FIGURE VS. BIKINI?...What to do?

[verynaturalgirl]

Hello Everyone!,
I am new to Body Building.com though not a newbie in the gym. I've recently decided to compete in 2014. I've been doing quite of research and am still wondering about a few things.
What EXACTLY are the differences between figure and bikini competing? Would you decide on which you want based on the look you have naturally (coupled with diet and exercise) or the look you want ?

This is a side question... can one compete without being a pro with the IFBB and WBBF? How would one become pro? What's this I hear about exclusion in the IFBB world?

I've been researching like mad but am still getting conflicting info. I thought it would be great to direct the questions towards those who may be more 'in the loop' then I have been.

Thanks so much!!

[rockangel]

The difference in figure and bikini is that figure looks for more mass, capped shoulders, v taper in the back, quad sweep and definition. Bikini is not as much mass, good lines through out and is much more about the "total package" hair, skin, nails, suit, posing etc...
Posing for each is different, in figure you have set poses that every single person does the same with very little deviation (only small "tweeks" can be made in posing but otherwise all the same)
Posing for bikini is different in that a lot of it depends on personality, some are more flirty, others sassy, others are cutesy.. poses are pretty basic but all must have your own "spin" on them.

To become pro, you have to qualify at certain levels (usually a regional that has the denotation as "pro qualifier") and then you must either win a show or place in the top three to win your Pro Card (all depends on the show)

There are lots of organizations out there to compete with, some more well known than others... IFBB is more elitest in that they think and say they are the best... doesnt mean they are the best... some bodies fit better in different organizations and the "best" is going to depend on what physique you have and what your goals are...

As far as choosing which to compete in, it all depends on your goals and what kind of physique you ultimately want or can end up with. Not all of us are going to be able to build to look like a IFBB body builder, and not every one wants a bikini look, so really it all depends on what you have and what you want to do.

[kadymartin]

The difference in figure and bikini is that figure looks for more mass, capped shoulders, v taper in the back, quad sweep and definition. Bikini is not as much mass, good lines through out and is much more about the "total package" hair, skin, nails, suit, posing etc...
Posing for each is different, in figure you have set poses that every single person does the same with very little deviation (only small "tweeks" can be made in posing but otherwise all the same)
Posing for bikini is different in that a lot of it depends on personality, some are more flirty, others sassy, others are cutesy.. poses are pretty basic but all must have your own "spin" on them.

To become pro, you have to qualify at certain levels (usually a regional that has the denotation as "pro qualifier") and then you must either win a show or place in the top three to win your Pro Card (all depends on the show)

There are lots of organizations out there to compete with, some more well known than others... IFBB is more elitest in that they think and say they are the best... doesnt mean they are the best... some bodies fit better in different organizations and the "best" is going to depend on what physique you have and what your goals are...

As far as choosing which to compete in, it all depends on your goals and what kind of physique you ultimately want or can end up with. Not all of us are going to be able to build to look like a IFBB body builder, and not every one wants a bikini look, so really it all depends on what you have and what you want to do.

What she said!

Check out npcnewsonline.com and thenaturalmusclenetwork.com (natural shows) as they both have a ton of information. You can look up the guidelines for both figure and bikini here. If you're looking to do IFBB then you need to start in the NPC. In order to become professional you'll need to qualify in a pro qualifying show.

Hope this helps!

[abott09]

What she said!

Check out npcnewsonline.com and thenaturalmusclenetwork.com (natural shows) as they both have a ton of information. You can look up the guidelines for both figure and bikini here. If you're looking to do IFBB then you need to start in the NPC. In order to become professional you'll need to qualify in a pro qualifying show.

Hope this helps!

I've been trying to make the same decision for 2014 myself. Everything posted above covers most of your question. As for WBFF vs IFBB, I find that competing NPC (amateur feeder league to the IFBB) is much cheaper and a good way to get started. WBFF has a lot of extra parts of the show sometimes that raises the cost (extra outfits, gowns, props, etc). However, from friends I have in both leagues who are pros, I hear the WBFF does a very very good job of setting up its competitors with sponsorship/modeling opportunities. However, if you're just looking to compete for fun, I would recommend doing a local NPC show first, just for cost and since there are more shows around it seems.