[quote]SSC wrote:
Alffi wrote:
Some people consider BB a sport,others don’t. The inclusion of BB in the World Games supports the sport status of BB. Now if we accept that it is one,perhaps it helps us to compare it to sports which hold unchallenged status as ‘real’ sports,which is pretty much all of them.
I think the hardest part of BB is staying lean while getting larger,which requires diet attention. The training itself is inherently easier than in a strength sport. BB reminds me of that time as a child when “exercise is good” and just fooling around and having fun and getting a little gassed is considered productive activity,that’s what they thought at school and that was enough.
A BB’er can be happy with getting sore and lactic in the right places. He does not need to care about strength,speed,mobility,technique etc. and to psychologically push himself to new heights with maximum weights. He can employ methods that retard strength development,like lifting fatigued and slowing down a small weight to get that time under tension and the pump.Even partial ROM may be excused. He can switch exercises on and off, if strength in one goes down it’s allright,as long as the target muscles are torn. Just pump out a moderate weight for a while. That’s pretty fun and not stressful at all.
This is not meant to belittle bodybuilding,which I think is cool. Just present the argument for why it seems to me as if it is easier. I’ve seen some BB’s state that they think that it is the hardest sport in the world. Answer what you will.
I think you’re missing a few points here. First of all, I can’t for the life of me understand why you talk about getting big while staying lean. Yeah, it’s a ‘healthier’ way to go about BB’ing, but I think most will agree for quicker results, all-out bulk cycles are better for gaining mass, faster. If someone is worried about ‘staying lean’ while bodybuilding, they probably don’t kow shit about bodybuilding or don’t understand what a cutting cycle is.
I don’t see how you can make qualifications that it’s easier than a strength sport. I’ll preface by saying something like this is highly subjective, there is no infallible answer. That being said, it is a completely heinous claim that bodybuilders don’t worry about strength, flexibility, speed, mobility, technique, whatever. All these things can have a very important part of a workout, and any bodybuilder who isn’t working on these components to their health is either ignorant or very fucking stupid. Also, most bodybuilders don’t take a weight they can easily handle for 15 reps. It’s not about ‘moderation,’ it’s about OVERLOAD. Anyone who doesn’t progressively push themselves hard in the weight room is (see answer in italics above.)
The fact is, is that most BB’ers ought to spend 5 or more years developing big strength, through a style that I think should be reminiscent of powerlifting. A lot of people have your logic, though, and I see 150 lb high-school kids in the weight room, doing bullshit exercises with bullshit weight, flexing in the mirror. These are the people that will eventually be happy with their six-pack and tiny bumps in their arms for the beach. Don’t include these people as bodybuilders. Real BB’ers push it to the limit every workout, and if they don’t, they go extra hard the next workout to punish themselves for the last one.
Partial ROMs, switching exercises, and all those things are ‘excused’ because they help stress the muscle and keep variables in the weight room.[/quote]Allright. I want to emphasize that I just wanted to present the arguments why it looks easier,and see if they stand up.
First of all,where do you think the high school kids got the idea to do what you think they do? I think it is popular BB literature. It does read there. So anyone who has beef with my interpretation of bodybuilding should keep in mind that my understanding,although simplified for convenience,comes from the literature.
Regarding bulking and cutting, I understand, and I don’t really see a contradiction there. Allright,maybe I could have worded it differently. But either way,I’m sure we are agreed that even if one is bulking,then they will try to keep it smart.
Regarding overload and progress; again,no necessary contradiction. Unless they are having a strength season for some reason,the way they are pushing is distinct from a strength athlete’s. A comparison: imagine having to jump in place until you cannot do it anymore. Then imagine having to jump off the ground on one leg while holding X kilos (a weight very heavy for you). Anybody can fatigue themselves,anybody cannot lift a heavy weight. Now I’m not saying that a BB fellow can get all loose and indifferent,but I’m sure you can identify a difference.
And the ability to do partial ROM,switch exercises,tempo etc. translates to less mental burden and less stress,as opposed to having to sweat over improving in a specific lift.