Competitive Bodybuilding: Historical Landmarks

By Courtney Hayes

"Strong Man Acts" moved to North America in the 1800's and are credited with inspiring what is known today as bodybuilding. In that day, a strongman meant someone who displayed his physical prowess, ordinarily as a circus stunt man. If you wanted to see a strongman performance, including bench pressing, steel bending and breaking iron chains, you would have to go to the circus. In the 19th century you could purchase pictures of many of the well known strongmen of the time, bodybuilding did not exist yet, however it did not stop them from flexing and posing for pictures. Today, the word "strongman" is associated with contestants in various contest of strength. (rock lifting, pulling or towing large trucks etc).

Bodybuilding is the process of developing muscle fiber and physique through a combination of exercise (primarily working out with weights) dieting as well. However, not every bodybuilder is in it for the competition. This sport involves displaying pronounced muscle tone, exaggerated muscle mass and muscle definition before a panel of judges, who assign points to competing bodybuilders based on their aesthetic appearance.

The relatively new sport of competitive bodybuilding are presented below,the principal landmarks in the development of it.

* Although two weightlifting events were included in the first modern Olympics of 1896, contemporary bodybuilding really began with a Prussian by the name of Eugene Sandow who invented many present day bodybuilding techniques as well as many of the first exercise equipment for the masses (tension bands, machined dumbbells etc).

* Sandow put together the very first bodybuilding contest called the Great Competition in September of 1901, staged at London's Royal Albert Hall. The Great Ziegfeld, tells some of the story of the beginning of modern bodybuilding and the 1936 Oscar winning film, Sandow's manager was Florenz Ziegfeld.

* During Sandow's time, the Grecian Ideal was a term used to describe the perfect physique as represented in the classical proportions of ancient Greek and Roman statues. Competitors were scored based on how closely they matched these proportions during the early days of competitive bodybuilding. Sandow used these standards to develop his own physique.

* Sandow's counterpart in North America was a man named Bernarr Macfadden. Macfadden put forth a great deal of effort to increase his strength (he was not healthy during childhood), and began by offering fitness apparatus for sale. He also advocated women's physical fitness (this was considered a great new idea at the time). The first publication of his "Women's Physical Development" magazine arrived in 1900. It was renamed Beauty and Health shortly thereafter. Macfadden set up several healthatoriums (institutes that offered courses in physical fitness) throughout the eastern as well as midwestern parts of America.

* The first bodybuilding competition of this kind was put on by Macfadden on January 16, 1904 in the U.S at Madison Square Garden, New York City. Two of the terms used to describe it were Physique Contest and Physique competition (other than weight competitions, strength exhibitions or athletic feats) this was the main focus point of the show. Al Treloar, who was announced The Most Perfectly Developed Man in the World, won. The notable Charles Adams in 1921 and 1922 acquired fame as did other several participants in later Macfadden bodybuilding competitions.

* The first major international bodybuilding competition was the Mr. Universe contest, founded in 1947, followed by the Mr. Olympian contest that was in 1965.

The period between 1940 and 1970 is known as the Golden Age of bodybuilding because this is when the criterion of more muscle mass was added to the ideal bodybuilder aesthetic, along with the existing criteria of muscular symmetry and definition. World War II is often sited as the chief reason towards the growth of larger, powerful, boldly assertive attitudes. The 1977 film, Pumping Iron, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger also gave bodybuilding added publicity.

* Bodybuilding competitions for women began in the 1970s (however a small number of ladies had been participants in previous competitions put together by Macfadden in America)

* The International Olympic Committee granted provisional status to the sport of competitive bodybuilding in 1998 but has not yet approved it.

* With advancements in technology, bodybuilders are more massive today than they have ever been. Many competitors in today's bodybuilding competitions weigh over 250 pounds and have less than 5% body fat. - 17273

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To learn the latest Body Building Exercises now and to be able to read Body Building Tips by experts.

The Best Weight Lifting Exercises For Your Neck

By Westy

A common difference between a bodybuilder who's been at it for a while, and a bodybuilder who's getting big, but not THAT big, is that the neck is much more developed. Growing a thick and strong neck can help prevent injuries when lifting heavier weights during the major comprehensive exercises like behind the neck press and bench press.

The most common exercise to develop your neck muscles is the shrug. There are a few variations to the shrug, but it is as it suggests. You shrug your shoulders.

