WEEK EIGHTY-SIX :: What Are The Positives About Working Out?

[the_fake_webmaster]

* Note: How can I win? 1. Answer all questions in the order that they are asked. 2. Go over reviews (located at the bottom of each TOTW article) and see what was said about those that did not win. Good Luck!
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TOPIC: What Are The Positives About Working Out?

For the week of: July 19th - July 25th
Tuesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Bodybuilding has become beneficial to so many people. We all have our reasons as to why we workout; health, strength, physique, sports, are just a few.

What are the top 5 positive things about bodybuilding?

What is the main reason you workout?

Weight training vs. Cardiovascular: Which do you think has more benefits?

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Webmaster
Bodybuilding.com

[deadaim]

What are the top 5 positive things about bodybuilding?

1. And most importantly, Its about how you feel, being able to look in the mirror and be happy with whats looking back.

2. A good bodybuilder most definantley has an excellent diet which is extremley beneficial to ones health.

3. Being a positive role model for those around you, many people look up to bodybuilders, and are inspired to work hard and achieve results.

4. Self-esteem and confidence shoot through the roof when you start bodybuilding, which reduce stress levels and can help someone become more sucessfull in life.

5. Last and not least, life is too short to be small, Go big everyday everytime, without bodybuilding you couldnt achieve this.


What is the main reason you workout?

The reason i started and learned alot of what i know is from my father Michael Smith a former aspiring olympic athelete. I grew up around my dad and his weight lifting. I spent countless hours in the daycare center at the Golds Gym in Fullerton. Thats why I started but i stayed for each of the 5 reasons i stated earlier.

Weight training vs. Cardiovascular: Which do you think has more benefits?

This is a trick question. Both have obvious benefits, but wait whats that? They can be used in conjuction? there is no reason why you cant have both, in fact one without the other just doesnt makes any sense.

[Theshadow324]

Good luck to everyone, I really enjoyed this TOTW, good choice.

[mivi320]

What Are The Positives About Working Out?

Intro

Bodybuilding is truly a great lifestyle. Not only will this sport better one's appearance and physique, but it will conclusively improve one's health, confidence, and discipline among other important characteristics.

Whether you workout for general health and wellness purposes, sports, physique, strength, or for whatever other reason - the fact of the matter is that working out will benefit you in so many ways!

What are the top 5 positive things about bodybuilding?

• Self-Confidence

Bodybuilding has helped many people undergo some amazing transformations. When people improve their physiques through proper training and diet, a greater level of self-confidence is reached.

An increased self-confidence results in a much happier lifestyle. After all, self-confidence is basically an assessment of your own self-worth.

One of the main reasons why self-confidence is a byproduct of bodybuilding is because bodybuilding encourages the individual to set up goals he or she would like to achieve.

Setting up attainable goals and achieving them proves your ability and capabilities to yourself - resulting in an increased confidence level!

For example, a teenager looking to gain some muscle may turn to bodybuilding. In order to accomplish his dream of adding some quality muscle to his frame, he will most likely aim for a goal weight he would like to reach - working day in and day out to reach that weight.

Once that goal weight is reached, you better believe his self-confidence will have increased!

• Overall Health

Not only will working out improve your self-esteem, confidence, and mindset, but it will also have a great impact on your overall health and well-being.

Working out on a regular basis is possibly one of the best methods of preventing bone and joint problems. As we age, lean body mass (LBM) and bone density is lost. By exercising frequently, one is able to maintain flexibility, lean mass, and strength over time.

Exercising regularly will conclusively boost your immune system. Research has shown that low and moderate intensity levels of exercise will tremendously strengthen the immune system. Therefore, simply doing some low-moderate intensity cardio will get the job done!

Most importantly, working out decreases the risk of heart disease, stroke, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity!

• Increased Energy Levels

Those who work out regularly actually have more energy, vitality, strength, endurance for everyday activities compared to the typical couch potato.

Think back to when you were fatigued, tired, and going to the gym was the last thing on your mind - but you made it there anyway.

