Gym Rat Research Paper

The Gym Rat has become a term used to describe an individual that is overly obsessed with their body or spends too much time in the gym. Pop culture and media stereotype it down to a man or woman with large muscles, low body fat, arrogant, and very dense, painting an image that the gym is only for the people that want to show off their bodies and impress others. The gym or physical training can be more than a way to obtain an optimal physique. It can also be a way to enhance your understanding of your own body or a form of therapy or meditation. It gives people an outlet to take out their frustrations, or battle through a medical condition. What some would call a gym rat, others would call dedicated. Being actively involved in athletics or weightlifting does not mean that you are over obsessed with your body. Weightlifting has not been a phenomenon that has risen in the last decade. For thousands of years, humans have been testing their

Almost like a sculptor with a slab of clay, we can mold our bodies into different sizes and shapes through weightlifting. We learned this trait several thousand years ago and have continued to enhance our understanding of the unbound limitations we possess. The food we eat, to the way we train, and even how much rest we get in the night all affects the way our body develops. The gym, or gymnasium, have existed for over 3,000 years, reaching as far back in history as ancient Persia (Olympic Games). Human beings have always had an inclination toward physical training and development. We use weight training for many different reasons as well. Training to become stronger for their job, others as a sort of a stress reliever, and a rare few use it as a lifestyle. Encompassing their lives and devoting time, effort, and patience to truly understand the art of weightlifting. It's a driving force inside of them, where their only competition is