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Everything you need to know about natural bodybuilding

Bodybuilding is an activity that many men and women are passionate about, while producing the admiration of other people. However, to achieve the muscular size that bodybuilders have in traditional competitions, it is necessary to use chemical substances that can be harmful to health.

Most researchers agree that bodybuilding originated in ancient times, not only in Egypt, but also in Greece and South India, where stone lifting was practiced. Much later, during the 19th century, a similar movement arose in Europe of men challenging each other to show strength in public. However, it is necessary to clarify that although these people had good conditions and considerable muscle, it was not an aesthetic display of their bodies, in fact, they used to have quite a lot of body fat, so the physical appearance was not particularly important.

The first to display his muscles in public was the Russian athlete Friederich Wilhem Müller, better known as Eugene Sandow, who as a child was an admirer of Greek statues and with physical exercises managed to have the same proportions. Sandow began doing shows of strength in the shows of the American producer Florenz Ziegfeld, but the public was more impressed with the athlete’s body than with his strength, so Ziegfeld asked the athlete to do some poses in addition to performing the feats to impress. to the attendees. This is the true beginning of bodybuilding as we know it today.

Traditional vs Natural Bodybuilding

To understand the difference between natural body vs steroids, we must know that physical standards have changed throughout the history of bodybuilding. We can say that during the so-called golden age of bodybuilding, which goes from 1940 to 1970, harmony, balance and symmetry were more important, taking the statues of Greek warriors as a reference.

However, not everyone has the genetic predisposition to develop this standardized body, which is why Croatian chemist Leopold Ružička’s discovery of synthesizing testosterone from cholesterol was crucial.

In the 1950s, the American doctor John Ziegler initiated the research that culminated in the launch of Dianabol in 1958. This allowed almost any man to achieve the Greek ideal with proper training. However, Ziegler himself in his time was concerned that many athletes were using dangerous doses of this drug.

From steroids to natural bodybuilding

Some internationally famous athletes such as Larry Scott and Arnold Schwarzenegger used anabolic steroids in their time to achieve their goals, but we must remember that this was the 1960s, when muscle size was not so important. In this sense, we could infer that today’s professional bodybuilders have a greater need to consume these substances in order to win competitions. This is the main difference of natural bodybuilding vs steroids.

Natural bodybuilding implies accepting that the human body has limits for hypertrophy, which means that despite having the best diet for bodybuilders and a good exercise routine, there is a moment when the muscles stop growing, even if we use an electrostimulator (in this link you will find several products to analyze) or any other modern method, since the body has already reached its maximum natural genetic potential. From then on, only the maintenance of the achievements remains.

Importance of psychology in natural bodybuilding

Like many athletes, natural bodybuilders can suffer from mental disorders, especially related to their physical condition. The so-called vigorexia is one of the most common problems, which refers to the fact that the athlete has a distorted view of his own body, which generates an obsession with increasing muscle mass, causing eating disorders and addiction to bodybuilding training. Other possible frequent effects are anxiety and moodiness. Therefore, communication with the coach is important to treat these symptoms in time.

diet in natural bodybuilding

In terms of nutrition, natural bodybuilding does not have major differences with respect to traditional bodybuilding. These are very strict regimens in which there is weight gain and loss in short periods of time. Generally, during the preparation phase for a competition, the athlete must follow a diet for 2 to 4 months, where the caloric expenditure is intense and the caloric intake is low, with the aim of maintaining a low body fat index , but trying not to lose muscle mass, so the intake of macronutrients is necessary.

Volume stage in natural bodybuilding

In this phase of the process, it is intended to maximize muscle mass, therefore, there is a considerable increase in calorie intake in the bodybuilding diet. Typically, athletes in the bulking stage consume about 30 excess calories for every kilogram of body weight.

protein consumption

To achieve naturally muscular bodies, bodybuilders should consume between 1.5 and 2 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. Among the most common sources are cottage cheese, poultry, fresh cheese, eggs, salmon, among other foods. Protein shakes are allowed as long as they have been approved by anti-doping institutions.

Fats in the natural bodybuilder diet

In addition to proteins and carbohydrates, a natural fitness athlete needs minerals, trace elements and fats, in order to have a balanced diet. However, they must be healthy fats, such as those found in nuts, olive oil, avocado and oily fish.

Natural bodybuilding competitions

The World Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WNBF) is the most important institution in this discipline, and has more than 30 years of experience in conducting rigorous tests for drug detection , as well as organizing competitions in different parts of the world.. In this sense, natural bodybuilding in Spain is supervised by the Spanish Agency for the Protection of Health in Sports (AEPSAD), while the most important championships in the country are carried out by the WNBF Spain. These events comply with the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

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