Why Size Doesn't Win Bodybuilding Competitons

It's not the biggest guy who wins competitions 

Perhaps you want to pursue a career in bodybuilding but can't seem to place better than you should. One of the biggest mistakes that most beginners 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 present to the judges. Size is a big factor in determining the winner, but it is definitely not the only factor that matters. If size is still your weak point, try these supplements, or build your own bulking diet here.

Have you ever been to a bodybuilding show and wondered why the biggest guys are sometimes placed lower than someone clearly smaller than them? The judges aren't blind. They are just judging according to different criteria than you are. 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.

How to win a bodybuilding competition

Symmetry 

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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 even knowing about 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 find any parts of your body that doesn't quite match the other half, and correct them. Only upon closer inspection might you see that your left peck slightly dominates your right. This might not be a big issue in normal life, but definitely a possible 'I don't know why I didn't win' card for you to pick up after the next time you step on stage. Correcting imbalances like this is very important.

Posing Ability

What are the best poses and which poses do you need to 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. Take note of who poses more naturally and who looks like they need to concentrate more on pulling the right muscles at the right time. Match these 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'. It looks like practice really does make perfect. 

Everybody is different. Take the 'front double biceps' pose, for example. Do you know which body parts this pose emphasizes and how you should hold this particular pose for your body's 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 'I'm 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, don't 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 extremely 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 could 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. A few 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 weren't in proportion to the rest of their body. If your calves need work, click here.

Muscle Definition

How well can each muscle be seen in every 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 you've worked so hard on. Get all the muscle in the world, but if they aren't clearly seen, what's 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 among 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 should 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 are 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.

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So, as you can see, size doesn't 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 in the next magazine! STAY STRONG!