The relationship between bodybuilding and fitness involves the health benefits of creating more lean muscle when compared to body fat. Since bodybuilders generally spend a lot of time building and maintaining muscle mass, their bodies naturally burn more fat and calories than someone who does not have as much lean muscle. Bodybuilding is also good for cardiovascular health and overall endurance, strength, and general well-being.
One of the main relationships between bodybuilding and fitness is that building muscle directly correlates with a person’s ability to burn fat and calories. Those with large amounts of lean muscle can generally eat more calories each day without gaining weight, and they almost always have much less body fat than those who do not do strength training exercises. Having less fat on the body is better for overall health and fitness because it decreases the strain on the heart, reduces fat accumulation from around organs, and allows for greater endurance and strength in cardiovascular exercises. Overall fitness depends on being able to do strenuous activities, like running or walking up a flight of stairs, without too much strain on the body. Bodybuilding generally builds enough muscle for these activities to be performed with less overall effort.
Bodybuilding and fitness also go hand in hand because greater muscle mass results in things like better posture. The muscles needed to hold up the neck and spine are stronger in those who participate in bodybuilding, and are therefore able to work more effectively with less effort. Having better posture and a more solid trunk and legs not only provides greater endurance when performing everyday activities, but helps to prevent neck strain, back injury, and other injuries.
Although there are many positive links between bodybuilding and fitness, it should be noted that bodybuilding can have negative effects on health and fitness when done improperly. The act of strength training and building muscle itself is a good thing, but when it is overdone injuries can result. Bodybuilding exercises should be done in moderation, with beginners starting off slowly and working up to greater intensities and durations in their workouts. Even expert bodybuilders should take cues from their bodies and take a break if they experience accelerated heart rhythms or prolonged fatigue.
The biggest danger in bodybuilding is the temptation to use steroids in order to artificially enhance muscle growth. This is detrimental to health and fitness and can result in severe health problems like heart failure. Other bodybuilding aids, like supplements and protein shakes, should be used in moderation and under the supervision of a doctor or pharmacist.
