Body building is the process by which one can maximise his muscle hypertrophy. It can be done by a combination of weight training under an instructor and by taking supplements that can accelerate the process of muscle mass development. Many consider this to be as a profession and those who are engaged in this activity is popularly known as a body builder. Like all other sports item, this is also a sport in which the body builder can perform by displaying his body before a panel of judges.Professional body building and competitions have no history prior to the late nineteenth century. It was Eugen Sandow, who is known as the father of modern body construction promoted it to a sport item by letting people to watch his muscle display performances that was arranged as a part of strength demonstrations and wrestling matches. His fame subsequently led to the invention of unique exercise equipments like machined dumb bells, spring pulleys and tension bands by Eugen Sandow.

Later on Eugen Sandow organised the first body building show in the history on 14 September 1901 which was known as Great Competition, at Royal Albert Hall, London. This was followed by a large-scale competition at America in the year 1904.

The present body building industry calls a person a professional when he acquires a pro card from IFFB. Only the persons with pro card will be permitted to participate in sanctioned competitions like Arnold Classic and Night of Champions. Those who have participated in these competitions will acquire the right to compete for the title Mr Olympia, the highest position a body builder can ever reach.

Body building can be broadly classified as natural, teen and female body building. Natural body building organisations like NANBF and NPA are more focussed to avoid artificial muscle boosters in their competitions. The natural contestants will be tested routinely for illegal violations of the rules of the organizations.

Teenage body building has many competitions for young body builders. It was in 1970 women first started to enter into this field. Women based competitions in this ground have become popular recently.

Competitiveness in this particular field requires a person to build his body in a more aesthetically pleasing manner to display his or her body before the public. He should follow the standards to get entry to such competitions. The judgement of the competitions will normally be based on the physique and the different poses that a contestant takes before the judges.