THE BENEFITS OF BODYBUILDING
The Benefits of Bodybuilding with James FitzGerald and Ben Pakulski
When you hear the word ‘bodybuilding’ what is the first thing that comes to mind? Is it a tupperware of chicken and broccoli, or perhaps an excessive amount of bicep curls? While both of these may be defining elements of the sport of bodybuilding, there are numerous reasons why the average person should be doing exercises derived from this fitness discipline.
Recently, OPEX Fitness Founder, James FitzGerald, joined legendary bodybuilder, Ben Pakulski, on the Muscle Intelligence podcast to discuss the benefits of bodybuilding. The conversation included how bodybuilding builds motor control, creates a metabolic advantage, and supports living a larger life. You can listen to the full episode for yourself here.
Listen to the Full Podcast Here
What Are the Benefits of Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding has a host of benefits, but during the podcast Ben and James focus on how bodybuilding develops motor control, creates a metabolic advantage, and supports the goal of exercise.
1) Bodybuilding Develops Motor Control
The first benefit of bodybuilding is that it develops motor control (the regulation of movement by the central nervous system). This is critical because motor control is the base of support for all types of exercise. What does this mean? Well, if you or your client wants to do more complex activities such as muscle-ups they need to spend enough time bodybuilding to learn the motor control in similar patterns such as pulling and pushing.
“I spent five years mastering the basics when I first started bodybuilding . . . The problem with fitness today is that no one wants to take the time to master the basics.”
Ben Pakulski
2) Creates a Metabolic Advantage
The second benefit of bodybuilding is that it creates a metabolic advantage. Using bodybuilding to learn new motor patterns is difficult and burns a lot of calories. Thus, bodybuilding is a great tool to use when trying to change body composition.
James recommends doing bodybuilding in the form of full-body (head-to-toe) resistance training using the essential movement patterns. Learn the basics of programming full-body resistance training here.
3) Bodybuilding Supports Living a Larger Life
James believes there is a problem with the current fitness industry. Fitness is viewed as a fix. Instead, James wants us to challenge this idea and view fitness as a tool for helping us live our best life possible.“I want to be able to hike to the top of a mountain at 95 and have sex in the morning,” says James about his fitness intent.
This brings us to the third benefit of bodybuilding–it supports living a larger life. When you work backwards from living the best life possible and look at the type of exercise needed to support this you will arrive at bodybuilding and sustainable aerobic training. Bodybuilding supports living a larger life because the contractions found within it directly support our function in our everyday lives and it causes relatively low stress on the central nervous system. Put simply, bodybuilding keeps us fit for our daily lives without adding unnecessary stress.
Learn How to Coach Clients for A Lifetime
James and Ben have shared experience in performing at a high-level in their respective sports. James, the inaugural Crossfit Games winner and Ben, a Canadian IFBB Pro and former Mr. Canada. But now the two have focused their energy away from competing and towards educating. Learn James’ systematic approach to fitness coaching and start to support your client’s goals of living a larger life when you sign up for the free Professional Coaching Blueprint.
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