Bodybuilding is the art of sculpting a balanced and muscular body through resistance training, diet and rest. At a competitive level it is all about impressing a panel of judges, who are looking for the most aesthetically pleasing and balanced physique.
Bodybuilding competitors perform a series of well-practised poses designed to show off their physique to best effect. A good pose can make the difference between winning and losing. Body builders are required to perform seven compulsory poses: front double-biceps, front lat-spread, side chest, back double biceps, back lat-spread, side triceps, and abs and thighs.
In 1948, the Health Culture Movement was started for the first time at Lahore with the Bagh-e-Jinnah Health Club as the centre of activity. The youth of Lahore responding to bodybuilding with great enthusiasm and other health clubs were formed in different parts of the city.
In 1952, the first competition for the selection of Mr. Lahore was held. Soon after a competition for the selection of Mr. Punjab was held at Standard Hotel Restaurant, the Mall, Lahore where Mr. Mahmood Namudoo of ran, a world champion in bodybuilding and weightlifting, also gave demonstration. In August, 1952, the Pakistan Amateur Bodybuilders Association was formed with the late Mr. Justice M.A. Soofi as its first President. In December, 1952, the first-ever contest for the selection of Mr. Pakistan was organised at the Burt Institute, Lahore.
In December, 1963, Miss Joan Hunt - Miss Britain 1952 - was invited by the Pakistan Amateur Bodybuilders Association to act as a judge of the second annual contest for the selection of Mr. Pakistan. The contest was held in the Punjab University Hall, Lahore and was presided over by Mr. Justice A. Muhammad Jan of the Lahore High Court. Competitors from Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Quetta, Karachi and Dacca participated.
The third annual contest for Mr. Pakistan was held in Lahore. The fourth annual contest for the selection of Mr. Pakistan was organized on the December, 1955 in Lahore and was presided over by Mr. A. Muhammad Jan, President, PABBA. This was a grand show in every respect as 55 competitors, an unprecedented number thus far, all in their top trim, participated. They came from all over Pakistan to compete for the coveted title.
It may be mentioned here that by this time the affiliated organizations of the Pakistan Amateur Bodybuilders Association on district and provincial level had been formed and those were holding their own competitions. District competitions were also being staged regularly.
Col (retd) Muhammad Yahya, who was elect as president of the Pakistan Bodybuilding Federation (PBBF), has taken positive step to promote this at the grass root level and want to provide the some exposure to young talented bodybuilder at the national and international level.
He told this correspondent that we believe that Bodybuilding is an emerging sports in Pakistan and PBBF now appointing Muhammad Shahbaz as treasurer of Federation has decided that Pakistani bodybuilders would participate in five International events to be held current year.
He said that federation hold its general council meeting last week and all affiliated units representatives including Rashid Butt (Pakistan Railways), Yahya Butt (Police), Maj. Tahir (Pakistan Army), Khalid Mehmood (WAPDA), Muhammad Shahbaz (WAPDA), Saeed Jamil (Sindh), Muhammad Sohail (Sindh), Sheikh Ismail (Punjab), Ghulam Khan (Balochistan) and members of NWFP and Higher Education Commission attended the meeting. .
During the meeting, it was unanimously decided to appoint Muhammad Shahbaz as treasurer and replace Former Treasure Mehboob Alam and steps would be taken to promote bodybuilding at grass root level in the country.
Col (R) Yahya told that Pakistan would participate in five International events including Asian bodybuilding Championship in China next month, South Asian bodybuilding Championship in Nepal in August, First Asian Peach Game in Bali in October, World bodybuilding Championship in Bahrain in October and Asian Open bodybuilding Championship in December this year.
The meeting also discussed strategy to promote bodybuilding at grass root level in Pakistan and decided that during the current year Jashan-e-Azadi Championship would be organized in four provinces.
President PBBF said that federation would also organize National bodybuilding Championship in November, Mr. Pakistan and Junior Mr. Pakistan and Quaid-e-Azam Body Building Championship in December while during the meeting formally approval to affiliate Pakistan bodybuilding Federation with Higher Education Commission was also given.
On the other hand Punjab with 63 points won the Second National Junior Bodybuilding Championship followed by Pakistan Wapda which claimed 40 points for second position organized by Pakistan Bodybuilding Federation (PBBF) at Liaquat Sport Complex Rawalpindi.
All affiliated unit of Pakistan bodybuilding federation took part in the two day national event that included six different weight categories.
Zafar Ali from NWFP was declared as the best poser while Khalid Ikram of Punjab was adjudged as the best muscleman.
After conclusion, all competitions Punjab declared the champion of the second edition of the championship with 63 points while Pakistan Wapda stand on the second slot with 40 points and NWFP stand on the third position with 29 points.
President Pakistan bodybuilding federation Lt. Col. (retd) Muhammad Yahya was the chief guest of the concluding ceremony who distributed the awards to the winning participants.
Following are the results:
55 kg category: 1. Shoaib Naeem (Wapda), 2. Mohammad Imtiaz (Punjab), 3. Muhammad Doud (Punjab)
60 kg: 1. Zafar Ali Khan (NWFP), 2. Mohammad Qaiser (Wapda), 3. Mukhtiar Ahmed (Sindh).
65 kg: 1. Qamar Mehmood (Punjab), 2. Jameel Ahmed (Sindh), 3. Zakarullah (NWFP).
70 kg: 1. Khalid Ikram (Punjab), 2. Naeem Tariq (Wapda), 3. Adeel Sharif (Capital Zone).
75 kg: 1. Haseeb Yousaf (Punjab), 2. Zahid Khan (Wapda), 3. Raja Umer (Punjab)
Above 75 kg: 1. Muhammad Abbas (Punjab), 2. Muhammad Irfan (NWFP), 3. Jawad Ali Lone (HEC.
