Number of university student bodybuilding participants rapidly increases, Kanto competition increases 6.5 times in 10 years

The number of male university students taking up bodybuilding, which was once considered a ``niche sport,'' is rapidly increasing. The number of participants in the Kanto tournament has increased 6.5 times in 10 years, and the national tournament on September 27th was held for the first time at the Yasuda Auditorium of the University of Tokyo. Thanks to social networking sites and new sports, the appeal of steadily building your body through strength training is spreading among students.

Number of participants increases dramatically

“It’s huge!” “By far the best” “My legs are dangerous”

As the athletes pose on stage, a unique shout is heard from the audience seats. The All Japan Student Bodybuilding Championship held on the 27th lasted for 9 hours with a total of 3 events, including ``Partial Award Judging'' in which athletes competed by body part such as chest and back, and ``Comparative Judgment'' in which competitors were compared over and over again.

The number of participants in student competitions has increased dramatically in recent years. According to the All Japan Student Bodybuilding Federation (Gakuren), the Kanto Student Championship, which is the largest by region, has a total of 289 participants in both bodybuilding and physique (newly established in 2019) divisions, up from 44 participants in 2016. The number of spectators has increased, and from 2019, venues that used to hold a few hundred people have now been able to hold 1,000 people. A women's beginner's fitness section was also started in 2013.

As the field expands, efforts will also be made to eliminate prohibited drugs. Gakuren requires its competitors to take an anti-doping course set by the Japan Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation every year.

What top builders look like on a daily basis on SNS

Expanding the range of body building that can be seen...