Bodybuilding is a sport that consists of shaping your own body through muscle growth and fat loss. The analysis of competitors in this sport may seem subjective, but there are several factors that make an athlete beat their opponents.
In general, there are three main criteria: volume, definition and proportions. In other words, while it is important to have big muscles, they need to be separated so that the judges can observe them. This clarity only becomes possible due to the lack of fat and fluids between the muscle tissue and the skin of bodybuilders during the championship.
Proportions refer to the harmony of the physique, the symmetry of the athlete. In addition to being large and “dry”, a term that is generally used, bodybuilders need to have a good balance between all muscle groups, as well as one side equal to the other. In other words, someone who shows arms that are much more developed than their legs, for example, demonstrates a disproportion and could lose points in the championship.
In an interview with the column, Tyler Manion – referee and vice-president of the IFBB Pro League (International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness Professional League, which means Professional Fitness League of the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness) – points out that, during competitions, evaluators want to see “the balance of these factors in each pose”.
Generally, a judge awards victory to the competitor who, in his opinion, won the most poses. However, the scoring system is not automatically linked to this dynamic.
In the conversation, which took place during Mr. Olympia Brasil 2025, the professional also explained that the standard of physique required is different between one category and another, and each division has its main criteria: “For example, in the Open, obviously we want to see volume, the size of the muscles, but we also want to see a pleasant balance, symmetry, good proportions. We want to see conditioning (…) In Classic Physique, it is very important that the athlete has proportions balanced and symmetry. Of course, the amount of muscle mass you carry in your structure is also important, this differentiates the bodybuilders who are at the top from the rest.”
Manion also discusses this dynamic in the female categories when exemplifying the differences between the two divisions that, in his opinion, are the most popular in Brazil: “In Bikini, we want to see the upper limbs in proportion to the lower limbs, we make sure that the athletes have the correct volume – that is, they cannot have very large muscles. In Wellness, the difference is that the athletes need to have lower limbs that are slightly more worked than the superiors.”
In total, the IFBB Pro League has six women’s categories –Bikini, Wellness, Fitness, Figure, Women’s Physique and Women’s Bodybuilding– and five men’s divisions –Men’s Physique, Classic Physique, Open, 212 and Wheelchair– currently.
“The important thing is that you analyze the criteria and observe the appearance of the physiques presented in this category. Each criterion may prevail over another, depending on the category”, concludes the vice-president of the federation.
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