Importance of mentorship and legacy in bodybuilding

Bodybuilding has held on alive such itself since it began to spread and promote in Europe in the second half of 19^th century, and in the U.S. in the beginning of 20^th century, and from both social and cultural spots toward the entire world. Today, it’s very rare the corner of the planet where it doesn’t do, especially if we talk about nations with a high sports vocation as Brazil, here in Latin America.

 

It wasn’t only about opening more gyms – rather, the gym is the ideal space for what the tradition keeps ever alive, but the history tells us since Lacedemone, Ancient Greece, 18^th century B.C., until Esse, actual Germany, 1852 A.D., and then up to date, the importance of this institution ffor learning and developing the physical culture has not fallen down – quite the opposite.

 

Let’s consider this first idea: it’s not the physical facility what makes the bodybuilding to everlast. The first gyms were big open-air lots delimited with walls where the athletes trained fully naked. Today, although the idea could sound very exotic to rescue, what we have are buildings that keep the same concept of these big lots but under a roof (the most) and with the comfort of modern architecture.

 

Obviously, most of us already don’t train naked but even at the time of our routine, we unavoidabily end giving up to the marketing of big sports brands. Let’s remember we also can train in the open and we could get the same effect if we do it correctly.

 

Then, a second idea we should consider is the gym, before the physical space, it’s about a 38-century-old institution, and as a human creation, it’s the presence of persons training and inspiring others to continue training and getting new goals, no doubt.

 

How does our example influence in the motivation that many bodybuilders and athletes have to start their own sport careers, or a healthy lifestyle at least? The truth is it influences much, if not, think of who inspired you to attend that very first day and to continue persisting until getting your first results, your actual achievement later.

 

These models inspiring us, whether we meet them in person or not, are called mentors in pedagogy – the persons who form in our heads that we wish or want to be. We have mentors for everything: our profession, our fashion style, our criteria for choosing mates and friends… anyway. Think of your actual life and you’ll understand that somebody inspired you to be who you are, and there’s somebody who is inspiring you to be someone else.

 

It’s probable we don’t propose to be mentor of anybody and we are in our right, but we are an example the same, and somebody is going to see in us for continuing to train, or leaving to do it. And as the years go by, that one we have inspired to, it’s going to inspire another new generation, and so and so.

 

But if you are aware of how much your example can influence in the life of other person or other people and you want to take control of the situation, it would be actually good you have a plan or a methodology in mind that allows who you inspire to learn the bodybuilding in a progressive and sequential way, that they appreciate it in a positive way, and that they value their first achievements as an won creation they can go improving.

 

So, you go building a legacy or heritage of knowledge and attitude around the bodybuilding, which purpose must be the improvement of the training ways, the increasing of life quality, the affirmative and positive self-validation, and the long of who come behind evolve the physical culture for their benefit and the one of who will come behind them. In this sense, the mentorship and the legacy will do the bodybuilding as a sustainable activity in time and space.

 

You’re not a substitute

This implies you to educate, to get ready for when that new bodybuilder or athlete gets close to you, you have true, precise, and inspiring answers. It’s not about you are going to turn in his physical trainer, but you could complement favorably the work of those professionals so that person gets motivated to ccome back working out the next day, and the next week, and the next month, and the next year.

 

It would be interesting if these mentorship and legacy strategies are precisely coordinated with the physical trainer for having unity in the messages and the quality of examples. Also, beyond how much weight you lift, it can turn in a natural opportunity to forge constructive social relationships that form a community which you ever could count.

 

Prepare and tell us your experience or let’s interchange tips. Let’s talk on our Twitter account, or also at our e-mail chulucanasgym@gmail.com

Coming next - we link you to the developing experience in Callao, Peru.

The model featured on this entry is José Escobar.