Saturday, March 3, 2012

First Pro Women's Physique





This past weekend was the 2012 Desert Muscle Classic, which included the first "Pro" Women's Physique competition. 


There is a great deal of controversy in the "Bodybuilding" community about the results, a lot of people have taken it very personally.


Women's Physique (WP) is the brand new division that I decided I wanted to move to this year, and not too long ago I decided I would hold off another year, to see how things progressed. Based on what I saw at this show, I may never move into that division, but it is still young and changes will definitely be seen.


For now, I am staying in Figure, but my eye is still on WP to see what the future holds. 


What I like about WP is the fact that there is a routine to music, it requires more from the competitor than just standing around looking good. It also commands more muscle, I like a more muscular look. Plus, you don't have to wear the ridiculous 5 inch Lucite heels (Yes, they are required in Figure!)


Dana Linn Bailey was the first woman to win her pro card in WP. I have always admired her physique, it is what I strive for, I like her look and conditioning.


Dana has never placed well in Figure, yet she never wavered and always stayed true to her own goals. When WP came along, she was exactly right, winning the first pro card issued, hands down.


At the latest show though, she came in 4th! Above is a picture of the winners. As you look at it, Dana Linn Bailey is on the left (4th); next to her is Jillian Reville (3rd); Karina Nascimento (1st); and Marilena Echohawk (2nd).


In looking at this picture, I think the 4th and 3rd place physiques are without a doubt better than the 1st and 2nd, but obviously the judges did not agree. In my opinion, the top two look like Bodybuilders. For some reason, I didn't think they were looking to award Bodybuilders - I mean we already have a Bodybuilding division, so I am confused. 


According to the judges, Dana Linn Bailey was "too hard and showed too much conditioning" for the look they are after.  For those of you who are not sure what this means - she was too ripped. "Hard" is the look of tight skin over full muscle, no layer of fat between, rippling muscle. "Conditioning" is the overall look of low bodyfat, striations, separation of muscle groups, dehydration, in other words, how much you have worked to get to this amazing "condition".


I have always been told my conditioning was perfect- except in one show, and honestly, my conditioning was the same as it always had been, so I didn't take that comment  seriously. I pride myself in my ability to get into top condition, to lose the fat, and not retain any water, it's not easy. 


Although I am disappointed, I just have to sit back and watch how things progress, and I know there will be changes. When they first introduced the Bikini division, it took the judges about a year to actually come to a solid decision on what "the look" was, and it is definitely not the same as Figure, there is a clear delineation. I want to be able to see a clear delineation between Figure and WP too.


In the mean time, I will keep on training and aiming to be as hard and conditioned as possible. 







8 comments:

  1. Dana Lynn got her procard but she does not compare to many women that are competing in Women's Physique Pros today.Back then there werent many so it really was not that difficult. There are a lot of women out there that would have given her a challenge.nice round full muscles. she doesnt not compare, she lacks in Legs. and shes not doing that great in the Pros. Women with substance are competing in WP now. Many get their pro cards but few do well in the Pros. Sorry its the truth. For Example . . the Winner of the NY Pro show ..that is a physique women with substance. - jbefit

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  2. and yes she is always too hard, shes boxy, built like a bodybuilder. It was ok when NPC was still trying to figure things out and bodybuilders were stepping down . they still are and they never place. I don't know if Dana was an x bodybuilder or not . .but its not the physique desires in this category . .hardness . .big boxy midsection .etc.

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    1. Hi jbefit- Thanks for your comments- I could not agree with you any more! The "look" of Women's Physique has gotten much better,more defined, and i like it, I like it very much. I think they struggled for quite some time, trying to figure out the look they wanted.

      I am a big fan of Tracy Bodner and Karina Nascimento and love their looks. I will always be a fan of DLB, I love her zest for life and her attitude. I like the hard look- it may not be what judges want, but it's not only about competitions, it's about life isn't it?

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  3. The truth about competitionAugust 28, 2013 at 1:02 AM

    Dana links physique sucked back then And co tinues to suck. She lacia dimensión And chape. She has horrible legs, ahe has developed her quDs But now they look even
    Worse for some reason ... They hVw taken a very strange shape
    Lat like she got quad iimants ...she didn't but iooks as if she had!! She's been stk Ming in the pros be ause s
    She got her pro card when WP was still in trial and error. Now they k ow what they want in WP... she's doing better, placing 2nd in Tampa pro and first in Europa , but it's bieves because of her poparith and she has to represent
    her top sponsor MHP in a positive manner, not as a looser competitor which is were she was.... So politics Nd popularity has helped her qualify for the Olympia. With top. Impatience llike Juliana Malacarne (2 time NEw YOrk pro winner) oneof the toughest shows around..There is Also Tony West.... and many others with amazing WP physiques... Dana does not stand chance with her boyish , boxy, lack of symmetry Look. Even Karina will be challenged, she has not mDe improvements Nd has a boxy belly producing flatass look.

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    1. Women's Physique has in deed shaped into something much different than when it started! I am a big fan of Dana, no matter what she looks like and how she places. I love her attitude and her love of life! Right now there are so many fabulous competitors out there, i am really looking forward to the Olympia.

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  4. The truth about competitionAugust 28, 2013 at 1:08 AM

    I'm not surewhy my words were published jumbled

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  5. DLB just won the Olympia...so I gues she does have the look!

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    1. Yes and I am very pleased that they didn't lean more towards women's bodybuilding, there were some women up there who could easily still be in bodybuilding in my opinion!

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