The history of bodybuilding

Since the days of the Roman Empire and ancient Greece, beautiful body muscular used among sculptors and painters. The cult of physical perfection and beautiful body already known supported exercises with weights to strengthen the physical strength and musculature.

Since there are many testimonies, not only of myths and legends that indicate the cult of a healthy body, confirmed by numerous archaeological findings and historical facts. In the art, such as statues, vases, painting Church buildings, the visible image, where people practiced with shells that became in our time dumbbells and barbells. They were called "Altera" and became the prototype of the modern aggravating shells. These shells were used not only to build muskulaturnoy mass, but in order to recover and to repair defects of the spine, forming a beautiful posture and improve overall health.

Many apologists athleticism believe that even in those ancient times were laid the foundations of modern training with felony shells. For example, there are books in which the samples of training exercises performed by Milona Croton (VI century BC), a fighter conqueror first places at the Olympic games. There is a legend that as an exercise this fighter shouldered young bull and had carried it around the arena stadium, the distance sometimes was more than 180 meters, and he did it every day. Thus daily increased load growth bull, thereby increasing the strength and endurance of Milona. When the bull has matured, Milo of Croton Savoie the title of the strongest in Greece.

This story is more myth than reality, as the heroes, the winners of the Olympic game became the subject of glorification, they were elevated to the rank of mythical heroes and conquerors legend. To the greater was composed of legends and myths where reality was transformed into a fabulous fiction. Milon Krotovskiy was one of the first heroes of the time, almost on the level of Hercules. He owns six Olympic victories. Even as a young man, he became the winner of Games in 540 BC, He owns a countless number of victories, including nine at the Isthmian games, and seven at Delphi in the Pythian games. The historian Pausanias (III century BC) argued that Milon himself managed to bring his own statue in Alti. A historian Pilar, who lived at the same time, described a case where Milon shouldered the four-year adult bull, carried it across the whole stadium, he stabbed him in front of the altar, and prepared to fire, and ate it all at once.

It is clear that such traditions are created by someone's imagination, became the basis for the creation myth that Milon was Jacobsthalthe inventor of the principle of increasing the overload. And it just so happened that it was Milon, according to most historians athleticism, became the founder of modern systems of training with aggravating shells.

Competitions in weightlifting in Ancient Greece, unfortunately, was not included in the list of official competitions. But, nevertheless, they were carried out regularly using weights in the form of unpolished rough stones, which competing athletes were thrown back over the head with one or two hands. One such stone can be seen in the Museum of the Olympic games. It weighs more than 143 pounds and has an inscription, which States that a athlete of the IV century BC Bibek managed to throw his head with one hand. It's hard to believe, but darker less. Such a stone with this inscription really exists. On ancient vases can be considered paintings depicting athletes, throwing stones and similar to modern weightlifters that they, too, girded with broad belts. In Greece, in an informal discipline there were competitions for shot put. The purpose of the heavy cast-hewn stone served as an exercise to strengthen the muscle of the system (see "Records and myths of the ancient Olympics" Adalbert Samarskogo).

Special attention deserves the tract entitled "Preservation of health", one of the oldest instructions in the overall system for the development of strength of muscles. It is written approximately in the 2nd century ad the Roman physician Galen. He offered a specific system of training with weights to develop muscle strength. The manual was intended not only for soldiers and gladiators, but also for ordinary citizens. Hippocrates and his followers have also mentioned exercise, including Altera.

Let's move on to the middle ages. This time, significant exclusive influence of Christian ideas in asceticism, denying earthly pleasures. It is curious that the Christian Church now sharply changed his views on sport and physical culture — from preaching the ideas of humiliation of the body to the dizzying construction in the temple of God, when he began intensive construction of sports facilities and registration of places of worship in sporty style. First theorists ideas of Christianity, Tertullian, Cyprian of Carthage and John Chrysostom was against sports, relating them to the pagan passions of the carnal spectacle. According to Tertullian, who were in awe to religion, to deny running, throwing the disc, sudden movements (an epithet for such actions was the word "mad"). He called it folly. He wrote: "Respecting modesty, you're not going to flaunt physical strength, serving only the vanity of those who uses them, and the humiliation of those against whom they are directed." It wasthe essence of the position of the Christian Church of that time to sports and spectacles, with the result that in the year 344 was banned from the Olympic games.

The next stage of human development, feudalism was marked by a peculiar attitude toward physical education. Despite the theory of the fall and sinfulness of the human body, yet there are germs of promoting physical exercise in the form of knightly fights, which displayed striking force required for the Crusades. There is little data and that of the knights were prepared with the use of exercises with weights.

And only in the late nineteenth century interest in athletic pursuits manifested itself quite clearly. This revival is closely connected with the name Eugene Sendow (Eugene Sandow), who was born in April 1867 in Kenigsberge. He became a superstar of physical perfection at the turn of the century. The Sandow was such epithets as "magician pose", "strongest man." He performed in the circus, was a fighter and showed such amazing power stunts that he received patronage from several notable particularly in Europe. From the king of England George V Sandow received the title of Professor in physical development.

