The rules for competition include somewhat pedantic categories such as 'femininity.' The prize money is also a quarter of what male bodybuilders can win.



So Why Is Female Bodybuilding So Popular?

For many, the point is not to get as big as possible but to attain a level of fitness and strength not often seen in women. The challenge you present yourself, when as a women you decide to pursue a female bodybuilding style of exercise and development is probably a lot of the reason women do it.

To push yourself and attain such lofty goals even when not for competition is admirable. So, challenge to show that 'you can' and the real benefit of feeling toned and strong are the major drivers

Bodybuilding for Women - Myths Exposed

There are some myths that must be confronted about female bodybuilding.

The first myth is that exercise can increase chest size. Oh, if only that were true, all the plastic surgeons would be broke! But, it is not. Women's breasts are composed of fatty tissue for the most part so building muscle will not grow that part of the body.

Female bodybuilding myth #2, training with weights turns fat into muscle. This is not accurate. You can only burn fat through cardiovascular activity and you can only gain muscle by weight training. No doubt these will not be the only myths that need to be addressed in the future.

Male vs Female Bodybuilding - What Are The Differences?

Female bodybuilding is still an evolving sport that is fighting myths and perception problems. Unfortunately women cannot gain the kind of mass that men can due to women's inability to produce as much testosterone as men.

To gain the bulk needed to be competitive, alternative measures are usually taken. That's why anabolic steroids are a problem in female bodybuilding - a controversial topic we are sure to continue to hear more about.

No women should fear female bodybuilding. You need not look like the oversized competitive bodybuilders you see in picture or on tv. You can train hard with weights and sculpt your body how you want - it does not mean you even need to go beyond basic definition on your body.

Women need to remember that if they only do cardio their bodies burn both fat and muscle to use for fuel, so a weight training program, even if you are not interested in a female bodybuilding regime, can benefit you in and out of the gym.

Bodybuilding For Women - What's The Future?

There is clearly room for growth in the female bodybuilding industry. The competitions will begin to focus on the right things and the prize money will surely grow. There are many varying opinions out there about female bodybuilding, but you can't deny the drive and dedication women show when they train for competition.

It is impressive and many women would love to be able to do it - more and more are, every day.

For whatever reason some women catch the competition bug and others don't, but for those of us who don't, we can still, in our own way, participate for the good of our own fitness.