Open vs Novice

[bodybybiff]

Hello everyone! Last year I competed in True Novice and Open and came in fourth in True Novice and third in Open...but there were only 3 people in my open class.

This year I am doing the same competition and only wanted to do either Novice or Open. My dilemma is if I should do Open again because what if I don't have any competition? Last year all novice categories had many girls, whereas all open categories had 3-6.

Thoughts please! Currently, I signed up for Novice, but I change.

Thank you!

[NaturalPursuit]

Completely depends on your goals and if you have a chance at a pro card or if you want a pro-card. I would always enter the open as you never know

[ProYeo]

Kinda ditto for me... if I was already going to be there and getting on stage, I'd hit up open as well.

[PrinceDaddy]

I would compete in both. no harm, no foul, if you place 1st in either class, you can no longer do novice. I did a show last year where me and the same guy competed in 3 classes together, novice, open, drug-free, we place the same in all 3, the novice had another competitor who placed ahead of us.

[bodybybiff]

Thanks for the info! Maybe I will pay more to just enter both. I just didn't like being in a class with only 3...made it feel saying I got third almost like cheating or something

[ewolf2]

I always encourage everyone to do both. It's the only time you can do it, so you might as well since you will already be there anyway.

[bodybybiff]

Completely depends on your goals and if you have a chance at a pro card or if you want a pro-card. I would always enter the open as you never know

This is a national qualifier. The rules state that stop 5 in all classes qualify for Jr Nationals etc, while top 3 in each class qualify for Nationals etc

Does this apply only for Open or is Novice included too? And what if there is only 3 people in your class...do you still qualify?

[bodybybiff]

I always encourage everyone to do both. It's the only time you can do it, so you might as well since you will already be there anyway.

I was thinking that, but since this is my second show I was trying to weigh the option of cost vs worth of doing it

[savmom22]

Your thread just inspired me to do Open in my show this weekend too. I was only going to do Novice and Master 35+, but since I am there I might as well just do Open since I qualify for it. Technically the "competition" would be better in Open because anyone who has won a Novice category needs to move into Open, right? I know this isn't how it always plays out, but you can tell yourself that if you do well.

ETA: I also noticed that at some shows, it depends on how they split up the height classes. So if Novice has only two height classes, but Open has 4, you might be competing against some different people at the same show.

[elvirka]

Your thread just inspired me to do Open in my show this weekend too. I was only going to do Novice and Master 35+, but since I am there I might as well just do Open since I qualify for it. Technically the "competition" would be better in Open because anyone who has won a Novice category needs to move into Open, right? I know this isn't how it always plays out, but you can tell yourself that if you do well.

Good luck this weekend! You're not in Seattle by any chance, are you?

[savmom22]

Good luck this weekend! You're not in Seattle by any chance, are you?

Thank you! No I'm in Boston - doing the Cutler Classic on Saturday.