How to Become a Professional Body Builder

Prior to becoming the Governor of the State of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger achieved fame as one of the all-time top body builders in the world. The sport of professional body building became popular in the 1970s and has become an equal opportunity sport. Many top female body builders have physiques that are equal to or better than male rivals. While earnings available to women body builders are substantially less than earnings potential for their male counterparts, that gap reduces each year. Major events such as “The Arnold Classic” and “Mr Olympia” competitions alone provide body builders with great earnings potential. These two events each award more than $250,000 to the first-place body builder. The major governing body of professional body building is the International Federation of Body Builders (IFBB), based in Montreal, Canada.

Things You'll Need

• Muscular build
• Financial ability to travel world-wide to compete in events
• Body oil
• Fitness club membership (recommended)
• Entrance fees (possible)

Instructions

Become a professional body builder

1. Become inspired to achieve a “perfect” toned body physique. As you become more and more developed physically, you can start to use body oils that will improve the appearance of your physique.

2. Train, work out and practice body building stances as much as you possibly can. Ask for the opinions of others as to just how lean you look. Other people may be able to spot flaws in your body and problems with your performance techniques.

3. Maintain a strict diet but avoid diet pills. Many body builders profess that some dietary supplements (e.g., powders mixed in with other beverages) assist in building a lean and muscular body. Individual results will vary, however.

4. Register to compete in amateur events until you attain a professional level of competition ability. There may be some entrance fees that you will have to pay in some competitions.

5. Compete in professional body building events. Start locally if you can’t afford to travel very far.

6. Endorse products. Most successful body builders endorse products such as dietary supplements and weight training equipment. You may even earn more from product endorsements than you earn by competing in events.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay abreast of current trends in body building by regularly reading fitness and body building trade publications such as “Muscle & Fitness Magazine” and “Muscle Mag International.”

• Don’t use illegal substances such as steroids. In addition to making you ineligible to compete, major health risks are associated with the use of banned substances. Remember, they are banned for a reason.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• This is the official website for the International Federation of Body Builders (IFBB).