Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a sport and training practice centered on developing and presenting a muscular physique. In competition, athletes are evaluated according to the rules of their division, which commonly consider muscularity, proportions, symmetry, conditioning, and posing. Outside competition, people also use "bodybuilding" for physique-focused training without any intention of stepping onstage.
Muscle hypertrophy is therefore a central goal, while strength training is the main training method. Strength matters because greater performance can enable productive training, but the heaviest squat, bench press, or deadlift does not determine a bodybuilding result. Programs usually use a broad exercise selection to develop individual muscles and proportions, combining multi-joint and isolation exercises. Loads, repetition ranges, volume, and proximity to failure can vary as long as the work provides a useful growth stimulus and can be recovered from.
Nutrition is part of competitive preparation because muscle size and the amount of visible body fat both affect appearance. A planned gaining phase or bulk may prioritize muscle gain, whereas a cutting phase aims to reduce body fat while retaining as much muscle and training performance as practical. Neither phase has to involve extreme rates of weight change, rigid food rules, or a fixed list of "bodybuilding foods." Competition-level leanness is temporary and should not be treated as a year-round health standard.
"Natural bodybuilding" generally describes bodybuilding without prohibited performance-enhancing drugs, but the practical meaning depends on the federation’s banned-substance list, testing procedures, and eligibility rules. A tested event does not prove that every competitor has always been drug-free. People considering any performance-enhancing drug should understand that medical, legal, and sporting risks differ by substance and jurisdiction.
Bodybuilding and powerlifting overlap in their use of resistance training but have different outcomes. Bodybuilding ranks the presented physique under category rules; powerlifting ranks performance in three specified lifts. A bodybuilder may become very strong and a powerlifter may train for muscle growth, yet neither makes the sports interchangeable.