Article 3 – Categories

3.1 Categories:

There are nine categories in Men’s Bodybuilding world-level competitions, currently as follows:

• Bantamweight: Up to and incl. 65 kg
• Lightweight: Up to and incl. 70 kg
• Welterweight: Up to and incl. 75 kg
• Light-Middleweight: Up to and incl. 80 kg
• Middleweight: Up to and incl. 85 kg
• Super-Middleweight: Up to and incl. 90 kg
• Light-Heavyweight: Up to and incl. 95 kg
• Heavyweight: Up to and incl. 100 kg
• Super-Heavyweight: Over 100 kg

Note 1:
Upon agreement between the IFBB and the Organizer, one additional category may be opened for competition.

3.2 Junior Men’s Bodybuilding World-Level Competition Categories:

Currently, the following categories exist:

• 16 to 20 years of age inclusive:

  • One open category

• 21 to & incl. 23 years of age:

  • Lightweight: Up to and incl. 75 kg
  • Heavyweight: Over 75 kg

3.3 Master Men’s Bodybuilding World-Level Competition Categories:

Currently, the following categories exist:

• 40 to & incl. 44 years of age:

  • Lightweight: Up to and incl. 70 kg
  • Middleweight: Up to and incl. 80 kg
  • Light-Heavyweight: Up to and incl. 90 kg
  • Heavyweight: Over 90 kg

• 45 to & incl. 49 years of age:

  • Lightweight: Up to and incl. 70 kg
  • Middleweight: Up to and incl. 80 kg
  • Light-Heavyweight: Up to and incl. 90 kg
  • Heavyweight: Over 90 kg

• 50 to & incl. 54 years of age:

  • Middleweight: Up to and incl. 80 kg
  • Heavyweight: Over 80 kg

• 55 to & incl. 59 years of age:

  • Middleweight: Up to and incl. 75 kg
  • Heavyweight: Over 75 kg

• 60 to 64 years of age inclusive:

  • One open category

• 65 years of age and over:

  • One open category

3.4 Category Requirements:

• Except for the World and Continental Championships, a category can only be run if there are not less than 3 athletes. If fewer than 3 athletes, categories will be combined wherever possible.
• Masters categories will not be combined.
• At the World and Continental Championships, a category can only be run if there are not less than 5 athletes. If fewer than 5 athletes, categories will be combined wherever possible.

Article 4 – Rounds

4.1 Rounds:

Men’s Bodybuilding will consist of the following four rounds:

1. Prejudging: Elimination Round
   (Four Mandatory Poses)

2. Prejudging: Round 1
   (Four Mandatory Poses and Comparisons of Seven Mandatory Poses)

3. Finals: Round 2
   (Seven Mandatory Poses and Posedown)

4. Finals: Round 3
   (Free Posing Routines – up to 60 sec.)

Article 6 – Prejudging: Posing Attire for All Rounds

6.1 The posing attire must meet the following guidelines:

1. Competitors will wear one-colored, opaque posing trunks which are clean and decent. The color, fabric, texture, and style of the trunks will be left to the competitor’s discretion. The trunks will cover a minimum of ¾ of the gluteus maximus. The front area must be covered and the side of the trunks should be 5 cm in width at a minimum. The use of padding anywhere in the trunks is prohibited.

   Note 1:
   If a contest is held in a country where posing trunks are prohibited, competitors may be obliged to wear gymnastic shorts, with at least 15 cm high sides, covering the whole gluteus maximus and all the frontal area, which are precisely described in the Men Classic Physique Section of the Rules.

2. Except for a wedding ring, competitors will not wear footwear, glasses, watches, pendants, earrings, wigs, distracting ornamentation, or artificial aids to the figure. Implants or fluid injections causing a change in the natural shape of any other parts or muscles of the body are strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification of the competitor.

3. Headgear is generally prohibited, but if it is required by the official rules of the country represented by a competitor or due to the religious principles observed by a competitor, a small, tight cap with no visor may be used. This cap should be shown at the Official Athlete Registration and approved by the designated IFBB official.

4. The use of props during the Prejudging or Finals presentation is strictly prohibited.

6.2 Tan and Body Coloring Regulations:

• The use of tans and bronzers that can be wiped off is not allowed. If the tan comes off by simply wiping, the athlete will not be allowed to enter the stage.
• Artificial body coloring and self-tanning products may be used. Professional competition tanning methods (airbrush tanning, cabin spray tanning) may be used if applied by professional companies and qualified personnel.
• Sparkles, glitter, shiny metallic pearls, or gold coloring are prohibited whether applied as part of a tanning lotion or applied separately, regardless of who applied them on the competitor’s body.

