How fit are body-builders?

My observation of the 'grunts' that inhabit the nether regions of the weight room at my local gym, is that they appear to do little or no CV activity outside their almost obsessive concentration on the lifting of very heavy weights.

Without wanting to be in the least bit critical or vexatious, I wonder just how much, if any, do body-builders spend on general fitness training. There is little opportunity to do specific CV work in the weights room, and I have never seen any of them 'stooping' to using the facilities in the gym, and many of them look far to bulky to be 'comfortable' doing any sort of 'road-work'!

So just how do body-builders keep fit?

If you define 'fit' as low body fat then they do it by strictly monitoring their diet and by taking supplements/drugs designed to burn fat.

If you define 'fit' as having a high level of cardiovascular endurance and low blood pressure then most body builders aren't fit at all.

Thanks for that Steve, it really confirms that which I found out for myself this morning. I went in for an hour's CV workout, as is my won't on Saturdays, and I actually asked a couple of 'grunts' who I know quite well. They confessed quite sheepishly, exactly what you have just said, that they are probably very unfit. They just never do any specific CV work at all. They suggested that any spare 'energy' and time they might have is better utilised building bulk.

I wonder just how beneficial that is in the 'academic world' of 'physical fitness'. With low b/f, quite obviously one set of criteria is satisfied, but how efficient can the heart and lungs be if they are being somewhat neglected?

Charles

You guys might just be suprised.

I remember reading in the book 'Pumping Iron' where they tested various fitness levels of bodybuilder Mike Katz. His physical work capacity was right off the chart they used.

(Hard to believe I'm sticking up for the bodybuilders.)

Anyhow, there are some very fit bodybuilders - and some not so fit ones. hard to generalize.

As is my wont, not my won't.

No Walter it's not. It's as is my 'won't', as I 'won't' do a full workout on Saturdays - just an hours CV! ;o))

Charles

It also might be due to the belief, true or not, that too much cardio is catabolic.

You have made the mistake of thinking most bodybuilders care if they are 'fit.' Not to mention you did not define 'fit.'

Nor did it define bodybuilder.

You have made the mistake of thinking that I give a shit whether 'body-builders' are fit or not! The interest is merely academic!

If I have to define fitness 'here' for 'body-builders' - well I will (I can 'copy and paste' as well of some of the other resident 'experts' here!!). But quite frankly Will - it shouldn't really be necessary!

Charles

Go back to sleep Dopey!

Charles