Is bodybuilding a sport?

[Phedder]

My personal opinion is that bodybuilding isn't a sport, and that viewpoint comes from the very definition of what a sport is. I'll quote Wikipedia here;

A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means

The two bolded words are what I believe set bodybuilding aside. The bodybuilding shows, where the actual competition takes place, lack both skill and objective judging. I'll admit there is some skill involved in posing well to best show off the goods, but I don't think the act of posing can define bodybuilding as a sport The judging that takes place is also entirely subjective, and each judge will likely have different opinions, even if they agree someone is the best, they may have different opinions as to why. I think this lack of objective criteria also makes it difficult to classify bodybuilding as a sport.

What are everyone else's opinions?

[holdenman]

What do you class olympic diving, ice skating, surfing, snowboarding etc. as? Sport or no?

[Ronin]

I'm pretty much on the fence on this one.

The two points I'd like to raise here though, are:

1 People seem to love quoting Wikipedia as the definitive answer, forgetting that it is an open source. The information found on Wikipedia has been submitted by other people, who have opinions. These opinions colour their submissions...hence the reason that Wikipedia cannot be references in academic research. My point here is that maybe Wikipedia isn't always the best source. (Not aiming specifically at you here Phed, it's a fairly widespread phenomenon)

and

B I don't necessarily agree with the importance of "objective". By that rationale, a boxing match that goes the distance and is decided by the judges, would not be classed as a sport. If a rugby match came down to a single try that was awarded based on a close call by the TV ref, would that match cease to be a sport?

Food for thought?

[Cameron_R]

What are everyone else's opinions?

It is not a sport. Just like Chess is not a sport.

( :shifty: expecting some flames ... but it is what I think so I've got to say it)

[Phedder]

What do you class olympic diving, ice skating, surfing, snowboarding etc. as? Sport or no?

While they are also judged subjectively, I believe they have some kind of scoring system? A certain movement/trick is worth x amount of points, or compared to another movement is recognised as superior/inferior etc. They also display immense skill, which in my opinion is important in a sport. Whereas with bodybuilding I don't think (could well be wrong) the judging has as strict criteria to stick to, so there can be much larger discrepancies between judges.

1 People seem to love quoting Wikipedia as the definitive answer, forgetting that it is an open source. The information found on Wikipedia has been submitted by other people, who have opinions. These opinions colour their submissions...hence the reason that Wikipedia cannot be references in academic research. My point here is that maybe Wikipedia isn't always the best source. (Not aiming specifically at you here Phed, it's a fairly widespread phenomenon)

I fully understand that, but every definition I read was different, and the Wikipedia one matches my own personal opinions on what defines a sport the best. I don't believe there is any governing body that gives a universally recognised definition of 'sport' so it's of course open to interpretation. I'm sure many others may disagree with the criteria that I quoted, or have others to add to it. As with many things that aren't set in stone it comes down to your own perspective and biases. Some will feel that anything that involves competition of any kind can be considered a sport, and that's fine. My opinion was drawn from the criteria I believe are important in defining a sport, if others have different criteria then that changes everything. It's just interesting to see what/how other people think :nod:

Perfect example being;

I don't necessarily agree with the importance of "objective".

[Phedder]

What are everyone else's opinions?

It is not a sport. Just like Chess is not a sport.

( :shifty: expecting some flames ... but it is what I think so I've got to say it)

Funnily enough, the criteria that I quoted fit Chess perfectly :pfft: Guess it really does all come down to perspective :wink:

[Optimass]

Is pole tennis a sport?

[Cameron_R]

Funnily enough, the criteria that I quoted fit Chess perfectly :pfft: Guess it really does all come down to perspective :wink:

Disagree. Chess takes strategy, and intelligence. Not skill.

[Optimass]

Funnily enough, the criteria that I quoted fit Chess perfectly :pfft: Guess it really does all come down to perspective :wink:

Disagree. Chess takes strategy, and intelligence. Not skill.

thats a tough one - can someone be decribed as a "skillful chess player"? I think they can - skill in applying the right strategy may be???

[tinytraps]

No your dead right Phedd that wiki definition is basically identical to every one Ive been given from, sports: scientists, psychologists, managment specialists.

I dont think bodybuilding is a sport. Same as figure skating, free diving. Chess isnt a sport either as another requirement for an activity to be deemed "sport" must have physical prowess or exertion :wink:

[Peachy]

I think its an art. If ballet is an art then bodybuilding is. Just pisses me off when something take so much discipline and hard work and gets given an airy fairy name like "art". Art is for lazy people.

[Cameron_R]

true true.

Getting into semantics hey. Each to their own ...

Just like religion really - you ain't gonna convince me just because you believe it to be so. BUT I'm happy for anyone to consider both sports. And I'm guessing if you really associate yourself with BB'ing and take it super serious, you will want to think of it as a sport. Cool with me.

I think its an art. If ballet is an art then bodybuilding is. Just pisses me off when something take so much discipline and hard work and gets given an airy fairy name like "art". Art is for lazy people.

^ what she said!

[Optimass]

I dont think bodybuilding is a sport. Same as figure skating, free diving. Chess isnt a sport either as another requirement for an activity to be deemed "sport" must have physical prowess or exertion :wink:

[Phedder]

Funnily enough, the criteria that I quoted fit Chess perfectly :pfft: Guess it really does all come down to perspective :wink:

Disagree. Chess takes strategy, and intelligence. Not skill.

