Bodybuilding competitions on the decline – Old school is the way forward.
Athletes registering to compete at open bodybuilding contests are on the decline. The sport of bodybuilding is suffering and the only way to save the sport is to take a few steps back.
Nick Trigili published a video discussing the the sport of open bodybuilding and how it’s suffering. Nick made some very valid points, but Evolutionofbodybuilding.net has discussed this subject on numerous occasions.
Read More: NPC Junior USA Championships proof bodybuilding is on the decline (Published May 2022)
Read More: OPINION: Mr. Olympia automatic qualification should be abolished (Published Feb 2022)
Bodybuilding suffering at the amateur level
Amateur and professional open bodybuilding contests have been on the decline for a number of years. The sport has been suffering way before the pandemic hit the world in 2021.
The problem starts from the amateur divisions. Evolutionofbodybuilding.net compared the number of open bodybuilding athletes that competed at the NPC Jr. Nationals between 2011 and 2022 in a recent article.
In 2011, 62 athletes competed in the open bodybuilding division. Fast forward to 2022 and 12 athletes registered to compete. That is a decline of over 80%.
Losing over 80% of the athletes in a span of 11 years is very worrying. Obviously, with the amateur divisions declining in numbers, the pro divisions will suffer in the very near future.
Another problem is that the majority of athletes that win their pro status, never compete as professional athletes. They use their pro status to change their Social Media status to hopefully boost their personal training or any other businesses.
What the new pro athlete does not realize, is that they are not pro athletes until they step on a pro stage. Meaning, it is useless winning a pro card if the athletes does not compete as a pro.
Pro Bodybuilders not competing
At the Mr. Olympia, the top five automatically qualify for the the following year, meaning they do not have to compete for an entire year.
Automatic qualification might be good for the athlete, but it is definitely not good for the sport.
The top five at the Mr. Olympia will most probably not compete until the following Olympia Weekend, meaning that the top five bodybuilders in the world, will not compete at any of the competitions during the following year.
Some might compete at the Arnold Classic USA, just as Brandon Curry did in 2022. But the majority prefer to sit out the entire year.
Bodybuilding is suffering because of these rules and athletes that are not qualified are also picking easy shows that they believe they can win to qualify for the Mr. Olympia.
Some athletes rely on the points system and qualify for the Mr. Olympia by being a consistent top five finisher all throughout the contest season.
In the 1980’s and 90’s, bodybuilders used to compete all through out the year. Athletes such as Milos Sarcev, Kevin Levrone, Chris Cormier and others, never missed a show.
The bodybuilders from the past were true examples of a professional bodybuilding. There were no easy handouts, to make money they had to compete and guest pose.
How can an athlete call himself a professional bodybuilder when they only step on stage once a year?
The problem can be easily solved by how the sponsors treat their athletes. They can include in their contract that the athlete must compete a number of times during the year, with the incentive of receiving more money.
Remove automatic qualification
Evolutionofbodybuilding.net has stated on a number of occasions, that automatic qualification at the Mr. Olympia should be removed.
Imagine a contest season with the best bodybuilder in the world fighting for a spot at the next Mr. Olympia.
The days of bodybuilders relaxing the entire year would be a thing of the past.
There are many positive aspects about all competitors having to qualify for the following year:
• Every event will be exciting as the best bodybuilders will be competing.
• Promoters will have much more success with the best bodybuilders competing at their events.
• Bodybuilding will be more exciting to watch, with live streams surely increasing their subscriptions.
• More opportunities will be available for athletes to acquire more sponsors. It is no use sponsoring an athlete if they just sit at home all year.
• This would also make every bodybuilder fight to earn their right to step on the Mr. Olympia stage, regardless if they placed in the top five the previous year.
• The days of Mr. Olympia winners disappearing for a year would be a thing of the past, they would need to work for their right to compete the following year.
If Big Ramy, Nick Walker, Hadi Choopan, Hunter Labrada and Brandon Curry had to qualify for the 2022 Mr. Olympia. These athletes would add so much more excitement to the contest season.