You can do the shrug using dumbells, or a barbell. And surprisingly you can often lift a fair bit of weight doing this exercise too. It's only got a short range of motion so you don't have to really do all that much work. It's easy to do the shrug, just grab the weight, hold near your waist and shrug your shoulders like you don't give a damn. Lift them, up, then down slowly. The control of this exercise is important.

You can develop loads of strength by working with your ideal weight rep range between about 5-7. But be careful. You should make sure you're well warmed up before you start. Even before you attempt to find out what your best rep range is, you should do a couple of workouts using less weight. This is because the neck is a horrible place to get an injury. Just be careful if you've not done much neck work before. Injury in this area is the last thing you need.

There are other exercises that you can perform for your neck that work quite well. You should keep to the simpler exercises when you are just starting working on your neck muscles.

It's called the Weighted Neck Flexion and it goes like this:

1. Take your weight plate and wrap it up in a towel.

2. Lay on a bench with your head sticking out over the end (this is the professional description! haha)

3. Put the plate on your forehead and use your hands to support the weight.

4. Lift up your body in a movement similar to a situp, bring your chin to your chest.

5. Lower your body until you are back to the original position.

6. Continue until you are done.

Do this exercise in reverse on your stomach.

There are many exercises that can be used to strengthen your neck muscles. You can even use your own body to perform a simple exercise when you are trying to increase the strength. Place your hand on one side of the head and push your head in the opposite direction against your hand. You will find that this is a great way to start off with neck exercises. Do not attempt a neck bridge unless you have been working the neck muscles for some time. Most of the people who use this exercise do so because there is a need such as for wrestling or martial arts.

The neck is a small part of your upper body workout. When you are working on the strength of your upper body you should make sure to include your neck in the workout. You will find an improvement in your upper body workout when you include the neck muscles in your program. - 17273

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Westy's Workouts provides you with the best natural bodybuilding and weight lifting advice on the internet. Find Building Muscle Secrets for growing strong FAST at Building Muscle Tips. Your SIZE depends on it!

Best Acai Berry Products

By Micheal Vincent

There are very few foods in the world that can claim to be superfoods. Superfoods must have many more benefits besides just providing enough calories and some nutrition. However, there are some foods that are able to be elevated to superfood status because of the incredible benefits they can deliver.

Acai berry is one of these foods. With its ability to do everything from increase weight loss to fighting off disease, acai berry can provide you with better health without any effort.

What makes Pure Acai Berry such an incredible food is the fact that its nutritional content is as close to perfect as possible. First of all, it is absolutely filled with antioxidants. Click here to find more information about Best Acai Berry Product.

As you probably know, antioxidants are necessary for slowing down the effects of aging and for fighting disease. The berry also has monounsaturated fats, which are the healthy type also found in olive oil.

Fiber and phytosterols are also part of the package, as is a well balanced amino acid complex. In all, this food is a very complete way of getting energy, nutrition, and antioxidants all in one package.

Because of its extremely complete nutritional content, the acai berry has the potential to provide tons of benefits for your body. Among the most popular reasons for people to use the product are to increase energy, maintain better health, and to lose weight.

You can expect to have more energy when you use the acai berry because of its combination of carbohydrates and fats and its high concentration of antioxidants. All of these things combined make it a very good source of energy and a great way to increase your stamina during the day. Because you are likely to feel and be healthier while taking it, this will also increase your energy.

The antioxidant levels of this berry are more than five times as high as in blueberries and other such foods. This makes them very powerful in terms of fighting aging and bodily damage. Many people rely on this berry to fight off the free radicals that can be implicated in everything from cancer to wrinkles.

Antioxidants have the amazing power to neutralize free radicals, which can help you feel younger and healthier than ever before. By using foods with high levels of antioxidants, you can experience great health and fend off the damaging effects of pollution, UV light, aging and more.

Pure Acai Berry can also help you with your weight loss goals as it has the ability to help your body burn fat more efficiently and to increase your metabolism. In addition, because it can help your body work more efficiently in general, you can expect losing weight to be easier.

For instance, the ability of the berry to increase your stamina will make it easier for you to exercise, and the berries perfect amino acid complex will allow your muscles to function properly during exercise. The berry even provides digestive support so that you can use your food more efficiently.

The benefits of the acai berry are hard to beat and it is a great addition to any diet. Since it is not a local crop, the best way to get the benefits of this berry is in the supplement form offered by Pure Acai Berry.

