Most Bodybuilding, Figure, and Physique shows generally aim to serve organizational goals (i.e., hold big shows, award Pro-Cards, expand membership, etc.,) or merely dangle the carrot of reverence and notoriety in the path of the athlete. A federation or organization typically places greater emphasis on itself, as oppose to the athlete, which circumvents why the athlete trains. In all cases, the i
ndividual athletic accomplishments and the person him/herself become just another body; lost in the details of a show. Though many travel this path, many more would prefer to have his or her individual stories told. Enter IFBE. The IFBE is a promotions agency, committed to holding shows in association with dedicated promoters, whose aim is to promote a fit way of life. Unlike federations, organizations and committees who aim to promote large shows of countless athletes, the IFBE holds shows that celebrate and evaluate personal athletic achievements and storyline. The shows aim to highlight the athletic experience and journey, placing a firm exclamation point at the end of each athlete’s placing. The winner’s scoring is a combination of physical development, posing, and the story of the journey. No longer is the hardest, the largest, or the most finely developed athlete placed as the winner. The winner is determined by a weighted average of:
• Physical fitness and development according to the class’ judged criterion
• The creativity and personal affects of a posing routine or walking presentation
• The personal storyline that brought the athlete to the stage
This process allows each athlete to compete not only against all others in a show but also to allow his or her own personal journey to weigh in on the outcome. Our first placements are not necessarily the most physically enhanced, but rather the most developed physical and emotionally evolved athletes. This places greater emphasis on the fit lifestyle and not just the physical self.
