Do you know how bodybuilding is practiced? If not, you’re in the right place to find out more about the activity! Basically, bodybuilding is a sport that goes far beyond lifting weights.
This is because it requires a lot of dedication, discipline and an unwavering commitment to physical and mental improvement.
To explain a little more about this sport, we’ve prepared an article that will show you some details about the training routine, how to prepare for championships and other essential aspects of this challenging ancient activity.
Check it out! 👇
How bodybuilding is practiced? Understand the training routine
For bodybuilders, the training routine is the central pillar for good performance. So, to succeed in this practice, it is essential to have a carefully planned combination of resistance exercises, cardiovascular activities and a specific diet to build muscle mass and reduce body fat.
Discipline is therefore essential, as athletes need to follow a strict training program, often dividing up the muscle groups on different days of the week.
In this way, they get adequate rest and recovery to do well in the sport. All this, of course, while maintaining motivation, hydration and health care, which must always be up to date.
Resistance exercises
Resistance exercises are designed to target specific muscle groups, using a variety of equipment such as dumbbell weights, weight machines and even your own body weight.
It is common for bodybuilders to perform sets and repetitions of each exercise, adjusting the load and volume according to their individual goals, after all, each athlete has a different body type and needs.
It is therefore essential for athletes to have the support of a specialized professional, such as a personal trainer or mentor, for example, who can help boost training results.
Now let’s talk about cardiovascular training! This type of exercise is crucial for burning fat and developing endurance. That’s exactly why activities such as running, cycling, swimming and jumping rope are part of a bodybuilder’s routine.
How bodybuilding is practiced: diets
Diet is also fundamental to understanding how bodybuilding is practiced. After all, these athletes need a balanced diet rich in proteins, which are extremely important nutrients for repairing and building muscles.
Bodybuilders can also follow a diet rich in lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and, of course, vitamins and minerals. Athletes also need to pay attention to the following topics:
Number of meals a day: a bodybuilder can eat five to seven meals a day, as this is the only way they can get the nutrients they need for their muscles;
Calorie control: the calorie intake of bodybuilders must also be regulated according to the needs of each athlete. While a calorie surplus is used for muscle gain, a calorie deficit is used for fat loss;
Adequate hydration: bodybuilders need to be well hydrated at all times, avoiding the consumption of sugary and alcoholic drinks. Drinking these liquids can be detrimental to athletes’ fitness goals;
Supplementation: in addition to a hard training routine and a balanced diet, many bodybuilders use nutritional supplements to ensure they get all the nutrients they need for training and muscle recovery.
How bodybuilding is practiced: preparing for championships
To understand how bodybuilding is practiced, we also have to talk about nutrition!
The bodybuilding championships will tell us whether the athletes’ preparations have paid off, acting as a final test of all the effort put in over months, or even years! So we know that training is not easy.
When it comes to choosing a championship to take part in, bodybuilders must take into account their level of experience in the sport and understand their competition category.
The categories of bodybuilding championships are diverse, starting with beginners and going up to professionals. Each of them has strict judging criteria, such as muscle size, muscle definition and proportion, which considers harmonization with the rest of the body.
After being selected for the championship, the athletes enter the pre-competition phase, or “pre-contest prep”. During this period, the bodybuilders adjust their training routine and diet in order to achieve the best physical shape by the day of the competition.
This preparation usually consists of reducing calorie intake, increasing cardio and weight training to help define the muscles.
The final phase before the championships is known as “Peak Week”. During this week, bodybuilders dedicate their time to improving their physical appearance, which is done by controlling their water and carbohydrate intake.
Then, on the long-awaited day of the championships, the athletes show off their muscle-bound bodies to the judges and an audience. In this presentation, the bodybuilders are evaluated on the following criteria: symmetry of the muscles, proportion, muscle definition, poses that most enhance the physique and overall presentation.
How bodybuilding is practiced: other aspects of the sport
For an intense training routine before participating in championships, bodybuilding requires some important issues. The main one is the support of an experienced coach or mentor.
This professional is essential for providing important guidance on training, diet and preparation for competitions! So here’s a tip for anyone who wants to enter the world of bodybuilding.
Rest and recovery are also important, as muscles need time to recover and grow after intense training. Finally, getting a good night’s sleep is essential for good health and performance.
Another important issue to address is the psychological one, and many bodybuilders also dedicate themselves to developing a resilient mindset. Discipline, determination and the ability to overcome obstacles are essential characteristics for achieving success in this sport that demands so much from the human body.
So, in order to better understand how bodybuilding is practiced, you need to understand that this sport is a lifestyle that requires commitment, many sacrifices and a great love of physical and brain improvement.
Through a consistent training routine and regular preparation for competitions, bodybuilders manage to transform their bodies into sources of strength and performance, as well as impeccable aesthetics.
Did you like learning more about how bodybuilding is practiced? To further your knowledge of this ancient and very interesting technique, keep browsing the site to find out much more about this and other sports!
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- What is the salary of a bodybuilder?
- Differences between bodybuilding and muscular training
- The greatest male bodybuilders in the world: meet the top names!
- The greatest female bodybuilders in the world: meet the top names!
