Round 1 (Symmetry Round): Evaluating the overall balance and proportion of the contestants' physiques.
Round 2 (Muscularity/Conditioning Round): Focusing on muscle size, definition, and conditioning, with attention to muscle separation and leanness.
Round 3 (Compulsory Poses Round): Contestants performed mandatory poses to highlight specific muscle groups.
Round 4 (Posedown Round): A choreographed routine to music, allowing contestants to showcase their creativity, presentation, and overall stage presence.
The IFBB introduced the so-called '20 percent rule', requesting "that female athletes in Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure decrease the amount of muscularity by a factor of 20%". The memo stated that the request "applies to those female athletes whose physiques require the decrease". Another change added to the 2005 Ms. Olympia, was the abandonment of the weight class system adopted in 2000. In 2005 Ms. Olympia, Iris Kyle was dethroned by Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia.
