One might argue that history tends to progress in a cyclical nature. Every so often we find ourselves facing the same challenges our forefathers faced whether in war, peace or revolution in militant or cultural form.
On a decidedly less grand scale, the same can be said of the exercise and fitness world. Things seem to follow the strong and alluring tendency of from time to time coming full circle.
In the very beginning, when the fitness industry was akin to a Garden of Eden of sorts, only full of dumbbells and barbells instead of apple trees, it drew heavily from the world of competitive bodybuilding.
Bodybuilders used gyms to build muscle and compete on stage for the title of having the best-looking figure and physique of all. The methods they used gushed into the mainstream as the average Joe and Josephine realised they could train in gyms and exploit the same methods to look and feel better.
What followed was the influx of just about everybody into rapidly growing chains of gyms all too happy to accommodate an ever-increasing client base.
The very first instructors of the modern commercial fitness industry were bodybuilders, because they knew the way of the weights more intimately than any-one. The industry, however, became increasingly mainstream over the ensuing years and the role of the fitness professional evolved with it.
Occupational standards demanded a clearly defined skill set that transcended the simpe matter of how good someone was at bodybuilding.
We will learn ever more about the science and art of developing attractive bodies in the safest and most efficient ways
The industry opened its eyes to alternate methods. We also became very interested in what the competitive athletes and coaches had to say, as well as the physiotherapists and medical professionals.
In the first years of the 21st century we saw the functional training revolution sweep across gyms worldwide. This coincided with the development of a new range of equipment from wobble-boards to state-of-the-art resistance machines. It was good for business and good for us.
Like most industries, the fitness sector thrives on new trends, even if the new trend is a revamped and repackaged version of something old. This dealt somewhat of a blow to competitive bodybuilding, which itself began to struggle with an emerging identity crisis.
Big muscular monsters posing on stage had long surpassed levels of physical development the average observer could relate to. It started to appear freakish and with a whole new host of toys to play with, we, in the fitness industry, were quick to turn our backs on our roots and explore the new and exciting directions of the future.
All these years on, we are still more interested in losing weight and looking good than ever before. Major governing bodies in the sport have introduced a number of new categories which are reportedly already leading to increased participation.
These new categories come with a range of restrictions on how large or muscular the competitors are allowed to be at their respective heights. They involve the showcasing of figures and physiques that are much closer to the social norms associated with attractiveness and beauty and much closer to what is achievable by the average gym user should they choose to apply themselves to a new and engaging challenge.
The new bodybuilding dimension provides gym users with yet another activity they may take up should they wish to super-charge their motivation to train, which should bolster numbers across the board. As more people compete, the bar will be raised, literally and figuratively, and we will learn ever more about the science and art of developing attractive bodies in the safest and most efficient ways.
Research will surely follow suit, so an additional projected benefit will most likely be improved knowledge in the field of training for enhanced aesthetics. It looks like we are coming full circle and the great thing about the overarching ride is that we always pick up a host of wonderful tricks and useful knowledge along the way, making fitness a more fruitful pursuit than ever before.
matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt