When the topic of bodybuilding is brought up, we often start to develop the notion that this type of practice is very prone to injuries and is an activity of choice only for those who follow strength sports. But what is bodybuilding?
What is bodybuilding?
Weight training, which is also a form of anaerobic training, uses a resistance force to oppose the force generated by the muscles through concentric and eccentric contraction.
Classic strength training can be done at home, doing exercises such as push-ups, squats and bodyweight exercises or using simple resistance bands (found in any sports department).
There are three main parameters in strength training: loads/weights, sets and number of repetitions.
Now the main question is: how do you decide how much weight to lift? It's very simple: just determine the weight of the exercise from a one-repetition maximum (RM). RM is the amount of weight you can lift in one repetition.
It is possible to do weight training to develop strength, some do it to improve their endurance, others to increase their power.
If you want to strengthen your muscles, you should train between 60 and 80% of your RM, for resistance, the percentage varies between 50 and 70% of your RM, and this, doing fast movements. For muscle building exercises, the movements should be slower.
The different types of bodybuilding
Full body training
With this type of training, you can work your entire body while working with lighter weights. It is ideal for beginners or those who have less time to train due to their busy schedules. This type of training also allows for rapid weight loss.
Push-Pull Training
We can divide training into two categories: those that require pushing exercises and those that involve pulling movements.
Push muscles include the chest, triceps, shoulders, and quadriceps, while pull muscles include the back, biceps, hamstrings, and trapezius muscles. This type of training is useful for promoting muscle development.
Compound training
This type of training includes difficult-to-perform movements such as deadlifts, squats, bench presses, and military presses. It is ideal for developing colossal strength and for quickly losing fat.
Isolation training
This workout focuses only on a specific muscle and includes exercises such as push-ups, lateral raises, etc. It is ideal for people who want to develop a specific muscle, such as the biceps or abs, for a specific purpose.
10 benefits that bodybuilding can bring you
Below is a short list of the benefits that bodybuilding can bring to your health and your body in general:
- Reduce the amount of abdominal fat
- Increase metabolism
- Improve the functioning of the body
- Help prevent and treat type 2 diabetes
- Improve blood lipid levels
- Help relieve chronic pain
- Improve flexibility and motor skills
- Reduces stress
- Better self-esteem
- Improve mental health
Conclusion
As we have just seen, muscle training (whether in the gym or at home) has many advantages, and it is impossible to find an excuse not to take advantage of it.
It will be difficult at first, but once you get used to it, you will start to enjoy the workout, especially when you see your body changing.
That said, it is important to note that strength training must be performed with the right methodology to avoid injuries and obtain adequate results.
