The Sunday Mail
Sports Correspondent
THE 2019 edition of the Zimbabwe National Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships is set to for September 28 at the 7 Arts Theatre in Harare, with athletes from across the country expected to compete in over 17 categories.
These range from men’s physique, bikini, to men’s fitness open. This will be in all the various age and weight categories that include the wheelchair division, men and women’s open category and the juniors.
In the next couple of weeks, I will be giving you an insight into this widely unappreciated art.
We will also discuss body types and how they can be developed into aesthetically good physiques, which are stage worthy.
In the run-up to the Fitness Championships, we will also give regular updates on the competition.
And now for a little history.
Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercises and nutrition to control and develop one’s muscles for aesthetic purposes.
From the definition, it is clear that one should be in control and develop his or her physique in order to look good.
In view of that, looking good should not be one dimensional; hence bodybuilding has a number of genres such as physique, open bodybuilding, figure, fitness, bikini, wheelchair and classic bodybuilding.
We will discuss these genres in detail in our future articles. Bodybuilding is generally regarded as a sport, but for some, it can be lifestyle.
After all, it is always wise to look good.
Bodybuilding was introduced to the world by a Prussian man called Friedrich Wilhelm Muller, commonly known as Eugen Sandow.
Sandow was a circus presenter and studied strongman under the tutelage of Louis Durlacher in the 1880s.
He hosted the world’s first bodybuilding show in 1901 at Royal Albert Hall in London. The competition was judged by Sandow, author Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Lawes Wittewronge, who was a sculptor by profession.
It is because of this show that Sandow is therefore referred to as the godfather of bodybuilding. While Sandow invented competitive bodybuilding, Joe Weider professionalised it but again, we will also discuss the contributions made by Weider in our future articles. Bodybuilding is judged by a set of judges who assess the degree of muscle development, proportions, symmetry, balance, muscle definition and stage presence. ln different genres, different levels of muscularity and density are expected.
For example, a bikini model should not be as muscular as an open bodybuilder, otherwise she will be marked down.
Furthermore, there are other genres such as Fitness and Athletic Fitness, which also assess fitness levels and flexibility.
When preparing for a show, a bodybuilder goes through a phase, which is commonly referred to as a dieting phase in order to expose themselves to as much detail and density as possible.
This phase includes reducing carbohydrates intake and increasing protein intake. They will approach training with a view to enhance muscle definition whilst reducing fat.
This phase can take up to 12 weeks or more, depending with one’s phenotype or body type.
Till we meet again next week, stay safe.
Quiet Shangai is the secretary-general of National Federation of Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness and a member of Active Fitness Group and MuscleXclusive. He is a fitness enthusiast. You can contact him on +263774455566 or email [email protected]