After your workout, did you feel energized and much more awake than you did before?

The reason being is that working out releases endorphins, which ultimately improve your energy levels. Exercise also boosts your metabolism, which also has an impact on your energy levels and well being.

In turn, working out will increase your energy, endurance, and vitality. It will also increase your work capacity for performing every day activities!

• Improved Mood

Exercising frequently reduces stress and anxiety in individuals.

Think back to when you had a long and stressful day at work. Despite being stressed and having a million things on your mind, you still made it to the gym to get in your workout.

Did you feel relaxed after your workout?

That "relaxed feeling" after working out is alleviating and palliative, which has a positive impact on your overall mood and health!

• Physical Appearance and Attracting the Opposite Sex!

Don't you just love it when a stranger walks up to you and pops the question "do you workout?"

Being recognized by others for having a fit physique is most definitely a positive of working out and bodybuilding.

Getting compliments from friends (and even strangers) makes you feel good and motivated.

By keeping a fit bod, you're sure to attract members of the opposite sex, which is also another positive of working out!


What is the main reason you workout?

Bodybuilding has benefited me in so many ways - teaching me the importance of goal setting (and achieving those goals), discipline, and improving my overall health and wellness.

I love the way bodybuilding makes me feel.

The sound of the weights moving when doing deadlifts, the way I look in the mirror after a brutal workout when my muscles are ridiculously pumped, the mindset that's needed to go into the gym and set a new personal record on the barbell squat. I live for it.

I know I'm doing my body good by eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly!

Weight training vs. Cardiovascular: Which do you think has more benefits?

Both should be included in any sound workout program for best results and health benefits.

Weight training is crucial for developing self-confidence and improving body image by increasing strength, lean body mass, and preserving lean body mass for those who are on a fat loss program.

Regular cardiovascular increases stamina, improves immune system health, increases longevity of one's life, encourages weight loss, and improves mood.

Both offer different benefits and both should be performed regularly for optimal health!

Live life to the fullest!


Mike

[Spaniard00]

The top 5 benefits of bodybuilding.

Ambition-

The Bodybuilding lifestyle gives you a hunger to excel. However, its not only my diet and High Intensity training schedule that has changed, but also my ambitions to do the best I can in everything that I do.

Discipline-

The bodybuilding lifestyle gives you amazing discipline. A rigid diet and a training schedule not only transforms you in terms of your physique, but in all other aspects of your life. It gives you mental strength which increases your tolerance and patience.

Health-

Health is one of the most important reasons for bodybuilding. When you do frequent training the age process is slowed down and your chances of premature death are decreased. Working out improves skin, flexibility, muscle tone, and decreases chance of osteoporosis, stroke and even heart disease.
Bodybuilding has been proven to be a immune system stimulant. It decreases your chances drastically of receiving any infectious diseases. Countless studies have proven people who workout have quicker reaction times, concentration and even memory. Exercising has also been used for a long time to aid clinical depression. Exercising boosts mood and promotes relaxation. Proper nutrition has also been proven to reduce stress. Last but not least the bodybuilding lifestyle reduces risk of many deadly diseases such as diabetes, obesity, high scholesterol, colon cancer,and arthritis.

Confidence-

Nothing is quite as bad as insecurity. Never being sure of yourself and always second guessing yourself is a horrible feeling. Bodybuilding not only transforms your mind, but it also transforms your body. Through bodybuilding you will gain stamina, strength, muscle tone and even feel better emotionally. This will give your self confidence and self image a boost.

Perserverance-

"What does not kill you, only makes you stronger". I could not agree more. Life is hard and bodybuilding has taught me the most important lesson. Never give up. If you fail once, try and try again until you have done all that you can.

What is the main reason you Workout?

