Inside Bodybuilding - 03:07, Thursday, June 5, 2008

Inside Bodybuilding Past and Present

Things have never changed regarding the hard core elite and probably never will do when it comes to pumping hard and showing off their bits with the hope of entering and winning competitions, although I refer to them as trophy hunters. The basis of their training though is solely influenced by the rising standards of accepted muscular perfection which are expected at these international physique competitions.

These contests in fact play a major role in dictating bodybuilders hopes and inspirations. There is a vast media coverage of these competitions in muscle mags and they give in depth guidance in how bodybuilders should perform in the gym. They basically focus on the big guys that win the biggest contests and reveal every fine detail regarding their training program and routines.

So we have seen just why such contests are so important to set high standards in the bodybuilding world so now let's have a look at the judges themselves and the criteria they employ to reach the necessary goals required to keep the ball rolling.

Who gives the judges their guidance and authorizes them how to judge? Does a judge need a certain standard of qualification to do what they do? I was once sat right behind a judge who kept asking me for the number of the performing contestant, so should they have to take a compulsory eye test for example?

Apart from sight problems though, there are still problems with international judges who may be suffering from jet lag which has lead to some extremely controversial decisions being made in the past. Fortunately there are very sophisticated scoring systems now in place which help the prevention of individual judges making stupid decisions.

Just like soccer for example, this is a professional sport and refs or judges are extremely dedicated to their function and certainly don't have any favorites. They certainly don't get paid a lot for their efforts but it is a way for retired competitors to keep in touch with their favorite sport. My opinion is that although a few mistakes may be made by a minority, these guys are doing a great job in repaying a sport which has meant so much to them throughout their lives.

The role played by the judges though is one that can influence greatly the personal goals set by competitors. Some comments made in the past make the picture quite clear, for example Russ Warner a famous photographer said that judges can either send you home a hero or cast you into a pit and Rick Wayne a legendary Weider writer once said that Judges were like a sect and that nothing of a competitor's life could influence them.