The Beginnings of NPC
In 1977 the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) dominated the competitive bodybuilding landscape and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) took a back seat.
The National Physique Committee (NPC) was formed in 1981 by Jim Manion, who had just stepped down as chairman of the AAU Physique Committee. NPC became the most successful and largest amateur bodybuilding organization in the U.S where amateur bodybuilders compete in local to national competitions and ruled by the NPC. It’s the amateur division of the IFBB in the U.S, and is recognized by IFBB as its amateur extension for the U.S.
In order to become an IFBB professional bodybuilder in the U.S. a class must first be won at the NPC Nationals Championship or be the overall winner at the NPC USA Championship. However, there are other organizations and federations in the U.S. that also promote amateur athletics and have a professional extension; the NPC and the IFBB are the largest and most well-known. The NPC also sanctions bodybuilding fitness and figure competitions across the U.S.
General Event Schedule
Most Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure and Bikini Events follow the same basic Event Schedule. Generally:
- First event is the competitors meeting. May be mandatory and where competitors will learn what to expect at the competition, schedule, how the figure competitors should walk on stage, mandatory poses from bodybuilders and basic stage presence. They may also explain the judging, basically what to expect overall.
- Next is the morning show/prejudging. Prejudging usually consists of all the competitors in a class/division entering the stage. Judges direct them through a series of poses and many times have different competitors step back and some step forward and may even be rearranged to be compared better to different competitors. This is when the judges generally rank each competitor.
- The final event is normally the night show/finals. The night show gathers a large audience and is usually when seats get filled. During the night show, competitors come out on stage and perform his/her routine and medals and placings are announced. And finally, at the very end of the event there's usually an overall competition and overall winners may at times earn a pro card.
NPC Men’s Bodybuilding Division Rules and Regulations
NPC Men’s Physique Division Rules and Regulations
NPC Fitness Division Rules and Regulations
NPC Figure Division Rules and Regulations
NPC Women’s Bodybuilding Division Rules and Regulations