Competitive Bodybuilding

Competitive bodybuilding has been around for a very long time and is a very popular sport with many competitions held all over the world.  These days, just about everything that anybody ever does, can be done competitively.  We live in a culture, largely promoted by television, where individuals are constantly pitted against their peers.  Whether you’re singing, dancing, showing off your general knowledge or balancing frogs on a pole, you can probably find a competitive forum for it somewhere.
 
Competitive bodybuilding is no exception and there are thousands of competitive bodybuilders, both amateur and professional, all over the world.  Body building is something that has clearly definable and measurable results. With its wide range of exercises and weights, it lends itself well to the competitive forum.  

There are competitions for the novice and the experienced bodybuilder.  Check the magazines and the Internet. There’s a host of information out there if you look for it.  It is important, especially in the early stages, that you do not set your sights too high.  Do not pit yourself against the hardened body builder.  You can become easily discouraged and, what’s more, suffer serious injury.   

Bear in mind that competitive bodybuilding is not for the shy, retiring individual.  You need to want to be out there, toning and flexing and confidently showing your ripped body.  You need to be happy posing in minimal clothing.  If you don’t feel comfortable with that arena, then maybe it’s not for you.  Then again, if you’re proud of your efforts and feel you’d like to display your prowess, why not?

Most areas have regional bodybuilding competitions, and if you do well enough there are many levels, allowing you to set your own targets and graduate in easy stages.

Bodybuilding and Alcohol

The Effects of Alcohol on Building Muscle Mass

You’ve been out for a few drinks with the lads and it’s come to their notice that you’ve been putting on a few pounds.  You’re developing a gut and it looks like you’ve eaten all the pies.  You decide that today is when you’re going to start building muscle mass and losing fat.  But, does bodybuilding and alcohol go together?  Will you still be able to enjoy a drink or two?

There’s a good reason why today may not be a good day to start.  Alcohol and body building do not mix.  That doesn’t mean to say that you have to give up drinking completely.  It just means that you need to regulate your drinking and plan your weightlifting exercise training sessions at times when you will not have alcohol in your system.  If you are going to drink, you should do it in moderation and not straight after a muscle mass workout session.

Alcohol has a specific effect on muscles.  It doesn’t reduce them but it prevents the muscles from getting the necessary support from the body which help them to recover from small tears and pulls.  The blood system carries oxygen and other natural resources to the muscles to fix injuries.  If the blood contains alcohol (which is a toxin) this system becomes less efficient.  Oxygen carriage is impeded so that you take longer to recover and your training, therefore, becomes less effective.  If you are returning to weight training without having totally recovered, you are more likely to injure yourself.

These small tears often occur without your even noticing.  The body, given the right conditions, is constantly repairing itself.  Alcohol in the system upsets the balance and will slow down the recovery process.  If you are going to have a drink, plan it just as you would plan your exercise regime.  For example, if you have a block of three days off in a row, day 2 is the best time to go for a drink or two so that you do not mix bodybuilding and alcohol.