Natural athletes from all nationalities (ages 16 and older) are eligible to participate in OCB contests (athletes under age 18 with parental consent).
Competitors cannot have used any substance on the banned list during the duration periods specified. Review OCB’s banned substance guidelines here.
Competitors are required to be current members of the OCB to compete in OCB events. Memberships are valid for 365 days from when you join, so competitors have access to a full year of contests no matter when they start.
OCB’s primary responsibility is to maintain the integrity of every contest by deterring and detecting cheaters. We take responsibility for protecting legitimately natural athletes from competing against cheaters very seriously, and go through great lengths to ensure that every contest is clean. We test you. Do not test us. We You will get caught!
Many substances on OCB’s banned list cannot have been used within 7 years of the contest date. However, many anabolic steroids and other banned substances are no longer detectable in urine within a very short period of time. For these reasons, OCB requires Pre-Competition Drug Test Screenings of all athletes prior to stage. Additionally, OCB drug tests all pro qualifying and cash prize winners, and conducts ongoing year-around, unannounced drug testing of amateur and pro athletes. These combined efforts enable us to prevent competitors who may have used banned substances from participating in OCB events and stealing your winning moment on stage.
METHODS USED:
Performance enhancing drug use isn’t just about gaining muscle mass. Some banned substances are used to gain an unfair advantage by helping a competitor burn fat and get leaner. OCB monitors trends in the fitness industry, adjusts policies accordingly, and utilizes the best methods of detection.
OCB offers 7 categories for competition. Each category has a distinct desired look and set of criteria. Since the desired look for each category is unique to a specific body type, athletes may only choose 1 category. They may crossover into all the divisions that they are eligible for within a category (e.g., debut, novice, open, masters, etc). If an athlete wishes to change categories, they may do so when they enter a different OCB show.
*The category entered must correspond with sex reported on a government issued ID.
CATEGORIES OFFERED IN THE OCB INCLUDE:
Women’s: Bikini, Wellness, Figure & Physique
Men’s: Bodybuilding, Classic Physique, & Physique
Amateur Divisions offered at OCB events are based on age and level of experience. Divisions offered at an event are at the promoter’s discretion. The most common divisions typically offered are:
When there are a large number of participants, a promoter may choose to divide a division into more than one class. Classes are divided as evenly as possible based on height after all entries have been received. Formation of classes within divisions is at the promoter’s discretion. The OCB does not utilize weight classes.
Scoring occurs during the group comparison rounds, also known as the prejudging portion of the show. Individual presentations are not factored into placements, except in cases when a “Best Poser” award is being offered.
All OCB amateur shows have a panel of 5-6 certified OCB judges. Judges assess athletes using the specific criteria for each category found on the OCB Category Guidelines page of the website. Each judge assigns each athlete in a class one overall score in the form of rank (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc..). The highest and lowest rank for each competitor is dropped as a safeguard against human error or unintentional bias. The remaining placements are summed, and the competitor with the lowest sum receives 1st place in the class. The second lowest sum receives 2nd place, and so on. In rare cases of ties, competitors ranked higher by the majority of all judges are awarded the higher placement (see video example). In cases of three-way ties, the head judge’s scores are referenced to determine tie-breaking placements.
*Note: In the OCB, an athlete’s position on the stage while being judged is not indicative of placement. OCB Head Judges do not dictate in this manner how other judges on a panel should score athletes.
OCB Judges are trained professionals who must adhere to a strict Code of Conduct. Fairness and consistency in adhering to ethics and following OCB’s judging criteria are of the utmost importance. For example, OCB judges cannot announce they are judging an event in advance of a show and cannot judge any clients they may have in an event. We take judging seriously because athletes work too hard for anything less than the most fair and professional experience.
OCB pro cards are awarded in the Open, Masters Age 35+ (women), and Age 40+ (men) divisions when registration minimums are met and the minimum number of athletes compete on stage.
Competitors who qualify as OCB pros for any category are considered eligible for all OCB pro categories of their gender, but may not enter more than one category at any given show.
OCB Pro cards are awarded based on the following minimums and pending urinalysis test results:
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES FOR MASTERS:
Masters Competitors who win a pro-qualifying placement in a Masters Age 35+ (women) or Masters Age 40+ (men) divisions become eligible for their Masters pro divisions as well as Open pro divisions.
Remember that everyone worked hard to get to the stage, and you are not alone. Family, friends, competitors, and hundreds of strangers are watching your facial expressions and body language. If you’re disappointed with a placement, smile, congratulate others, and carry yourself as a professional during and after the awards presentations. After the end of the show, you may contact the promoter to request instructions to receive judges feedback. After speaking to them, you may discover their reasoning for your placement, better understand the decision, and then can use these helpful insights to improve for future competitions.
Any competitors, coaches or spectators who exhibit what OCB deems to be poor sportsmanship at the event or on social media are subject to disqualification and may be banned from attending future OCB events.
