Competitive Bodybuilding

In competitive bodybuilding, bodybuilders aspire to develop and maintain an aesthetically pleasing (by bodybuilding standards) body and balanced physique. The competitors show off their bodies by performing a number of poses - bodybuilders spend time practicing their posing routine as this has a large effect on how they are judged.

A bodybuilder's size and shape are far more important than how much they can lift. The sport should therefore not be confused with strongman competition or powerlifting, where emphasis is on actual physical strength, or with Olympic weightlifting, where emphasis is equally split between strength and technique. Though superficially similar to the casual observer, the fields entail a different regimen of training, diet, and basic motivation.

The main organisation that promotes, funds, and judges bodybuilding competition is the International Federation of BodyBuilders. They organise bodybuilding's most prestigious competition - Mr Olympia.

Contest Preparation

The general strategy adopted by competitive bodybuilders is to make muscle gains for most of the year (known as the "off-season") and approximately 3-4 months from competition attempt to lose body fat (referred to as "cutting up"). In doing this, some muscle will be lost but the aim is to keep this to a minumum. There are many approaches used but most involve reducing calorie intake and increasing cardio.

On the day before contest, some bodybuilders attempt to dehydrate themselves to make their muscles more defined. However, some experts argue against this since it can reduce blood pressure which affects the vascularity (size of the blood vessels). Bodybuilders also increase their electrolyte consumption (potassium and sodium) to reduce the risk of muscle cramps when on stage.

Right before performing on stage bodybuilders will apply various products to their skin to improve their muscle definition - these include fake tan (to make the skin darker) and various oils (to make the skin shiny). They will also use weights to force blood to their muscles to improve size and vascularity.

Female Bodybuilding

In the 1980s women began to take part in bodybuilding competitions. However, they often face difficulties for a number of reasons:

• The standards for judging of women bodybuilders changes almost every year
• Criticised, mocked, or otherwise viewed negatively for not conforming to traditional ideas of feminine beauty and gender roles
• Limited funding - many turning to female muscle erotica and porn

Female Fitness and Figure

Closely related to female bodybuilding (often held as part of the same event) is female fitness and figure competitions. Whereas female bodybuilding is judged on muscle size, fitness is judged on the competitor ability in a number of strength and flexibility exercises, and figure is judged purely on the physical form (there are no muscle flexing poses).