Why Size Doesnt Win Bodybuilding Competitons

The Biggest Mistake Most Aspiring Bodybuilders Make

The biggest mistake they make is assuming that the goal is to get as big as possible and that their success on stage is proportionate to the amount of muscle mass they can bring to the show.

Ever been to a bodybuilding show and wondered why the biggest guy is placed lower then someone clearly smaller than them? The judges arent blind, they are just judging according to different ideals than you. While size is what distinguishes us from the rest of the world, is it only one factor in determining the ultimate Bodybuilder. Size is important, but certainly not the most crucial part of winning.

The Other Important Factors That Judges Assess

Symmetry 

You could be twice the size of the guy next to you, but if any muscular imbalances are visible to the naked eye, you could be giving your spot away to your smaller, but symmetrical, competitor. Judges grade competitors on a points system. Body symmetry will lose you the most points without you knowing it. Have a good look in the mirror... we all have a good side and a not as good side, but one of your eternal goals will be to close this gap as much as you can. You need to work hard to firstly find any parts of your body that dont quite match the other half. Only upon closer inspection might you see that your left peck slightly dominates your right. Not a big issue in normal life, but a possible I dont know why I didnt win card you deal yourself time and time again on stage. Correcting imbalances like this is very important.

Posing Ability

What are the best poses and which poses do you do on stage? Have you practiced them in front of the mirror so many times that it now feels natural and comfortable? More importantly, do you know how to execute each pose so that every body part and muscle is flexed in such a way that it boasts your physique in the best possible light? Take a good look at the next show you attend and take note of who knows how to pose the best, in your opinion. Match those up to the winners afterwards and you will be surprised at how much posing ability actually determines the winner. Judges can easily see the difference between people who are completely in-touch with what makes their bodies look the best with each pose and those who are just doing what the others are doing and just going with it. 

Everybody is different. Take the front double biceps pose. Do you know which body parts this pose emphasizes and how you should hold this particular pose for your bodys best look? With practice you will find that perhaps you need to bend your knees a little more to show off the leg muscles or rotate your feet in a certain direction to get the best calf angles. 

Stage Presence

Do you look like the newbie who is still trying to come to terms with the bright light in your eyes when you first walk on stage? As the audience turns their attention to you when your name is called out, is your body language that of a champion that deserves to carry the legacy of Bodybuilding forward to the next generation? Does your body language show nerves or an Im trying not to look scared face? Walk with confidence. Let your presence on stage depict a VICTOR in need of reckoning. This takes time, but you need to work on developing a persona that envelopes the crowd. With time, you need to learn to conquer the crowd, dont let the crowd conquer you. Command admiration, and it shall be given to you. Walk like the champion, be seen as the champion. 

Proportion

Do you know what one of the other destroyers of would-be champs is? Calves! Upper-body and lower-body proportions are absolutely important and bigger competitors are often placed below their smaller peers because of body proportion. If you have freakishly large pecks, make sure the rest of your body is just as freakishly large or it would actually work against you. You cannot afford to lose the placement you deserve because your one muscle group is larger or smaller then what is considered proportionate to the rest of your body. You need to work on keeping everything in proportion. Imagine trying to not let any other body part outshine the other. My chest is smaller but my bigger arms will make up for it in the show, said one loser to another. Huge friends of mine have lost shows purely because of certain muscles being out of proportion to the rest of their bodies. We often see bigger guys lose to smaller guys because their legs werent in proportion to the rest of their body.

Muscle Definition

How well can each muscle be seen in each muscle group? Can you see all three heads on your triceps, for example? Reducing body fat and decreasing water reserves in the body to reveal the muscles underneath come into play here. Being able to show the muscles you worked hard on getting are JUST AS IMPORTANT as the size of those muscles youve worked on. Get all the muscle in the world, but if they arent clearly seen, whats the point in entering a competition?

The Total Look

Every bodybuilding show has a certain look they tend to lean towards. You need to look the part. Winners are chosen amongst those who a certain bodybuilding organisation or federation feel would fit their image and embody what they feel is the picture of the ultimate bodybuilder according to their standards. Do you look like someone who would be sponsored by big companies? How far is your look from the guy that these competitions try to find? We all have a different image in our heads, but there definitely similarities in general. The Look comprises of your body, face, haircut, outfits, body language, persona, eye contact, and more, even down to skin tone. Work on creating the look that these organisations are after. Be the one they chose because you are their prefect poster boy.


So, as you can see, size doesnt win bodybuilding competitions because it is only one aspect that will be judged to find the Ultimate Bodybuilding Champion. Work hard on all these often under-looked areas above and you will be well on your way to placing better and better after each bodybuilding competition. Work hard, we hope to see you on the next magazine!

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