The Development Of Bodybuilding Through The Years

The ability to develop one's muscles through progressive resistance exercise to enhance the appearance of man has enjoyed varied popularity over the years.

Bodybuilding really came to the attention of the masses with the widespread use of photography. Eugen Sandow was the first famous bodybuilder and many postcards featuring him wearing little more than an imitation fig leaf were circulated.

He did indeed, have a fine physique although nowhere near the size of present day bodybuilders but they do have the benefits of bodybuilding supplements as well as more insight into the workings of the human body.

Sandow toured the world in shows billed as the 'Worlds Most Perfectly Developed Man'. He made his fortune from this as well as his magazines, diets, contests and exercise devices like the spring grip dumbbells.

Before Sandow died in 1925, the contest for most perfectly developed man in America had been won by an Italian immigrant by the name of Angelo Siciliano, also known as Charles Atlas.

By the 1930's, the worlds bodybuilding hotspot was centred on Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, California where bodybuilders would congregate to show off their abilities to onlookers. Among the performers at Muscle Beach were many names who later became famous such as the founder of Gold's Gym, Joe Gold and Harold Zinkin, inventor of the Universal Gym.

Anabolic steroids were in use in the medical world by 1930's and soon made it into bodybuilding circles, creating an unnatural growth of muscles to an extreme. This can be seen when comparing the photos of bodybuilding competitions from the 1920's and later.

More information was coming through regarding the benefits of controlled diets and proteins but it would be a while before bodybuilding supplements would replace steroids as a legal, healthy alternative.

The International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) begun in 1946 by Ben Weider whose brother Joe was a bodybuilder. Competitive bodybuilding enjoyed more popularity in 1964 when Joe Weider founded the Mr Olympia contest, drawing competitors away from rival Mr Universe.

One of these competitors was world famous Arnold Schwarzenegger who originally made his name with his massively built up physique. After he left the profession for Hollywood, it is claimed that there has been no bodybuilder with the same charisma and the 'sport' has taken a downturn among everyone apart from the most avid follower. A little ironic that he is now governor of California.

The willingness of the bodybuilder to risk his life by taking anabolic steroids led to this substance being banned. Although it can still, like any drug, be bought on the black market, any competition worth being in will test competitors. Ruling out anyone that has taken illegal substances makes for true sportsmanship.

In their quest for the best body, bodybuilders have been responsible for the research into legal, natural substances that can enhance their muscles, stamina and performance. This has resulted in the bodybuilding supplements of protein and creatine powders.

These are natural products found in the body and have been reproduced into powder or liquid form. Creatine monohydrate is the best bodybuilding supplement you can take legally, 95% of which is stored in the muscles. It will increase energy levels, help bulk out muscles and delay muscle fatigue.

Along with a balanced, nutritional diet bodybuilders are encouraged to use these bodybuilding supplements to support muscle tissue. It can have added calories to help increase body mass or without calories to aid fat loss.