Bodybuilding, the art of developing musculature for aesthetic purposes, is an extensive practice spread globally. Predominantly involving intense weight and resistance training, this discipline aims to develop and control the body’s musculature. Exceptionally dedicated to this discipline are muscle bodybuilders, who take the craft a step further, building muscle mass to extreme degrees. Like all athletic activities, bodybuilding is more of a lifestyle than a pastime, requiring a determined mindset, a disciplined regime, and a rigorous diet.

A crucial part of the bodybuilding process is muscle hypertrophy – a scientific term for the growth and increase in size of muscle cells. Through a combination of weightlifting and increased nutritional intake, bodybuilders induce muscle damage. This damage signals the body to repair the muscle fibers via a cellular process where it fuses muscle fibers together to form new muscle protein strands or myofibrils. These repaired myofibrils increase in thickness and number to create muscle hypertrophy (growth).

Muscle bodybuilders typically categorize their efforts into ‘bulking’ and ‘cutting’ phases. ‘Bulking’ implies a surplus in caloric intake coupled with heavy weight training to pack on as much muscle mass as possible. Following this, the ‘cutting’ phase involves a caloric deficit to shed body fat, leaving behind lean, defined muscles.

Many muscle bodybuilders often use ergogenic aids or performance-enhancing substances to aid muscle recovery and increase muscle mass. One such class of substances popular in the bodybuilding community lately is Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs). The theoretical promise of SARMs lies in their ability to selectively bind to androgen receptors in different types of tissues. It’s where the term “selective” originates. It is believed that if researchers can develop drugs that target specific tissues, they can prevent the side effects of steroids and other similar compounds.

To check the veracity of SARMs’ efficacy, some bodybuilders have flocked websites to share their ‘sarms results online‘. These testimonials turn out to be mixed, with some users reporting significant lean muscle gain and others reporting minimum effects.

However, it should be expressly stated that SARMs are not approved by an authority like the FDA and there’s limited data on their long-term effects. Hence, the muscle bodybuilding community has debates over their safety and efficacy.

Muscle bodybuilding is beyond just lifting weights at a gym. It’s about discipline, regimented diet, regular training, and strategic planning of ‘bulking’ and ‘cutting’ phases. It’s an endlessly challenging endeavour, constantly pushing one’s physical limit and often testing mental toughness. However, its reward comes in the form of intensified self-esteem, unparalleled discipline, increased resilience, and – of course – a substantially muscular physique!