Womens Bodybuilding Classes & Federations

I want to compete but its so confusing, there's so many competitions... I hear this a lot, so I 
 thought id give my own humble opinion on how to demystify the world of women's bodybuilding! I don't claim to be the expert so if you have any thoughts, disagree, or want to contribute please comment below!

Im going to concentrate on the federations who hold competitions in the UK and Europe currently- the ones I mention are not an entire list... there are more feds out there too!

The great thing is, there are so many competitions out there, each with there own interpretation of what the classes should consist of... that although you could say this is confusing, I actually think its a good thing, as it means there is likely to be a federation with a class that's suits the look you have, but you cant assume that because you do well at one comp, you will do well at another... as they could be after a totally different look. What is important is to do some research and try a few shows, maybe watch a few first, to get an idea of what is required.

Basically there are a few ways to classify the type of competitions available and its important to look at what each requires you to do, the options in terms of classes that they have to make sure it suits you.

Tested or non tested shows.

I actually divide competitions into 3 groups: Tested (Natural) Pseudo Natural & Non Tested.

Natural / Tested
Basically Some federations carry out drug testing and or polygraph tests, and have clear criteria of how long you should be drug free prior to competing, this ranges anything from the 2 years WADA uses for the sports they administer, up to lifetime drug free. In the UK the federations I would add to this group are NPA, BNBF and UKDBFA,

Non Tested
Most bodybuilding federations come into this category and there are quite a few! They don't generally carry out drug testing and don't have any criteria to enforce on this subject. (UKBFF being the exception, having one drug tested show per year) These include UKBFF, NABBA, WABBA, IBFA, NAC most independently run bodybuilding area shows.

Pseudo Natural
I say pseudo natural as there are some shows out there who state that they are natural but there aren't always clear policies or drug testing / polygraphing taking place, or you just have to be 'clean' on the day'. If this is important to you, and you are not sure, its always best to check with people who have competed before for their experience, or contact the federation and ask them.

Show Types

Old School bodybuilding
These are shows that have fairly set traditional classes, with a traditional format and cater for all levels of bodybuilding. Some are more open to new classes, but they still have a fairly traditional feel about them. I would put federations like NPA, UKBFF, NABBA, WABBA, NAC , IBFA, NAC, UKDFBA, NAC & BNBF all into this category.

Fitness / Model / Talent Competitions
There are a whole host of new shows and federations that have launched over the last few years giving a whole now perspective on shows. They provide for a whole different type of competitor, although some classes / athletes do fit into both types of competition. Often these shows encourage costumes & theme wear etc. as well as normal stage attire (posing suits, bikinis, trunks or shorts) It has opened up bodybuilding to many more people and generally offers a more commercial and more attainable look, making them hugely popular. I would put shows like Bodypower Model Search, Glifting, MuscleMania, Pure Elite, UFE, WBFF & UKUP into this category.

Some federations I compete with in Europe and USA have managed to successfully combine both types of show. .

Classes
This is a list of the classes I have come across in the federations in the UK. Where it can get confusing is that the same title may be used by more than one federation, but the criteria is very different.

Bikini                 
Shape
Model (Bikini, fitness, muscle)
Toned Figure
Trained Figure Natural
Athletic Class Natural
Figure / Bodyfitness
Athletic Class  
Trained Figure Non Tested
Physique
Bodybuilding
Fitness - this class is judges on gymnastic / strength, flexibility routines as well as the physique. 

What are the criteria for each class. Well, the criteria for each class is written for each federation. Bodybuilding and physique / Trained Figure are at the top end of the scale in terms of muscle mass and conditioning.


Main Judging Criteria
Muscle Mass
Conditioning (leanness)
Symmetry (front to back and left to right and top to bottom)
Proportion (does each body part fit with the rest of the body part)
Shape (V-Taper, fullness of the muscles)
overall package (general presentation, stage presence, hair & makeup, suit, tan etc)
How important each criteria is, depends on the category. For example, Bodybuilding is essentially to gain as muscle mass as possible and get as lean as you can to show the muscle off. The other classes have varying levels of conditioning and muscle mass required and may place more importance on other factors.

