A104: Competitive Dynamics and Self-Curation in Fitness Culture

The rising popularity of fitness and bodybuilding in China has not only transformed it into a significant cultural phenomenon but also a competitive arena where hundreds of competitions annually attract dedicated athletes. These athletes strive for physical excellence and simultaneously emerge as emblematic leaders within the rapidly evolving fitness culture. Utilizing Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of cultural capital and field, this article examined how bodybuilders navigate and strategically shape the competitive landscape to accrue status and define their paths to success. This investigation employed a methodological approach combining auto-ethnography, with the author participating as a competitor, and semi-structured interviews with 35 athletes and key figures in the fitness industry. The findings revealed the strategic interactions and self-curation tactics that athletes use to distinguish themselves in this competitive field. The study discussed how bodybuilders selectively engage in competitions to optimize their professional goals, employed diverse strategies for self-definition, and integrated motivational, cross-boundary, and comprehensive strategies to synchronize their recognition in the field with personal self-actualization. This sociological analysis offered deeper insights into the cultural dynamics and social constructions that underpin professional success and identity formation in the competitive world of bodybuilding, highlighting how individuals cultivate their cultural capital within this unique social field.