Bodybuilding Competition At The Met

Think of it as sculpting.

Only instead of clay or stone, there is flesh.

Lots of flesh. And lots of muscle.

To see some of the finest human sculptures in the Northwest, you don’t have to go to a stuffy museum. Instead, just drop by The Met Saturday for the 17th Annual Rocky Mountain States Body Building Championship.

There, about 70 of the most pumped men and women from four states will show off their bulging biceps and pectorals - along with some muscles most of us never knew existed.

“A lot of people look at bodybuilding and judge it as a discipline and an art,” said Bill Anderson, competition promoter.

But make no mistake. These people consider themselves athletes, and they consider bodybuilding a sport. “It really requires total dedication,” Anderson points out.

In addition to extensive weight training in the gym, bodybuilding also includes an extremely strict diet. Without it, competitors could not get down to the 3 to 7 percent body fat they need to win. (Most folks have about 25 to 35 percent body fat).

“It’s kind of a 24-hour-a-day activity,” said Anderson, who in 1985 won the heavyweight title in the Mid-Mountain States competition.

This Saturday’s Rocky Mountain States Championship draws competitors from Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon and is the longest running bodybuilding competition in the Northwest, Anderson said.

It is a two-part event that begins in the morning with competitors running through three rounds of judging. Judges look at muscle mass, muscle definition and overall symmetry.

They then select the top five bods in each weight class.

“The night show is where all the glitz and glamour comes in,” Anderson said.

That’s when the top competitors perform a routine of flexing, posing and even some dance-type moves to music. From that show, the overall best male and female bodybuilders will be selected.

Following in the footsteps of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austria’s former national champion, Roland Kickinger will be the competition’s guest poser. At 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, he is hoping to qualify for the Mr. Universe competition. He also will offer a noon bodybuilding workshop at The Met.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PUMPED UP The 17th Annual Rocky Mountain States Body Building Championship will be held Saturday at The Met. Prejudging begins at 9 a.m. General-admission tickets are $10 and are available at the door. They cover the cost of a noon workshop. Finals start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $14 and $18, available in advance at G&B Select-A-Seat outlets or call 325-SEAT.