More Accessible Bodybuilding

By Candi Moro

These days more and more people are demanding a return to the bodybuilding podiums of more aesthetically pleasing physiques that are less freakish, or more accessible physiques, in other words. The truth is that the incessant gains in weight and size of the big champs have widened the void between muscle stars and the public. And the chance of an athlete of less than 100kg of cut and dried muscle taking out a major contest has more or less disappeared.

For some years now it has been unimaginable that a bodybuilder that did not surpass the 170cm height and 100kg weight limits could take victory at a professional level, even if they did have the best looking and most balanced physique on stage. Most bodybuilders like this who obtain a pro card give up bodybuilding shortly after they realise they have no chance against the mass monsters of 120-130kg. Which means that not only is the public deprived of enjoying these physiques, but also that the sport does not progress, and worse still, given that these are the physiques most people actually prefer to see, public interest in bodybuilding takes a nosedive.
Yes, I know, many of you don’t see it this way, because you value size above all and so the aim should always be to get bigger. However, never before have we had such big bodybuilders as today, nor has bodybuilding ever generated less interest from the general public. So, could there be a relation between the two extremes? I think so.
I am not saying we should stop huge bodybuilders growing and receiving the recognition they deserve, or that they should be punished for being big, not at all. But I do think it would be interesting and beneficial for the sport as a whole if the smaller or shorter physiques were evaluated equally, as that would be doing justice to some amazing athletes and would do a lot for the popularity and reach of the sport.
It has been made very clear that if the general public, and many potential bodybuilders, see the current champions of bodybuilding as freaks and monsters from another planet, they just do not want to be involved in the activity.
This has become so evident, in fact, that bodybuilding organisations are creating new categories, called things like Classic Bodybuilding or Under 202lb division, etc, with twofold objectives: to give less freakish bodybuilders a chance to compete, and to encourage the practice of bodybuilding among the public, hoping they are motivated by seeing more conventionally attractive physiques that are also more accessible to anyone with average genetics and the dedication to train hard.
Now, this is a fundamental step for amateur bodybuilding, but is also an absolutely necessity on the pro circuit, because it is the only way to make bodybuilding more popular. When professional contests begin to run two weight categories at the highest level, all serious competitors will have an equal opportunity at victory. This means many more bodybuilders will be up there on stage taking part in bigger and more entertaining shows, that are also somewhat fairer to the athletes.
I mean, why not go back to the style of Mr. Olympia circa Arnold’s epoch, when two weight categories were battled out? Remember Pumping Iron? Franco Columbu won the under 90kg trophy and Arnold the Over 90kg, and then the Austrian Oak took out the Overall.
Currently Shawn Ray is working to get two weight divisions happening at the IFBB’s pro shows, and he is on the right track, because this would benefit both the athletes and the future of the sport.
Let’s make bodybuilding more accessible to all the bodybuilders already out there and to the general public, because this is probably what is going to win us back the popularity we never should have lost.