Mike Nachman
Is Bodybuilding Beneficial for Your Health?
All of us who began training at one point in time implemented the fundamentals of bodybuilding. It wasn’t complicated; we used the basic exercises, nothing fancy, and we got progressively stronger by increasing the weights on the bar, plus broke a personal best here and there.
Although everyone wasn’t perfect from the start, some trained little bit too much without enough rest, while others needed hone their technique, we picked up things on the way as our balance and motoric skills improved. Boiled down, it was fun, basic, a straight up success, and yes, it was healthy.
People started to take notice as we gained weight and our inches increased and along grew the confidence. We also learned basic nutrition and why we needed carbs and protein in order to get energy and repair the broken muscle fibers to make them bigger and stronger.
As the months and years went by, plateaus began to emerge; it got harder and harder to break the previous records. The body weight was stuck, and the inches on didn’t want to grow, even how heavy and technical the lifts were. After a while, many began to take a glance at largest elephant in the room, the one who could help to break those illusive barriers; anabolic steroids.
In the end, some of us made business with the elephant, which additionally lead to a few breaking the plateaus, while others barely saw changes. For those who used gear for a short period came out pretty healthy without any serious side effects, for those who continued it was worse. Some got depressed after the cycles, and developed anxiety (also during in some cases) and social phobia.
What’s noticable as well is that these guys were around 18-20, and even if they were predisposition for mental issues, well, gear defiantly speeded up the process. Some also got joint problems, such as busted up shoulders, elbows and knees and the list goes on. It was a mix between all worlds, positive and negative, but one thing was certain, the risks were always there and there were no free rides. Another thing I noticed was that gear defiantly was a gateway to other forms of recreational drugs and also criminal lifestyle which lead to many of these guys who were my friends died at a very young age, and often related to abuse of recreational drugs.
Would this have happened if it wasn’t for gear usage as a key to an anti-social lifestyle? – In some cases maybe, a few found their ways to the criminality because of other things but for many, gear was the starting point.
When it comes to answer the question if bodybuilding is healthy or not, it depends on what the goals are. And yes, PEDs are part of the most elite sport, at least the physical ones. However bodybuilding stands out as an extreme in comparison.
From the general perspective, pro bodybuilding is not healthy in general, not even the amateur side of it. The amount of intense training year after year takes its toll on joints and ligaments, plus that the amount of gear is not beneficial for the heart, liver and kidneys to the extent that it can be shorten the lifespan.
At the same time, it’s substantial to point out that side effects are included in almost every elite sport out there. To aim to be the best in any sport will have a few negative effects. For example boxing increase the risks of brain damage, Basketball; knees, shoulders – and football has it own set of injury risks.
The important element in all sports is that there´s a glory to winning. Being a champion in an elite sport I one of the biggest efforts a human can do accomplish, and hopefully the glory out shines the negatives.
In addition the risks should be taken by those who can go all the way in their particular sport. Some might say. But how does anyone know how far they can go without trying? Well after you get to know your body and are around the sport, you will hopefully come into a deeper understanding if you´re good enough. However, that doesn’t say that you should live the bodybuilding lifestyle, but maybe you shouldn’t use gear since it can be a huge health risk involved, and why if can’t even make an impact even on the amateur level? Is it because of boosting your ego, to get some kind of weird affirmation? Come on man, get real, you are stronger than that! If you don’t have the DNA to go all the way up the higher ranks, choose the natural side of bodybuilding, you can still love the lifestyle and culture, just as much, if not more.
When it comes to athletes with champion potentials there are a few high ranked pros who seem to be able to use gear during longer phases and recover fairly well after their careers are done, but far from all. Some died in addition to chasing their dreams.
It is also important to emphasize that pros on the higher levels do regular health checkups with specialized doctors. The pros also have gurus or know what they are doing and doesn’t use underground juice cooked up in someone’s bathtub. No instead they use pharmacy grade drugs.
Another think to keep in mind is that everyone who have been on gear who might want to quit one day, it might be extremely hard because one have to get used to less pump, less strength and depressive state. But remember that humans are extremely adaptable, so it’s just a matter of getting used to the situation and realize that you are going back to your roots from the early stages of training.
Remember that you are the creator of your life in which you can design your own version of bodybuilding. There is nothing wrong with being natural, passion on your side that makes you grow both within and outside plus a healthy lifestyle if you follow up with great nutrition and training programs.
