Feminine bodybuilding

Although bodybuilding started gaining popularity in the early twentieth century, women did not start competing professionally until the 1970s. Mainly considered a male dominated profession, bodybuilding started gaining popularity amongst women in the 1960s through fitness competitions. But it was not until 1978 that the first professional bodybuilding competition was held for women and was judged on muscularity. Female bodybuilding has come a long way since then, attracting throngs of fans and competitors to bodybuilding competitions.

The 1980s marked the start of the most famous bodybuilding contest, called the Miss Olympia, soon followed by the Women’s Pro World Championship. Initially in such competitions, the competitors emphasized more on fitness rather than muscularity, but as the sport grew and became more competitive, weight training started to gain popularity. As a result, muscular physiques started to appear in competitions. It was the eighties that the Ms. International competition replaced the Pro World Championship, attracting competitors from around the globe. The nineties were marked by intense rivalries and very competitive championship battles, leading to a great increase in popularity. Popular competitors included Lenda Murray and her intense rivalry with Laura Creavalle. At the turn of the century, rules were changed to introduce weight categories leading to two winners for each competition as well as the return of some former champions.

protein powders for women competitors

The demands on a female bodybuilder are slightly different than from a male bodybuilder. There is some emphasis on femininity in competitions due to the fact that female bodybuilding evolved from bikini and fitness competitions. The general rules of a female bodybuilder’s diet are the same as for their male counterparts: lots of proteins and carbohydrates while avoiding the fats. Obviously, some essential fats have to be incorporated into the diet as they are needed for muscle growth. The use of additional supplements can produce quicker results, though there is lack of supplements specifically designed for women. Fat burners are quite popular due to women’s higher tendencies to gain and retain fat. However, their use should be strictly overseen by professionals as their long-term use can be dangerous. Protein powders are also quite popular with women, giving them that additional proteins needed to help provide the raw materials for muscle growth. Whey, Soy and Casein are some popular forms of protein powders available in many varieties and concentrations based on the requirements of your workout regime. It is also important to include multi-vitamins and minerals if your workouts are especially demanding and you feel your body is not meeting its requirements through your diet.

As women bodybuilding gains more popularity, rivalries between competitors also grow. The increasingly large number of people thronging to female bodybuilding competitions gives people an idea about how important women are taking their personal fitness. These Amazonian women deserve nothing but commendations for being the model of hard work and determination, acting as role models for thousands of women around the globe.