6.3 Excessive Oil Use:

• The excessive application of oil on the body is strictly prohibited; however, body oils and moisturizers may be used in moderation.

6.4 Attire Compliance:

• The IFBB Chief Judge, or a delegate appointed by him, will have the right to make the decision if a competitor’s attire meets the criteria established in the Rules and acceptable standards of aesthetics. The athlete may be disqualified if the attire doesn’t meet these standards.

Article 10 – Assessing of the Elimination Round, Round 1 and Round 2 (Comparisons in Mandatory Poses)

10.1 General:

• When assessing a competitor’s physique, a judge should follow a routine procedure which will allow a comprehensive assessment of the physique as a whole.
• During the comparisons of the mandatory poses, the judge should first look at the primary muscle group being displayed.
• The judge should then survey the whole physique, starting from the head, and looking at every part of the physique in a downward sequence, beginning with general impressions, and looking for muscular bulk, balanced development, muscular density, and definition.
• The downward survey should take in the head, neck, shoulders, chest, all of the arm muscles, front of the trunk for pectorals, pec-delt tie-in, abdominals, waist, thighs, legs and calves, and feet.
• The same procedure for back poses will also take in the upper and lower trapezius, teres and infraspinatus, erector spinae, the gluteus group, the leg biceps group at the back of the thighs and calves, and feet.
• A detailed assessment of the various muscle groups should be made during the comparisons, at which time it helps the judge to compare muscle shape, density, and definition while still bearing in mind the competitor’s overall balanced development.
• The comparisons of the Mandatory Poses cannot be overemphasized as these comparisons will help the judge to decide which competitor has the superior physique from the standpoint of muscular bulk, balanced development, muscular density, and definition.
• In exceptional cases, when the anatomical structure of a competitor drastically differs from the accepted criteria of body condition in the physique sports (extended belly, unnatural shape of muscles, gynecomastia, too high bodyfat level, etc.), the Chief Judge has the right to prevent the athlete from competing or disqualify him at any other moment of his stage presentation.

10.2 Assessing the Male Physique:

• In assessing prejudging, overall shape and that of the various muscle groups is important. The judge should favor competitors with a harmonious, classical physique.
• The judge should look for good posture and athletic bearing, correct anatomical structure (including body framework, broad shoulders, high chest, correct spinal curves, limbs and trunk in good proportion, straight legs, not bandy or knock-kneed).
• The judge should also look for good skin tone with absence of surgical or other scars, spots, acne or tattoos, which the IFBB considers as a skin blemish, tidily dressed hair, well-shaped feet, and toes.
• When having difficulty in placing two or more competitors who seem to be on the same level, the judge should look for faults in those aspects listed above which will help to differentiate among the competitors.
• Detailed description of the men’s Mandatory Poses may be found in Appendix 1 to this Section.

Article 14 – Finals: Assessing of Round 2

14.1 Assessing of Round 2

• The same criteria used in judging Round 1 (see Article 10) will be used in this round. More details in Appendix 1 to this Section.
• However, the judges must be mindful of the fact that a competitor may present a different condition in the Finals compared to the Prejudging. Therefore, judges must ensure that this round is judged from a “fresh” perspective, ensuring that all competitors receive fair assessment based upon their body condition in this round.

Article 17 – Finals: Assessing of Round 3

17.1 Round 3 will be assessed using the following criteria:

1. In the Finals, the judges will be assessing each competitor on how well they display their physique to music. The judge will look for a smooth, artistic, and well-choreographed routine which may include any number of poses; however, the mandatory poses must be included. The competitor must also include intermittent poses so as to display the muscular development of his physique.

2. “Moon” poses and pulling the posing attire so as to display the top inside of the quadriceps or the gluteus maximus shall be strictly forbidden.

3. The judges are reminded that, during this round, they are judging 50% physique and 50% routine.

APPENDIX 1: DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVEN MANDATORY POSES

1.1 MEN’S BODYBUILDING MANDATORY POSES:

1. Front Double Biceps (see Figure 1)

   • Standing face front to the judges, with one leg 40-50 cm forward and to the side, the competitor will raise both arms to shoulder level and bend them at the elbows.
   • The hands should be clenched and turned down so as to cause a contraction of the biceps and forearm muscles, which are the main muscle groups that are to be assessed in this pose.
   • In addition, the competitor should attempt to contract as many other muscles as possible as the judges will be surveying the whole physique, from head to toe.
   • The judge will first survey the biceps muscles looking for a full, peaked development of the muscle, noting whether or not there is a defined split between the anterior and posterior sections of the biceps, and will continue the head-to-toe survey by observing the development of the forearms, deltoids, pectorals, pec-delt tie-ins, abdominals, thighs, and calves.
   • The judge will also look for muscle density, definition, and overall balance.

