Official NPC Rules and Regulations for Women's Physique

As you all know, there's been major talk about the new women's physique division. Today, the NPC has finally released the official details regarding the new division.

WOMENS PHYSIQUE

DEFINITION: 

WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE DIVISION (HERIN REFERRED TO AS “WP”) 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.

JUDGING CRITERIA:  

WP WILL BE JUDGED ON THE FOLLOWING 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:

EX.)  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 FIGURE AND WOMENS 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 IFBB Professional League status – at Junior USA and Junior Nationals the top two (2) qualify for IFBB Professional League status, at all other National events including Team Universe, USA, IFBB North American and Nationals,  the top three (3) will qualify for IFBB Professional League status. The NPC wants to set the standard for 2011 at the Junior Events and therefore only qualifying the top two (2).  

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. 

*MANDATOTY 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 TRICEP WITH LEG EXTENDED
SIDE CHEST WITH ARMS EXTENDED
FRONT AB/THIGH

*FINALS ROUTINE WILL BE MAXIMUM 90 SECONDS IN LENGTH, PERFORMED TO MUSIC OF ATHLETES CHOICE ADHERING TO RULES SET FORTH BY THE NPC.

MUSIC CONTAINING PROFANITY OR EXPLICIT LANGUAGE SHOULD NOT BE USED AND MAY RESULT IN ROUTINE BEING CUT SHORT.

*NO PROPS WILL BE USED.

*NO HEELS MAY BE WORN AT ANY TIME DURING THE COMPETITON/JUDGING OF WP.

Source: http://www.npcnewsonline.com/rules_women.cfm

This sounds like WP will be somewhat how the NABBA is being judged.  I gave bikini a chance, and for the most part, it hasn't disappointed me. Yeah, I've not agree with ALL of the decisions and judging, but hey, it's a subjective sport. You can't avoid it. I see that like every other division, this will take some time to get used to. We will see how this goes in 2011, and will also see if and when (it's only a matter of time) the IFBB will add women's physique to the line-up.

We obviously don't know who the "standard" will be until a show actually happens, but now knowing what the rules and regulations are, who do you think will be a great fit for this new division? All I know is, the 2011 competition season could very well be the most interesting season to date. We're in for a ride, folks, so buckle up!! :)

I'll go into more thought on the new division on a later post.