Bodybuilding
101
In the beginning there was weightlifting. Athletes (hunters/warriors)
interested in improving their output during events found that lifting heavy
objects allowed them to perform at a higher level. Then there was a group who
were not as interested in finesse. Powerlifters were born. These athletes just
wanted to lift the heaviest objects. Along the way there were injuries, over-use
issues, and strain. The athletes realized they could dissect each lift and
train parts of the skeletomuscular systems. Bodybuilders were born. The “sports”
involving this dissection were still dependent on the basic lifts if they knew
it or not.
Bodybuilding is known as accessory or assistance work in
weightlifting and powerlifting.
We examine a full body movement and train the
weak link. Prioritizing has always been at the top of a great athletes list. If
form breaks down out of the bottom of a squat we need to train the hip
extensors, mid-back, low back, or wherever the form break occurs. This is where
a veteran coach has an advantage over another who is just passionate.
Form depends on spotting the weak links ultimately. Bodybuilding
was born of therapy. We trained the weakest link until it was aligned with the
rest of the system. Bodybuilders took this and ran when they realized they
could sculpt the systems and look more muscular than they really were. What I mean
in saying this is the most muscular person in the room is the strongest person
in the room. They can turn on the most muscle (motor units) at a given time. It
matters not how they look. A muscular person incapable of activating large
numbers of MUs will store fat intramuscularly. We have all heard of a well
marbled piece of meat. This is intramuscular fat. A human male cannot function
for long with body fat below 10% of their total weight. Anyone claiming a body
composition below 10% is either unhealthy (anorexia) or not telling the truth
(liar).
Bodybuilders at the highest levels are much stronger than the
average athlete. At lower levels they are average at best. Bodybuilding as we
know it does not
Other athletes need muscles too. Outside of weightlifting and
powerlifting athletes are relatively strong. Absolute strength is overall
strength. It is all encompassing. Footballers need different skills dependent
on their position. They need to be agile, powerful, relatively large, and fast.
Footballers do not need to focus on nutrition as fervently as bodybuilders. Body Weight alone can help a lineman and it does not matter if it is fat or muscle after a
certain point. A healthy level of fat can actually contribute to high energy
outputs. Gymnasts need to be relatively small, relatively strong, and mobile. Balance
is a major skill for gymnasts (dynamic balance not just static balance). Athletes
with body weight categories need to understand and apply nutrition if they want
to perform well. Functional strength is assumed in sport.
The group of athletes who separated from weightlifting were
interested in looking the part with a different skill set. They did not want to
lift heavy in competitions. They wanted to look and be stronger than the
average person but didn’t want to max out and actually be athletes. A lot of
people who enter into this realm are not athletic at all. They do improve their
athletic abilities because training is based on athletic skill development. They
are athletic sculptors. Artists work very hard. They are dedicated, inspired,
and hard working. Arnold Schwarzenegger was part of a movement in his “sport”
to take a body part and make it extremely developed. Aesthetics were the realm
of the smaller guys. Nowadays all the top guys and girls are extreme from top
to bottom. 
The top people in bodybuilding are stronger than top athletes
in other sports since they practice the “sport” like it was in the beginning. They
act like weightlifters and powerlifters in the gym. They lift heavy with good
form and stop when form breaks down. This is what makes them stronger than the
average athlete. Bodybuilding does not make the strongest people but they are
strong people. Weightlifting makes the strongest athletes. Powerlifting makes
the strongest people including weightlifters.
Get stronger!
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