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Bodybuilding is a fascinating and multi-faceted combination of exercise, nutrition, self-discipline and competition. From the weightlifter that first discovers the fun of seeing their arms get bigger after a few weeks of lifting, to the professional who is dialing down their fat and water count preparing for a contest, bodybuilding is a great life-style. As an enthusiast, attending a competition for the first time has the effect of encouraging you to be better and improve your physique forever. Good gyms are wonderful places to sweat, study and improve yourself; and the cost is easily recovered through your life in saved medical costs and money not wasted on fad diets and exercise gimmicks from infomercials on TV.

There are many reasons for people to exercise and improve their muscle tone and keep their body fat content down. The basis of every real regimen for a healthy lifestyle involves - you guessed it - exercise and good nutrition. Eating basic foods in the right amounts and combinations, combined with virtually any form of physical exercise or exertion, has the effect of improving or "building" your body. Learning how to choose the right foods, and what are the correct quantities, is some of the fun a bodybuilder enjoys in their chosen lifestyle.

Training for virtually every athletic sport or competition involves exercises designed to improve both the athletic stamina of the athlete's blood and respiratory system and strengthening the muscles associated with the movement required for that sport. Bodybuilders choose to exercise their muscles with the goal of improving their appearance and feeling the "pump" that only finishing a great leg day workout can bring. Crawling out of the gym barely able to stand, knowing that you gave everything you had to hit the "perfect set" - there is no better feeling to a serious bodybuilder.

People are drawn into the sport of bodybuilding for various reasons, with many of them having been influenced by the desire to feel more self-confident and attractive to themselves and others. School physical education and sports are normally the first exposure a young person has to the world of physical exercise, which brings a realization one that muscles are not just something to be seen in Arnold and Rambo movies. Some people naturally have more muscular, toned and attractive bodies, and some are destined to forever work out in the quest to look good.

I have found that while many consider those who choose bodybuilding as their sport to be non-athletes, narcissistic and not so bright; bodybuilders actually know considerably more about health, diet, nutrition and their own body health than many other athletes, trainers, nutrition professionals and doctors. Certainly many people only seek to learn about their own body when an injury or serious health problem makes it a priority for them. These people usually find that it is a much more complicated and personal subject than the ever imagined it to be. Our body is not issued to us with an operating manual, and unless we choose to gather information and study and learn and practice healthy living, your body can break down and leave you stranded.

I found a great book titled "Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder" which I heartily recommend to anyone with interest and involvement in gyms and bodybuilding at any level. It covers the entire picture from the first YMCA visit to full competition (and after) in a manner which is truthfully accurate, educational and hilarious. Every gym rat who reads this book will recognize the people, emotions and behaviors that describe why they want to be known simply as . . . 'builders.

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