For example, the New York Pro or Arnold Classic would surely have two or three top five Olympians fighting for the top spot and qualification for the Mr. Olympia.
In every other major sport around the world, the champion of the previous year has to start from the bottom as every other team. No team is guaranteed a spot in the playoffs or finals, just because they won the previous year.
With the current rules, by the time the Olympia Weekend arrives, the top five will walk on stage fresh and ready to compete, while the rest of the competitors will arrive on stage with battle scars from competing for 8-10 months. This is not fair at all.
The defending champion has to earn his right to step on the Mr. Olympia stage the following year. Every athlete should start the next season at the same level.
Classic Physique taking over – Fans want Old School physiques
The Classic Physique/Bodybuilding division has taken over the sport. The lineups are bigger and the athletes present a physique that is more aesthetic and symmetrical.
The bodybuilders that compete in the Classic Physique division present a physique that takes us back to the 80’s and 90’s. The fans love this division as the competition is very close and the majority of athletes are in top shape.
Bodybuilding fans love seeing freaks on stage, as presented in the Open Bodybuilding division, but the Men’s Classic Physique division are winning over the fans, as they present physiques that the majority of bodybuilding fans enjoy seeing.
Look at a photos of some of the modern day Open Bodybuilding athletes and then look at Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane or even Lee Haney in their prime; the majority of the time you will prefer the physiques from the golden age of bodybuilding.
The sport is begging to bring back the classic physiques, and that is why the Classic Physique division has become much more popular.
The Classic Physique events are still very popular, but if the top athletes only compete once a year, this division will also suffer in the near future, just as Open bodybuilding is suffering now.
Is Social Media to blame?
Social Media has become a major tool in the sport of bodybuilding; athletes are finding other ways to make very good money, without stepping on the competition stage.
Some athletes are making more money from creating YouTube videos at home compared to competing at a bodybuilding event. The athlete earned their pro card, and for many, that is all they wanted, some have never stepped on a pro stage.
Yes, social media is a big part of the problem; it’s a powerful tool and when used properly, can be very useful, but unfortunately it is slowly killing the sport of bodybuilding as it is keeping the athletes away from the stage.
Are PED’s to blame?
As the sport of bodybuilding evolved, the bodybuilders have become much bigger, compared to 20-30 years ago.
The training and diet principals have basically remained the same, but unfortunately, the use of PED’s and other substances have increased substantially.
The quality of PED’s is most probably inferior to what was used 20 or 30 years ago. Substances are being created in underground labs and athletes are not guaranteed they are taking the product they think they are.
With the increase use of PED’s, the final result is bodybuilders are getting bigger, but not remaining aesthetic. Some athletes are forced to stop competing at the beginning of their careers, due to health problems related to heavy use of PED’s.
Young athletes are getting the wrong information about PED’s from some social media channels; they are hurting themselves seriously without the proper guidance.
Some athletes aspiring to be professional bodybuilders are already burnt out and have medical problems before they even turn pro.
Some of the PED’s being used today, were not even around 20 or 30 years ago, and the old school bodybuilders still developed fantastic physiques. The old school bodybuilders focused more on diet and proper training to develop their world class physiques.
There is no easy way out, to build a world class physique takes time and patience. The younger generation want quick results and they are paying a very high price for it.
Final thoughts
In the 90’s and early 2000’s, the bodybuilders had more opportunities to work, and even if they did not compete regularly, the fans would see them either in magazines or guest posing appearances. But with social media dominating the sport, the modern day bodybuilder does not need to leave his house.
We must not forget with Joe and Ben Weider around, they wanted every show to be the best. Former Pro League promoter Wayne DeMilia always made sure the best athletes were at all the events. Today, this is missing from the sport.
The rules must be changed to align with modern day technology. The bodybuilding federations must find a safe way to get the bodybuilders to compete more often.
The only way a promoter will fill seats to an event is if the best athletes compete. If the best athletes compete and the venue is sold out, the prize money can increase and the athletes will have an incentive to step on stage.
