Opinions on dropping NPC 1-piece for NPC Bikini

[goddessamazon]

Yup! FBB have waaaaaaaaaaaaay more stage time than figure girls due to the posing routines.

This was my first year competing and I decided to do FBB first.

Next year I'm going to do FBB for the natural shows only and figure for the NPC so I'm glad that the NPC only requires a 2 piece because women like myself are not financially blessed like the others so this decision just saved me several hundred dollars.

[MsFitFern]

This girl next to me with very little muscle beat me last June and placed higher than me yet agian last weekend. She had no delts, no lats,etc. There were 2 or three other women with "traditional figure" physiques who didnt place much better than I did, one of them had what I would consider a national level physique......I was very impressed, but she didnt place 1st. Take a look. I tried to upload more, but the files were too big. Perhaps it is different in different states, but the one judge who goes to my gym told me "maybe you should do bodybuilding" when I spoke to him afterwards. Im not even close to some national level women in figure as far as size goes (need work mostly in the quads). I weigh 120 lbs and am a size 0-2. So, he is basically saying that any woman who is my size with muscles, should just be a bodybuilder and forget figure. Take a look at the women posting here........you all look bigger than me! Does that mean you all should wrap it up?

[Sylvo]

I hate the one-piece part of figure competition. Why the hell would you want to cover up the mosted coveted muscles of all - the abs??!!
And when you have to pay upwards of $7-8 even $900 + dollars for one suit - puuuuhleeeease. Dump the one-piece forever!!

Completely agree! I never understood why there is a one piece!

[sixzebra]

This girl next to me with very little muscle beat me last June and placed higher than me yet agian last weekend. ?

Well, I can certainly see why you would be upset about that. I would not have placed her ahead of you for a lot of the reasons you mentioned.

[goddessamazon]

This girl next to me with very little muscle beat me last June and placed higher than me yet agian last weekend. She had no delts, no lats,etc. There were 2 or three other women with "traditional figure" physiques who didnt place much better than I did, one of them had what I would consider a national level physique......I was very impressed, but she didnt place 1st. Take a look. I tried to upload more, but the files were too big. Perhaps it is different in different states, but the one judge who goes to my gym told me "maybe you should do bodybuilding" when I spoke to him afterwards. Im not even close to some national level women in figure as far as size goes (need work mostly in the quads). I weigh 120 lbs and am a size 0-2. So, he is basically saying that any woman who is my size with muscles, should just be a bodybuilder and forget figure. Take a look at the women posting here........you all look bigger than me! Does that mean you all should wrap it up?

OMG!!!!!!!!

I would have pissed!!!!!!!!!

[dvsness]

In a subjective sport, there will always be a discrepancy between opinions on placings.

[labradarep]

Big mistake (IMO) dropping the 1 piece suit. This round/suit really shows how proportional a physique really is. The ladies who score better here(or move up) usually have more proportional physiques. It takes the Abs out of the picture & magnifies limb discrepencies. (ie: if you are quad dominant, lack shoulders, etc...) It also shows if you have a long/short torso, long/short legs , etc...

Of course a properly cut & fitted suit goes a long way in helping hide some of these flaws. It is all about who shows off what they have the best.

[Faith Fitness]

I was going to compete in figure.. but since they have taken the one piece out I may switch to bbing.. because of the stage time.. I deserve a routine after months and years of preparation... gosh darn! lol

[richiedaggs]

I've recently wondered about the 1 Piece round because it conceals the Abs...?

Bikini? Could be a good marketing angle....

Whatever the powers that be decide, it will be for the greater good of all involved, incuding athletes, fans and the $ponsor$.

[fitperformance2]

I have a split opinion. Being new to the sport, I do appreciate the price break not having to invest in the 1 pc. However, the stage time of two rounds is a big consideration. Another reason why I do like the 1 pc is because it is nice to have some pictures after wards that are a little more modest. Does anyone know the official date this will begin?

[Paumen]

I would actually watch fitness a little if this happened

[Faith Fitness]

I have a split opinion. Being new to the sport, I do appreciate the price break not having to invest in the 1 pc. However, the stage time of two rounds is a big consideration. Another reason why I do like the 1 pc is because it is nice to have some pictures after wards that are a little more modest. Does anyone know the official date this will begin?

I am not sure but I think it starts in 2009.

[PalumboIsGod]

So glad one piece is gone.....totally useless! Expensive and doesn't showcase the physique that well.

I'm loving this bikini idea.......why are figure girls whining? Less competition for them and it doesn't affect them either way.

