Men’s Physique Competition Gives Men Reason to Train Harder

“No one ever trains and diets as hard as they do when they know they have to get on stage in front of crowd.” – Steve Pfiester

When people talk about bodybuilding, most people picture someone who looks a lot like the Incredible Hulk, without green skin. They picture men with bulging muscles and veins popping out everywhere, pumping serious iron while grunting like a big dumb gorilla.  If this is someone’s first impression of bodybuilding, no wonder they are terrified to go the gym.

Over the years, both gyms and bodybuilding have changed. Gyms are no longer a breeding ground for the next Mr. Olympia. Fitness centers have transitioned away from bulking up to sculpting and conditioning.

While there are still guys out there who think bigger is better, a more compact lean body is more desirable to the mainstream gym member. As the fitness industry shifted away from the old-school pumping iron days, the sport of bodybuilding also needed to change.

The National Physique Committee (NPC), as well as the IFBB Professional League created by Joe Weider and his brother Ben, recognized the growing trend and created a new division for men who wanted to look fit without extreme muscularity. The division is called Men’s Physique.

What is Men’s Physique?

Men’s Physique competitors look more like what you would see on a Men’s Fitness magazine cover than Flex Muscle Magazine. Instead of wearing skimpy posing trunks, Physique competitors wear long board shorts, with more of a focus on the chest and abs. Personality and poise is also graded.

Even though this division is new, it is catching on like wildfire. Men across the nation are using Physique competitions as a tool to get in the shape of their lives, including some Vero Beach locals.

A group of men, from Max Fitness, will represent Vero Beach in the NPC Southeast Classic April 6^th in Hollywood Florida. Competitors vary in age, shapes and sizes. Since Men’s Physique also offers a Masters division, men can compete in their appropriate age group including Over 30, Over 40 and Over 50 age categories.

Who Competes?

Who are the competitors? He may be your realtor, or your computer repairman. He may wait on your table at your favorite restaurant, or fly your plane. Most of them are just men who want to put their body to the test.

“This level of commitment, self-denial and discipline has a perfect carry over into our daily lives.  It teaches competitors to be a better parent, boss, spouse, employee, and so on,” explains Max Team Trainer, Steve Pfiester.

If someone is looking for added accountability, a Physique competition may be the answer. “No one ever trains and diets as hard as they do when they know they have to get on stage in front of crowd.” Pfiester shares from his own personal experience. “Whether you win a trophy or not, you are a winner the day you show up because you will all be in the best shape of you life. ”

Original story by Bonnie Pfiester printed in the TCPalm’s NewsWeekly in the Indian River County Press Journal. Learn more about the new Physique competition and upcoming competitions in your area at NPCnewsonline. 

“Before Photo” 2 months away from competition. Stay tuned for more competition news and updates.

Since this is a first show for many of our competitors, we at Max Fitness wanted to make this memory last. Doing a competition shouldn’t be just about the 5 minutes on stage – if you focus on that, you are doomed for a bad experience. The stage is just the finish line – and the preparation is the real journey. We took this video of all the competitor training after hours at our Team Max “Power Hour” training event to capture the memory of the hard work and dedication, the transformation, the friendships and the passion for fitness. No matter who takes home a trophy or not, the real prize is your new and improved physique!