Since this is the most concentrated and purest way of getting the incredible benefits of this berry, you will be able to reap the benefits of this berry much sooner. Begin now and you can even get a Free Trial of Pure Acai Berry to see the benefits for yourself! Click on Best Acai Berry Product to find out more. - 17273

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Looking to lose weight? This article is for consumers looking for information on Acai Berry Diet and Acai Berry Promotional Offer. - From Micheal Vincent, your Health&Fitness Expert.

What are the Alternative Treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

By Michael Byrd

Have you ever experienced a feeling of being so tired all the time? You could be having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There are more than a million Americans who have this debilitating disease and around 80% of them are not even aware that they have such condition, according to a study conducted by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Do you think you are one of them?

But then again, you or someone you care for may already be diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). For me, the best way to begin overcoming this problem is through the use of highly potent alternative treatments.

You cannot necessarily have CFS just because you get tired often. Dr. Julie Gerberding, CDC director, explains that symptoms of profound exhaustion, problems with concentration and sleep can differentiate a simple case of exhaustion from CFS. Symptoms of pain in the joints and muscles, headaches, flu-like symptoms and sore throats and tender lymph nodes are also manifested.

Dr. Gerberding has also specified that CFS symptoms are more or less similar to diseases that cause fatigue. Such diseases include Fibromyalgia, chronic mononucleosis, neurasthenia, encephalomyelitis and multiple chemical sensitivities. A poor diet is of course a very big factor for frequent fatigue, but there are also some other health problems that may be a factor to fatigue, such as improper digestion, allergies to food, obesity, tension, depression, sleep problems, alcohol, smoking and drug addiction.

The feeling of physical and mental fatigue brought about by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be very difficult to the extent that it prevents a person from doing things that they normally do from day to day. No amount of rest can be sufficient to make them feel better. However, some basic lifestyle changes and a diet consisting of whole food nutrients may be implemented to help prevent and even reverse CFS symptoms.

Initially, a switch to a diet that is more wholesome, particularly one that includes a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains is advised. As a source of protein, cold water fish that is high in omega-3 oils and lean, free ranging poultry may be used. Adequate amounts of pure and clean water is also needed, while processed, salty and sweet foods need to be avoided. The diet should be restricted of sugar, alcohol, coffee, tea, sodas, and fruit drinks. If you happen to be a smoker, quit now.

Start looking for ways to make your life stress free and make sure you get adequate rest. It can also help if you begin to exercise regularly. Though it may seem to look impossible, but exercise can relieve you of stress and it plays a very important role in your alternative therapy. Take is slow. Do not be too hard on yourself. Gradually move up with patience in obtaining your goal.

Even if you do all of the things that you must do, you may seem to fall short of the nutrients that you get from the food that you eat. The CDC recommends that you include supplements in your diet. I would recommend the use of natural, whole food supplements which includes essential oils that is important for a healthy body.

I have time and time again seen how these alternative treatments have worked wonders for those having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia or simply tiredness. The results have actually been amazing for those who followed all the guidelines. They just felt better and have started to have fun and bid goodbye to fatigue. - 17273

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To get all the latest news about omega 3 fatty acids, be sure to visit us at the fish oil website.

Is There Such a Thing as Burpless Fish Oil Pills?

By Michael Byrd

Yaiks! Who would want to take burpless fish oil capsules?

Majority of people would prefer eating great tasting tuna sandwiches or fancy trout over taking pills that contains high amounts of fish oil, because of the strong fishy belch that it gives.

The taste of raw fish that people get from these pills makes them refuse to take such pills, and it is such a shame!

Nonetheless, this problem has an easy solution.

But in reality, it has nothing to do with the capsules, but you. So you should not worry because the only solution is to fix yourself.

And take note that searching for burpless fish oil pills will only fail you. Products that are sold as "burpless" may not be able to give you the exact supply of fatty acids that you need or they just masked the fishy taste with citrus.

Take note that substandard omega 3 products use this as a gimmick.

If you should continuously belch the taste of fish oil after taking it, it can be the body's way of signaling that something is wrong in your stomach.

Should this happen, try to eat a whole food diet (this can provide you with more enzymes), eat your meals regularly, and try to cut down on coffee. Also try to drink sodas for a better digestion.

Quiet a number of people burp fish simply because they do not have enough intake of fish.

The human body can really be complex. The moment you stop eating fish regularly, your body also ceases the production of enzymes essential in fish digestion.