I personally believe that the figure / bikini / model classes were created to give women the opportunity to compete who did not aspire to have the bodybuilding look, or don't have the genetics for it. So As bodybuilding has become more extreme, the array of figure / athletic classes have been introduced, to allow a more moderate look. This is where things get complicated. Its a subjective decision to decide when has someone crossed the line from figure to bodybuilding or physique? So some judges may believe the best figure girl is the one with the most muscle, or the leanest, but it was never designed to be an extreme class, most figure criteria state that an athlete should have 'some muscle' and a low level of bodyfat but not striations.. but its hard for most judges to see beyond mass or conditioning, to reward shape, symmetry or proportion. So year on year, the competitors aiming to improve, basically push the boundaries further, until it borders on the next category... so then the bikini class was introduced, again to give women an opportunity to compete without the more extreme look that figure was becoming. Now many bikini competitors are showing more muscle and conditioning, I guess this is an inevitable consequence as competitors aim to improve, and they only way to stop that, is for athletes to move category once they have developed beyond the one they are in.

I personally believe its the judges and federations responsibility to not allow the criteria to merge into one another, by keeping each category with a very clear and distinct look. Having very clearly different criteria, each class should have a different look, so whereas bodybuilding places the emphasis on mass and conditioning. Figure usually focuses on V-Taper, symmetry, shape and proportion, before looking at size or conditioning. Model classes may put more emphasis on the overall package.  I do understand this can be difficult as when faced with a line up of competitors, none may actually fit the criteria, but someone still has to win and its difficult to mark someone down for being 'too good' or beyond criteria....  so what can be done. 

Some federations are finding ways to keep the classes very distinct.
Checking the athletes in advance
Some shows see the athletes the day before, or backstage and check they are all in the correct class. Anyone who has 'outgrown' a class or has simply entered the wrong class, is given the opportunity to move, in order that they have the best chance by being in the correct class.

Putting limits on a category
Some figure classes have height to weight limits, to prevent the competitors going what it considered 'too far' for that category. If they don't fit, they move up to physique.

Multiple class entry
A lot of competitions allow you to enter more than one category, so if you don't really know what category you are, you can try your luck and see where you fit best... this can cause confusion though, if one class has a low standard and the same athlete is the closest to criteria over a couple of categories, the same competitor wins both and again category criteria is confused... should someone be able to win a figure and bikini class.... probably not really. Model classes can overlap and as the category looks beyond the physique, different body types can compete well together. Also if you enter Fitness, you could also have the body of a figure or other body category, so in some cases you could enter two categories and do well at both because the criteria looks more beyond the body itself.

If you are looking at pictures of previous competitions to determine what category or class to do, try and look at the national or international competitions, where the number of athletes and standard is likely to more reflect the actual criteria, as regional competitions can have varying standards.

Class Requirements

This is another thing that varies a lot from fed to fed and class to class, so its something you need to check out... also, bear in mind that if you could be switched class.... you need to learn the requirements for the other class too. Things that vary are whether shoes are allowed and type, bikinis or figure suits, costumes, theme wear, gowns, fitness wear and what you are required to do on stage.

Comparisons/ Quarter turns
Compulsory Poses
T Walk / Model Walk
Routines - Bodybuilding
Routines - Fitness Skills / Ability

So in a nutshell... do some research!
Watch some shows, get advice from coaches, judges, ask the federations for advice... Most federations hold camps / workshops now, where you can go and learn the essentials about their particular federation or competition, where you can get advice on class criteria, learn the correct posing etc. also check out  The Beef Magazine. This magazine covers pretty much the whole UK competition scene and is a valuable resource about the sport, results, competitions and dates etc.

My pictures here show me competing in Figure and Bikini. The suits are different, as are the type of poses required.

Well that's my overview... im sure you have your own views... so please comment if you agree / disagree or have a different experience?




 

First body building comp of the year! Adapt and Focus!

