Division Analytics
Growth trends, competitiveness metrics, and career statistics across IFBB Pro divisions.
| Division | Latest competitor count | Peak competitor count |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Physique | 1,043 in 2025 | 1,043 in 2025 |
| Women's Bikini | 915 in 2025 | 915 in 2025 |
| Men's Classic Physique | 904 in 2025 | 2,127 in 2017 |
| Women's Figure | 523 in 2025 | 3,595 in 2014 |
| Men's Open Bodybuilding | 506 in 2025 | 5,104 in 2012 |
| Women's Wellness | 373 in 2025 | 373 in 2025 |
| Women's Physique | 245 in 2025 | 1,133 in 2016 |
| Men's 212 Bodybuilding | 232 in 2025 | 232 in 2025 |
| Women's Bodybuilding | 126 in 2025 | 965 in 2003 |
| Women's Fitness | 83 in 2025 | 83 in 2025 |
| Men's Wheelchair | 19 in 2025 | 32 in 2016 |
Total Athletes43,138
Total Contests3,970
Avg Career Length5.1 yrs
Avg Contests / Athlete3.7
Avg Field Size6.3competitors per show
Athlete Growth by Year
Most recent 15 years of data
Top Countries
Notable Athletes
Year-over-Year Trends
| Year | Athletes | Contests | Avg Field | New Entrants | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 90 | 16 | 7.4 | 86 | -5.3% |
| 2021 | 95 | 7 | 13.9 | 56 | -77.6% |
| 2020 | 425 | 18 | 35.1 | 244 | -58% |
| 2019 | 1,011 | 46 | 30.3 | 501 | -16.4% |
| 2018 | 1,209 | 54 | 29.5 | 545 | -54% |
| 2017 | 2,629 | 95 | 34.1 | 1,308 | -27.2% |
| 2016 | 3,609 | 137 | 33 | 1,906 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 3,600 | 133 | 33.7 | 1,885 | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 3,720 | 144 | 32.3 | 1,933 | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 3,767 | 136 | 34.1 | 1,934 | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 3,898 | 142 | 34.2 | 2,131 | +12.4% |
| 2011 | 3,469 | 133 | 33.3 | 1,810 | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 3,437 | 132 | 33.3 | 1,826 | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 3,492 | 130 | 34.6 | 1,877 | +13.1% |
| 2008 | 3,087 | 120 | 32.9 | 1,647 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 3,058 | 116 | 32.8 | 1,681 | +17.8% |
| 2006 | 2,595 | 115 | 27.6 | 1,501 | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 2,627 | 114 | 29.6 | 1,520 | +6% |
| 2004 | 2,479 | 112 | 28.5 | 1,463 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 2,488 | 108 | 28 | 1,607 | +15.9% |
| 2002 | 2,146 | 105 | 25.6 | 1,413 | +24.3% |
| 2001 | 1,727 | 86 | 23.9 | 1,177 | +30% |
| 2000 | 1,328 | 70 | 21.6 | 917 | +27.7% |
| 1999 | 1,040 | 52 | 22.1 | 652 | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 1,065 | 63 | 18.9 | 730 | +6.2% |
| 1997 | 1,003 | 63 | 17.9 | 676 | +35.9% |
| 1996 | 738 | 50 | 16.8 | 475 | +8.8% |
| 1995 | 678 | 49 | 15.3 | 419 | +18.5% |
| 1994 | 572 | 48 | 13.1 | 361 | -14.8% |
| 1993 | 671 | 49 | 14.8 | 437 | -20.1% |
| 1992 | 840 | 57 | 16.4 | 546 | +16% |
| 1991 | 724 | 56 | 14.6 | 460 | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 695 | 53 | 15.2 | 472 | +16% |
| 1989 | 599 | 55 | 12.6 | 398 | -14.4% |
| 1988 | 700 | 64 | 12.9 | 496 | +12.9% |
| 1987 | 620 | 62 | 11.5 | 413 | +19.5% |
| 1986 | 519 | 49 | 12.1 | 332 | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 526 | 43 | 13.7 | 336 | +20.6% |
| 1984 | 436 | 50 | 9.9 | 275 | -30.9% |
| 1983 | 631 | 59 | 12.8 | 414 | -12.2% |
| 1982 | 719 | 59 | 14.4 | 476 | +62.7% |
| 1981 | 442 | 46 | 11.5 | 288 | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 443 | 46 | 11.8 | 302 | +13% |
| 1979 | 392 | 37 | 12.9 | 212 | +5.9% |
| 1978 | 370 | 32 | 14.3 | 199 | +7.2% |
| 1977 | 345 | 34 | 12.1 | 183 | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 347 | 35 | 12.8 | 188 | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 357 | 27 | 16.5 | 171 | +8.5% |
| 1974 | 329 | 27 | 15 | 186 | +70.5% |
| 1973 | 193 | 22 | 11.2 | 92 | -23.4% |
| 1972 | 252 | 22 | 14 | 127 | +17.2% |
| 1971 | 215 | 25 | 11.6 | 91 | -10.4% |
| 1970 | 240 | 23 | 13.4 | 133 | +42% |
| 1969 | 169 | 19 | 10.4 | 84 | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 173 | 19 | 10.1 | 85 | +20.1% |
| 1967 | 144 | 19 | 9.1 | 83 | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 151 | 24 | 8 | 79 | -17% |
| 1965 | 182 | 24 | 9.1 | 106 | +7.7% |
| 1964 | 169 | 22 | 9.5 | 96 | +4.3% |
| 1963 | 162 | 16 | 11.3 | 93 | +35% |
| 1962 | 120 | 14 | 8.9 | 71 | +48.1% |
| 1961 | 81 | 12 | 7.4 | 36 | -49.1% |
| 1960 | 159 | 19 | 8.9 | 111 | +59% |
| 1959 | 100 | 14 | 8.3 | 56 | +8.7% |
| 1958 | 92 | 13 | 7.6 | 54 | -17.9% |
| 1957 | 112 | 11 | 10.7 | 69 | +17.9% |
| 1956 | 95 | 10 | 10.3 | 46 | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 93 | 11 | 9.1 | 40 | -29.5% |
| 1954 | 132 | 16 | 9.4 | 88 | +40.4% |
| 1953 | 94 | 12 | 8.8 | 58 | +10.6% |
| 1952 | 85 | 8 | 12.5 | 59 | +14.9% |
| 1951 | 74 | 7 | 10.7 | 65 | +23.3% |
| 1950 | 60 | 15 | 4.1 | 45 | +93.5% |
| 1949 | 31 | 6 | 6.5 | 26 | +14.8% |
| 1948 | 27 | 7 | 4.3 | 19 | 0% |
| 1947 | 27 | 5 | 5.6 | 17 | -75.5% |
| 1946 | 110 | 8 | 15.4 | 101 | +1733.3% |
| 1945 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 6 | +500% |
| 1944 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -85.7% |
| 1943 | 7 | 2 | 3.5 | 6 | +600% |
| 1942 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -50% |
| 1941 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | +100% |
| 1940 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -95.5% |
| 1939 | 22 | 3 | 9.3 | 19 | +144.4% |
| 1938 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 9 | – |
Competitiveness Index
6.3avg competitors per show
Based on the most recent 50 contests. A higher number indicates larger fields and a more difficult path to victory.
Small fieldsLarge fields
IFBB Pro Division Analytics
Track athlete participation, geographic distribution, career longevity, competitive field sizes, and year-over-year trends across IFBB Pro League divisions.