Once I started working out at about the age of 17, I felt something I never felt before. I felt a hunger that drove me to excel in my life. My newly found ambition propelled me to get into a great college and become a co owner in a real estate company. I than slowly started to notice that I was gaining discipline when it came to eating and abstaining from drinking and doing other dangerous activities. While I was in my first college everyone was drinking while I was studying and it was not easy. Bodybuilding also has countless benefits when it came to my health. Since both my parents are doctors good health is something which I care dearly about. When I was 17 I had a decent body. However, I was not confident because I didn't have large amounts of muscle mass or a single digit bodyfat percentage. After 5 years I am much closer to accomplishing my goals and my confidence is better than ever. Last but not least when I hit a plateau in my training, instead of giving up I work around it. Very similiar to my life. Bodybuilding taught me how to perservere under the darkest of situations.

Weight Training or Cardio Vascular: Which do you think has more benefits?

Both Cardio and Weight training have an array of benefits. I beleive they can't be compared because they are different and can work in conjunction.

Cardio has many benefits. Cardio causes your lungs to process oxygen with much less effort, your heart pumps blood easier and the blood supply directed towards your muscles increases. This imporves the body's endurance and efficiency.

Fat loss-
Combined with a healthy diet and appropriate strength training, aerobic exercise will help you lose fat.

Improved immune system-
People who exercise regularly are less susceptible to minor viral illnesses such as colds and flu. It is possible that aerobic exercise helps activate your immune system and prepares it to fight off infection.

Increased stamina-
Over the long term it will increase your stamina and reduce fatigue.

Improved mental health-
Regular aerobic exercise releases endorphins, your body's natural painkillers. Endorphins also reduce stress, depression and anxiety.

Aerobic exercise stimulates the growth of tiny blood vessels in your muscles. This helps your body more efficiently deliver oxygen to your muscles and remove from them irritating metabolic waste products such as lactic acid. This can lessen your discomfort if you have chronic muscle pain or chronic low-back pain.

Benefits of weight training

Weight training has a plethora of benefits. It strengthens bones, muscles, joints, and ligaments. WeightTraining gives you muscle mass which raises your basal metabolism,which will cause you to burn calories even while sleeping. Weight training will reverse the natural decline in your metabolism which begins as you reach 30. Weight training also has positive effects not just on your chest but on all of your 655+ muscles. Training with weights will reduce your chances of all types of injuries. Weight training improves your gastrointestinal transit time, which cleans your system at a more efficient rate. Weight training also improves cholesterol, blood level, HDL cholesterol, posture, Muscular endurance,immune system, blood pressure, lowers resting heart rate, improves balance and coordination, and even elevates your mood.

[strivinformass]

Here's my entry!

[DanGK]

WEEK EIGHTY-SIX :: What Are The Positives About Working Out?

By DanGK

What are the top 5 positive things about bodybuilding?

Ask any person about bodybuilding and what it is for, you will most likely get a simple answer that looks something like “For people to look huge”. I think lots of “outsiders” miss out on important aspects of bodybuilding and what it can do for a person. Therefore I am not going to start my list from the usual “Build muscle mass and improve looks” but from different perspective.

Self Confidence

1. Endless amount of people have improved their self confidence with bodybuilding. What else can boost your confidence more then having a ripped 6 pack & 18 inch arms. And with good confidence person is more likely to be successful in things like: finding a date, doing better job interviews, better communication with people etc. Unfortunately the size of our brain does not affect our self confidence. Very often even the smartest people who are either overweight or underweight or just plainly out of shape are not very self confident. I’m sure all of us can find a person in their friend circle who fits the description. Final point: your physical appearance affects your self-confidence. You can either think you look good or look good.

2. Goal setting and achieving them.

That is the key to success in this world. Without proper goal setting you have nothing to look up to and work for. I think Bodybuilding is perfect example. Setting a goal of gaining 20 more pounds of muscle, dropping 10 pounds of fat and increasing your bench & military press is a clear example of what goal setting is. Bluntly put, a person can apply his goal setting skills to real world. I personally set goals for my grades in school and my long term goal of getting a Ph. D. Without this, I would have nothing to look up to and work for. Here is a wonderful example on how Bodybuilding helped me to quit smoking. After being a heavy smoker for several years and 12+ attempts to quit in single year I finally did it. I connect it directly with Bodybuilding. Setting a goal and achieving is a hard skill to master and bodybuilding directly teaches a person how to do just that.

