 From the 1950s to mid @-@ 1970s , men 's contest formats were often supplemented with women 's beauty contests or bikini shows . The winners earned titles like Miss Body Beautiful , Miss Physical Fitness and Miss Americana , and also presented trophies to the winners of the men 's contest . In the 1980s , the Ms Olympia competition started in the USA and in the UK the NABBA ( National Amateur Body Building Association ) renamed Miss Bikini International to Ms Universe . In 1986 , the Ms Universe competition was divided into two sections – " physique " ( for a more muscular physique ) and " figure " ( traditional feminine presentation in high heels ) . In November 2010 the IFBBF ( International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness ) introduced a women 's bikini contest for women who do not wish to build their muscles to figure competition levels . 