His slogan at the dawn of the last century was "Life is movement", which formed the basis of his book of the same name. According to his theory, innate human instinct of health encourages people to move, and the artificial rejection of the movement, a conscious violation of the laws of nature leads to the fact that the organs and systems of man fail, one after another, and then die as a result of disease, injury and aging.

Then followed his other book in 1903, published in London in large numbers, under the name of "Bodybuilding" (in English — the construction of the body), it set out the fundamental principle of bodybuilding.

The system Sandova consisted of exercises with free weights in the form of guidelines, with particularly emphasized the principle of gradual increase of loads. The teachings of Sandow played a huge role in the development of methods of bodybuilding and modern concepts methods of strength exercises.

Then there was a French athlete de Bonn, quite well-known among specialists. It included 17 exercises, after which it is recommended to do relaxation exercises without weights and also stretching exercises, which was an undoubted advantage of this system.

"Striking Sendo" as it was called Florenc, Ziegfeld, who invited him to America as the strongest man in the world, demonstrated in 1893 in Chicago, his striking ability. Raising on its own the hands of the people, carts and animals. However, its popularity was based not only onthe powers that Sandow is so easily demonstrated, but in the perfection of his figure. Then all was known for his anthropometric measurements: the growth of 174 cm, his weight was 90 kg, neck circumference 44 cm, chest 122 cm, waist 80 cm, hip circumference 66cm, thigh — 44 cm, circumference of hips 107 cm, arms (with biceps tense) 44 cm.

The huge success of the performances of the athlete Candreva resulted in an unprecedented surge of interest in various gymnastic apparatus, allowing to use them at home.

On the wave of commercial interest, were there bubbles in the form of "professors" from athletics. For example, one "Professor" of physical culture offered apparatus is essentially constituted according to contemporaries a heap of scrap metal. It was something like a dial with an arrow moving along with the accompanying stress. You had to slide a wooden plank through the application of effort to move a few springs. Eyewitnesses who have experienced it for yourself, explained this exercise as an attempt to lift his own Shoe laces.

Another fun hit was the invention of the other "professors" in the form of devices, consisting of a Board with five springs on the bolts. Had to stand up on the Board and put pressure on different springs in the development of any particular muscle. The accompanying table clearly portrayed "training system". The opinions published in the then the press was extremely negative, many believed that the only benefit from this with a projectile guide, which was convenient to seal holes in the Wallpaper.

They were attached to a special hook driven into the wall. Had to pull the springs, taking different poses. Classes lasted as long as the hook flew from the wall and did not hit in the head.

Sophisticated engineering was not asleep, and here arose the system of Breitbart, which used the horseshoe and a lever for the development of strength in the form of iron rod, at the end of which was fixed a few discs of metal. Interest in such construction fueled by the popularity of the tireless Sandovo, which popularized healthy way of life new types of equipment and by publication of books, magazines.

What Sandow was the first bodybuilding that promote the development of different shapes of athletes. As a reward, the winners were awarded the Golden statuette "Eugene Sandow". Unexpected death caught the Sandow in good shape – he died in 1925 in a car accident. But his cause was continued, and competitions in the beauty of the athletic body did not stop, and became traditional.

A Holy place is never empty, and the glory of Sandow inherited Bernard McFadden, who founded the firstthe American magazine promoting the bodybuilding "Physical culture". On his initiative in America held sports contest among men, where the winner was al Treloar. He was awarded the prize of a large sum of money and the title of the most perfectly folded men in America.

The first competition of athletes took place in Europe in London, famous for its sporting gentlemen, in 1922. The title of the best bodybuilder was clad in 1922 Angelo Siciliano,

The popularity of this sport imperceptibly began to decline and became more entertainment until the second world war shook Americans, and they realized that as bodybuilding and other sports are very important and simply necessary.

The first competition for the title of "Mr. America" was held in 1939. The participants have little resembled modern bodybuilders, although with time they began to pay more attention to the proportionality of athletic body. Workout with aggravating shells greatly changed the shape of the figure and is increasingly taken into account the proportions of the body.

In America in 1940 there were several competitions, which largely have resembled the present. They were organized by the Amateur athletic Union of the United States. John Grimer became the winner with the title of "Mr. America." He was an athlete, who paid special attention to weight training. His training system was adopted by other participants, whereby the training with weights has become the main technique for the development of an athletic figure.

And yet in those forties bodybuilding as a sport was not so well known. But here was a champion who drew all the attention of the General public. They became STV Reeves. On won the title of "Mr. America and Mr. universe. His popularity became well-known after participating in "the thief of Bagdad" "Hercules" and some others. His image became a strong impetus to the development of one of the most profitable sports and development of bodybuilding all over the world. The simplicity and accessibility of the sport bodybuilding has won wide popularity among the population, which grew stronger with each passing year, thanks to the images of the Champions.

