NPC Teenage Divisions Must Be 18 Years Old to Compete
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The NPC (National Physique Committee) has recently made a change to the rules regarding the minimum age for competitors to be eligible to compete in an NPC bodybuilding event. In previous years, competitors were allowed to compete at a younger age, but the NPC has recently put out an official press release stating that the minimum age is now 18 for any competitor wanting to step on stage.
NPC Teenage Division (Male & Female) Eligibility – You must have reached your 18th birthday on or before the date of the event and have not reached your 20th birthday to compete in ANY NPC teenage category/event. All Teens UINDER the age of 18, are not allowed to compete in ANY NPC event. - NPC Committe
A number of show promoters including Gary Udit, an NPC and IFBB Pro show promoter, posing coach, and judge, shared the news via social media, announcing the changes to the age requirements. While some people feel this means the end of teenage bodybuilding, most people in the industry agree that this is the right thing to do.
While we do encourage youth to get involved in sports, fitness, and even bodybuilding to help build stronger and healthier bodies for the long term, the lure of the sport of competitive bodybuilding can often lead to competitors wanting to gain the edge to win. This can lead to the use of PEDs and diuretics, which come with the potential for major health problems. We applaud the NPC in making this decision to protect the health and wellbeing of our teenagers.