The ideal of a flawless physique originated in ancient Greece when Athenian sculptors created realistic, lifelike depictions of the human form. Using chisels, hammers, and punches, they defined and separated muscular men. Centuries later, Italian Renaissance artists picked up the theme, with marble statues in Florence like Michelangelo’s David glorifying the human form.

Ironically, despite artists in different eras shaping Western concepts of the perfectly developed man, no one believed a perfect physique was possible—until the close of the 19th century when a man from Königsberg arrived in London. 

Crowds in Victorian England stared in awe when strongman Eugene Sandow flexed his 19.5 inch biceps and lifted humongous weights. Inspired by Greek and Roman statues, this once frail and sickly Prussian, transformed his body through a regimented system of light-dumbbell exercise routines.

Today, both men and women practice bodybuilding to recreate in flesh what the ancient Greeks cast in marble. You can now exercise your body in many ways, including calisthenics, weightlifting, and bodybuilding, to resemble a Demi-god like Hercules.

Here is a brief plan to help you build your ideal physique, attract envious or admiring side-glances when you walk down the street, and get fit for life.

Should You Workout at Home, a Park, or a Gym?

You can exercise at home with a weight set or in the park doing bodyweight exercises. While barbells and dumbbells and kettlebells at home will help you build lean muscle, and while playground equipment, like monkey bars, in parks will help you gain mass with bodyweight squats, push-ups, chin-ups, and dips, joining a joining a gym remains your best option.

A gym will make it easier for you to reach your goals faster. Besides access to a variety of free weights and machines, you’ll get guidance from personal trainers and tips from fellow fitness enthusiasts. It’s also a good place to find a workout partner to keep you accountable. Look for a gym near you. If you live in Westminster, California, for example, then search online for a Westminster gym

If you’re committed to a healthy lifestyle, joining a gym will get you further along your fitness journey than trying it alone. What’s more, some gyms—with large weight rooms, yoga studios, and aerobics halls—are so affordable that it would cost you more to buy your own barbells, dumbbells, weight bench, and squat racks to workout in your basement.

Power Up With Supplements

It’s difficult to transform your body by only following a weight lifting routine and eating a healthy diet. Supplements are also necessary. They pack more nutrients into your eating plan than you can get from your meals. Supplements help you recover faster from your workouts, increase energy levels, build muscle, and burn fat.

Deciding on the best protein powder for your body is the first thing you should do. Research the different sources, flavors, and added nutrients to choose the right one for your fitness goals.

The other bodybuilding supplements to get are creatine, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and omega-3 fatty acids.

  • Creatine prolongs the period during which your muscles can contract and lift weights.  Athletes have used it for decades to increase muscle mass.
  • Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) will build muscle mass, improve endurance, and reduce muscle breakdown.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids not only build muscle but also reduce inflammation. Although derived from fish, plant-based sources are available, too.

Build Your Body, Change Your Life

Building your body can change your life—even if you aren’t looking to bend iron bars or snap chains in front of amazed crowds in music halls like Eugene Sandow, and even if you don’t want to become a professional athlete or fitness model.

A fitness lifestyle will empower you to gain success through discipline, confidence, strength, and endurance. It might change your life beyond recognition in a year. After rebuilding their health and strength, many people have felt invigorated enough to create businesses, launch new careers, find the love of their life, or achieve other aspirations.