Many people brush off bodybuilding because they think its just about posing on stage, its not! Bodybuilding makes your everyday life more enjoyable by giving you strength ot do the activities you want to do -without injury. Paddling a canoe or kayak is a great example, its a simple and enjoyable activity that millions enjoy. Although its simple, it requires strength and conditioning. If someone who is not fit tries it, they are going to get sore, injured, or both. Paddling a canoe or kayak requires a very strong core and shoulders. I did 4hrs of sea kayaking in lake Titicaca (elevation 12,500′) yesterday and because of my bodybuilding training, I was able to jump in and go full bore without any soreness at all the next day. Bodybuilding makes everyday life more enjoyable!
Another example, gardening. It requires more strength and flexibility than you think and bodybuilding can help with that too. Building quad, hamstring, and spinal extensor strength thru bodybuilding allows you to handle the constant bending over and lifting without pain or injury. Those lacking strong legs and a strong back end up bending and lifting improperly which usually results in chronic back problems. Bodybuilding is important for EVERYONE, 18 or 80 is can help you do the things you enjoy without injury.
Still not convinced? You say that your job/schoo/familyl keeps you so busy you dont have time for bodybuilding, gardening, OR canoeing? Well apart from the fact that you might want to re-examine your life priorities, you are wrong. You *need * at least a minimal bodybuilding program to keep injury free and healthy. Can you afford chronic back pain or spending days in bed with agonizing pain? Probably not. Most back injuries happen in the home or workplace, not in the gym. You dont have to become a 240 pound slab of ripped beef to get the health benefits from bodybuilding. Just two quick 30 minute home workouts a week can help keep you injury free, here is an example of a great little EDL (Every Day Life) workout:
- front planks
- side planks
- crunches
- alternate arm and leg raises
- chair squats or lunges
- SLDL (light weight)
- pushups (optional)
- pullups (optional)