Bodybuilding Competition

In competitive bodybuilding, bodybuilders aspire to develop and maintain an aesthetically pleasing (by bodybuilding standards) body and balanced physique. The competitors show off their bodies by performing a number of required poses - the front lat spread, the rear lat spread, the front double biceps, the back double biceps, the side chest, the side triceps, the most muscular, and the thigh abdominal. Each competitor also performs a choreographed posing routine to display their physique as well as aesthetics, and some are often very artistic in nature. A posedown is usually held at the end of an evening-show judging, while the judges are counting points, and generally does not affect the result. Bodybuilders spend time practicing their posing technique as this has a large effect on how they are judged. Some bodybuilders have been renowned for the skill and artistry of their posing routines. These include John Grimek, Ed Corney and Bob Paris. Others have made famous individual, often original poses, such as the side one-armed biceps in the case of Larry Scott and Dave Draper.

In contrast to strongman or powerlifting competitions where physical strength is important, or with Olympic weightlifting, where the main point is equally split between strength and technique, for bodybuilding competitions it is the, size, shape and symmetry that are the important factors during competition. The different types of competitions entail different training and dietary regimens.

Cutting and bulking

The general strategy adopted by most present-day competitive bodybuilders is to make muscle gains for most of the year (known as the "off-season") and approximately 12–14 weeks from competition attempt to lose body fat (referred to as "cutting") while minimizing the loss of muscle mass. Generally this involves reducing calorie intake and increasing aerobic exercise while monitoring body fat percentage.
The precise effectiveness of the cutting and bulking strategy is unknown, with only limited observational case studies on the subject. No studies involving precise hypercaloric feeding combined with resistance exercise have been conducted.
Many non-competitive bodybuilders choose not to adopt this strategy, as it often results in significant unwanted fat gain during the "bulking" phase (particularly for those who do not use anabolic steroids). While competitive bodybuilders focus their efforts to achieve a peak appearance during a brief "competition season", most ordinary people prefer to maintain an attractive physique year-round. Anecdotal evidence suggests that a proper training program combined with a modestly hypercaloric diet with proper macronutrient balance can produce steady gains in size and strength, while avoiding significant increases in body fat.

Pre-competition

In the week leading up to a contest, bodybuilders may decrease their consumption of water, sodium and carbohydrates, the former two to alter how water is retained by the body and the latter to reduce glycogen in the muscle. The day before the show, water is removed from the diet, and diuretics may be introduced, while carbohydrate loading to increase the size of the muscles through replenishment of their glycogen. The goal is to maximize leanness and increase the visibility of veins. The appearance of veins are further enhanced immediately before appearing on stage by darkening the skin through tanning products, applying oils to the skin to increase shine and some competitors will eat sugar-rich foods to increase the visibility of their veins. A final step is the use of weights to fill the muscles with blood and further increase their size

Muscle growth

Bodybuilders use three main strategies to maximize muscle hypertrophy:
• Strength training through weights or elastic/hydraulic resistance
• Specialized nutrition, incorporating extra protein and supplements where necessary
• Adequate rest, including sleep and recuperation between workouts