Press Release: New Physique Divisions. November, 2010
New Division in NPC/IFBB: To be called Women’s Physique
Women’s Physique Division will be more muscular than Figure without the size and conditioning in Bodybuilding, a classic look.
Women’s Physique will begin in 2011, but will only be held with NPC national competitions. Tentatively starting with NPC Jr. Nationals then Team Universe, USA & Nationals. No local, state or regional competitions will have them in 2011.
Also with an IFBB Professional League division in 2012. Details & rules still being worked out. But the competitors will be barefoot, no heels.
DEFINITION:
Women’s physique division (herein referred to as “WP”) has been created to give a platform for women who enjoy weight training, competing, contest preparation. Competitors should display a toned, athletic physique showcasing femininity, muscle tone, beauty/flow of physique.
JUDGING CRITERIA:
* Symmetry, Shape, Proportion, Muscle Tone, Poise and Beauty Flow
* Physique assessment and comparison will take place during prejudging
Physique should display all of the above criteria without compromising femininity, beauty/flow of physique, etc.
The following are examples of common terms used in the bodybuilding industry. These words can be helpful to assess what should not be descriptive to the physiques being judged in WP: ripped, shredded, peeled, striated, dry, diced, hard, vascular, grainy, massive, thick, dense, etc. while all types of physiques will be considered when it comes to height, weight, structure, etc. Excessive muscularity should be scored down accordingly.
WP should be judged as a standard between women’s bodybuilding.
JUDGING FORMAT:
PREJUDGING
Individual one minute routine with 10 second warning
Quarter turns
Mandatory posing comparisons/callouts
FINALS
Individual posing routine
AWARDS:
Who qualifies for professional status – at Junior USA and Junior Nationals the top two qualify for professional status, at all other National events including Team Universe, USA, North American and Nationals, the top three will qualify for pro status. We want to set the standard for 2011 at the Junior Events and therefore we are only qualifying the top two.
RULES:
*Suits worn by WP competitors for prejudging must be a two piece. Suits do not have to be solid in color. The bottom of the suit must be v-shaped. No thongs are permitted. Competitors can compete in an off the rack suit. All suits must be in good taste.
*Mandatory poses will be performed with open hand style and include the following poses:
Front double biceps/ open hands (no flat footed full front pose – some Sort of front twisting pose)
Back double biceps/ open hands
Side triceps with leg extended
Side chest with arms extended
Front ab/thigh
*Finals routine will be maximum 90 seconds in length, performed to music of athlete’s choice adhering to rules set forth by the NPC.
*Music containing profanity or explicit language should not be used and may result in the routine being cut short
*No props will be used.
*No heels may be worn at any time during the competition/judging of WP.
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Personal comments by Wayne Gallasch.
In my opinion this new division will promote the type of look that was created and presented by Cory Everson some years ago. It was a highly acceptable look, much loved by the main stream media and by most fans. It was commercially marketable to both sponsors and to TV media in general as well as to the bodybuilding print publications. In this period women’s bodybuilding was regularly seen on TV. We all know that this acceptance and positive media publicity died quite some time ago in regards to women bodybuilders.
We all know that the Figure Class is gradually getting more and more muscular, especially so in some federations. Some of the leading women in this class are in fact mini physiques. Smaller versions of the bodybuilding class women. The judging criteria for this new WP division, (Symmetry, Shape, Proportion, Muscle Tone, Poise and Beauty Flow) very closely describe the type of look and style of physique displayed by the top women in say the NABBA World Championships.
This also now gives all IFBB Figure women an option to move up to this class if they were a little too muscular for the criteria of the Figure Class. I have seen many great figure-physiques judges down in Figure Class for this very reason. Now the women of this genetic disposition have a new outlet for the sculpturing of their physiques, without having to be monsters of muscle. Feminine and well toned is the new direction of WP.
I like this new direction in general, no matter what federation is running the contests. The massive physique look, steroided, shredded and diced is not a marketable nor is it a healthy look. It is simply not a desirable look for most women. As evidenced by the recent 2010 NABBA Universe where there were only 2 competitors in the Women’s Bodybuilding (Physique) Class.
This division of women’s bodybuilding competition is no doubt in its final days, and the addition of a sensible and much more desirable women’s class, called by the IFBB “Women’s Physique” is a very positive step forward.
I will watch with great interest how this new direction develops. Since 1980 I have been shooting women’s bodybuilding around the world, and in this time there have been massive changes in the style of women’s physique in general. Based on this, I predict that the new WP Division (along with the new Bikini Division) will be a great success.
If you want to see what this new WP division might look like, (in my opinion) in size and style of physique, check out the DVD of the 2009 NABBA World Championships held in Slovakia. This gives you a good indication of what I think the new IFBB division will be like. See thumbnail below for more details:
GMV-748DVD
2009 NABBA World Championships:
The Women - Prejudging & Show
GMV-130DVD
Cory Everson's Workout
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New Division in NPC/IFBB: To be called Men’s Physique
Men’s Physique Press Release
Beginning in 2011 a new division for men will be introduced – Men’s Physique. The following are the guidelines/rules.
Judging Criteria:
- Muscularity and Body Condition
Judges will be looking for fit contestants who display proper shape and symmetry combined with muscularity and overall condition. This is not a bodybuilding contest so extreme muscularity should be marked down.
- Stage Presence and Personality
Contestants will be asked to walk in board shorts (shorts must be just above the knee in length and can be one inch below the belly button, no spandex and no logos are permitted on the board shorts however a manufacturer’s logo such as Nike symbol or Billabongs are acceptable.) Competitors will enter the stage without a shirt and barefoot. No lewd acts allowed for example the moon pose. Judges are looking for the contestant with the best stage presence and poise who can successfully convey his personality to the audience.
COMPETITION JUDGING
Presentation:
- Competitors will walk to the center of the stage alone and perform quarter (1/4) turns with optional pose of hand on hip or hand in pocket, face the judges as directed then proceed to the side of the stage.
Comparison Round –
- The competitors will be brought back out in a group and directed to do quarter turns
- Judges will have the opportunity to compare competitors against each other in quarter turns.
Promoters can choose to have one class or two. For contests with two classes:
- Up to including 5’8”
- Over 5’8”
National level contests do not permit competitors to crossover into Bodybuilding. All other competitions are permitted to have crossovers at the discretion of the promoter with district chairperson’s approval.
Who Qualifies for National Level Men’s Physique Competitions:
Competitors that place in the top five (5) in each class at national qualifying contests will have a one year qualification for national level events.
Note: For 2011 a place in the top five (5) of any Men’s Physique contest will qualify you for national level contests.
QUALIFYING FOR IFBB PROFESSIONAL STATUS:
- JUNIOR USA CHAMPIONSHIPS – Top 2 placers in the overall comparison earn IFBB Pro Card
- JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – Top 4 placers in the overall comparison earn IFBB Pro Card
- TEAM UNIVERSE – Height class winners earn IFBB Pro Card
- USA CHAMPIONSHIPS – Height class winners earn IFBB Pro Card
- IFBB NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS – Top 2 placers in the overall comparison earn IFBB Pro Card
- NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – Height class winners earn IFBB Pro Card
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