Bodybuilding

Okay, I have to admit it. I am one of these strange people who get out bed at a very unfortunate hour and wander down, bleary-eyed to a strange place where I lift heavy stuff. And with over 500 posts under the tag bodybuilding in wordpress alone, it seems I am not the only one.

Every now and then you have to ask yourself “Why do I do this?” What is going on in my head to make me behave in such a strange way?

I reckon weight-lifting is a guy thing. Strength is the epitome of a successful man – a man who can cope with anything that life throws at him. There is something very empowering about knowing you can lift something heavy that others can’t manage.  There is also an element of overcoming; achieving something that you couldn’t previously.  So in your head, you have control – you can beat things and overcome the odds.  The guy in the mirror is not the same person who peered out at you months earlier – this guy is stronger, fitter, more able to cope.

Then there is the feeling you get when you lift.  There are few sensations as overpowering as squeezing out that last rep knowing there is just nothing left.  Bodybuilders everywhere know that feeling, often 2 days later, when your muscles are aching because you pushed it the limit in your workout.  It is a nice pain, knowing that your muscles are developing under the strain you are exerting.

I didn’t grow up in a household dominated by sport.  We played basketball a bit, but exercise wasn’t high on the priority list.  On joining a gym to lose some weight, something clicked in my head – something I hadn’t experienced before.  That sensation of getting stronger, bigger, fitter is an addictive one.  I have had a break or two at times – ask my wife: I get grumpy!  Not only do you miss the familiar, noisy environment of your beloved gym, your body cries out to be worked and not neglected.

So find below a few shots of notable muscle men.  Few men cannot be impressed by the physique of a built guy – I think it is something all men crave for themselves.  It just becomes a question of whether you are ready to work for it.