Open AccessThe History of Bodybuilding: International and Hungarian Aspects
Author(s) -
Petra Németh,
Andrea Gál
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
kaleidoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2062-2597
DOI - 10.17107/kh.2020.21.165-178
Subject(s) - historiography , popularity , competitor analysis , periodization , history , phenomenon , sociology , political science , marketing , law , business , ancient history , epistemology , archaeology , philosophy
Bodybuilding is a scarcely investigated cultural phenomenon in social sciences, and, in particular, historiography despite the fact that its popularity both in its competitive and leisure form has been on the rise, especially since the 1950s. Development periods of this sport are mainly identified with those iconic competitors, who were the most dominant in the given era, and held the ‘Mr. Olympia’ title as the best bodybuilders. Nevertheless, sources reflecting on the evolution of organizational background and the system of competitions are more difficult to identify. It is similarly challenging to investigate the history of female bodybuilding, which started in the 19th century, but its real beginning dates back to the 1970s. For analysing the history of international bodybuilding, mainly American sources can be relied on, but investigating the Hungarian aspects is hindered by the lack of background materials. Based on the available sources, the objective of this study is to discover the development of the bodybuilding scene, its most important events and participants, from the beginning up to the present days.