Bodybuilding

 Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles (muscle building) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. Because it is focused on strength, not physical appearance, bodybuilding differs from powerlifting. The person who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder.In professional bodybuilding competitions, participants are in line-ups and must perform specific poses (and later, individual posing routines) before a panel of judges who rate them according to symmetry, muscularity, size of their body, their conditioning, posing and stage presentation. To get ready for competitions, bodybuilders shed any excess body fat. They also utilize extracellular dehydration (and carbo-loading) to increase the definition of their muscles and increase the vascularity. The bodybuilder may initially be able to gain 8-20 pounds (4-9 kg) of muscle every year, when lifting for seven hours per week on a regular basis. After two years, however, gains slow to 5-15 pounds (2-7kg) over the next two years. In five years time, gains can decrease to 3-10lbs (1-5kg).