Bodybuilding Contribution to Physical & Mental Health!
How does bodybuilding contribute to the physical or mental health of bodybuilders?
What is bodybuilding and how is it done?
A form of physical exercise planned to improve the body’s muscular development in humans which ultimately contributes to overall fitness and health. There are 3 major strategies used by bodybuilders to enhance muscular features:
- Strength training via weights or elastic/hydraulic resistance
- Specialized nutrition including surplus protein & supplements
- Proper rest with an adequate sleep cycle and recuperation between exercises
Certain advantages of bodybuilding:
Everyone knows that regular workout for bodybuilding is good for the body that improves OVERALL wellness. Focusing just on the hazards and difficulties for mental health associated with bodybuilding, as other academics have a tendency to do, only gives a partial picture. The actual picture between bodybuilding and overall health is far more different. It is a perfect way to keep oneself balanced while giving your body proportion, forming and assisting general fitness. Many bodybuilders use their activity as a method to reconnect with themselves. It is a sort of meditation for them. It is a technique for helping people become more grounded in their bodies. It is a method of discovering who they are and what their limitations are. World's best bodybuilders experience injuries at a rate that is less than a tenth of what Crossfit, Olympic lifting, powerlifting, or gymnastics experience. Although bodybuilding is occasionally denigrated as "unnatural" and running is promoted as a "natural" exercise, top runners have an injury rate that is 50 times higher than that of bodybuilders!
Anthropologists explore culture by not only living with the individuals they examine, yet also creating the same lifestyle as the people they study. They tend to observe and participate in the communities that they study. Many psychologists, also say that bodybuilding is a ‘slippery slope’. Bodybuilders can feel their bodies in unique ways. They maintain themself differently. Their relationship with the food becomes different. Bodybuilding not only enhances physical health but also has positive effects on mental health.
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Physical Health Benefits:
Bodybuilding can provide numerous physical health benefits, such as
- Increased muscle mass
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Enhanced flexibility
- Maintain body fat
- Improves bones and joints
- Reduced risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
- Promotes longevity
- Regular weight training also strengthens bones, joints, and tendons, which can help prevent injuries and improve overall mobility and longevity.
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Mental Health Benefits:
Bodybuilding can also have positive effects on mental health, such as
- Reduced stress, anxiety levels, ADHD and depression
- Improved self-confidence and self-esteem
- Self-discipline
- A sense of accomplishment from achieving fitness goals
- Strengthen mind and body connection
- Exercise has also been linked to the release of endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that can improve mood and reduce feelings of pain and stress.
How does it affect the Human body?
However, excessive or improper bodybuilding practices can also have negative effects on mental and physical health. Bodybuilding, like any form of physical exercise, can have both pros and cons on mental and physical health, depending on various factors such as the individual's overall health status, training habits, and goals. Overtraining can lead to injuries, chronic fatigue, and burnout. Additionally, excessive focus on body image and appearance can contribute to body dysmorphic disorder, a condition characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with perceived physical flaws. But bodybuilding does make sense when performed in a controlled manner. A controlled manner means not doing excessive exercise more than a body can handle and taking a normal number of steroids, not becoming addicted to them! This is done by mentally well-adjusted bodybuilders. If these factors are not put into consideration then various issues arise, for example:
- High cholesterol
- Fluid retention
- Heart strokes
- Liver or kidney problems
- Blood clots
The basic rule of bodybuilding is: understand your body type, limit your cardio pieces of training, don’t get anxious about minor weight gain, use low reps and heavy weight, get proper rest and maintain proper form as well.
Many people say that bodybuilding is represented as a breeding ground for obsessive-compulsive behaviours. Sometimes they go crazy and addictive to maintaining their body which has several ups and downs of bulking and cutting and the use of steroids and mirrors that cause body image distortion and obsessive behaviour and thoughts. There are several stories of the unbelievable sufferings of bodybuilders.
Bodybuilding requirement for Steroids:
Steroids are some frequently used drugs taken by bodybuilders which might cause trouble in long term. It can only cause harm when consumed in a large dose. This can unbalance hormonal production both in men and women.
Steroids can contribute to bodybuilders by enhancing the body’s muscle-building capabilities and reducing the recovery time that is required between training sessions. The amount of steroids one should use depends upon the type and size of body one have. It varies from person to person.
Steroid use doesn’t cause a health risk if taken in a certain quantity, yet it also improves mental and physical health as discussed above.
The fictional stories that it can cause heart attack is not appropriate because steroids increase red blood cells and circulation in the body. Likewise, people say it disturbs the reproductive system in human and is also not invalid because steroid enhances testosterone production which is a good component for reproductive organs. Other than this, bodybuilders also use other supplements that contain an enormous amount of vitamins that promote gut, heart, liver and kidney health. If a bodybuilder has stopped taking steroids then their body machinery can take a little time to go back to normal. The withdrawal symptoms of anabolic steroids are comparable to those of many other addictive substances, including headaches and muscle soreness which is not a big deal.
However, if one does steroid abuse may suffer from aggression, violence, mood disorders, insomnia, depression and much more. So, maintain the level of consumption according to a professional’s prescription because they guide you according to the measurement of your body.
How bodybuilding contributes to women's health?
For women, as they try to build muscles, their body initiates to take an hourglass shape which seems perfect on them. Bodybuilding can benefit them in various ways that can be weight loss, good skin, increased performance and much more. It also contributes to an improved sleep cycle, supporting you to sleep faster and deeper without disturbance in the middle of the night. It also affects energy maintenance and fat oxidization in women’s bodies. Postmenopausal women have a significant chance for osteoporosis because their body doesn’t secrete estrogen any longer. Bodybuilding exercises can be an excellent way to fight the loss of bone mass, and it ultimately minimizes the risk of osteoporosis.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, bodybuilding can be good for both mental and physical health, but it should be practiced in moderation and with proper guidance and training to minimize the risks associated with overtraining and body dysmorphia. For bodybuilding purposes, people using steroids should keep the dose of steroids to a bare minimum and take pauses from using them if they choose to use them despite health warnings and their doctor's recommendation. It is also important to maintain a balanced approach to fitness, including a healthy diet and adequate rest and recovery.
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