Can strategy and intelligence be components of skill though? As you said we're delving into semantics now, the end is nigh :pfft:

Good to see plenty of opinions coming through :clap: People in general need to remember the difference between an opinion and a fact. An opinion cannot be right or wrong, facts are the exact opposite

[Beowulf]

This is an awesome thread Phed well done! :clap: :clap:

I think calling It a sport would cheapen Bodybuilding as the majority of you will agree it is more important than just a sport. I think the fact that there is never any definitive end to bodybuilding disqualifies it as a sport this coupled with bodybuilding being almost a constant activty when you take into account diet,planning and recovery it seems only right to deem Bodybuilding a lifestyle as opposed to a sport

[devil_911]

i hate to say this but bodybuilding competitions are more like a beauty pageant

depending on ones opinion if you consider miss universe as a sport then so is bodybuilding

and if miss universe is not a sport then bodybuilding is....... you know what

[Shutupandsquat]

i hate to say this but bodybuilding competitions are more like a beauty pageant

depending on ones opinion if you consider miss universe as a sport then so is bodybuilding

and if miss universe is not a sport then bodybuilding is....... you know what

Getting smothered in fake tan, spending hours grinding yourself in the gym with easy diets and fucken hard diets are a bit different from being a sluzza rambling on about bullshit

[weener lad]

For those of you saying there is no SKILL involved have you competed?????

Controlling your diet for 12 weeks plus, getting things dialed in the days leading up to getting on stage, posing (well, requires alot of practice). I could keep going but really getting everything wright is a skill and it's what separates the best from the rest.

Just my thoughts

[Hercfeend]

1 People seem to love quoting Wikipedia as the definitive answer, forgetting that it is an open source. The information found on Wikipedia has been submitted by other people, who have opinions. These opinions colour their submissions...hence the reason that Wikipedia cannot be references in academic research. My point here is that maybe Wikipedia isn't always the best source. (Not aiming specifically at you here Phed, it's a fairly widespread phenomenon)

I have to disagree with this I'm afraid. Wikipedia was recently noted on the scale used for assessing reference material as being as accurate as the Encyclopedia Britannica.

It is as everyone knows complied by submissions from the general public but like wise it is also subject to peer review on the same level as well as from an army of global Wikipedia volunteers who monitor the site for inaccuracies.

Wikipedia is as accurate a source of information as any, however when compiling an argument one should never use only one source anyway - this is where the issue lies!

[Pseudonym]

I think its an art. If ballet is an art then bodybuilding is. Just pisses me off when something take so much discipline and hard work and gets given an airy fairy name like "art". Art is for lazy people.

Perhaps we need another word for arts that require the physical exertion of sports.

I suggest "sparts". :grin:

[Rookie]

For those of you saying there is no SKILL involved have you competed?????

Controlling your diet for 12 weeks plus, getting things dialed in the days leading up to getting on stage, posing (well, requires alot of practice). I could keep going but really getting everything wright is a skill and it's what separates the best from the rest.

Just my thoughts

I agree with you... Posing can make a huge difference, from a spectators view anyway, and if it so easy everyone could be a competitive BBer and win titles etc.

[Peachy]

lol.

Sparts are superior to sports too. Because you have to achieve the same result and look good doing it. Like in ballet you have to do triple pirouettes but not any way you can it has to be the aesthetically correct way. Running you can run however fugly you want and it dont matter as long as your the fastest

[chaos]

Not a sport, no direct skill needed and the judging is far from objective.

Like someone earlier said, it's a beauty pageant, same as the Miss Universe.

Except the Miss Universe actually requires the skill to give a speech......lol@ a bodybuilder trying to give a speech.........um, yeah, um I'd like to thank, ya know, um.....my supplier, uh, I mean my sponsors......

[Sims]

My personal opinion is that bodybuilding isn't a sport, and that viewpoint comes from the very definition of what a sport is. I'll quote Wikipedia here;

A sport is an organized, competitive, entertaining, and skillful activity requiring commitment, strategy, and fair play, in which a winner can be defined by objective means

For me training is a skill. Body building, power lifting, any form of training.

Its thinking it wasn't and not focusing on technique that has given me so many injuries (mostly small) through out my on off time at the gym.

Maybe for some people it just happens naturally and they do everything perfectly without thinking about it, but for %90 of us we get better at training and form as we do it more often - or as our skill increases.

[HarryB]

I'm pretty much on the fence on this one.

The two points I'd like to raise here though, are:

1 People seem to love quoting Wikipedia as the definitive answer, forgetting that it is an open source. The information found on Wikipedia has been submitted by other people, who have opinions. These opinions colour their submissions...hence the reason that Wikipedia cannot be references in academic research. My point here is that maybe Wikipedia isn't always the best source. (Not aiming specifically at you here Phed, it's a fairly widespread phenomenon)

and

B I don't necessarily agree with the importance of "objective". By that rationale, a boxing match that goes the distance and is decided by the judges, would not be classed as a sport. If a rugby match came down to a single try that was awarded based on a close call by the TV ref, would that match cease to be a sport?

Food for thought?

Thank you for letting people know that wikipedia is an open source.. kind of like these forums, anyone can put what they want there!

That being said I think of bodybuilding as more like a beauty pageant ha ha ha ha cept bodybuilders just train a bit harder than models ha ha ha