3. Overall Health.

Of course this aspect cannot be left out. A person who weight trains and eats a proper diet is no doubt healthier then average Joe. What bodybuilding doesn’t do to your health? You look better, feel better, will live longer and look younger while you are alive. Within months of starting to weight train I saw a big improvement in my health. I felt better from the proper diet, I looked better, I gained muscle and shredded fat. From the cardio I started to run longer. The advantages are endless and cannot be argued over.

4. Looks

How many transformations have we seen on Bodybuilding.com . People go from 300 pounds overweight person to 200 pound lean muscle machine! Ask them which one they prefer more. This aspect is where the bodybuilding originated from. The art of sculpturing your body and improving your looks. Going from an average body to a ripped Bodybuilder and to have a proportional body that looks like a piece of artwork from a artist is priceless.

5. Self Control

Eating proper diet, sounds easy. But actually following it and sticking to a good diet can be very hard and take lots of self control. How many people can live without sugar and stick to healthy foods. Same eggs in the morning, eat the rolled oats by the 1 pound tubs and swallow a can of tuna In under 10 seconds and doing that every day. It is amazing how much self control you can “learn” from bodybuilding. Now this skill can be applied in real world in many situations.

What is the main reason you workout?

I started lifting weights just for interest. Then it grew on me and became an addiction. What do I workout for? For the pump after workout, for the great self confidence levels and looks. For my better overall health. Weight room became my place to let it all out. There is nothing better like going to gym and having an awesome workout with good pump after stressful day. It is a amazing feel in the gym, I love it.

Weight training vs. Cardiovascular: Which do you think has more benefits?

This is a trick question. Both are something every person should do. Only lifting weights and doing no cardiovascular work will only make you weaker. Your heart is a muscle and needs exercise. Cardio directly works your heart. On other hand doing too much cardio and not lifting weights, you will loose your muscle mass. There are enormous amounts of benefits that both activities have and it is truly a silly question to ask which one has more benefits. Both need to be there for me.

[mikefromms]

The top 5 positive things about bodybuilding are:

1. Looking good in your clothes and without your clothes.
2. Good physiques are admired and respected.
3. Improved self-esteem helps you succeed in college and career.
4. Bodybuilding forces you to eat healthier to get the look you want.
5. The natural bodybuilder will be healthier and have better quality of life.

The main reason I work out is to build muscles and fitness that sets me apart from my co-workers and the mainstream population. Muscles cause men to respect you and women to admire you. The muscles increase my self-esteem and the fitness enables me to perform my job or do any task as well as average guys 20 years younger than myself. To me, it's all about having pride in how you look, and I think that's a good kind of pride.

Weight training verses cardio: If I had to choose one or the other it would be weight training hands down. Weight training not only gives you the benefit of muscles but it gives your heart a good workout as well. I don't understand where anyone ever got the idea that bodybuilding does nothing for the heart! When I do an intense set of barbell squats or pulldowns my heart rate can climb to 160 bpm! As I continue to workout the pulse stays elevated until I start cooling down. This translates into the ability to run short distances intensely without getting out of breath or handling a mugger if he dares take you on! This translates into being able to do your job without getting as tired. This translates into a slower resting heartrate, which is one of the key test of physical fitness (bar a heart condition). Besides, unless you're a person who has good mass, cardio can be overdone and the body will burn muscle tissue as quickly as it will fat. It doesn't care, it just uses what it needs for fuel.

If you are not into bodybuilding I hope you will start. If you want to change your body, cut down on the cardio and get busy with the free weights. There are more reasons than I can cover in this article for you to be a bodybuilder. Even if you never step on a stage, everywhere you go will become your stage because the average Joe and almost all the Janes notice the guy who has the muscles.

