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Vascularity, in
Vascularity, in bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles (muscle building) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. It is distinct from similar activities such as powerlifting because it focuses ...
, is the condition of having many highly visible, prominent, and often extensively-ramified superficial vein
Superficial veins are veins that are close to the surface of the body, as opposed to deep veins, which are far from the surface.
Superficial veins are not paired with an artery, unlike the deep veins, which are typically associated with an art ...
s. The skin appears "thin"—sometimes virtually transparent—due to an extreme reduction of subcutaneous fat, allowing for maximum muscle definition.
Vascularity is enhanced by extremely low body fat (usually below 10%) and low retained water, as well as the muscle engorgement ("pump") and venous distension accentuated by the vigorous flexing and potentially hazardous Valsalva effect which characterize competitive posing. Genetics and androgenic hormones will affect vascularity, as will ambient temperature. Additionally, although some bodybuilders develop arterial hypertension from performance-enhancing substances and practices, "high" venous pressure—being an order of magnitude lower than that of arteries— neither causes nor is caused by vascularity. Some bodybuilders use topical vasodilators to increase blood flow to the skin as well. Although historically controversial, nowadays vascularity is a highly-sought-after aesthetic
Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed t ...
for many male bodybuilders, but less so for female bodybuilders where the target aesthetic is relatively more towards aesthetic symmetry than extreme development.
Bodybuilders or athletes sometimes dehydrate themselves a few days before a competition or show to achieve this so-called "ripped," vascular look. Self-dehydration is not recommended by medical professionals, as the negative and sometimes-fatal effects of the resultant water-electrolyte imbalances are well documented.{{cite news, title=Diuretics in Bodybuilding: The Good, the Bad, the Tragic, last=Marteski, first=Steve, url=http://www.allmaxnutrition.com/post-articles/supplements/diuretics-in-bodybuilding-the-good-the-bad-the-tragic/, access-date=September 21, 2012
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