by Julie Dancer

Created on: October 06, 2007   Last Updated: May 01, 2011

Bodybuilding is a form of body modification, and not an exercise - although done properly, some health benefits do arise. As a form of body modification it involves developing well-defined and bulky muscles. In professional competitions, you are then judged on the aesthetic appeal of these muscles. 

There are several reasons body-building would be a poor choice of sport for students to be have to engage in. 

>>> Competition Over Appearance <<<

The first is that students (and, indeed, most people) are under intense pressure to look a certain way already. By making it compulsory for everyone to aspire to a six-pack you open up the door to a host of eating disorders, esteem issues and inferiority complexes for people already under academic stress.

>>> Valuing Appearance Over Fitness <<<

Fitness and healthy living is something that should be at the forefront of our educational system. With diet and lifestyle related disease now accounting for a large percentage of deaths in the western world, diet and exercise should be a key component of every school and workplace. Body-building, however, is not about fitness but about appearance, Whilst you can bodybuild in a healthy way, it is also possible to severely compromise your health through extreme dieting techniques, the abuse of supplements, and by forcing your body to work too hard too fast. 

Instead, basic fitness classes should be made compulsory - and by giving students a choice between a variety of activities (swimming, dance class, gym sessions etc) it can help each person find a regime that they enjoy and are more likely to stick with later in life.

>>> Health Risks <<<

Bodybuilding carries it with it some risks to the health. For example, a core component of bodybuilding is weight-lifting. Done properly, this is a safe and easy way to build muscle. Lift weights with poor technique, however, and you put enormous stress on your joints and tendons. This can hurt! 

In addition, a key part of bodybuilding is diet. Getting the defined look for each muscle involves 'cutting', a diet that aims for extreme fat-loss. Again, with adequate training and knowledge this can be accomplished safely, but without that knowledge you run the risk of restricting important nutrients and depriving your body of what it needs. At best this will impact on academic ability, at worse it can cause heart problems. 

Finally, there is the risk of steroids and other drugs. People are competitive, and even professional athletes have been caught 'cheating'. Colleges and schools are already places where drugs are readily available, and it would not take long for someone to see profit in the sales of steroids to anxious competitors. These drugs carry with them enormous side effects and health risks. 

In conclusion we can see that bodybuilding is a problematic activity, that should only be undertaken by people who are willing to put in the work. It should not be made compulsory, and certainly should not be considered more beneficial than other forms of exercise.

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