A typical training routine calls for lifting progressively heavier weights that work the muscle to failure, or until no more repetitions can be performed. During the six months to a year before a competition, training is focused on building as much muscle mass as possible. As competition approaches, cardiovascular training may be increased, or added if previously absent, to reduce layers of subcutaneous fat so that muscle striations are visible through the skin on contest day.
Nutrition is important when preparing for a bodybuilding competition. A bodybuilder’s diet is carefully balanced to provide more calories expended to gain muscle, but not as many calories gained from fat. Most bodybuilders eat extremely clean to feed the muscles with the necessary nutrients to support muscle growth. Protein is an important component of muscle. Many bodybuilders eat large amounts of protein that exceed the daily requirements when preparing for a bodybuilding contest in order to build as much muscle as quickly as possible while limiting fat intake.
Many bodybuilders use a variety of nutritional supplements and thermogenics, pills that some believe help speed up fat loss. Creatine is one of the most widely used supplements because research has shown that it helps build muscle faster than a placebo when taken in conjunction with a weight training program. Some other commonly used supplements are whey protein powder, because its protein is easily absorbed and used by the body, glutamine, essential fatty acids, and high protein bars and shakes.
Many use artificial tanners in the belief that a tanned body is more physically attractive to the judges. Presentation suits are selected and poses are practiced in the weeks leading up to the bodybuilding competition. Especially for women, the hairstyle and makeup are chosen carefully.
As bodybuilding competition approaches, many bodybuilders change their diet and exercise routines to make drastic alterations in appearance. Many of these last minute transformations involve extreme techniques that can only be sustained for days or hours. The purpose is to pump up the muscles so that the muscle mass appears larger than normal and the muscle striations are highly visible. Some of these techniques include restricting water, sodium, and carbohydrate intake to enhance muscle during competition in hopes of gaining the edge on the competition and gaining favor with the judges.
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