Mike Baggett

[Heinlbag]

Bodybuilding and all it's benefits:-D

Wasn't as easy of a topic as I first thought it'd be. but Fun! no less.. G'luck to all!~!

[lc5315]

Here's mine..!

[Nevel]

Should be attached.

[bitterplacebo]

Here's what I thought.

[BurningHeart]

Here is mine

[Liquid_diet]

Bodybuilding is a serious sport to some, and a pastime to others. For whatever reason people choose to get serious about taking care of their bodies, there are countless benefits.

What are the top 5 positive things about bodybuilding?

After much thought I have decided that to me, these are the top five positives about bodybuilding.

1. health/longevity

Every individual needs a certain baseline amount of physical activity to maintain a healthy heart and body. Bodybuilding enthusiasts push physical fitness to a more serious level. The health benefits from being in excellent physical shape go far beyond outward appearance. A healthy heart and lungs, stronger bones and joints, and a lower body fat percentage will all aid in longevity. People that are in great physical shape are less susceptible to disease and injury.

2. self-esteem

Outward appearance is one of the largest factors affecting self esteem. Having an attractive body is a great way to boost self-esteem. Those who look healthy and fit generally feel good about themselves, and those with a low self image can generally improve their self-esteem as they see positive transformations in their body.

3. socializing/interaction

With today’s busy lifestyles, it is often hard to get out and be social on a regular basis. It is important to get out and have interactions with others. Trips to the gym can be a great way to say hi to friends and meet people with similar interests. Having gym buddies to work out with will also keep people motivated to go to the gym and stick to their workout programs.

4. challenging

Working out and meeting fitness goals can be challenging. Everyone needs to push themselves in some aspect of their life to avoid boredom, and bodybuilding is definitely full of challenges. Whether it be surmounting a plateau or finally reaching a certain body fat percentage, overcoming a challenge always feels great.

5. stress reduction

Today’s fast-paced lifestyles can be very stressful, and everyone needs some way to cope with stress. Some people deal with stress in unhealthy ways that compound the problem. Bodybuilding is probably one of the healthiest ways to reduce stress. Throwing around some heavy weights for awhile or getting in a hard run can make stress disappear as well as any other method.

What is the main reason you workout?

I work out for all of the reasons I have listed above.

I’ve always tried to take care of my body so I can live a long and healthy life. Between sports and working out, I feel extremely healthy, and plan on staying this way for a very long time to come.

I have always tried to look my best for myself and others. It feels good to see results in the mirror from dedicated training and nutrition. I feel confident in my appearance, and it feels even better to know that I have earned it.

I don’t have as many hobbies as I used to, so I look forward to my workout every day. I don’t usually go to clubs or bars, so going to the gym has become on of my main social experiences.

I’ve always been a high-stress individual, and lifting weights has done wonders for reducing my stress levels. I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off of my shoulders after I get done with a great workout.

Weight training vs. Cardiovascular: Which do you think has more benefits?

There are so many benefits from both cardiovascular exercise and weight training that it is just as hard to answer this question as it is to pick only five positives from bodybuilding.

If focusing strictly on health benefits, I would have to say the scale is slightly tipped in favor of cardiovascular exercise. Having a healthy heart and lungs is the most important aspect of physical fitness in regards to longevity in my opinion. Cardiovascular exercise is the best way to achieve a healthy body fat percentage as well. Although it is much easier to have toned muscles from weight training, a healthy level of muscular strength can be maintained through running, biking, and swimming.

However, with all the different strength training routines out there, a great deal of physical fitness can be reached through lifting weights as well. With circuit training, for example, a strength training routine can maintain a heart rate comparable to that of cardiovascular exercises. Strength training also aids in maintaining a healthy body fat percentage. This is in addition to the muscular strength and/or hypertrophy that lifting weights produces.

The benefits from both these types of exercise are endless, and that is why a well-rounded bodybuilding routine includes both.

