| To understand bodybuilding you need to take time to | | | | award the second year as well. He became a new |
| look back at the history of it how far it has come in | | | | idol; one where the fitness role takes a new direction in |
| the past century. Bodybuilding in the modern evolution | | | | physical development and improvement overall. Steve |
| started in the 1890's with Eugene Sandow; who is | | | | Reeves and Clancy Ross were both big time names |
| crowned at the Olympia every September as a world | | | | during this time; although some still were skeptic about |
| champion. Cultures as a whole started looking at the | | | | the sport of bodybuilding. |
| weight lifting and strongmen as a chance to issue | | | | Early world known names include the greats, Frank |
| challenges to each other by seeing who could out-lift | | | | Zane, Bill Pearl and Sergio Oliva. Ben Weider the |
| the most on many levels. This is where power lifting | | | | figurehead for present day bodybuilding was the |
| competitions exemplify this challenge and competition | | | | influence in forming the IFBB (International Federation of |
| at its finest. Nevertheless, symmetry was not a | | | | Bodybuilders) in 1946. The competition that is known to |
| concept known at this point in time, but was soon to | | | | all at this time is the Mr. Olympia started in 1965 by |
| have emergence with Eugene Sandow. Sandow | | | | Weider and the IFBB. The 1960's would mark the time |
| himself started in Europe as a strongman before | | | | the biggest bodybuilder in history comes to light. Arnold |
| traveling to America in the 1890's. | | | | Schwarzenegger in 1967 started his reign with winning |
| Sandow promoted bodybuilding and also published the | | | | the Mr. America title and dominated the bodybuilding |
| first magazine of the time promoting the sport called, | | | | world where he would go on to win the Mr. Universe |
| "Physical Culture". Sandow happened to suffer a brain | | | | five times and Mr. Olympia an astounding seven times. |
| hemorrhage when he tried to pull a car from a ditch to | | | | Bodybuilding grew in the 1970's Arnold and other stars |
| show his prowess in physicality. Sandow had the | | | | like Zane, Draper and Feriggno. While the muscular |
| chance to judge the first bodybuilding contest before | | | | body gained in popularity, the gym world gained |
| his untimely death. The first show was called "The | | | | momentum and people realized this is a very lucrative |
| Great Show" in 1891. Prize money back then was | | | | business to be in. |
| $2,500 and a gold Sandow statue. Judging criteria was | | | | The 1970's brought dominance for bodybuilding and the |
| laid out so that points would be awarded for showing | | | | IFBB. The federation decided to make bodybuilding a |
| more than just size, they included; general | | | | legitimate sport when enough competitors in over 100 |
| development, balance of development, condition and | | | | countries became known. By this time bodybuilding had |
| tone of muscle tissue, general health and condition of | | | | become a multibillion dollar industry. Currently we have |
| the competitors skin. The first Sandow statue went to | | | | seen many major names come into the world of |
| a man named William Murray of Great Britain. After | | | | bodybuilding such as Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris |
| this bodybuilding competition, it became increasingly | | | | as well as Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis. Right training |
| more popular. | | | | and dieting have become central to everyday life for |
| This was the time when the cartoon "Hey Skinny...yer | | | | more than four billion of the world's population. |
| ribs are showing!" became popular. We have all seen | | | | Competitive bodybuilders are at their all time largest, |
| this cartoon at some time, where a skinny guy with a | | | | finding new ways to increase muscle size as well as |
| cute girl on the beach is picked on by the big guy with | | | | finding this can be a career choice. In the 1980's we |
| muscles. The big guy kicks sand in the wimp's face | | | | had the chance to see steroids come to the light and |
| and then he takes his girl. This has become the stigma | | | | put a black eye on the sport of bodybuilding. The |
| over the years for the big guy. This has been known | | | | physiques improved due also to advances in training |
| as the most successful advertising campaign in history. | | | | and strategies. We saw Lee Haney win seven Mr. |
| By the end of the 1920's we had barbells, dumbbells | | | | Olympia awards with his physique around 240lbs and |
| and other exercises that led to more muscular | | | | be larger than any other bodybuilder at that point |
| development in present day. On the California coast | | | | where we now see many pushing close to 300lbs. |
| from the 1930's to the 1970's you would see weight | | | | When Haney retired he had beaten down Arnold's |
| lifting on the beach become increasingly popular; where | | | | records and many believe to be the largest name in |
| at the top of the list is muscle beach in Venice. | | | | bodybuilding. We now have very public figures in |
| Competition intensified when the Amateur Athletic | | | | bodybuilding such as reigning Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, |
| Union brought in Mr. America in 1939; where the | | | | former king of bodybuilding Ronnie Coleman and |
| participants would demonstrate athletic skills and were | | | | Gunter Schlierkamp who moved his way into the |
| advised to get in the best possible shape to help their | | | | world of film. Bodybuilding competitions continue to be |
| chances of winning. John Grimek the first Mr. America | | | | popular and inspirational to many fans. |
| was advanced in muscle development and won the | | | | |