Bodybuilding, or weight-training, is a sport and form of recreation in which people develop their muscles by lifting weights. By repeating exercises with progressively heavier weights, bodybuilders increase the size of their muscles.
Bodybuilding is a conditioning and fitness activity. It can increase strength, speed, muscle endurance, and flexibility. When practiced correctly, bodybuilding can also strengthen the heart and improve circulation.
Amateur and professional competitions are held for both men and women bodybuilders. The International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) governs professional competitions. Competitors are judged in three rounds–the symmetry round, for shape, structure, and muscle proportion; the muscularity round, for size and definition of the muscles; and the posing presentation round, for poses in routines set to music. Bodybuilding differs from competitive weightlifting, in which athletes compete to determine who can lift the most weight. See Weightlifting .
