Bodybuilders rely on intensive training and strict diets to develop their muscles to maximum capacity. Professional bodybuilders enter competitions in which they are judged on muscle size, proportion and the appearance of their overall musculature. The most successful bodybuilders enjoy modeling contracts and endorsement deals for fitness and bodybuilding products.
Bulking and Cutting Phases
Bodybuilders start their preparations for competitions long before the event. The first phase of preparation is bulking up, in which bodybuilders follow a disciplined regimen suited to muscle growth. They eat large quantities of food and perform long, strenuous workouts in an effort to gain as much muscle as possible. In the months before the competition, bodybuilders switch to the cutting phase, in which they seek to lose any unwanted fat they gained in the previous phase. The goal is to have muscles that stand out distinctly during a pose.
Spotter
A spotter is person who is ready to provide assistance in the event you cannot complete an exercise. For example, to perform a chest press, you must lie on your back and lift a barbell loaded with weight. If the amount of weight proves too difficult for you to shift, your spotter helps you return it to its resting place on the lifting bench. Without assistance, you might not be able to extract yourself from underneath the barbell, which could lead to chest damage or suffocation if the barbell rolled to your neck. If there is any chance you will not be able to complete an exercise, ask someone to be your spotter.
Shorthand for Muscle Groups
Bodybuilders often refer to different muscle groups with abbreviations. Pecs are pectoralis major muscles. Delts are deltoids. Traps are trapezius muscles. Glutes are gluteals. Lats are latissimus dorsi muscles. Abs are abdominal muscles. Quads are quadriceps.
Over-Training
Bodybuilders push themselves hard to prepare for competitions and photo shoots. But if you work too hard or fail to get enough rest, your rate of improvement can decrease. This is referred to as over-training. Typical symptoms include atypical fatigue, unusual muscle soreness, performance plateaus or declines, poor quality sleep, moodiness and decreased energy, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery. Health-related symptoms include weight and appetite loss, constipation or diarrhea, high blood pressure and increasing incidences of sickness. To avoid over-training, develop an exercise regimen that incorporates reasonable goals and adequate rest for your muscles.
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