How are competitors scored?

[cflivinadream]

I'm curious to know how judges score the competitors. I always hear, "So and so lost by 1 or 2 points". What does that mean? Do they score each mandatory pose on a point scale and then add them up at the end? Just curious...

[TJ_Strong]

Depending on the show there is usally 7 judges.

Lets say this certain class had 5 people in it. The judges will rank them 1st to 5th by muscularity, definition and symmetry. So lets say it like this:

Judge1 Judge2 Judge3 Judge4 Judge5 Judge6 Judge7

2........1........3........1........1........2.... ....2

Then they drop the highest (3) and lowest score(1) so his scores will be 9 points all together.

The person with the most lowest wins.