The moment you start consuming fish again on a regular basis or just take in fish oil capsules, the body produces those enzymes and you eliminate the burps in no time.

A period of 3 to 4 days is you need to begin noticing changes. This is the stage where you have to "get over it and take it anyway".

Alas, some people may have problems producing the enzymes because of a pre-existing condition. It can really be a cause for inconvenience, luckily though, the condition isn't life threatening.

Luckily, there is still hope for those having this problem with the use of the "freezer" method. It is a very simple method and can work for anyone who tries it.

Place the capsule in a freezer and take it just before you get to bed. So you will not fail to remember taking the pill, place the empty bottle in a place that you can see before you sleep.

You can keep on looking for that burpless fish oil fish as much as you want to, but be reminded that what you will find will only be fish oil that falls short of giving you the health benefits you need.

Outstanding health benefits but burpless may be an impossible combination. You can use mints to relieve you of the after-taste as you start drinking good quality fish oil capsules. There is no need to worry though.

In just a couple of days, you will be burpless and feeling great! - 17273

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Finally! The whole unbiased truth about omega 3 fish oil exposed. You owe it to yourself to visit the omega 3 information site and get the facts today.

Infos - Fitness Magazines

By Marc Bauer

With the concept of staying fit and healthy dominating the society today, how hard you should be pushing yourself depends on your level of fitness and your health history. You can kick off with your doctor's recommendation regarding optimal heart rate target for working out based on these factors.

On the other hand, you may start reading fitness magazines in order to entice you to start toning those thighs and biceps and have beautiful abs that can be very amusing to the others.

Since a appearance of a copy technology, copy has been a consequential cause in on-going growth of a chairman as good as a nation. Through prints, we right away have a little aptness magazines which do not usually suggest full of color graphics as good as glorious blueprint though additionally beneficial as good as utilitarian tips as good as advices which people can use.

The best thing about most fitness magazines is that they do not "beat around the bush." Most fitness magazines provide you with straightforward, no hype or shortcuts, just detailed and reliable information and feasible tips about fitness, health, and ideas on how to life a quality life. Fitness magazines only provide relevant pieces of information that matter most to you and your family.

Each article written in fitness magazines are classified according to the topics they possess. The categories may range from basic information about foods to the sports and fitness advices from health and fitness experts.

Consequently, one of the known benefits of having fitness magazine in the market is based on the premise that people need ageless realities bounded by true-to-life testimonials of other people. The articles written in fitness magazines are based on unfussy, systematic approach specifically made to answer timely issues about health and fitness.

Best of all, aptness magazines have been additionally good sources of advertisements which concentration some-more upon illness products such as vitamins as good as minerals food supplements as good as alternative required equipments indispensable to keep your physique during a best rise of health.

Alternatively, with the advent of information technology, fitness magazines are now available in the Internet. Like its printed replica, electronic forms of fitness magazines likewise provide pertinent information about health and fitness. - 17273

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Interested in getting information on 24 hour fitness ? benefits of physical fitness ? You can visit: Fitness24.biz

What are the Best Natural Cures For Thyroid Problems

By David Rosen

Natural cures for thyroid problems are often sought out and recommended for thyroid sufferers. Thyroid health is a concern for almost 11 million Americans. A healthy thyroid provides for maintaining healthy weight, metabolism, and cholesterol levels. The thyroid gland produces an important hormone to regulate various needs of the body. Many people are not aware of the thyroid's important role in maintaining over-all health and well being.

You might ask, "What is a thyroid?" The thyroid is a gland that is part of your body's endocrine system. It regulates numerous body functions such as heart rate (pulse), blood pressure, body temperature (basal temperture), and converting food into energy (metabolism). Thyroid hormones are essential for the function of every cell in the body. These hormones are responsible for regulating overall growth and metabolism in the human body. Thyroid hormones also help children properly grow and develop even while they're still in the womb. A child that doesn't produce a sufficient amount of thyroid hormone risks stunted growth and an under developed brain.

Natural cures for thyroid problems come in the form of supplements. These supplements are available in two forms: whole-natural or synthetic. For most thyroid sufferers, it's better to use whole-natural cures for thyroid problems for several reasons.

First, synthetic supplements typically only have one of the necessary thyroid hormones (typically T3 or T4). Whole-natural supplements will have a broader range (as much as T1, T2, T3, and T4).

Secondly, synthetic supplements have inconsistencies in their dosage whereas natural supplements are consistent because they're made by nature herself.