[Semtex]

TOPIC: What Are The Positives About Working Out?
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Bodybuilding has become beneficial to so many people. We all have our reasons as to why we workout; health, strength, physique, sports, are just a few.

What are the top 5 positive things about bodybuilding?

What is the main reason you workout?

Weight training vs. Cardiovascular: Which do you think has more benefits?

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1) Discovering things you never knew about yourself:

Finding new things about yourself and in the process finding true self confidence and identity.

I personally believe everyone is born the same, but it’s the events in life that sculpt your true identity. As you mature and get older you tend to lean towards certain things that seem to call out to you, whether it may be a sport, a hobby, or just a goal in life. It manifests itself into your passion, the reason you wake up in the morning. This is your niche, your own thing that no one can take away from you. The Gym is certainly the crevice that many gym-rats use as a safe-haven. For that hour or two you are in the gym, nothing else matters- Not the mid-term you didn't study for, not that girl at the coffee shop keeps giving you googly eyes, not your car that seems to always need fixing up. You are there for yourself and you feel complete at the Gym. These are your people, this is your home.

Is bodybuilding everyone’s passion? Of course not! If everyone were drawn to it like we are, then society wouldn’t be were it is now. Looking at the obesity studies and charts, it seems that society is stuck in the mind-set of: Just eat and do you’re in the mood for. Honestly, tell me after looking at this obesity graph that you don’t feel the least bit disturbed. http://health.msn.com/reports/obesity/default.aspx It seems that society has no self control.

True inner confidence comes from understanding yourself. For some, this is not possible simply because they refuse to accept change. I believe that those who are capable of change have limitless potential in life. If bodybuilding is your niche, you’re in stock for many new changes. Sure your body will change, but so will your attitude, outlook in life, how you view others, and etc. This is why people say: "Bodybuilding is a lifestyle, not a sport". The bravado of many, keeps them from finding their true self. This false courage is a forced change. It’s like waking up one morning and saying "You know what? I think ill be confident from now on. Yep. Sounds good." You sure can fake it but why pretend to be something your not?


2) Health.

What is being healthy?
The American Heritage® Dictionary states that being healthy is:
1. Possessing good health.
2. Conducive to good health; healthful: healthy air.
3. Indicative of sound, rational thinking or frame of mind: a healthy attitude.
4. Sizable; considerable: a healthy portion of potatoes; a healthy raise in salary.

To me healthy is being able to do many physical tasks without being out of breath after 2 minutes. These tasks could be related to a sport or be everyday things like taking your trash to the curb. Many people take health for granted but those who have experienced a near death experience tend to use their health to their best advantage.


3) As you improve one part of your life, you’re bound to change others.

The story of how I discovered bodybuilding is very complicated, and full of drama and broken feelings. I'll try to spare you the overdramatic story. I discovered bodybuilding at the age of 14 when I was betrayed by my own flesh and blood. My sister turned her back on her family, and that hurt very much. She tried to put my father in jail and indirectly nearly sending my new born brother into the care of a foster home. I come from a very drama filled family background and it’s affected me in many ways. This specific time in my life created the person who I am today. Sure a lot of anger stems from this stage in my life, but it also gave me character, perseverance and trust in myself. After a huge blown out argument one day, I was full of rage. So much that I could barely contain myself. I rushed outside into my backyard and the first thing in my life of sight was an old bench press with rusty weights and a barbell so short, it stayed on the bench press merely by half an inch on each side. Me being 132 lbs at 5"11 I wasn't exactly superman. I just started bench pressing that weight off my chest for God knows how long. Granted the bar weighed only 10 lbs and with 35 lbs on each side, it wasn’t the heaviest thing. But that one workout put me where I am today. I am 6"0 165 lbs right now and I am 17.

