Bodybuilding has a decades-long following. Many people enter contests to pursue a personal fitness goal, but some want to reach the sport’s ultimate stage, the Olympia. Aspiring bodybuilders who have not yet started their journey may be concerned if they could ever compete at the level of eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman or four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler.
Whether checking off a bucket list item, aiming to turn pro, or simply a new fan interested in the sport, consider this the “101” entry-level about the ins and outs of pro bodybuilding, specifically, the IFBB Professional League.
Bodybuilding Divisions
Bodybuilding has many competitive categories for male and female athletes. The IFBB Professional League has 11 pro divisions, with a 12th starting at the amateur level in 2025 and added as the 12th pro division in 2026.
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- Men’s Open
- Men’s 212 Bodybuilding
- Men’s Classic Physique
- Men’s Physique
- Men’s Wheelchair
- Women’s Bodybuilding
- Women’s Physique
- Fitness
- Figure
- Bikini
- Wellness
- Fit Model (New in 2026)
The Fit Model division is a new category added to the National Physique Committee (NPC) beginning in 2025. There are pro qualifiers for this category, but pro shows will not be held until the 2026 season. These athletes are only eligible to enter the Fit Model contests. They cannot crossover divisions.
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How to Earn a Pro Card
The road to becoming a pro may appear simple, but it is not easy. The amateur level of the IFBB Professional League is the NPC and NPC Worldwide for international shows.
Amateurs can enter local or regional contests by signing up for an NPC membership and paying the entry fee for smaller shows. They must win a local or smaller show to qualify for the pro qualifying stage. From there, they must win a pro-qualifying event (or place second in some cases) for eligibility to IFBB Professional League shows.
A pro card is a membership with a yearly cost. There are numerous pro-qualifying events worldwide, but some of the biggest annual contests are:
- Amateur Olympia (US and International)
- NPC USA Championships (US Only)
- NPC National Championships (US Only)
- North American Championships (US, Canada, Mexico)
- Arnold Amateur (US and International)
Some pro shows with amateur contests award their winners pro status, making them eligible for pro shows the following day. Amateurs can enter a pro qualifier and, if they win, compete in an Olympia qualification the same weekend.
How to Qualify for a Pro Show
After achieving pro status, the next step to the Olympia is winning a pro show. Athletes can enter any pro contest, except for the Arnold Classic and the Olympia, by contacting the show’s promoter and signing a contract to compete. They can enter as number of shows.
The IFBB Professional League has well over 100 contests in countries across six continents every season for its 11 divisions. Many contests feature multiple divisions. All pro shows for Open competitors (pros under 40 years of age) are Olympia qualifiers.
The Arnold Classic is the only non-Olympia show with a different process. Athletes apply to compete and receive invitations. Despite the process change, the Arnold is an Olympia-qualifying event.
Notable Pro Bodybuilding Shows
There aren’t official bodybuilding tiers, but some pro shows have greater historical significance due to their longevity and winners list. Winning the the following shows are considered top contenders at the Olympia:
- New York Pro
- Tampa Pro
- Chicago Pro
- Rising Phoenix (Women’s Bodybuilding)
- Toronto Pro Supershow
- Legion Sports Fest Pro
- Pittsburgh Pro*
- Arnold Classic Brazil
*The Pittsburgh Pro used to have a Men’s Open guest posing event, but features a Men’s Open contest, debuting in 2025.
How to Qualify for the Olympia
The sport’s grandest stage is the Olympia, where world champions for the IFBB’s 11 pro divisions are crowned. Competitors who walk the Olympia stage are considered best in the world that year.
There are four ways to qualify for the Olympia:
- Win a pro show during the Olympia qualifying season. Athletes can only compete in the division in which they earned their qualification at the Olympia.
Athletes are eligible to compete in multiple divisions throughout the season and may win contests in different categories. If this occurs, the athlete must choose one division to compete in at the Olympia — competing in multiple divisions at the Olympia is not permitted.
If an athlete finishes in the top three at the Olympia, they automatically qualify for the following year’s Olympia. While they need not compete again, they can without risk of losing their qualification.
Olympia champions have the easiest path: they are eligible to compete in their category at the Olympia for life. The caveat with this eligibility if if five years have passed since that champion’s most recent Olympia win, they must request permission to compete with the IFBB Professional League or win a pro show as every other competitor must. Olympia champions are eligible to enter any pro show.
The final way to qualify for the Olympia is by special invitation from the Olympia promoters or the IFBB Professional League; it is rarely issued. The most recent example at the time of this article’s publication is Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay’s invitation to compete at the 2021 Mr. Olympia after failing to qualify due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic. He won the title that year.
How Much Money Do Bodybuilders Make?
Prize money has evolved over the years, but it is challengin for bodybuilders to make a living solely via competition. Many competitors have full-time jobs. Some of the biggest bodybuilding stars earn their living via sponsorships.
Some shows offer large purses for the Men’s Open division. The biggest Men’s Open prizes on the pro circuit as of 2025 are:
- Olympia — $600,000 (as of 2024)
- Arnold Classic — $500,000 (as of 2025)
- Dubai Pro — $140,000 (as of 2025)
- Pittsburgh Pro — $100,000 (as of 2025)
Other shows have significant first-place purses ranging from $20,000 to $50,000. All pro shows that host Men’s Open events must reward champions at least $15,000.
Prize money for other divisions varies. The Rising Phoenix, the second major show for Women’s Bodybuilding, offers $50,000 to its champion. In previous years, they have also awarded vehicles. Usually, smaller shows award the following prizes to the top three in each category (some shows offer prizes for fourth and fifth places):
- 1st — $5,000
- 2nd — $3,500
- 3rd — $2,500
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