And third, when costs involving synthetic supplements are factored in (the doctor visit, insurance co-pay, prescription costs, etc), natural cures for thyroid problems just cost less.

Benefits of natural cures for thyroid problems:

* Natural supplements have more of necessary thyroid hormones.

* Natural supplements have consistent levels in their dosages.

* Natural supplements have a lower cost. - 17273

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Thyroid problems should not exist. You can learn more about thyroid health topics such as natural cures for thyroid problems at The Pure Cure. You can also find information other thyroid-related issues including Bipolar thyroid disease.

Weight Lifting Exercises For Your Chest - Bench or Crossovers?

By Westy

Everyone who is looking to build their muscles and achieve a great look is wondering what the best exercise is to increase the size of the chest. When you take a look at all of the exercises that people are using in the local gym, you will notice that most of them are using the bench press. There is a very good reason for this. The bench press is a great way to work out the muscles of the chest and gain an increase in size. There are some other exercises that you can use to increase the muscles in this area as well.

The other exercises that you can do for your chest are:

Flyes With A Flat Bench

Flyes On A Flat Bench

Flyes At An Incline

Cable Crossovers

Dips

The two exercises that should be focused on first are the bench press and dips. This is because they are very all encompassing exercises. For those who are looking for a great workout and gain an increase in their size and muscle, these are the exercises that will do that for them.

Here's the best way to do bench press:

1. Lie on the bench with the bar above your line of site

2. You should always use a spotter if you are going to be lifting heavy weight.

3. As you lower the bar slowly, keep breathing in.

4. Breath out as you are pushing the weight away from you.

5. Keep going until your muscles fail.

This exercise is great for working out the total chest and shoulder area. You'll feel it in your triceps (especially if you use a narrow grip) and in your lats too. Take care to do a good workout using lower weights to warm up the area before lifting. You'll be able to tell the difference in your workout if you "prime" the muscles using a warmup that builds to the desired weight like this.

For example, if you lift a maximum weight of two hundred and twenty pounds, you should warm up with a weight of ninety pounds for fifteen repetitions. Increase the warm up to one hundred and forty pounds for eight repetitions, and then one hundred seventy pounds for four repetitions. Finally, increase to two hundred pounds for one repetition. This will make sure that your muscles are warmed up completely before you begin your bench presses. The bench presses will be done until your muscles fail, so keeping your muscles warmed before you workout is very important. - 17273

About the Author:

Westy's Workouts provides you with the best natural body building and weight lifting advice on the internet. Find Building Muscle Secrets for growing strong FAST at WestysWorkouts.com. Your SIZE depends on it!

Eliminate the Pain, Exercise to Build Muscle

By Caleb Lee

How can someone exercise to build muscle, but do it without feeling the aches and pains after?

How would you like to get a couple tips on eliminating the pain out of working out and recovering, while also building muscle faster and stronger? In this article I have listed a couple of things you can do to help with getting the pain out of work out.

These may be very basic ideas; however, in order to build muscle without pain, they must be followed, or the pain will still take over.

Lactic acid can hurt your muscle building. After an hour of working out, your body will be close to using up all its oxygen in your blood. Your muscles will then start to develop lactic acid, which is not good when you are trying to avoid aching and pains. Keeping your workout time an hour or less will help to lowering the amount of pain.

If you follow a workout plan that has you doing high rep and set counts, with low weights, your wasting time. You need to be using more weight, about 80-85% of your one rep max. Although you have more weight, you can lower your rep and sets to 3-5 each, resulting in a faster workout.

Another way to cut your workout time is to substitute exercises for compound exercises. These are the best for gaining muscle and losing weight. Working many muscles at once, they provide flexibility and stability into your workout. Compound exercises also have real life significance. Your muscles will develop qualities that will help you complete tasks using your strength in daily activities.

Although compound exercises are found in the weight room, don't be discouraged if you want to work out at home first before spending money on a gym membership or work out equipment. There are exercises to build muscle you can perform without spending any money. Push ups, pull ups, chin ups, and mountain climbers are just a few, well known, exercises that can get you started.

To recap, increase your weight to lift, however, lower your reps and sets, perform compound exercises, and, if you are new to muscle building, start with simple compound exercise to build muscle.

A shorter time while you exercise to build muscle will still be beneficial, as long as you are lifting a good amount of weight and performing exercises that work many muscles at once. - 17273

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Get more info on kre alkalyn sci and other important things you should know about kre alkalyn sci at the expert's website.