WOW what a couple of days.
I flew to Dubai on the overnight flight getting in Friday morning and pretty much everything that could go wrong did, despite lots of planning!! I had tanning booked Friday afternoon, so we booked an early checkin at the hotel in advance, so i would have time to get ready.. with hardly any sleep, we got off the plane, headed to the hotel and then had to wait 2 hours for our room as they forgot our early checkin, but we scored an upgrade to a huge suite, so not all bad... I got my tan sprayed on at a local gym, they used protan which is my favourite, after my tan i went straight to registration...i  then spent 6 hours at registration and drug testing (blood and urine), it was an endurance test in itself, utter chaos, queues everywhere, lots of stressed people, but bodybuilding is often chaotic, so you have to go with the flow... my pro class was cancelled :(  gutted. I love Figure Classic and it was the reason i decided to compete here... but adapt and overcome.... so I competed in amateur figure, model, fitness and bikini to enjoy my time here! Back in my room i got my comp bag packed, then and i topped  my tan up with my bikini mousse from showtimetan tan (which i then got a second spray on top coat on the day of the show, perfect!) So after a VERY late night due to the crazy day things didn't improve we got up early and headed for a taxi...5 of us jumped in together for what's a 15 min trip... normally... but our driver had different plans...thought because we were 'outoftowners' he could try and drive us for an hour round Dubai, including a petrol stop???? - we had a local with us, she didn't realise at first but when she did- firmly put him in his place and eventually he stopped and reset the meter, but it didn't help us get there any quicker, but eventually we got there! This champs was massive, the biggest event ive done to date with well over 400 competitors, most competing in multiple classes, from 40 countries! The line ups were incredible in terms of standard and number.

I have 2 key thoughts to take away ADAPTING & FOCUS,
So much went wrong this weekend, but I learned i can adapt! I could have folded, got stressed, upset and angry, but i do this for me, for fun and its not worth getting upset. Its really important to hope for the best but plan for the worst. I refused to let any of the things that went wrong affect me, i came here to enjoy the experience and things often go wrong, and i believe true champions are not made when things go right, but how you cope when things go wrong- yes its frustrating and but you have to be able to cope with the things that could stress you out!!

I learned i have an adaptable physique
I got 4th in Model, Figure and Bikini and 5th in Fitness - Placing top 5 in all my categories was awesome, but I learned a lot today. I love competing and love different aspects of the different classes available and i learned i can successfully adapt my 'athletic' physique to several classes, using different stage presence, posing styles, different flexing and outfit choices. To place in every class at a World Champs, in huge line ups of quality athletes, was an amazing feeling, as its not easy to stand out from a group of athletes - in very different categories, which brings me to my next point...

FOCUS
I learned that I suited a lot of categories, but i need to decide which class I really love and focus on that, in order to get up to the higher placings, There are improvements i can make to suit each category better so its back to the gym to work on improving myself. BUT I have decisions to make!I need to decide where I want to take my body next, to improve i need to focus on specific things to enhance my physique, but this depends on what class i prefer! You have to live in your body all year round so its important that you like the affect your training and diet has on your body. I want to improve, but you have to be specific, otherwise you can lose track of where you are going. So im going to have a couple of days off to enjoy the city of Dubai and then i will head home and to make some decisions and make some focused plans to work on improving myself!

Ask yourself....Is your training and diet specific to your goals? Or do you need to set some specific goals to focus your fitness journey to your goals? If you aren't focussed, you could waste a lot of time or put in effort and not get the results you actually want!

General Feedback for bodybuilding / fitness competitors

After I judge a show I am often asked for feedback, but there are lots of aspects that competitors commonly get wrong that can easily be fixed with some research, preparation and practice! So here's my top feedback tips

First impressions
The Walk on .....the World is your stage, enjoy the moment, breath in the atmosphere, relax and take control, focus your mind and don't waste 12 months in the gym by rushing on and off the stage in a few seconds! make eye contact, Smile, Be happy- you earned your moment to shine. The first impression you make as you set  foot on stage can make you memorable or fade into the background. SO make sure as soon as you hit the stage until you walk back behind the curtain, remain focussed.

Physiques.
When judging physiques, the importance of different criteria does depend on the category- some are more focused on the muscle size, shape, tone, level of body fat but other elements common across the category's are  symmetry, shape  and proportion. Does your front match your back, does your upper body match your lower body. Does your physique flow, or does one body part dominate? Competitions are not won because of crazy abs or shoulders, the whole physique needs to be impressive. Have a look at your photos, you should be able to see if you have weaker areas to work on, so focus on those elements in your training, everyone has their favourite workouts, we are all guilty of focussing on the things we like most, so really try and balance your training to work more on weaker areas.

