The emergence and development of athleticism. Part No. 6

Bodybuilding in the USSR

In the 70-80s in stagnant In the Soviet press, bodybuilding was subjected to active and sharp criticism. It was presented as a bourgeois system alien to Soviet society, promoting body cult, like a kind of cult of the American Superman, knocked down from a pile of muscles, filled only with thoughts about himself, his beauty and his exclusivity. It was believed that in the pursuit of external aesthetics, ambition, sensationalism, ostentatious protruding records in muscle building, bodybuilding allegedly completely loses sight of the issues of caring for human health, as well as the development of an athlete’s wide range of useful physical qualities and, most importantly, intelligence...

Remember the catchphrase of those years: “We don’t have sex!”? In the same way, bodybuilding in the USSR was under the unbreakable wall of the Iron Curtain. However, it is also impossible to say unequivocally that bodybuilding in the USSR was strangled, and it would be wrong. The forbidden fruit, as another popular phrase goes, is always sweet, and the more you prohibit something, the stronger the craving for this prohibition. That's why bodybuilding in the USSR after all, there was, and, despite all the prohibitions, from the walls of numerous underground, semi-basement, home-made clubs and home corners, our “foreign” heroes looked at us from posters and photo wallpapers: Arnie, Sylvester, Corina Everson, Cindy Crawford and many other leaders World athleticism, bodybuilding and fitness...

Why did our leaders, no matter what, so zealously and stubbornly fought against the indestructible hydra? "hostile" bodybuilding? This position and attitude in general towards bodybuilding, which flourished in that era in the capitalist world, was explained by the cultural, social and physical inferiority and wretchedness of its essence. Somehow such political propaganda can be justified, perhaps, only by the fact that such denigration really paved the way for our domestic, as if it had absolutely nothing in common with the enemy, bourgeois bodybuilding and athleticism.

A key feature of the structure of our domestic federation was that it promoted 2 areas of athleticism: body-building (or rather bodybuilding) and powerlifting (prototype of powerlifting).

Athleticism attracted everyone to the sport, regardless of gender and age. As soon as the Federation of Athletic Gymnastics was officially created in our country, this type was liked by current and, to a greater extent, former weightlifters, who became clear that by engaging in athletics, one can get moral and physical satisfaction, regardless of age. A purposeful and educated athlete, with an appropriate lifestyle, diet, etc., can compete for up to sixty years. Moreover, world powerlifting championships are held for veterans.

Powerlifting and its triumphant rise

Sports results began to increase, and a significant difference was discovered between athletes-"siloviki" And bodybuilding athletes both in the organization of the educational and training process and in terms of external parameters. It became clear that these are two independent sports. Therefore, in 1990, the triumphant, long-awaited division of the federation took place into a) the All-Union Federation of Bodybuilding (Bodybuilding) and b) the Federation of Powerlifting (Powerlifting).

Competitive powerlifting exercises have always been and will remain basic in the training complexes of “pure posers.” But let us emphasize training method and, in particular, their diet differ significantly.

Powerlifting competitions are very spectacular. It is always interesting to see how much weight an athlete can squat with, what weight he can not only lift from the ground, but also straighten up with it, what muscle strength is in the bench press. The oldest International Federation of Security Forces constantly holds world and European championships.