O bodybuilding is one of the fastest growing sports in the world today. Brazil. Several athletes of different categories will represent the country in the Olympia (the most important championship in all of sport, equivalent to the “World Cup” for bodybuilders) this year, which will take place in Vegas in the month of December.

With the ascend of Brazilians – mostly men, since women brazilian women for a long time at the highest level of sport -, the TV Culture website decided to explain the main differences between the four main male categories who dispute the IFBB Professional League (International Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation).

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open

In the past, this was the only category that existed. in her, there is no weight limit. i.e. the athletes the most impressive in terms of size meet there.

Although muscle volume is one of the main factors in becoming a champion, there are two other criteria judgment: the conditioningwhich takes place after the “dry” athletes, and the so-called “line”, which includes the proportionality between the limbs of the athlete, the symmetry of the physique presented and the aesthetic of the whole as a whole.

These athletes usually show up with only a colorful swimsuit. The prop has been set so that referees can see all muscles of the athlete, from the biceps to the glutes. The current champion of the Open category of the Olympia it’s egyptian Mamdouh ElssbiayO”Great Rummy“, What will attempt his third consecutive title in 2022.

classical physics

This is fastest growing category in the last few years. Indeed, Open, for example, seems to have leave aside the aesthetic question on several occasions. Thus, a category was created whose main objective is to proportion and the symmetry of the physical.

Classic Physique aims to recall the “Golden years” of bodybuilding, when the athletes were not so tall, but kept the line from the body. For this purpose, a weight limit by height of the athlete. The clothing of bodybuilders in this category is only a swimsuit – a little larger than that of the Open – black.

The current holder of this title is the Canadian Chris BumsteadOr just”cbum“. With your 1.86m height, the weight limit he can reach at the championship weigh-in is 109kg, which brings together athletes from 1.85 m to 1.88 m. This year, he arrives in Las Vegas to try to win the fourth championship.

Men’s physical

Perhaps the most controversial category in bodybuilding. It was created at the beginning of the last decade, with the aim of giving birth to the famous “beach shape“. At first, athletes who were not very muscular stood out. A “six pack” it’s a reasonable development of the upper limbs they were enough to get into the professional league.

Another fundamental criterion of the category is the disproportion between the width of the shoulders and that of the waistcommonly called “V-shape“. As it is a category that has always been attentive to the pattern and never instituted a weight limitathletes began to appear more and more muscular. Unlike the other categories, these athletes wear shorts to perform.

The current world representative is the United States Brandon Hendricksonwhich will also try your fourth Olympic title in 2022.

212

The name alludes to the 212 poundsequivalent to approximately 96.16kg, established as the category weight limit. Unlike Classic Physique, where the ceiling varies depending on the height of the athlete, this marking is definitive at 212.

It was created primarily to be like the Open among men. the lowest. That is, the smaller the bodybuilder, the bulkier it can get without exceeding 96.16 kg.

This happened because it is difficult to compare a 1.85m athlete with another of 1.65m, for example. The current category champion is also the North American Derek Lunsfordwhich will migrate to Open this year.

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