Latest Bodybuilding News
-
Regan Grimes Ate Exactly 6 Grams of Salt During Prep to Win the 2025 California State Pro
IFBB Open bodybuilder Regan Grimes shared a peek into his final preparations two days before claiming the 2025 California State Pro title and qualifying for the 2025 Olympia on May 24. Coached by Miloš Šarčev, Grimes ranked ninth at the 2023 Olympia and fourth at the 2025 New York Pro. Grimes linked up with Šarčev and four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler for…
Top Athletes
Bodybuilding Guides
-
9 Underrated Golden Era Bodybuilders You Should Know About
Arnold, Zane, Franco, Lou. These are the names people tend to gravitate towards when talking about the so-called “Golden Era” of bodybuilding. Running from roughly 1960 to the early 1980s, this was a period when the sport truly hit the mainstream as a cultural movement. While many remember the big stars, dozens of other top-tier…
-
How Strong Was Ronnie Coleman? Looking Back at the Incredible Strength of the 8-Time Mr. Olympia
-
12 of the Biggest Men’s Bodybuilders of All Time
-
9 of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Timeless Bodybuilding Tips
-
Bodybuilding Coach Joe Bennett Explains Proper Lat Pulldown Form
-
Men’s Open Bodybuilder Brett Wilkin’s Push Day and Future Competition Plans
-
4 Steps to Perfect T-Bar Row Form for Muscle Growth, From Pro Bodybuilding Coach Joe Bennett
Bodybuilding Basics
What is Bodybuilding?
In the sport of bodybuilding, athletes compete to see who has the best physique. They are judged on their muscularity, level of conditioning (or leanness), muscular symmetry, and posing routines. Most of the work is done off stage, as competitors must train hard, eat clean 24/7, and follow a rigid supplement regimen to build a complete body.
There are two major bodybuilding organizations — the IFBB Pro League and the NPC (an amateur league). The NPC, which is where most bodybuilders start, offers eight divisions — three for men and five for women. For the men, they are Men’s Bodybuilding, Men’s Classic Physique, Men’s Physique. The women’s divisions include Women’s Physique, Fitness, Figure, Bikini, and wellness. In the bodybuilding category, there are also specific weight classes. They are:
- Bantamweight (up to 143.25 pounds)
- Lightweight (over 143.25 pounds and up to 154.25)
- Middleweight (over 154.25 pounds and up to 176.25)
- Light Heavyweight (over 176.25 pounds and up to 198.25)
- Heavyweight (over 198.25 pounds and up to 225.25)
- Super Heavyweight (over 225.25 pounds)
A typical bodybuilding show consists of four rounds— the symmetry round, the mandatory posing round, the free posing round, and the posedown. (Note: Each division is judged a little differently.) Here’s a breakdown of each stage.
Athletes will first complete a series of “relaxed” quarter-turns so the judges can compare their symmetry and conditioning. Then, they’ll complete the eight mandatory poses to demonstrate their size. Each athlete will then perform a rehearsed posing routine, about 90 seconds long. Finally, the top three to five competitors in each weight class will compete in a posedown, as the last chance to show the judges their best assets.
The eight mandatory poses include:
- Front Double Bicep
- Front Lat Spread
- Side Chest
- Side Tricep
- Rear Double Bicep
- Rear Lat Spread
- Abdominals and Thigh
- Most Muscular (men only)
More in Bodybuilding
-
2025 California State Pro Bodybuilding Results
Regan Grimes is the 2025 California State Pro champion. Grimes was one of 14 IFBB Pro League Men’s Open athletes competing in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, May 24, and he was the last to leave the stage as the champion. Thanks to this win, Grimes qualified for the 2025 Mr. Olympia, the main event at Resorts Theater in Las Vegas,…