Weight has to be considered when going into professional bodybuilding competition. Depending on division, weight can vary among competitors. Mike Samuels gives clarification of weight requirements. Some wonder why their are weight classes in bodybuilding . The sport is not under the contact classification like boxing or wrestling. Having different weight classes allows athletes of all sizes to compete. Seeing as bodybuilding is more about creating a physique rather than physical contact with a competitor it seems unnecessary. Open class has athletes of various weights. Separate weight classes allow smaller competitors to get noticed. All are muscular, but the athletes have a diverse anthropometry. If a competitor has a larger skeletal frame and weight that gives them an edge over smaller athletes. An athlete needs to have muscular size, yet this is not the only part of the judging criteria . Symmetry, conditioning, definition, and shape are essential. A good posing routine should be part of an athlete’s preparation. Prior to competing an athlete should check the weight classes available in the bodybuilding federation. A person seeking to compete should select a class and then design a training program. Women have a more divisions to choose from. Figure, fitness, bikini, wellness, physique, and open class bodybuilding are available.
The National Physique Committee (NPC) has a number of weight classes. Male competitors are on average bigger than female competitors. The weight class can range from bantamweight to super-heavy weight. The biggest male competitors can reach 225 lbs. The smallest are around 143 lbs. The women’s weight classes have multiple ranges. The lightweight class can be 115 lbs and middleweights can go up to 125 lbs. Then another classification exists of light heavy weight exists. The term seems more like a contradiction. Being light and heavy simultaneously seems impossible. The class falls between 125 lbs to 140 lbs. Above 140 lbs would be heavyweight for women.
Bodybuilders have a contest weight and an off season weight. During competition their weight is lower due to the reduction of body fat.
The light heavy class could be added to middleweights. Adding another weight class in that context is not required. The lightweight calls might have to be adjusted in relation to figure and bikini. To counter certain issue competitors have divisions based on height. Randomly selecting athletes we can see their weight classification. Iris Kyle competed at 167 lbs. Debbie Muggli competed at 159 lbs. Both would be heavyweights. Xin Li Cao competed at 120 lbs making her a middleweight. Britney O’Veal could fall into a light heavy classification. Despite differences in weight it is possible women on these sizes will share the same stage. Overtime the weight classifications have changed.
Mass and weight are not the same unit of measure. Mass refers to the amount of matter inside an object. Weight describes how gravity is acting on an object without acceleration. The general mathematical expression of it is weight equals mass times the acceleration of gravity (W=mg). The human body contains molecules, cells, organs, and organ systems which constitute mass. When stepping on a scale, it does not reveal body composition. Just looking at bodybuilder’s total weight without seeing an image of them, one would assume they are overweight. This is not the case due to their body composition. Using a scale might not be enough to tell a person healthy body weight and mass. The use of skinfold caliper and specific body fat ratio provide more information related to health measure.
Mass and weight are not the same entity. The amount of matter in an object differs from the total gravitaion being forced upon it
The BMI is not useful for bodybuilders due to changes in competition and off season weight. The charts would classify large muscular people as obese. The reason is that the chart and equation does not account for muscle to fat ratio. The evidence for the difference between mass and weight can be seen in outer space. An astronaut in space becomes weightless in space, because gravity is not acting on their body. However, mass in the body remains the same. A competitor will either have to make weight or lose some to compete in a particular class.
The Olympia had weight classes. The lightweight and heavyweight class was added in the year 2000. That year it was only two winners, but not an overall winner. Andrulla Blanchette won the lightweight category and Valentina Chepiga dominated the heavyweight class. Juliette Bergmann although a lightweight was able to win the overall title in 2001. Dayana Cadeau would be the last lightweight Ms.Olympia. After 2005, the Ms. Olympia became open class. The strange part about this is that Valentina Chepiga competed at 128 lbs and Andrulla Blanchette was 132 lbs . Accordning to the NPC weight class categories Valentina would be a light heavy and Andrulla would also. Dayana Cadeau would be a light heavy weight with 129 lbs. Juliette Bergmann was 133 lbs making her part of that category. It seems that federations are arbitrarily making weight classes without an emphasis on sports science. Maybe it was the weight class system at the time in the early 2000s was just not consistent.
An athlete could be placed as a light weight or heavy light depending on the federation or contest. The sports has a number of inconsistencies.
There tends to be a size bias directed at the most muscular women. The 20 % rule and the rule changes in 1992 reflect the sports discomfort with muscular women. The female competitors were told not to “too muscular. ” The irony and double standard is that men were getting twice as exaggerated. Larry Scott the first Mr. Olympia was only 205 lbs. Ronnie Coleman reached a massive 300 lbs. Every Ms. Olympia winner has weighed less than both those athletes. Lenda Murray’s contest weight was 153 lbs. Corinna Everson reached a 147 lbs contest weight. Andrea Shaw’s current contest weight is 179 lbs. Kim Chizevsky competed at 165 lbs. These women are small compared to their much more exaggerated male counterparts. Iris Kyle one the greatest Ms. Olympia champions is still smaller than the the majority of Mr. Olympia champions.
The Ms. Olympia champions have all weighed less than the 180 lbs. The men have gone beyond 200 lbs in the super heavyweight class.
The notion women are getting “too big” just is incorrect. Based on the contest weight, it is men who took the mass monster image to the extreme. The size debate should be settled with multiple classes now available. The existence of them does not undermine open class bodybuilding, although some promoters have attempted to do this with fitness and wellness. The women are more muscular across divisions. Mike Samuels correctly states it is more about appearance than weight class. However, it is false to say that bikini competitors are closer to swimsuit models. The bikini class was given some harsh criticism when it was introduced. Fans and athletes claimed that it did not involve much training or work to compete in. The irony was that prior to 1977, women would participate in bikini contests along bodybuilding contests for male athletes. Technically, bikini contests were the harbinger to the female bodybuilding contests. The bikini class has changed overtime and competitors are different from what they were in the 2010s.
Swimsuit models are not bikini competitors. Note that a swimsuit model does not have any muscle definition on their body. The bikini competitor has more noticeable muscle tone.
A knowledgeable fan can see that a swimsuit model is different from a bikini competitor. Visually, the difference in the body is clear. Swimsuit models have no muscle definition and are closer to an ectomorphic body type. The bikini competitor has a more toned body with visible muscle definition. A swimsuit model could not just get on any stage and win without some training. Some bikini athletes did have a modeling background, but as the division expanded it became more competitive. The aesthetic continues to evolve. Purists tend to reject all other classes except open class, but this seems contradictory. Many of the women competing have been in multiple classes. Physique athletes have switched to bodybuilding. Bikini athletes have also competed in figure. Each class a unique look, which makes the sport special. It only makes sense to embrace all classes. The Olympia has been inconsistent regarding criteria for physiques and weight class. This is why athletes should annually check the guidelines.
Weight can vary depending on what class an athlete competes in. What should be done prior is selecting a class, then making a proper diet. Somatotype and metabolism do have an effect on weight. Height can play a role, due to the skeletal frame of an individual. The skeletal system acts as a support for the muscle on the body. Learning about diet and nutrition will take time. A taller person might not always be heavier. A person could be tall and thin. A combination of musculoskeletal mass and adipose tissue determines total body weight. To see definition, body fat will need to be lowered. This must be factored into contest preparation. Being a competitor requires doing some research on divisions and athletic training regimens. Women are going to have a harder time losing fat due to differences in sex hormones. Losing and gaining weight in these cycles can be a strain on the body. What an athlete should never do is stay at a low body fat for an extended period of time. Off season should be used for recovery and planning for the next series of contests. When competing learn about the federation weight classes and diet.
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