Posing
Each competition has its own regulations, as does each class. So make sure you know what is required. You may need to learn compulsory poses, comparison quarter turns, t walks or routines. Learn the poses initially with a mirror but then practice posing without a mirror, into a video or camera, so you can learn how to feel a pose so that when on stage, so when you hit the stage you aren't lost without your visual feedback. The best form of feedback is to wait for your professional shots or video footage-  If you rushed your T-walk... you may not have so many pics, if you didn't hold the pose long enough for the photographer to get his shots then its unlikely the judges got a good look at you either! So make sure you take your time and hold poses long enough so the judges don't miss it. Look at the poses, if you have a choice of poses, check, do they really show off your best bits, choose poses you can do that shows your physique off to your best. If in doubt hire a coach or go to a workshop organised by the federation you are competing with to learn what is required. In a close competition, placings could be determined on posing and someone with a better physique may miss out just because they cant display it properly. Also, have a set pose to use back of stage - do not switch off! The number of times I've wanted to have another look at an athlete at the back of stage while another judges call out is on and they have lost their posture, have relaxed, are messing with tan / costume - you are being judged all the time you are on stage!

Stage presence
Getting your personality across to the judges is really important. In a large line up, you need to catch their attention! Some competitions and categories are looking at more than just a physique marking you for stage presence, confidence, marketability, the 'full package'.
Common mistakes are forgetting to smile, looking at the floor and not engaging with the judges. You don't need to stare at x marks during a T Walk, your peripheral Vision should allow you to head roughly for a marker without looking directly at the floor- you know roughly where to walk, so keep your head held high and engage with your audience while walking across stage.  Were you smiling, happy, smouldering, pouting, being sexy... or looking scared or bored lol ... The image you portray can make you look like a pro competitor or a scared first timer. Fake it til you make it!

Presentation
Does your outfit fit criteria. Some federations have rules on costume type, shoe  type etc. So its important to check this out! Presentation is key especially in model and bikini and mens physique, so many hours of hard Work training in the gym can be let down by the things some may not put the same amount of thought into presentation
Shoes ....are they a correct fit? Can you walk in them? Really walk elegantly? .... Not march or hobble along or stomp like a baby elephant?
Make up
Does your choice of makeup suit your complexion, your eye colour, do your eye lash extensions accentuate your eyes? 
Hair
Length, colour, cut and styling - do they compliment you?
Other outfits
fitness wear, evening wear, do they suit you, show off your physique and style? Does the colour and material work well under harsh stage lighting. Can you walk and pose comfortably? Ive seen dresses that go transparent, dresses where you can see VPL and padding, dresses too tight to walk in, ill fitting gowns.... if you have an amazing dress but it doesn't fit properly... get a seamstress to alter it for you! Even an beautiful expensive dress can look terrible if its ill-fitting!
Tanning
Whether you apply your own tan or use a professional show tan service, make sure you are dark enough. Make sure you did your skin prep, tan can go patchy and green if the skin has not been prepped. If unsure what tan to use, check with the federation or use a company like www.showtimetan.co.uk who can advise you on what the best tan for your category and competition are and then you can buy it online.
Jewellery / accessories and props
Some federations have rules on what can be worn / used. But make sure they don't distract or hide your physique and compliment your appearance.

So these are the most common mistakes and things to consider, so if you have just competed, see if theres anything you can already see that you can improve from and if you haven't competed yet, you could look at these points and maybe help avoid commonly made mistakes!

Bodybuilding

Coming soon- videos, pictures, information & reviews.

Topics to be covered will include training, nutrition, posing, tanning, competition info, behind the scenes, contest prep advice, product reviews, food prep advice.

Got a question or topic you would like covered? Comment on the blog and I will try and help out!

Also check out my nutrition blog at Sporty Vegetarian for tips on food prep.

The blog isn't just for vegetarians, I have recipes for high protein snacks, home made protein bars for clean eating suitable for any bodybuilder or sports person!