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The Bodybuilding Machine ...Past and Present (Part 1)

By: Mick Hart. Bodybuilding is really beginning to piss me off and you might even describe the feeling as having haemorrhoids. I am constantly being swamped by journals and articles about how poor physique standards have become and what really gets at me are the concerns about professional contests judging results.

I have been around the bodybuilding scene for many years now and have experienced a number of changes at competition level. There is no doubt in my mind that the standards have hit new levels for everyone concerned in an event and that the evolution of my sport continues and that the results seen will always get better.

I myself have always had my own personal opinion on who should or shouldn't have won a particular competition, although I would never have the courage to take on the role of actually judging others as a profession.

So with that my further comments are meant in no way to criticise any of those brave guys who chose to sit on the judging panels. I realise the pressure they must be under as their own opinions can either make or break the competitor's careers, advertising deals, sponsorships and even the rest of their lives. Just imagine what Arnold might be doing now if he hadn't won competitive events during his youth.

To be honest I haven't got a clue what exact percentage of bodybuilders actually train with the sole object of competing in physique contests. The answer I suspect is just a tiny minority, with most weight trainers having varied and alternative targets, from rehabilitation, to improving their chosen major sport, get fit or stronger, or simply as most do, to improve their own standard of physique, gain or lose weight, and add some muscle

If you just take a good look around your local gym you might just be able to pick out one bodybuilder that might have the potential to enter these bodybuilding physique competitions and maybe just at a local level. The majority of the guys in the gym will not have any interest what so ever in these contests and will most probably just be fed up with constantly being reminded of them in the muscle mags. If anyone was the exception to the rule then it was definitely Arnold the great who knew right from his very first squat and dead lift where his efforts were to be best concentrated. (Coming soon Part 2)