2. Front Lat Spread (see Figure 2)

   • Standing face front to the judges, with the legs and feet in-line and up to 15 cm apart, the competitor will place the open hands, or clenched fists, against, or gripping, the lower waist or obliques and will expand the latissimus muscles.
   • At the same time, the competitor should attempt to contract as many other frontal muscles as possible.
   • It shall be strictly forbidden for the competitor to pull up on the posing trunks so as to show the top inside of the quadriceps.
   • The judge should first see whether the competitor can show a good spread of the latissimus muscles, thereby creating a V-shaped torso.
   • Then the judge should continue with the head-to-foot survey, noting first the general aspects of the physique and then concentrating on the more detailed aspects of the various muscle groups.

3. Side Chest (see Figure 3)

   • The competitor may choose either side for this pose, in order to display the “better” arm.
   • He will stand with his left or right side towards the judges and will bend the arm nearest the judges to a right-angle position, with the fist clenched and, with the other hand, will grasp the wrist.
   • The leg nearest the judges will be bent at the knee and will rest on the toes.
   • The competitor will then expand the chest and by upward pressure of the front bent arm and contract the biceps as much as possible.
   • He will also contract the thigh muscles, in particular, the biceps femoris group, and by downward pressure on his toes, will display the contracted calf muscles.
   • The judge will pay particular attention to the pectoral muscles and the arch of the rib cage, the biceps, the leg biceps and the calves, and will conclude with the head-to-foot examination.
   • In this pose, the judge will be able to survey the thigh and calf muscles in profile, which will help in grading their comparative development more accurately.

4. Back Double Biceps (see Figure 4)

   • Standing with his back to the judges, the competitor will bend the arms and wrists as in the Front Double Biceps pose, and will place one foot back, resting on the toes.
   • He will then contract the arm muscles as well as the muscles of the shoulders, upper and lower back, thigh, and calves.
   • The judge will first survey the arm muscles and then proceed with the head-to-foot survey, looking at a wide range of muscle groups, including the neck, deltoids, biceps, triceps, forearm, trapezius, teres, infraspinatus, erector spinae, external obliques, latissimus dorsi, gluteus, thigh biceps, and calves.
   • This pose will help the judge assess the quality of the competitor’s muscle density, definition, and overall balance.

5. Back Lat Spread (see Figure 5)

   • Standing with his back to the judges, the competitor will place his hands on his waist with his elbows kept wide, with the legs and feet in-line and up to 15 cm apart.
   • He will then contract the latissimus dorsi as wide as possible.
   • The competitor should make an effort to display the opposite calf to that which was displayed during the back double biceps pose so the judge may assess both calf muscles equally.
   • It shall be strictly forbidden for the competitor to pull up on the posing trunks so as to show the gluteus maximus muscles.
   • The judge will look for a good spread of the latissimus dorsi, but also for good muscle density and will again conclude with the head-to-foot survey.

6. Side Triceps (see Figure 6)

   • The competitor may choose either side for this pose so as to show the “better” arm.
   • He will stand with his left or right side towards the judges and will place both arms behind his back, either linking his fingers or grasping the front arm by the wrist with his rear hand.
   • The leg nearest the judges will be bent at the knee and the foot will rest flat on the floor. The leg farthest to the judges will be bent at the knee and the foot resting on the toes.
   • The competitor will exert pressure against his front arm, thereby causing the triceps muscle to contract.
   • He will also raise the chest and contract the abdominal muscles as well as the thigh and calf muscles.
   • The judge will first survey the triceps muscles, and conclude with the head-to-foot examination.
   • In this pose, the judge will be able to survey the thigh and calf muscles in profile, which will help in grading their comparative development more accurately.

7. Abdominals and Thighs (see Figure 7)

   • Standing face front to the judges, the competitor will place both arms behind the head and will place one leg forward.
   • He will then contract the abdominal muscles by “crunching” the trunk slightly forward.
   • At the same time, he will contract the thigh muscles of the front leg.
   • The judge will survey the abdominal and thigh muscles, and then conclude with the head-to-foot examination.