A Genealogy of Male Bodybuilding : From classical to freaky

This book looks at the development of dominant, organized, male bodybuilding culture from its early period (1880s) up until the present, tracing its transformations and offering an updated account for its current "extreme" direction. Unpacking this development both in terms of bodybuilding''s own trajectory and the wider sociocultural processes it has been part of, the work uses a unique combination of historical and empirical data and, focusing on organized displays of the built body as a platform for investigating the diverse body aesthetics, models of embodied practice, aesthetics of representation and formal spectacles that have marked the history of bodybuilding.

Bodybuilding has become an increasingly dominant part of popular gym culture within the last century. Developing muscles is now seen as essential for both general health and high performance sport. At the more extreme end, the monstrous built body has become a pop icon that continues to provoke fascination. This original and engaging study explores the development of male bodybuilding culture from the nineteenth century to the present day, tracing its transformations and offering a new perspective on its current extreme direction.

Drawing on archival research, interviews, participant observation, and discourse analysis, this book presents a critical mapping of bodybuilding’s trajectory. Following this trajectory through the wider sociocultural changes it has been a part of, a unique combination of historical and empirical data is used to investigate the aesthetics of bodybuilding and the shifting notions of the good body and human nature they reflect.

This book will be fascinating reading for all those interested in the history and culture of bodybuilding, as well as for students and researchers of the sociology of sport, gender and the body.