Is bodybuilding a sport?

The Oxford dictionary definition of sport is:

"An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment "

So it seems that to meet the criteria of being a sport, an activity must demonstrate a level of skill and a level of physical training. It must involve a contest and it requires a winner and a loser.

I believe bodybuilding is unequivocally a sport. It meets the dictionary criteria but somehow it falls into the grey area of acceptance by the general public. The irony is, formula 1 and boules are sports which are readily accepted as such.

I'm a newcomer and not an expert in the field of bodybuilding by any means, but it would seem to be a discipline which requires great mastery of the body and mind.  To sculpt a physique requires great skill, physical training, discipline and....er eating a lot of protein! Bodybuilding is not exactly a conventional sport but it is very much a competitive sport. You have to get up on stage and be able to "display" your physique in a line-up with your competitors. It is a display of physicality but also confidence - faked or real! The posing is a skill as I have learned and takes time to master. It is where you can really show off what you have. It's about being able to hold isometric contractions and to understand "illusions" and how to really make the most of your body. The posing is also where you can have the edge on your competitors and where competitions can be won or lost.
I have had one posing lesson so far and was mortified at how hard it was. If you can imagine the epitome of grace and elegance..... and then there is me - the opposite where I looked like rigor mortis had just set in after running a marathon.

To me, bodybuilding is a sport and it is a sport at the highest level because there don't seem to be any perfunctory athletes. It's a very self selecting sport and very difficult to do half baked without 100% dedication and commitment. I have yet to see a stage ready competitor with muffin top or bingo wings.

Level of competition equates to level of preparation

Speaking from being someone that excels at being a "jack of all trades - master of none!",  I have an understanding of the level of preparation one can or cannot get away with in various different sports at different levels.

There is no way in hell I am going to get up on a stage in front of spectators not looking like I at least belong there at any level! I expect that's also true of the other ladies, so it creates a strong competitive environment. The level of competitor therefore dictates my level of preparation. Unfortunately I have chosen a federation, the UKBFF which seems to feature only championship events over the next few months so I'm expecting the level of competition to be quite high. It also unfortunately means I need to be in really good shape!

This is quite different to turning up to a fun run slightly hungover, where you can rely on a good dose of adrenaline to 'up the ante'. There doesn't seem to be a "fun run" equivalent in bodybuilding, as I have found out!

Be very clear about what constitutes success

Being clear about personal objectives and what would constitute success for you is a question I believe you have to be clear about from the beginning, as this will dictate the level of preparation or dedication you are prepared to give.
I remember having to take up swimming as rehab for a hamstring injury and thinking nonchalantly "oh I know...I'll do an open water swim race" - it's just about taking part after all. In truth, I can't swim to save my life. I turned up without a wetsuit and of course, came pretty much last without coming absolute last, so I didn't even get the "lantern rouge"! I emerged with hypothermia and very unfulfilled because my perceived expectations did not match at all with my hard wiring! I was in truth not happy to come last at all, despite "taking part" being the objective at the start. So I walked away from that having enormous insight into my mentality - being competitive matters to me.

My personal goal posts have moved throughout this process. When I first started training, I was happy to have the validation of my hard work from just getting up on stage - that was the end goal; but as I have gone through the training process and seen changes to my physique and mindset I want to feel like I can be competitive with the other ladies on stage in my category. It's therefore my choice to choose a show and a time frame that allows me to be in the shape I would like to be in, in order to be competitive in a line up. This feels like it would align with my honest and true expectations.
My lesson learnt with this show is the time scale it takes to create a body that will fit my chosen category (physique). That extra level of muscularity and leanness just takes a lot more time to achieve. Perhaps it is slightly ambitious category for a first show but it is what it is! It is a hard graft which is never linear. Rate of change is not at all constant and in no way reflects amount of effort put in! It also gets much much harder the closer you get to your goal "ideal".

In retrospect, knowing what I know now, I would give myself 12 months to get ready for another show! Time, patience and understanding of your body are real weapons in this sport.