Bodybuilding Contest

By Franco Ruggiero

The time has finally come. You have been training now for several years and feel you are ready to step on a bodybuilding stage for your first bodybuilding contest and be a major contender. Your mind has been made up and the contest date is set. Now, for the first time in your bodybuilding career you have a real goal to actually train for - other than bragging rights or attention from the opposite sex. Along with the stakes being much higher, there is legitimate glory that is capable of being achieved.

How to Enter: Choose a Contest Class

The first step is for you to select a bodybuilding contest that best suits your weight class. Now when you pick a weight class you should have the knowledge to know that you need to pick the contest class that you will be in on the competition date, not on the day you have made your decision to compete. You need to pick the weight class that you will qualify for when you are your leanest. This means around three or four percent body fat.

Divisions

There are five divisions for a bodybuilder to choose from. The first one is the Bantamweight class, which is for contenders 142 pounds or less. The next is Lightweight, which features bodybuilders in the 143-156 pound range. Middle Weight is for competitors in the 157-176 pound range. The final two are light heavyweight, which is for contenders in the 177-198 pound range and heavyweight is for bodybuilders who are 198 pounds and any weight over that.

For example, if you have just picked a contest and you are at your off season weight, which is 185 pounds, because your main goal and concern was to build mass and you have 18 percent body fat, then you would be around 155 pounds with 3 percent body fat come contest day, That would put you in the Lightweight class.

This will give you you're best chance at winning and accomplishing a very worthy task because the more shredded and lean you are, the more appeal you will have towards the judges as opposed to you appearing stocky and smooth.

Contest Judges

There can be anywhere from 5-9 judges for a bodybuilding contest. They can be both male or female. The judges will evaluate the competitors by using a ranking system. Upon completion of each round, the judges will rank the bodybuilders from first to last. When the contest is over, the competitor with the lowest score will be declared the contest winner. Keep in mind that you do not necessarily need to win every round to be the overall winner of the contest, but you do need to have the lowest score at the end of the contest.

All on Your Shoulders

If you still feel you are ready and worthy enough for a shot at true bodybuilding glory, then this is what you need to know. It won't be easy. It is on your shoulders. This is what is to be expected when you enter your first bodybuilding contest. It is like preparing for a boxing match to some degree - because of the training, and needing to know you and your opponent's strengths and weaknesses to out perform him on stage by out posing him, instead of fighting him. It is a huge challenge, but this is what makes entering a bodybuilding contest worth it.

NEXT: Bodybuilding Contest Judging Rounds.

Once you develop enough muscle to turn girls on, you can show off your new physique by getting qualified to become a Campus Man. Just wear a tank top when you film your video. You can also position the camera at a slight angle so your guns (arms) are fully visible in your video. Remember, building muscularity is worthless if nobody gets to sees what you have built!

If you are not a student, but know of a college student who lifts weights at a campus near you, you can nominate him to become a Campus Man. Just go to our front page and click "Nominate a New Student to Become a Campus Man". The guy you nominate will be grateful someone "nominated" him because of his hobby!