Nowadays, there are many different types of sport, from the oldest to the newest, with many different purposes. Not all sports, however, consist of scoring goals, throwing a ball or using bows, rackets and other accessories.
For this reason, many people question whether some activities are considered sports, such as bodybuilding. The competitions are individual and the athlete needs the right preparation to impress the judges with their physique.
With this in mind, we’ve prepared a special article to answer the question: is bodybuilding a sport? Get ready to dive into the world of sculpted bodies and learn more about this sport.
Is bodybuilding a sport? Understand how it works!
In bodybuilding, the athletes’ goal is to develop the muscles in their body, and this is done with a lot of hard work and dedication. Competitors then go on extremely strict diets.
Bodybuilding is a sport that requires physical exercise not only to tone the muscles, but also to gain a lot of physical conditioning.
In competitions, athletes are judged on the size of their muscles, as well as the symmetry with the rest of their body. The judges also consider the definition of the muscles and how they are presented.
Is bodybuilding a sport? How is it assessed?
Since we’re talking about how bodybuilders are evaluated by the judges, let’s take a closer look at how it works. Each championship has different judging rules, which are separated into male, female and other categories.
But basically, there are five stages considered when it comes to giving the best points to bodybuilding athletes. Check them out!
Muscle size
Bodybuilding is a sport that primarily considers the size of the muscles. So the arms, shoulders, legs, abdomen and other muscle groups are carefully analyzed by the judges.
Muscle definition
Bodybuilders’ muscles must not only be large, but also defined. Therefore, the judges evaluate fat levels and the appearance of fibers and veins.
Body symmetry
There’s no point dedicating your workouts to your arms, for example, if your lower body isn’t in harmony with your upper body.
For this reason, bodybuilding judges consider the symmetry of the body, analyzing whether there is a balance between the size of the muscles in the different groups.
Physical condition
In addition to analyzing the muscles themselves and the symmetry of the body, the bodybuilder needs to be in top physical shape in general.
This means that they should have as low a percentage of body fat as possible, making them stand out on the day of the competition.
Parade
On the day of the championships, bodybuilding athletes need to show off their muscles and physique in a parade that requires a good presentation.
So, the athlete must know how to do the best poses on stage, while also showing good posture and exuding confidence.
Is bodybuilding a sport? Learn about training
To understand that bodybuilding is a sport, we need to look at how training takes place. The way to make the muscles grow with all the necessary definition and obtain good physical conditioning depends on each category.
Bodybuilding training begins with resistance, lifting weights. This is done with dumbbells, barbells and bodybuilding equipment, or using your own body weight.
When training, athletes also need to separate the exercises into muscle groups. It is essential that each training day focuses on one area, be it the upper limbs, the lower limbs or the back.
In bodybuilding, competing athletes do high-intensity exercises, using sets with several repetitions. In this way, the muscle becomes more accustomed to the effort and the results are even more promising.
It is also important for the bodybuilder to explore several different exercises, constantly varying them so that all the muscles are trained correctly.
Another crucial issue in bodybuilding is to be very careful with technique, avoiding injuries that could compromise physical health and competitions.
Is bodybuilding a sport? Know your eating routine
Every good athlete needs not only to work hard in training, but also to know how to eat properly. In their diet, athletes need to consume plenty of protein, which is essential to help build muscle.
So it’s quite common to see them consuming a variety of lean meats, such as fish and chicken, as well as grains, legumes and even dairy products.
But bodybuilders also need to consume carbohydrates, as they are essential sources of energy to cope with intense workouts. Therefore, brown rice, sweet potatoes and much more are on the menu.
Good fats are also part of a bodybuilder’s menu, found in foods such as nuts, seeds, fish, olive oil and many others.
In addition to a balanced diet, it is also necessary to supplement with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, creatine and other supplements. Water is also important, so it’s crucial that bodybuilders are well hydrated to stay healthy.
It’s worth pointing out that each athlete has different needs, so not every diet is the same and fits all bodybuilders. The recommendation is for each person to be monitored by physical education and nutrition professionals to find out the best way to achieve the desired result.
After all, is bodybuilding a sport?
So, yes, bodybuilding is a sport. This is because the activity involves physical and athletic competitions, which require a lot of physical training, a good diet and discipline.
Bodybuilding is also a sport because the competitions have many pre-established rules, as well as serious championships all over the world. It takes a lot of seriousness and dedication to compete, focusing on diet and lots of training.
The sport also has technical characteristics, such as muscle definition, and artistic ones, seen when performing. In addition to all the years of hard training, athletes need to be at their best when presenting themselves to the judges.
Now that you know that bodybuilding is a sport and what characteristics define it as such, it’s time to check out our other articles. Here you’ll find articles on the most different sports, their rules, stories and much more.
And don’t forget to leave a comment on what you thought of the article! You can also tell us which sport you’d like to know more about here!
