Get Pumped

Bona fide bodybuilders take years to perfect their craft – and their craft is their physique. Carving bulging biceps where arm flab used to be, sculpting a six-pack from the remainders of a beer belly, and turning a badonkadonk into buns of steel takes persistence, unshakable confidence, and -- of course – great strength. Especially now that childhood obesity is such a hot-button topic, the buff men and women participating in this year’s Universe Weekend are to be commended for their self-control and success in defying the rest of our fast-food nation. Besides admiring their discipline, we’re loving the (lack of) costumes. These events are all about eye candy, and there’s nothing wrong with that either.

There’ll be no shortage of gigantoid hunks and buff babes in the city this weekend. Some of bodybuilding’s fittest and finest will be competing for titles like Musclemania Superbody and Ms. Bikini Universe. Also, oddly, the event ends with a hip-hop b-boy battle. Sweet! It all kicks off today with the Model Universe and Fitness Universe pageants, which will take place simultaneously at 7:00 p.m. in the Ashe Auditorium at the James L. Knight Center. A one-day pass costs $35, and the VIP three-day pass runs $100. Call 888-770-9000 or visit www.universeweekend.com.
June 22-24