Professional bodybuilding
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Professional bodybuilding or pro bodybuilding is a term that is used in the sport of bodybuilding, and may refer to several different concepts.
[edit] Income
'Professional' may refer to a bodybuilder who earns his primary income from bodybuilding. It is possible, though difficult except at the highest level, to earn a reasonable income purely from competition winnings. It is more likely that a particular athlete will be sponsored by local companies.
[edit] Standard
For some competitions, such as the Arnold Classic or Mr. Olympia, a competitor is only allowed to enter once he has won a qualifying amateur competition. Qualification as a professional may require membership of a professional bodybuilding organization such as the IFBB.
Many natural bodybuilding organizations such as the NPA(Natural Physique Association) and NANBF(North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation) also have professional ranks.