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How much do favoritism, bias and politics interfere with fbb competitions?

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

Capped delts, large striated muscles at an extremely low bodyfat level (look at the physiques of actual naturals by comparison.)

Also, damagecontrol and his wife are actual bodybuilders. They know what they’re talking about.

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

@Gatsby

Thanks for the description, and giving me some idea about what to look for. I used to have a shoulders like that when I was a teen though, back when I could do over 200 pushups before getting bored and quitting, so I still think the look can be achieved naturally (but it could have just been youth and genetics working in my favor).

Just to be fair, I never said he was wrong. I was just looking for some insight, because muscle girls fascinate me.

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

@Gatsby

Thanks for the description, and giving me some idea about what to look for. I used to have a shoulders like that when I was a teen though, back when I could do over 200 pushups before getting bored and quitting, so I still think the look can be achieved naturally (but it could have just been youth and genetics working in my favor).

Just to be fair, I never said he was wrong. I was just looking for some insight, because muscle girls fascinate me.

Just to clarify, are you a girl? Because if not then your last comment doesn't make sense, as you don't have the genetic limitations that girls do as far as muscle growth is concerned.

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

Damagecontrol knows what he is talking about.

Bodybuilding is a subjective sport, but I feel that in the past few years things have changed for the better. Champions are no longer scandalously favored like in the past. There is a fast turnover of champions and not even Olympia winners are guarantied a win in lesser shows, unless they bring their best in that day.

What is happening though is that the judges never reward shooting stars, unless you put in the time and show up in multiple competitions you will never get noticed. Even if you are better than other seasoned competitors. A seasoned competitor usually has a better connected coach and a higher value sponsor.

fp909
Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

i guess looking at the physique placings:

Villegas has been at the Olympia since 2018

Brooke walker is new, but she's been competing in phsyique since 2017

Natalia has been around a WHILE now and has been at the olympia forever and for good reason.

no sudden randomws that showed up and won it off after qualifying on points doing 7 shows

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

Just to clarify, are you a girl? Because if not then your last comment doesn't make sense, as you don't have the genetic limitations that girls do as far as muscle growth is concerned.

I'm a guy and I don't know anything about that. I had large ripped shoulders, almost no body fat (around 2-3%) and I took no drugs of any kind. My friend said I was "built like an elf". Back then I was in great shape but girls on the track team, the gymnasts, they could all do more than I was able to. I don't even know the difference between bodybuilding and regular athletic competitions (like the standards). For me, it's more like watching artists put their work on display.

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

What is happening though is that the judges never reward shooting stars, unless you put in the time and show up in multiple competitions you will never get noticed. Even if you are better than other seasoned competitors. A seasoned competitor usually has a better connected coach and a higher value sponsor.

Okay ... I've seen this type of thing before. It seems like you have to be part of the community to get some kind of recognition, or leverage your coaches' ties to the community. I don't like it, but I think I understand why it is that way.

fp909
Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

right now i would say there's big skew between who is popular and who is actually great.

Melissa Brodsky exploded on social media but she really hasn't done anything quite yet, although she got her pro card really fast.

other's just kind of do their own thing and gain notoriety slowly. brooke walker took years to to the 60ks. Hunter Henderson is relatively new to powerlifting and JUST started bodybuilding, and she's hanging around 30k but that's over a few years around the block.

there are a lot of guys on this site that are fans of extremely popular girls that have had mediocre to no stage success but are hugely popular, and then all of a sudden they "deserve" to win things because they think so.

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

thing is unlike other sports there is so much subjectivity.

Looking at the WPD olympia there is a pretty big camp in each of the placings who though they should have been first or second (myself, I think Brooke Walker should have placed second and even first, though i understand maybe they wanted a bit more conditioning).

politics is huge, and i always heard lots of rumors about girls having to sleep with some judges for placings or favors or whatever.

the coaching wars is so funny to me too.

I agree. Just thinking about it, it seems almost impossible to judge fairly, kind of like a beauty pageant. About the girls sleeping with judges, unless there is hard proof I feel compelled to ignore the rumors. If hard proof is presented, what was done to obtain it? It can get so messy ... my job is just to enjoy the spectacle. If I was a competitor, that sort of thing would get me very angry, as it sets a disgusting standard for success.

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

There is also "preferred look" that the judges are looking for. This preferred look changes from time to time, sometimes from year to year. Amount of leanness, ratio of upper body development to lower body development, etc. It is crazy subjective, and it all functions like a consensus in the fashion world. Skinny jeans are "in"! (Until they're not...) A person's coaching network, genetics, and just plain luck can determine if a girl has brought "a great package" to the competition and is "what the judges are looking for." Not unusual for there to be a buzz about what the judges want to see this year.

cgsweat
Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

A person's coaching network, genetics, and just plain luck can determine if a girl has brought "a great package" to the competition and is "what the judges are looking for."

Which is the ultimate, unfixable problem with bodybuilding competition. It's highly subjective, and you're competing against people who potentially have much better genetics. I think bodybuilding in general is great as long as those who do it can come to the understanding that you're in it to compete against yourself. That's all that matters, so that you can ensure a healthy mindset. Be the best version of you.

There are backstage politics... i.e. handshaking, "I scratch your back, you scratch mine," schmoozing, etc. But that's basically any sport. I think in a general sense the judging isn't too out of control, if you think of it as the top 3 are better than the next 3 placings and so on. And there will always be debates about whether 2nd or 3rd place should have won, she was robbed, etc. And that's where politics does help, whether anyone would like to admit it or not. You still have to come in with a top 3 package, but if you play the backstage game just right, it could give you the edge you need to win.

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink
Deleted by damagecontrol
fp909
Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

That said I feel like WPD is still a bit of a roller coaster and hasn’t settled. Sarah is really diff from Shanique, and they were different than the previous two.

Figure is settled—Cyd Gillon is what like a 4x winner in a row?

Wellness is new and has to take time to settle so that will be fun to watch

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

One obvious bias that has always existed is that a traditionally "pretty" woman will always have more success. A masculine looking woman won't win a contest, no matter how excellent her body, while a pretty face can be a champion even with a 5th place body.

Nov 22, 2021 - permalink

A lot of bodybuilders have died rather young this year. I have been hearing calls to change judges’ criteria so as competitors do not put so much dangerous strain on their bodies (like using diuretics.) Wonder if it will actually be implemented.

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