Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding

            Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's musculature. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive amateur and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders appear in lineups doing specified poses, and later perform individual posing routines, for a panel of judges who rank competitors based on criteria such as symmetry, muscularity, and conditioning. Bodybuilders prepare for competition through a combination of dehydration, fat loss, oils, and tanning which make their muscular definition more distinct.

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Some well-known bodybuilders include Charles Atlas, Steve Reeves, Reg Park, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Lou Ferrigno. Currently, IFBB professional bodybuilder Phil Heath from the United States holds the title of Mr. Olympia. The winner of the annual Mr. Olympia contest is generally recognized as the world's top professional male bodybuilder.

Natural bodybuilding

Due to the growing concerns of the high cost, health consequences and illegal nature of steroids many organizations have formed in response and have deemed themselves "natural" bodybuilding competitions. In addition to the concerns noted, many promoters of bodybuilding have sought to shed the "freakish" reputation that the general public perceives of bodybuilding and have successfully introduced a more mainstream audience to the sport of bodybuilding by including competitors whose physiques appear much more attainable and realistic.

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In natural contests the testing protocol ranges among organizations from polygraph testing to urinalysis. Penalties also range from organization to organization from suspensions to strict bans from competition. It is also important to note that natural organizations also have their own list of banned substances and it is important to refer to each organization's website for more information about which substances are banned from competition.

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Benefits of Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise

Benefits of Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise

            Aerobic exercise is a physical exercise of relatively low intensity that depends primarily on the aerobic energy-generating process. Aerobic literally means "living in air", and refers to the use of oxygen to adequately meet energy demands during exercise via aerobic metabolism. Generally, light-to-moderate intensity activities that are sufficiently supported by aerobic metabolism can be performed for extended periods of time. The intensity should be between 60 and 85% of maximum heart rate.

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Aerobic exercise comprises innumerable forms. In general, it is performed at a moderate level of intensity over a relatively long period of time. For example, running a long distance at a moderate pace is an aerobic exercise, but sprinting is not. Playing singles tennis, with near-continuous motion, is generally considered aerobic activity. The benefits of anaerobic exercise are powerful, and anaerobic exercise needs to be a part of your fitness program. Anaerobic exercise is high intensity muscular activity that lasts for a short period of time.

Aerobic Exercise Benefits:

The benefits of doing regular aerobic exercise are:

1) Strengthening the muscles involved in respiration, to facilitate the flow of air in and out of the lungs

2) Strengthening and enlarging the heart muscle, to improve its pumping efficiency and reduce the resting heart rate, known as aerobic conditioning

3) Strengthening muscles throughout the body

4) Improving circulation efficiency and reducing blood pressure

5) Increasing the total number of red blood cells in the body, facilitating transport of oxygen

6) Improved mental health, including reducing stress and lowering the incidence of depression

7) Reducing the risk for diabetes.

As a result, aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of death due to cardiovascular problems. In addition, high-impact aerobic activities (such as jogging or jumping rope) can stimulate bone growth, as well as reduce the risk of osteoporosis for both men and women.

Anaerobic Exercise Benefits:

Anaerobic means "without oxygen," so your body does not use oxygen to help produce energy when you exercise anaerobically like it does when you exercise aerobically. The benefits of doing regular anaerobic exercise are:

1) Increase insulin sensitivity by increasing glucose uptake by muscles and improving the ability to store glucose

2) Contribute to healthy body composition of lean muscle and fat

3) Decrease body fat by raising metabolism

4) Increase muscle mass

5) Builds healthy bones, muscles and joints

6) Improves bone density and strength

7) Enhancing the speed at which muscles recover from high intensity exercise

Both Aerobic and Anaerobic can help decrease dose of glucose lowering medications or even need for glucose lowering medications. And they can lower glucose during exercise and for several hours after exercise. 

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Difference Between Aerobic And Anaerobic Exercise

Difference Between Aerobic And Anaerobic Exercise

            Aerobic exercise and fitness can be contrasted with anaerobic exercise, of which strength training and short-distance running are the most salient examples. The two types of exercise differ by the duration and intensity of muscular contractions involved, as well as by how energy is generated within the muscle.

In most conditions, anaerobic exercise occurs simultaneously with aerobic exercises because the less efficient anaerobic metabolism must supplement the aerobic system due to energy demands that exceed the aerobic system's capacity. What is generally called aerobic exercise might be better termed "solely aerobic", because it is designed to be low-intensity enough not to generate lactate via pyruvate fermentation, so that all carbohydrate is aerobically turned into energy.

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Initially during increased exertion, muscle glycogen is broken down to produce glucose, which undergoes glycolysis producing pyruvate which then reacts with oxygen (Krebs cycle) to produce carbon dioxide and water and releasing energy. If there is a shortage of oxygen (anaerobic exercise, explosive movements), carbohydrate is consumed more rapidly because the pyruvate ferments into lactate.

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As carbohydrates deplete, fat metabolism is increased so that it can fuel the aerobic pathways. The latter is a slow process, and is accompanied by a decline in performance level. This gradual switch to fat as fuel is a major cause of what marathon runners call "hitting the wall". Anaerobic exercise, in contrast, refers to the initial phase of exercise, or to any short burst of intense exertion, in which the glycogen or sugar is respired without oxygen, and is a far less efficient process.

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Anaerobic exercise

Anaerobic exercise

            Anaerobic exercise is exercise intense enough to trigger lactic acid formation. It is used by athletes in non-endurance sports to promote strength, speed and power and by body builders to build muscle mass. Muscle energy systems trained using anaerobic exercise develop differently compared to aerobic exercise, leading to greater performance in short duration, high intensity activities, which last from mere seconds to up to about 2 minutes. Any activity lasting longer than about two minutes has a large aerobic metabolic component.

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In sports which require repeated short bursts of exercise however, the anaerobic system enables muscles to recover for the next burst. There are two types of anaerobic energy systems: 

1)     The high energy phosphates, ATP adenosine triphosphate and CP creatine phosphate

 2)   Anaerobic glycolysis. The high energy phosphates are stored in very limited quantities within muscle cells. 

Anaerobic glycolysis exclusively uses glucose (and glycogen) as a fuel in the absence of oxygen or more specifically, when ATP is needed at rates that exceed those provided by aerobic metabolism; the consequence of rapid glucose breakdown is the formation of lactic acid (more appropriately, lactate at biological pH levels). Physical activities that last up to about thirty seconds rely primarily on the former, ATP-PC phosphagen, system. The effectiveness of anaerobic activity can be improved through training.

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