History of Body Building
A well-defined physique has always been closely associated with strength, success and fertility. Since the ancient times, human beings were highly engrossed in developing their physical structure with the intent to attract the opposite sex as well as be useful in several functions of daily living. Today, the activity is more commonly referred to as body building. The world has embraced it since its date of origin.
The Birth of Body Building
The origin of body building is estimated to be between 1880 and 1930. Body building as an art form wherein individuals pose and display symmetry and muscularity, did not exist before the 19th century. However, human beings have already been actively building strength to prepare for games and other popular sports for more than 3000 years. The ancient Greeks were known for possessing well-developed structures by doing a variety of exercises, including weight lifting.
The single person who could be accredited with initially promoting body building would be Eugen Sandow, from Prussia (Germany). He is now referred to as the father of Modern Body building.
Sandow was the first person who pioneered the sport of displaying well-defined physiques solely, since strongmen at the time were more concerned about showing feats of strength through wrestling matches, lifting meets and strength demonstrations. Florenz Ziegfield served as Sandow’s manager, who put on stage shows where the first body builder present his body in carnivals and other events.
The First Body Building Contest
Sandow became widely famous for his posing and flexing routines. He later went on to marketed products using his name. Some of the first exercise equipments available to the public were created and developed by the pioneer such as tension bands, machined dumbbells and spring pulleys. Sandow followed the Grecian Ideal where he built his physique relative to the ideals of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Sandow arranged the very first body building contest on September 14, 1901 in the royal Albert Hall, London, UK and named it the Great Competition. The winner was William L. Murray, who was presented with a bronze statue of Eugen Sandow himself. Today, the Mr. Olympia competition is the most famous and prestigious body building contest in the world. Since 1977, winners were awarded with the same bronze statue of Sandow.
The Muscle Mecca
The 1930s and 1940s saw a continuous rise in the sport of body building, particularly in Muscle Beach, Santa Monica, California, USA. Body builders would arrive in droves especially in the summer to perform a variety of strength stunts and display their muscular bodies.
Some of the icons at the site were Jack La Lanne, Joe Gold, who founded Gold’s Gym, Harold Zinkin, who founded Universal gym and AAU Mr. America John Grimek. Muscle Beach closed in the 1950s, but the west coast remained as the mecca of body building. Today, Venice Beach, California is the center, where the first Gold’s Gym is located.
The AAU or American Athletic Union was sponsoring body building competitions since 1939. Ben and Joe Weider, from Canada, established the IFBB or International Federation of Bodybuilders which is the premier group of body building at present. Together, the brothers circulated body building magazines as well as founded the Mr. Olympia contest.
Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger from Austria shaped and popularized the sport like no one else before or after him. The immigrant won 7 Mr. Olympia titles, along with other amateur and professional championships and is highly regarded as the most influential and greatest body builder of all time.
The body building craze continued throughout America and the world as The Oak displayed his genetic prowess, drive, determination and charisma. Body building has became closely associated with sexuality and power. When Arnold left the scenes and set his sights on Hollywood and politics, the world continued to improve in the art of the sport. Several upcoming amateurs, natural and competitive alike, enters the sport hoping to be the next Arnold.
Today, body building is still the same as it was a century ago. Although new rules, regulations and materials have been incorporated to keep the sport intense, all body builders mainly indulge to boost strength, gain confidence and for the love of it.
