| HISTORY | | | | greatest achievements was when he organised the |
| Early Years | | | | first bodybuilding contest in 1901, which he called the |
| Bodybuilding has its roots in India in the 11th century | | | | "Great Competition", and held it in the Royal Albert Hall, |
| when men would lift a specifically sized piece of stone | | | | in London. In order to create the required impact, |
| in order to determine which of the participants had the | | | | Sandow himself was the main judge, and he was |
| greatest strength. | | | | fortunate in securing the agreement of two leading |
| However, bodybuilding became established in the | | | | luminaries of the period, Sir Charles Lawes, and Sir |
| West sometime during the period 1880 to 1930. | | | | Arthur Conan Doyle. |
| Bodybuilding may be described as the art of displaying | | | | As it turned out, the success of the contest exceeded |
| one's muscles. | | | | his wildest dreams. It was completely sold out with |
| It did not really exist before the late 19th century, when | | | | hundreds of disappointed physical culture enthusiasts |
| it was brought to prominence by a Prussian called | | | | being turned away. |
| Eugen Sandow, who is now generally referred to as | | | | To demonstrate his complete invincibility, the winner's |
| "The Father of Modern Bodybuilding". He is credited as | | | | trophy was a bronze statue of Sandow himself, |
| being the founder of the sport since he was the first | | | | sculpted by Frederick Pomeroy, and was presented to |
| to present himself in front of an audience so that they | | | | William L. Murray of Nottingham, in England, the very |
| could enjoy viewing his physique. | | | | first winner of this coveted award. |
| Although audiences enjoyed watching men with | | | | Since 1977, the winner of the Mr Olympia, which is |
| well-developed physique, these participants simply | | | | uniquely regarded as the most prestigious bodybuilding |
| displayed their bodies as part of strength | | | | contest anywhere in the world, has had the distinct |
| demonstrations or wrestling matches. On the other | | | | privilege of being presented with the same bronze |
| hand Sandow stage managed, with the help of his | | | | statue of Sandow that he himself presented to the |
| manager, an impressive show which was built to | | | | winner of the first contest. |
| augment these displays. | | | | The very first American bodybuilding competition took |
| He became so successful with his shows that he | | | | place, in 1904, at the colossal Madison Square |
| established several businesses and was among the | | | | Gardens, in New York, at which the winner was |
| first to market products based on his own brand | | | | declared "The Most Perfectly Developed Man in the |
| name. As his popularity increased, he was credited | | | | World". A few weeks later, Thomas Edison made a |
| with inventing and selling the first exercise equipment | | | | film of the winner demonstrating various posing |
| that had mass appeal, including dumbbells, spring pulleys | | | | routines. |
| and tension bands. | | | | A few years earlier, Sandow had starred in two films, |
| He was a strong advocate of "the Grecian Ideal" | | | | made by Thomas Edison, which established him as the |
| which was based on the proportions of ancient Greek | | | | very first person to star in three films depicting his |
| and Roman statues from the classical period that he | | | | finesse as a bodybuilder. |
| regarded as personifying the perfect physique. This is | | | | Two hugely popular exponents of the art of |
| the way in which he developed his own physique. | | | | bodybuilding in the 20th century, Bernard MacFadden |
| In the early years, men were judged by how closely | | | | and Charles Atlas, continued to promote the sport |
| they matched these "ideal" proportions. One of his | | | | across the world with great success. |