Bodybuilders compete for Mr and Mrs Muscle Beach title

The world's most famous bodybuilders gathered in Venice Beach in California to compete for the title of 'Mr and Mrs Muscle Beach' last week, The Telegraph reports.

Competitors flexed their muscles in a series of mandatory poses to impress the judges in a range of categories including events for both men and women, novices and for the over 60s.

Venice Beach has a long tradition of bodybuilding and made headlines around the world when Arnold Schwarzenegger, Californian governor and former bodybuilder, moved to the area to train at the famous Gold's Gym. It was also the setting for the 1977 film, Pumping Iron, which starred Mr Schwarzenegger.

As early as the 1930s, young men and women would gather at the original Muscle Beach site in Santa Monica to practice acrobatics. Muscled men showed off their physique by weightlifting sunbathing girls rather than dumbbells.In 1959 Muscle Beach Santa Monica was closed and relocated to its current site in Venice, where it remains one of the largest attractions in the Los Angeles area.

Modern bodybuilders sculpt their bodies through a combination of weight training and diet and with oils and tanning lotions which accentuate the definition of their muscles. A panel of judges awards points based on the aesthetic appearance of competitors.