Bulging biceps, a washboard stomach and sinewy fore arms... do you dream of this too ? If the answer is yes, then you have joined the millions who dream of the perfect, sculpted body ! A body sculpted like that of a Greek God is one of the most important reasons, that make people around the world crave a membership in the creme of health clubs.



Body building forms the core of all healthy bodies. It is used both as a sport as well as a fitness option. Body building can be termed as the process of developing muscle fibre through the combination of weight training, increased calorie intake. Any person who engages in this, is called a body builder. The

early years of body building is generally considered to be the period between 1880 to 1930. It did not exist prior to that as the kind of body building we know, that is the art of displaying muscles and was first promoted by a Prussian called Eugen Sandow. He is generally referred to as the father of body building. He is credited as being the pioneer in the sport as he allowed audiences to view his physique in 'muscle display performances'. This was not the modern display of the physique but more of displaying via strength demonstrations or wrestling matches. Sandow later became so successful that he could create several businesses around this concept and was among the first to invent and sell exercise equipment for the masses such as machined dumbbells, spring pulleys and tension bands. Sandow was also a strong advocate of the 'Grecian Ideal' as this was equal to what was known as the 'perfect physique' and Sandow himself modeled his own on this line. The men participating in these contests were also judged on how closely they modeled themselves on the Grecian Ideal.

The first body building contest was organized by Sandow on 14th September 1901, called the 'Great Competition'. It was held in the Royal Albert Hall. Judged by eminent personalities of that time, it was a huge hit and a sold out success. The trophy presented to the winner was a bronze statue of Sandow himself and this tradition is still continued in the prestigious body building contest, Mr.Olympia. The period of around 1940 to 1970 is often referred to as the 'Golden Age' of body building because it saw an increase in the aesthetics for more mass and muscular symmetry. Th World War II played an important part as it inspired many a young man to be bigger, stronger and aggressive in their attitudes. This, they accomplished through improved training techniques, better nutrition and effective equipment which also led to the popularity of the sport. Body building also saw a surge from the 1970's and it was largely due to the publicity it got from Arnold Schwarzenegger and the 1977 movie, 'Pumping Iron'. It also led to the building of numerous organizations and contests with increased prize money.

Apart from being taken as a integral form of sport and fitness, the art and popularity of sculpting bodies also attracted the attention of women. In the 1970's women began to take part in competitions. Extremely popular in the initial years, the recent had shown a decline in competitive body building as in muscularity but had veneered more towards fitness in the case of women with weight training used more for fitness and shape.

Body building also requires a controlled diet along with the physical work out. A diet comprising of carbohydrates, proteins and other dietary supplements is a must for body builders depending on their body type. The high level of muscle growth and repair needed by body builders require a specialized diet. The food intake is generally split into 5 to 7 meals a day of roughly equal nutrition content. For enhanced growth and physique, certain body builders also resort to unnatural products and medicines and other malpractices which do the body more harm than good in the long run. Too much intake of dietary supplements also lead to undesirable results.

Hence, body building can be safely termed as an art, which requires both mental and physical levels of energy to build the perfect physique. Along with being a sport, body building also contributes to an individual's desire for fitness and creates a balanced and a regulated way of life !