What do folks think of the direction that the Women's Physique Division has moved towards?

**baby muscle** · 05-11-2015, 06:13 PM

I highly encourage everyone to peruse the amazing gallery RX has given us here from the 2015 NY Pro. What do folks think of the direction that the Women's Physique Division has moved towards? I posted this on the NY Pro thread but I'm a little concerned that women's bodybuilding has been virtually eradicated, ostensibly, to scale down drug use and what some people view as unfeminine looks? I'm confused. I love muscle but what happened to lightweight bodybuilding then? It seems on the pro level with the higher profile shows, that women are being rewarded for many of the things that the NPC rules say they score down for below:

JUDGING CRITERIA

Symmetry, shape, proportion, muscle tone, poise and beauty flow
Physique assessment and comparison will take place during prejudging

Women’s Physique Division has been created to give a platform for women who enjoy weight training, competing, contest preperation. Competitors should display a toned, athletic physique showcasing femininity, muscle tone, beauty/flow of physique.
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 women’s physique:
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.
Women’s physique competitors should have the overall aesthetics and look that is found in figure with a little more overall muscularity.

**Curt James** · 05-11-2015, 06:25 PM

Is what was seen in NY a pattern or a blip? Different judging panel, different results?

**baby muscle** · 05-11-2015, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Curt James

Is what was seen in NY a pattern or a blip? Different judging panel, different results?

I hear you and I wonder if it's a blip. Jr USA's last year though I thought also looked this way...I have thought that the NY Pro has historically favored more muscular gals as opposed to other contests. Dianne Brown, for instance, just won her IFBB pro debut at the Optimum Classic in Shreveport, LA. I lost to her last year and she is a very petite gal but of a bodybuilding background.

**AnavarAnnie** · 05-11-2015, 07:08 PM

It's clear as day to me. It's going back to bigger and harder. Essentially female bodybuilding once again. And once again it's the judges fault. The problem is if they reward the softer less muscular females people will be screaming from the rooftops.

They never should have done away with female bodybuilding.

Figure is becoming just as bad.

**baby muscle** · 05-11-2015, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by AnavarAnnie

It's clear as day to me. It's going back to bigger and harder. Essentially female bodybuilding once again. And once again it's the judges fault. The problem is if they reward the softer less muscular females people will be screaming from the rooftops.

They never should have done away with female bodybuilding.

Figure is becoming just as bad.

They never should have done away with female bodybuilding.
(My emphasis)

^^^THIS!

**Sunnyday** · 05-11-2015, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by AnavarAnnie

It's clear as day to me. It's going back to bigger and harder. Essentially female bodybuilding once again. And once again it's the judges fault. The problem is if they reward the softer less muscular females people will be screaming from the rooftops.

They never should have done away with female bodybuilding.

Figure is becoming just as bad.

^^all this!

**baby muscle** · 05-11-2015, 08:02 PM

I can't say figure is just as bad necessarily because I was looking at Latorya for the NY Pro win and was very glad she did. The Arnold was again the same story but not with size so much as unnecessary hard/peeled girls! I thought at the Arnold that Camala Rodriguez McClure was too hard, too striated, and I looked at Latorya and/or Candy Lewis for the win with that and neither got it that time.

**Musclepapa John** · 05-11-2015, 08:14 PM

Don't know what direction it is going, but as the official video service providing company for 2015 NPC Jr USAs look forward to seeing some great bodies on stage. BTW female bodybuilding wasn't done away with and according to NPC Jr USAs website "**THERE WILL BE NO QUALIFICATION NECESSARY FOR THE 2015 WOMENS Bodybuilding / Fitness NPC JUNIOR USA***"
http://www.npcjuniorusa.com/event-info.html
So come on down

**Sandpig** · 05-11-2015, 08:23 PM

I have no problem with the NY look but for the sake of the competitors, make up your fuckin mind.

**baby muscle** · 05-11-2015, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Sandpig

I have no problem with the NY look but for the sake of the competitors, make up your fuckin mind.

And that's where the issue lies for me the most. Have a clear standard, reflected in the judging criteria that is published by your own organization.

As Amanda said in the NY Pro live play by play, many of the WPD ladies looked like lightweight bodybuilders, which is fine. But then let's have lightweight bodybuilding, which is clear cut and everyone understands the standards there.

And as an observant man said recently too me, even more divisions is more revenue, right??

**sassy69** · 05-12-2015, 01:15 AM

There's never been a clear standard and we regularly see the differences region to region / show to show. We've seen the trend towards "more" in Figure & Bikini and I'd totally expect it in Physique. I think it will continue to trend towards "bigger" & "harder" but w/ occasional pushes back to "smaller" when someone decides they want to make a statement about it. Nothing new. I think they're still going to stay below the "freak" factor, but they will continue to flirt with it.

They will never accept that the trend is towards "bodybuilding" again tho, because it will immediately raise the spectre of the "freak show" and that just isn't acceptable. :c/

**Ibarramedia** · 05-12-2015, 01:40 AM

Originally Posted by sassy69

There's never been a clear standard and we regularly see the differences region to region / show to show. We've seen the trend towards "more" in Figure & Bikini and I'd totally expect it in Physique. I think it will continue to trend towards "bigger" & "harder" but w/ occasional pushes back to "smaller" when someone decides they want to make a statement about it. Nothing new. I think they're still going to stay below the "freak" factor, but they will continue to flirt with it.

They will never accept that the trend is towards "bodybuilding" again tho, because it will immediately raise the spectre of the "freak show" and that just isn't acceptable. :c/

This.

**Musclepapa John** · 05-12-2015, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by sassy69

there's never been a clear standard and we regularly see the differences region to region / show to show. We've seen the trend towards "more" in figure & bikini and i'd totally expect it in physique. I think it will continue to trend towards "bigger" & "harder" but w/ occasional pushes back to "smaller" when someone decides they want to make a statement about it. Nothing new. I think they're still going to stay below the "freak" factor, but they will continue to flirt with it.

They will never accept that the trend is towards "bodybuilding" again tho, because it will immediately raise the spectre of the "freak show" and that just isn't acceptable. :c/

spot on!!

**Rocky3** · 05-12-2015, 07:12 AM

the women who respond the best to anabolics with the least number of visible side effects will be the ones who will be awarded

**Musclepapa John** · 05-12-2015, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by Rocky3

the women who respond the best to anabolics with the least number of visible side effects will be the ones who will be awarded

I've been to five shows this year with two of them being national qualifiers and not more than one women's physique competitor entered (three with none). The ones rewarded there were the ones that showed up.