• Body Fat %
• Body Water %
• Muscle Mass
• Bone Mass
• Visceral Fat
• Metabolic Age
• Metabolic Rating

The muscle mass feature is probably going to be the result I will check most often. I shall be using this machine and posting my results every week so that everyone can see my progress as they are on paper. I look forward to speaking to you all again soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CAjRGVeahI

And finally, the last piece of required equipment for my challenge - the “power rack”. This is the time lapse video of me constructing it - 5 hours in 1 minute 50 seconds. Building this beast of a machine was quite a workout in itself, especially having to construct it alone. I was completely exhausted by the end of it, especially having to turn the bolts at the top not to mention smashing my head against the bar a couple of times. But finally, it is all done. Everything is ready to go and all of my nutrients have arrived. I will be announcing my start date in the next day or so, so do keep a look out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxfGRXtAA6c

The equipment finally arrived! Here is the time lapse of me building the weight lifting bench - 2 hours in 1 minute 15 seconds. I’m going to be posting the time lapse of the power rack in the next few days too so be sure to check back.

WEIGHTLIFTING DOES NOT STUNT YOUR GROWTH!

That’s right, you heard me (or read) correctly, weight lifting does not stunt your growth. Famous sports stars including Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Michael Vick all started weight lifting in their early teen years and all have grown to be taller than 6 feet tall. Arnold Schwarzenegger himself admits that he started weight lifting at a young age and has grown to be 6′ 2″. Lou Ferrigno (”The Incredible Hulk“) started working out at the age of 14 at the height of 5′ 9″ and grew to a height of 6′ 5″ - taller than anyone in his family! Now unless you class 6 feet as short, there is enough proof on TV to say that weight lifting does not stunt your growth. I started weight lifting at the age of 14 and I am now 6′ tall!

The compression forces on the legs and spine produced by what are classed as “normal” activities such as running and jumping are upto 5 times the bodyweight and it is unlikely that any liftable weight will be able to match this.

There is no scientific proof to say that weight lifting will stunt your growth. In fact, books such as the Russian “School of Height” suggest that weight lifting promotes growth. Recent surveys and studies show that weight lifting actually has positive effects on growth.

The only thing that can be dangerous when it comes to weight lifting is incorrect technique and form. This can lead to injuries but this is the same for any other activity. With correct technique and form, the risk of incurring injuries is very low.

I hope this clears up the misconception that weight lifting stunts your growth.

When Did It Start?

There is a great deal of credibility that would pinpoint the late 1960s into the late 1970s as the start of bodybuilding. However, bodybuilding actually started many, many years before. All one has to do is take a look at the old circus and carnival circuit and see how prominently the strongman was presented. From strongmen of yesteryear to the prominent personalities of today, bodybuilding is certainly an important facet of pop culture.

Who Created it?

If one had to state who created the sensation of bodybuilding it would have to be Bob Hoffman, who started to promote bodybuilding in the 1930s. Later, the legendary Joe Weider started promoting bodybuilder types and the sport in general with the launch of his own publications, which would bring attention to the sport. Weider then went on to become the promoter of the Mr. Olympia contest that became top bodybuilding contest in the world.

The First True Star

Another person who helped draw attention to the bodybuilding world was Steve Reeves. Reeves had a physique like no one ever had before. He was tapped to play Hercules in two silly Italian films on the strength (pun intended) of Reeves’ look. The films took in $12 Million dollars at the box office.

Who Made It Really Famous?

The bodybuilding world eventually found its true superstar when a man who barely spoke English headed to Weider’s gym to train for the Mr. Olympia. That person, of course, was Arnold Schwarzenegger (”The Terminator” for those who never knew his real name). Arnie had a physique like no one had ever seen before (not surprising since he had been bodybuilding before he was even a teenager). He had off-the-charts charisma that launched the craze of bodybuilding in an era that saw the rise of some of the biggest legendary names in the business. The documentary “Pumping Iron” captures the era perfectly.

The Legacy

Not surprisingly, initially the general public felt that bodybuilding was a weird world, but there was a strange curiosity that motivated people to take a curious look at it. Some of those people, particularly young boys, would go on to aspire to become bodybuilders themselves. They wanted large muscles like Arnold’s. This interest in bodybuilding, spawned out of the glory years, has allowed the business to thrive and turn into a multi-million dollar business that is still going strong. This is the true legacy of the era, and it is a legacy that will endure for many years to come.