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Bodybuilding is in crises. Pumping Iron and Arnold's popularity in the 70's, and the fitness boom of the 80's helped bodybuilding grow. Now, in the 90's this growth is slowing down, and is in danger of stopping or even moving backwards.
Witness the number of drug-free competition organizations. Look at the bodybuilding magazines switching over to a more commercial format. Witness the inability of women's bodybuilding to even be able to find enough sponsors and sell enough tickets to make the Ms. Olympia contest to break even. Yes, there is a problem, a big problem.
The largest competition organizations aren't even paying attention to what is going on around them. Women's fitness contests are getting bigger all the time. Look at "pro" wrestling. If a goofy "sport" like this can continue to get bigger and bigger, so can bodybuilding
The solutions are pretty simple in my eyes. Women's bodybuilding continued to grow until Cory retired, then went downhill fast. Take the women's side of the sport back to the "Cory days". Proportion, balance and cuts should be judged over sheer mass. They should have more muscle than fitness competitors, but not as much as a drug-free male competitor. Some of the women competing in the drug-free organizations are on the right track. It would be nice to see the IFBB put their money and organization to work and save the women's sport.
The solution for the men is even easier. No rule changes are necessary. Just enforce the rules as they are written, instead of how they have been interpreted. Balance, proportion, and symmetry are equal to mass in importance. Penalize heavily for "growth hormone guts" and give extra points for posing excellence. If these guidelines are followed, and the magazines promote the winners heavily, the sport will be saved and continue to grow in popularity.
Are you not seeing the results from your aerobic workouts that you think you should be getting? Then I have a proposal. Forget about that 20 minutes of target heart rate, and start running your ass off!
Sprint! That's right, run as fast as your muscled legs will carry you. Run a 50 or 100 yard dash at top speed, then jog/walk for a few minutes. Before you completely catch your breath, do the next 50. Continue for 20 minutes. I wouldnt be surprised if you actually got a burn going in your thighs during this run. Make sure you do a cool-down walk afterwards, and stretch before and after. Do this 3 times a week instead of your regular plodding aerobic routine, and the results are sure to surprise you.
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