35+ Fitness Competitors Sought (10) To Restart Masters National Fitness Division

**Musclepapa John** · 05-31-2010, 09:50 AM

Leslie Thompson has coordinated with Gary Udit for getting a 35 & Up Fitness Division going for Masters Nationals. They need 10 registered/committed athletes all together to put it on. If you are a fitness competitor looking to compete at this level of show contact Leslie to find out more. I don't believe there is any qualifying requirement as there isn't for figure or bikini. Gary will check with Jim Manion this week to see if this can be a pro-qualifier for fitness if the 10 show up.
If seriously considering this contact Leslie at let her know your intent at [email protected]

**Triple-H_2005** · 05-31-2010, 11:09 AM

Since they give 37 Pro Cards out to Fitness girls every year (i.e. Top 2 at NON-Nationals and USA shows), all the fitness girls over 35 were pros by the end of 2008.

**~gymdiva~** · 05-31-2010, 11:21 AM

FITNESS does not give out 37 pro cards silly!

**Musclepapa John** · 05-31-2010, 12:14 PM

If that were true then you might have to factor in that most all of them were likewise injured shortly there after from flying across the stage doing flips after some big sweaty lugs dripping protan performed before them on stage

We need another 37. Send gma, wife and daughters where appropriate after making sure your health insurance covers any required followup surgeries and maybe bank some money to cover lost wages from time off from work recovering and not being able to help you carry the weight while you prep for your next show

Originally Posted by Triple-H_2005

Since they give 37 Pro Cards out to Fitness girls every year (i.e. Top 2 at NON-Nationals and USA shows), all the fitness girls over 35 were pros by the end of 2008.

**Triple-H_2005** · 05-31-2010, 12:35 PM

Okay, okay... I've been away a few days visiting the family for the holidays and I'm WAY off my best form!

**~gymdiva~** · 05-31-2010, 12:59 PM

hahahaha it's ok....he got a text full from me on it! you know how I am

**Carolyn Bryant** · 05-31-2010, 01:16 PM

Greatr idea. I hope the competitors respond. I told my girl Lena about it and she's geeked.

**Tre** · 05-31-2010, 02:01 PM

Wish I could be of assistance here, but all the over-35 fitness women I know are already pros.

Where, oh where are you Lisa Lowe and DJ Wallis?

**~gymdiva~** · 05-31-2010, 02:02 PM

DJ is figure now

good question about Lisa....I came across some pics of her the other day when I was scanning the Jenny Worth pics....

**Musclepapa John** · 05-31-2010, 02:43 PM

I know of one I'll try to urge doing it versus her doing 10 more local/regional shows risking injury with everyone for nothing

**Lann1011** · 05-31-2010, 03:10 PM

Thank you so much for putting this on here! I love training for fitness and I do not want it to go away, we really do need a big grand gesture to show the NPC that they should not do away with fitness..

This is a post from J.M. Manion off of SiouxCountry right before the NY Pro... and it really kind of shows how dire things are getting for Pro and Amateur Fitness.

This is from 3-15-10: It is addressing the lack of fitness shows on the west coast.

"Paula, the problem exists in the NPC as it does in the IFBB, the lack of support at both the state & regional level along with the national level. I see NPC promoters advertising their contests to include Fitness yet 90% of the time they are lucky to get 1 competitor & sometimes none at all.

The NPC USA Fitness numbers were falling every year, so the promoter made a financial decision to switch to NPC USA Figure. If you re-read my original thread, you'll see how the NPC Jr. National & NPC Jr. USA promoters kept Fitness but when IFBB Professional League qualifications were added when they weren't before, the entry numbers dropped! How does that make sense?

When the NPC National promoter decided to follow suit & drop Fitness in favor of Figure because of the same issue's of declining entries, it was promoters Steve Weinberger & Bev Francis who said they'd add the NPC National Fitness Championships to the NPC Team Universe weekend. So these promoters have been loyal supporters of NPC & IFBB Fitness & they are seeing diminishing returns as well. Eventually it will come down to a financial decision for them as well. Trust me. I don't have any knowledge of that happening, but I can see the writing on the wall from watching past history with other NPC national-level promoters.

So getting back to you wanting more West Coast contests, I don't see it happening any time soon because the support dramatically dropped in the past & seeing the way things are going now, I would be hard pressed if I was an NPC or IFBB promoter to promote a Fitness contest as well out there."

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We have to get 9 more competitors this year to make a statement on the future of fitness. EVEN if we can not get a pro card there THIS year (I don't know yet about this year), if we don't have a total of 10, I wonder if more shows will start dropping fitness too at the National Level.

SO please get the word out, this is do or die time for Masters Fitness and maybe NPC fitness not too long after that..

**Musclepapa John** · 05-31-2010, 03:26 PM

Like I wrote in the thread about Bev DiRenzo's [ame="http://forums.rxmuscle.com/showthread.php?t=36095"]news article[/ame] there are people such as her training gymnastics and fitness on a daily basis with young people who are the next generation of fitness competitors. Where they will compete I don't know. Will it be NPC/IFBB or elsewhere including the Olympics? I don't know. I'm not sure of how fitness, female bodybuilding or even figure is doing in other federations, but it does seem to be down in NPC/IFBB this year. Hopefully if a lady has the interest, physical ability and finances to afford all it take they will prepare themselves and put on a show for us. I for one will be grateful. I'll even pay for a photoshoot if she looks good doing a handstand.

Originally Posted by Lann1011

Thank you so much for putting this on here! I love training for fitness and I do not want it to go away, we really do need a big grand gesture to show the NPC that they should not do away with fitness..

**Tre** · 05-31-2010, 03:30 PM

The problem?

Too many of the women competing in figure think their 'sport' is entertaining.

Give me fitness and bikini any day of the week.

**hifrommike65** · 05-31-2010, 05:00 PM

"Do or die time for Masters Fitness" implies that this is an effort to save an existing category. That is not the case. Fitness is not a Masters Nationals event, & it will be hard to make it one because fitness is a younger woman's contest. The NPC keeps making it easier & easier for nonbodybuilding models to enter its contests & go pro. Is it any wonder that something as difficult as fitness is no longer attracting women who might otherwise consider it? All they have to do for figure or bikini & stand there & do a few turns.

**~gymdiva~** · 05-31-2010, 05:10 PM

hence one of the reasons they took mandatory moves out of the equation....can't do a one arm push up? who cares? they're no longer required....

I am THRILLED to see the grassroots effort but as someone who is excluded from this as a competitor I'll just have to support y'all from the stands...