So again, we had some individuals competing in multiple divisions at the Mid- America. Not a surprise-- it's fun to cross over and participate in different classes, compete against new people, try out new poses, and create new challenges for yourself. It's the entire reason I have three pro cards! I like all three divisions-- bodybuilding, fit body, and figure. I've been told by judges though that I need to make a decision as to which one I'm going to focus on. I get different feedback from everyone-- "oh, you definitely need to stick with figure....you don't have enough muscle for bodybuilding" or "I'd do fit body if I were you...you've got a good amount of lean mass, but you're too lean conditioning wise for figure." Conditioning can be altered. I just come in fatter. (That sounded bad). The problem for me though is that if I come in with a higher percentage body fat, I don't look MY best. I'm blockier. My quads and arms are like tree trunks. :)
I don't want to get into the exact judging criteria, but I do want to address the frustration that goes on with female competitors who do cross over and then are surprised if they win one class and then place pretty low in another. I was asked recently how it could be that the girl who won figure would place last in bikini. It's not a mystery-- it actually makes perfect sense, and if that's how it happened, then the judges were doing their jobs well. There will be a line up that doesn't end this way every now and then, and a girl who wins both will pop up (in that particular line up she is just obviously the best), but it won't happen often.
We had a few women at our show this weekend who this happened with. We enter classes with the intention of winning usually. But we have to realize that there are certain criteria that the judges are looking for. Hence the various divisions. Rather that looking at it as a detriment-- how come I can't win both?-- it's really a benefit to us to know that there are certain things the judges may be looking for that allow us to tailor our looks and our presentation toward! If I compete at the World Championships again in 2011 I may just try all 3 divisions. Come in as lean and hard as possible to do well in BB, but then I better not flex and perhaps even do some targeted spilling over for figure! ;) Play the game, have fun, and recognize that we can't be the best at everything! I may be the winner of the figure title at one show, but come in close to last in another-- you just never know who's going to show up! But that's a whole other topic....