I was never the smarted kid in class. I was unmotivated, and uninspired, it also showed in my grades. But that first year of weight lifting changed me; I wanted to know everything there was about it. The science behind it, and how I could maximize my potential down to the last cell. I got my information from bodybuilding.com's articles and their forums. I spent nearly every waking moment studying why my body was changing, I was fascinated. The next year in school I impressed my new science teacher with my knowledge of lipids and omega-3 fats. I didn't realize I learned so much from bodybuilding. I got a B the first semester and an A the second in science, which is a big improvement from a C first and F which was the year before that. Bodybuilding helped me throughout school, it gave me discipline and perseverance that I never would of attained without bodybuilding.

4) Role Model for others. Inspiring people to change their lives.

Role models are found everywhere, believe it or not. There are bad role models for kids like unstable celebrities, drug addicted athletes and then there are good role models like teachers, firefighters and police officers. I try to keep in mind that little kids are very impressionable, they take things as they see them. I feel that I am lucky to have good role models as I grew up, like my parents and teachers. Professional bodybuilders should be a goal to aspire to, not essentially your role model per se. But your image can inspire others to want to change, especially if you have gone through a major change like I did. I feel I inspired others to change because the summer after gaining 15lbs of muscle, I got an insane amount of comments. “Your huge” Your so buff” I never took these comments to heart, but they are very flattering. Being an inspiration is a very powerful thing, make sure you make good use of it.

[Semtex]

5) Goals, discipline, and self-respect.



I feel that Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a great theory that shows why we do things and what we really need deep down.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a theory in psychology that Abraham Maslow proposed in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation. This theory states that as humans meet their "basic needs", they escalate their needs to satisfy "higher needs" that occupy a set heirarchy. His theory contends that as humans meet 'basic needs', they seek to satisfy successively 'higher needs' that occupy a set hierarchy.

5. Actualization
4. Status (esteem)
3. Love/belonging
2. Safety
1. Physiological (biological needs)

These are the levels that make up Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

The first level consists of Physiological needs.
The physiological needs of the organism, those enabling homeostasis. These consist mainly of:
- The need to eat
- The need to breathe
- The need for sleep
- The need for water

When some of the needs are unfufilled, a human's physiological needs take the highest priority. When these needs are neglected, an individual will deprioritize all other desires and capacities. Sexual activity also falls into thisi catagory.

The second level consists of the feeling of safety.
- Security of employment
- Physical security - safety from violence, delinquency, aggressions
- Security of resources
- Familial security
- Security of health
- Moral and physiological security

The need for feeling safe is extremely essential in human beings.

The third level is made of Love/Belonging needs
After physiological and safety needs are met, the next is social needs. Relationships fall into this category:
friendship
family
* sexual intimacy

The fourh level is Status (Esteem needs)
"Humans have a need to be respected, to self-respect and to respect others. People need to engage themselves in order to gain recognition and have an activity or activities that give the person a sense of contribution and self-value, be it in a profession or hobby. Imbalances at this level can result in low self-esteem, inferiority complexes, an inflated sense of self-importance or snobbishness." - Wikipedia.

The fifth and final tier is Self-Actualization.
Self-actualization is the instinctual need of humans to make the most of their unique abilities and to strive to be the best they can be. Maslow describes self-actualization as follows:

Maslow writes the following of self-actualizing people:
* They act upon their ideas and actions.
* They are interested in solving problems; this often includes the problems of others. Solving these problems is often a key focus in their lives.
* They are creative.
* They embrace the facts and realities of the world rather than denying or avoiding them.
* They have a feeling of closeness to other people, and generally appreciate life.
* They have a system of morality that is fully internalized
* They judge others without prejudice


What is the main reason you workout?
I work out to keep me sane. To give me something to do, and to keep me breathing. I love every aspect about it for a different reason and I think I will still be drinking protein shakes when I am 70 years old and walking my grandchildren through the park.


