Body building is a process of increasing muscle hypertrophy to its maximum level through weight training, adequate caloric intake, and enough rest. It may also be a competitive sport wherein body builders - individuals who participate in this type of activity - are judged by a panel based on their physique and aesthetic appearance.

Competitive bodybuilding is a sport wherein bodybuilders aim to acquire, develop, and maintain a pleasing body and balanced physique based on bodybuilding standards. Competitors involved in this sport show off their physique by carrying out a number of poses which they practice regularly when preparing for a bodybuilding competition. These poses have a great effect on how the body builders are judged.

The body builder's shape and size has more significance than the weight he can lift at any one time. The world of competitive bodybuilding involves a strict training routine, with a stringent diet, and a lot of discipline. Bodybuilding should not be confused with other sports such as power lifting or weight lifting as these sports require a very different approach and are based on different principles.

There are several areas to competitive body building. Bodybuilders can participate in professional body building, natural body building, teenage body building, and female bodybuilding.

-Professional bodybuilding
Involves competitions sanctioned by the IFBB. Only competitiors who have won qualifying rounds of competitions as an amateur competitor and have earned a professional card issued by the IFBB can participate in these types of competitions.

Competitiors who place in these competitions will then have the opportunity to compete for the title of Mr. Olympia - considered as the highest honor in this field of bodybuilding.

-Natural body building
Natural body building is a form of competitive bodybuilding that is more concentrated on a healthy lifestyle as compared to other areas of bodybuilding. Participants of natural body building competitions are regularly tested for substances that are illegal in the field. Substances considered to be illegal in the world of natural body building are those that are prohibited by regulatory organizations. The list of illegal substances may vary from federation to federation but usually include anabolic steroids, diuretics, and prohormones. Those who are found to be positive in the use of any of these substances will be banned from any future competitions. Testing is usually done using urine samples, but a lie detector or polygraph test is also performed.

-Teenage body building
Younger body builders may also compete in teenage bodybuilding. Most of the professional body builders started in this field while still in their teens.

-Female body building
Women started to participate in bodybuilding competitions in the seventies. Recently, more women are opting to train and exercise using weights to achieve a more attractive physique and to avoid bone loss. Although some women fear that the use of weights will make them look bulky, getting involved in strength training provides a host of benefits such as an increase in muscle strength, better balance, increase in bone mass, and prevention of bone loss.