| Only having been around since the late 1970's the | | | | Present are several organizations that have begun |
| female bodybuilding world has been an ever changing | | | | sponsoring yearly events to bring the figure |
| and extremely high competitive realm consisting of | | | | bodybuilding society all together for interacting and |
| several types of competition. The newest addition to | | | | competition. The most notable of these organizations |
| this genre is figure bodybuilding in which the | | | | are Figure International and Figure Olympia which are |
| contestants are judged based upon their muscular | | | | both certified by the IFBB and are considered |
| tone and symmetry rather than their muscle size. | | | | specialized level events. There are other organizations |
| Figure bodybuilding is for women who want to | | | | that hold figure bodybuilding competitions, but the rules |
| compete in competitions without having extreme or | | | | and sanctioning of every event can differ from state |
| excessive muscle mass and vascularity that | | | | to state. Popularity of the sport is well-known among |
| bodybuilding can bring with it. Using in a form of a | | | | those already in the bodybuilding sport circuits and |
| pageant style, competitors are judged from all sides | | | | persons with an interest in muscle physique, however, |
| within one or two rounds, depending upon the | | | | beyond that niche market there is not much |
| organization. | | | | mainstream coverage of the various competitions and |
| While women bodybuilding has been around for forty | | | | events. One or two mainstream sports networks have |
| years, figure bodybuilding had its first national event in | | | | carried coverage of figure bodybuilding competitions |
| 2001 when the National physique Committee put on | | | | but constantly in conjunction with fitness and regular |
| the Figure Nationals, and the first professional event in | | | | bodybuilding competitions. |
| 2003. The judging of figure bodybuilding consists of | | | | For women looking to compete in the competitive |
| judging the contestants in categories of gracefulness, | | | | world of figure bodybuilding, dealing with hardly to no |
| confidence and poise, among others, during the | | | | prize money and sponsorship can make competing a |
| individual walk and posing segment of the competition | | | | difficult way to earn a living. Many contestants hold full |
| and categories such as style, presentation, skin tone | | | | time professional positions and broke into the world of |
| and symmetry during the group comparison segment. | | | | figure competition only after taking a liking to working |
| Contestants are very well toned and extremely well | | | | out in their daily life. A different difficult issue that many |
| defined adult females of any age that are placed in | | | | women bodybuilders have to deal with is the societal |
| different categories by their height. The Judges eyes | | | | pressure of not conforming to the standard image of |
| will only look for firmly toned and well defined muscles | | | | femininity. While figure bodybuilders often have much |
| without ripples, or striations. Contestants will wear a | | | | less muscle mass than regular bodybuilders they still |
| number to identify them and to aide in judging and will | | | | possess a great deal more than the usual female |
| normally wear highly decorated and brightly coloured | | | | would normally have, making them appear slightly more |
| two piece swimsuits known as pose suits. | | | | masculine than normal. |