Some girls don't want to be as muscular or they don't want to have to cycle or do clen, etc. Bikini is perfect!

The only downside I can think of is long shows.

[PalumboIsGod]

I'd also like to point out that not all bikini girls are "lazy".

I have to work hard just to stay "average".

Muscle takes time to build .....especially with out the use of cycling.....so bikini is great for those girls who really are working hard and just don't have the muscle maturity yet!

[jumper11]

from www.hardbody.com:

The NPC office has received many complaints regarding the cost of competitions and in particular the price tag attached to being required to buy two posing suits. Suits range from a couple hundred into the thousands, especially the one-piece suits. That?s not to say it?s the sole reason for the one-piece being nixed from competitions but it the front office did listen to the athletes voice on this matter.
__________________

If federation actually listened to the athletes regarding the suit cost issues, then maybe if enough ladies with traditional hard physiques made enough noise about the "soft fluff" physiques the judges are currently allowing to win shows, then maybe they'll listen to us again and the sport can possibly have some chance of getting the dignity back that it once had. I still hope all the soggy girls leave figure and go to bikini.....no offense to anyone, but like someone previously stated, a scultped figure is not easily attainable. If it's not for you then go do Hawiian Tropics contests. Enough said......

[taralavalley]

I have to agree that I would be done with the one piece. I just feel they really aren't that flattering and with all the hard work that is done prepping, they should show off the abs! The backs of the one and two piece suits look identical, so why not just have one suit?

[Tbonedawg08]

seriously?
no pics??

[dvsness]

So glad one piece is gone.....totally useless! Expensive and doesn't showcase the physique that well.

I'm loving this bikini idea.......why are figure girls whining? Less competition for them and it doesn't affect them either way.

Discussion forums are for discussing. The issue is a constant dumbing down of physiques. You don't see this on the men's side of the sport. NPC men's Fitness? Fot guys that don't want to be as big as bodybuilders? How about when Men's Swimsuit for guys that don't want to be even that muscular?

Some girls don't want to be as muscular or they don't want to have to cycle or do clen, etc. Bikini is perfect!

So you're saying you have to do drugs to compete in Figure?

The only downside I can think of is long shows.

Eternal, even, lol.

If it's not for you then go do Hawiian Tropics contests. Enough said......

Precisely, there are Bikini venues already.

[jewelofnile]

I'd also like to point out that not all bikini girls are "lazy".

I have to work hard just to stay "average".

Muscle takes time to build .....especially with out the use of cycling.....so bikini is great for those girls who really are working hard and just don't have the muscle maturity yet!

I've seen plenty of girls who don't have much muscle maturity yet kick a$$ in figure. They do work hard.

[GeminiJedi]

Some girls don't want to be as muscular or they don't want to have to cycle or do clen, etc. Bikini is perfect!

?? Not all figure girls cycle, and the ones that do (at the local shows here anyways) RARELY do well in placings...

[Net1]

I envision bikini as being something like "fitness model" with other organizations, though I certainly could be wrong. I think that adding bikini CAN be a good thing, but only if NPC does what they really need to do with women's classes... 1. Make the darn judging criteria for each class (BB, figure, bikini, fitness) more concrete, and then consistently stick to it! 2. Put an end cross-overs between BB, figure, and bikini at the same show (watched the same girl place 2nd in figure and 2nd in BBing at same large show - exactly how does that happen?). NPC really shouldn't need the revenue generated through these kinds of crossovers and allowing them only "muddies the water" more when it comes to distinctions between the competitive categories.

As far as removing the 1-pc... I agree with most that it cuts down too much on our stage time with NPC. Other organizations allow for an individual presentation that is 3 times longer than NPC gives you. I for one am going to feel totally jipped with the 30 seconds of individual stage time I'm now going to get with this new change... but... I agree that the 1-pc was not as flattering for most, cost a butt load of money, and covered rather than revealed the entire physique. Glad to see it go!

[IronFigure]

I am torn on the suit issue. While it is good to save money on the one piece, it is bad to have such limited time on stage after so much work to get there since there would only be one series of quarter turns.

As for the bikini division, I am also torn. The BB in IFBB stands for BodyBuilding and bikini contests are not that. There are places for that kind of display, like Hawaiian Tropic. However, if starting this would return Figure to its old, muscular roots and get the bikini looking girls out, that would be a good thing.

I couldn't have said it better myself! My thoughts/hold-up exactly

[urstrulyhb]

im still pissed about this!! i love the one pc.

[kathyfit]

im still pissed about this!! i love the one pc.

Well, on a good note....you can get your IFBB pro card and then you can wear the one piece!