Weight training vs. Cardiovascular: Which do you think has more benefits?
Personally I believe in the phrase "To each his own" Whether your goal to be massive and strong or slim and very defined. You can have both but that comes with years of hard work and dedication. People new to bodybuilding usually tend to lean towards one of these two goals. It always depends on what you personally like more, because you will most likely overlook the cons and focus on pros of your goal. As you grow up you experience new things and view things from a different perspective your mind-set will change. Your paradigm is altered, which is the way you perceive things, whether it be people, events, and events that happen to you. I think that people who are capable of change have more potential than those who are stuck in one mind-set. I bodybuild to change myself, hopefully I am going in the right direction.

References:
http://www.wikipedia.com
http://www.bartleby.com/
http://www.dictionary.com/
http://www.yahoo.com
http://health.msn.com

[WillieInc]

I know this has ended, but I have to say something about many of the responses.......in fact I am changing it to the 5 worst reason to bodybuild:

1. Liking what you are looking at in the mirror: sorry, but if you aren't happy with yourself to begin with, then the problem is deeper than what you look like. You can be the biggest, most muscular person in the world, and still have some miserable reason you still don't like what you look like. Now suddenly you don't have enough muscles, or there isn't enough detail. There is something else lacking in life, and blaming it on your appearance is just an excuse and not getting to the root of whatever the problem actually is.

2. attracting the opposite sex: if someone doesn't like you for who you are, and are more concerned of your body composition, then they are sad. Take the muscles away, and see what you are left with. Now of course there are a lot of lenient people out there and can care less about how they get "it", so this reason may or may not apply. Most people would pick the ripest looking apple and eat it- only to find the inside is dry and tasteless. Looks so good but don't feel so good......

3. being a "role model"; please.....anyone can be a role model. so you have a muscular frame, and this makes you special because...... well it doesn't. I know people only see what is on the outside, most of the time, but most people couldn't care less about it. It only spins them to feel lesser about themselves, and sends them on some wishful thinking path that leads to bitterness - and they wind up hating you.

4. Confidence: again, if you don't have confidence to begin with, before you even pick up a weight, then some work needs to be done in the head first.

5. Friends: I have to laugh out loud to this: if people suddenly become your friends over a few muscles popping out, they aren't friends to begin with.

6. Here is a bonus one: ATTENTION: now I love attention, and most people do, but anyone can get attention. Most attention out there is a few seconds of : oh look at him! -and I say to myself - oh wow. I work hard at the gym just for that- what is wrong with me? Most people just pass by and couldn't care less- then where is the attention? Then I realize it's one of the stupidest reasons to do what I do.

Now as for actual Positives:

What are the top 5 positive things about bodybuilding?

1. Health. This is pretty obvious, and I don't need to cover the 1,000,000 reasons it benefits health.

2. It teaches lessons: I used to work out for many wrong reasons....I know my wrong reasons above may seem bitter, but I mean them to be valuable. I went through them all. At the end of the day, the only one who cares is you, no one else. That's good news, because you can control how much you care, before it controls you.

3. It can be a way to get away; once I enter the gym, my problems are gone, because now it is time to focus, and concentrate. There are times, however, the problem is still there, so I use that energy to the weights. it is not THE only way to get away, but it is A way.

4. Focus and Concentration: there are many ways to aqcuire focus and concentration, and bodybuilding is yet another outlet for this practice.

5. Dicipline: As there are lots of ways to acquire dicipline, the actual physical movements in bodybuilding have great benefits in dicipline. Each exercise must be done in a certain precision, and i feel this is a great tool for sharpening the mind.

What is the main reason you workout?

I have had many reasons I work out, and a lot of them proved to be wrong, overhyped, and dissappointing. However, lessons are learned, and reasons change. The main reason I work out NOW is- to me- it's like taking a shower or brushing my teeth. I just want to keep my muscles fresh. It's just another part of the day.

Weight training vs. Cardiovascular: Which do you think has more benefits?

For me, personally, weight training. I have been working out for 11 years now, and for the first 9 I did cardio every day along with weight training. The instant I dropped the cardio, and did strictly weight training- is when I started feeling better and made the most gains through my body and my mind. This would not be the case for everybody- and to have a real answer to this, one must experience both sides, and determine what suits them best.