In 1945 in the state of new York, in the city of Rochester, was opened gym one of the pioneers of modern bodybuilding Vic Tanney. You can also recall the names of the first bodybuilders Bob Hoffman, and Joe gold, owner of gold's gym, Ben and Joe from Canada who founded the International Federation of bodybuilding. These athletes are businessmen opened their enterprises on manufacture of sport equipment and ammunition for training. Subsequently, they have research centers and schools that taught bodybuilding. They have published a lotspecial literature, magazines, research, many schools of bodybuilding, promoting the sport worldwide.

In 40-50-ies were determined by different currents of bodybuilding, based on different training and relevant forms of body and strength. In addition to weightlifting, which became a separate sport, which required raising the maximum weight in three movements (snatch, clean and jerk and bench), requiring special techniques, separate two different sports with different systems of training – a bodybuilding proper bodybuilding, powerlifting or powerlifting.

Powerlifting ("power" "power" and "lifting" "lifting") tells about the lifting weights are three exercises: bench press, squatting, lifting with a barbell on your shoulders and deadlifts with weight. The direction of bodybuilding ("body" to "body" and "building" — "building") designed to create beautiful, harmonious and strong body.

The story of the creation of the International Federation of bodybuilding is quite complex. In the International weightlifting Federation (IFB) 1946, which was established in 1920, began the process of separation of the International Federation of bodybuilding and the International weightlifting Federation. But in 1949 the Federation of bodybuilding again became part of the International weightlifting Federation, and only since 1968, the Federation of bodybuilding became fully independent and was named the International Federation of bodybuilding (IFBB), the headquarters of which was located in Montreal. At the head of the Federation (IFBB ) in 1946 was Ben Vader. Today the organization, IFBB includes 170 countries.

In addition to the International Federation of bodybuilding (IFBB), there are rational and the world Association of bodybuilding. They have their own event in the form of Championships, competitions for the title of "Miss and Mr. Olympia. These associations allow for the participation in the individual competition, and they have doping control in contrast to the international rules.

In 1966, a competition was arranged on the initiative of Joe Vader, which was found best athletes. The first lucky one of them was Larry Scott, and then began a new countdown in the history of bodybuilding, because these competitions are the most prestigious and most popular in the world.

In the 60 years of bodybuilding received a new star of bodybuilding — Arnold Schwarzenegger, who made a great career as in sports, cinema, and political life of America. He became famous thanks to the numerous pobedami in competitions and roles in movies-action movies. Under President George Bush, he served as Chairman of the presidential Council for physical culture andsports. Currently Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Senator of California.

Back in the 50's Joe Vader has published an article in which was some of the predictions. He wrote that the pace of modern life will cause growth of physical and mental illness, and humanity will be forced to recognize the importance of systematic exercise that will give strength in the struggle with the industrialized world. One of the fundamental principles of bodybuilding is the art of recovery, whose value will increase steadily amid rising everyday loads. The world will understand how we need to develop the muscles to resist, and bodybuilding will spread, as he wrote, "with the speed of the hurricane." The principles of bodybuilding will be the principles of a healthy lifestyle: regular exercise, proper nutrition and recuperation. Joe Wayne predicted in this article, the monopolistic role of bodybuilding in the world of sports, when bodybuilding will be a prerequisite for participation in any sporting event. Only those who will be bodybuilding, will be able to lead a full and happy life. The author concluded his article convinced lines about what human civilization will have a determining force in its development in the form of bodybuilding, and it will be the means of her salvation.

At the time such statements seemed only pompous exaggeration even to the bodybuilders today but all of these predictions have gained relevance.

According to research it was determined that bodybuilding is a smart preventative measure against the following diseases: deficiency of blood flow; osteoporosis (increases bone strength), arthritis (improves joint mobility); mental disorders due to removal of voltage stress; cardiovascular diseases; diabetes and impotence. The sports activities can prevent loss of muscle mass due to stimulation of the muscles; they help to maintain the immune system due to resistance to stress; help to get rid of the adverse effects of childbirth, reduce fat mass and thereby reduce the risk of cancer.

Nowadays bodybuilding takes pride of place among all sports. On the industry of bodybuilding work, the research teams and the whole industry. This sport is promoted in many publications and publications of scientific research. Throughout the world there are a huge variety of special sports institutions. A variety of colourful shows featuring bodybuilders enjoyed continued popularity among the masses of the population.

The uniqueness of bodybuilding is that it allows harmoniously and fully develop the entire body, notindividual muscle groups as in other sports. From the Arsenal of bodybuilding athletes in other sports take a lot of exercises for the development of certain muscles of the body. Another advantage of this sport is that they can engage people of any age and gender. This sport is able to solve many problems of physical, mental and emotional nature. Exercises bodybuilding is not only aimed at improving the shape, they make us physically stronger and tougher, balance state of mind, gives confidence and peace of mind, changing the nature and even views on life.