Friday, May 17, 2013

My First Women's Physique Competition




I did it! I competed in my first Women's Physique competition. I have been delaying writing this because I have so much to say, and so little time to say it! 

So I decided I need to do what I do in life everyday, and just jump right in! I have lots of pictures to share, and then I will write more each week about certain parts and events.

I must start with the fact that this was so different than Figure, words can barely describe it. Figure had become easy to me, it wasn't a challenge. Sure, I always had to work on my physique, try to look better each competition, but I knew what to expect each time, there was not much of a challenge.



This was a big challenge, the posing (real posing, not just "model" turns"), flexing, a routine to music. And it's odd, but I moved up in the hierarchy! Not something I intended to do, it just happens I guess.

Bikini is at the bottom, then Figure, Women's Physique and then Bodybuilding. Many women look at each as a step up, you add more muscle and move up the ranks. Now not everyone wants to move up, I have no desire to be a Bodybuilder or as big as one, and many women have no desire to be a Physique competitor, but they all know how much more work it takes to get there, they respect that.

Some of the women, women I have known from previous competitions, would look at me in awe and ask how it felt to be a Physique Competitor! There are not many of us you know! Below are pictures of my class. Class "A" which is up to and including 5' 6". No age group. I felt very proud to have come in 3rd, especially considering I am old enough to be the mother of most of the gals I am standing next to! 




Unlike Figure and Bikini, where they compare and also judge individually, they only line us up together, to compare us all, we never pose on our own, that is reserved for the posing routine at night, and it's purely for entertainment. 




The mandatory poses are Front Double Biceps, Side Chest, Back Double Biceps, Side Triceps, and Ab/ Thigh. The head judge calls them out and we pose, it's hard, you need to be sure everything is flexed and showing at it's best, it takes a great deal of practice. I had fun as we would pose I could see the other gals out of the corner of my eye, and we would each flex harder and harder. 




 You can see how much more muscle we all carry if you compared us to a Figure competitor. These gals here are ripped! (Oh! I'm one of them!)




My absolute favorite part was my posing routine a the evening show. I had so much fun performing it. I had the music mixed by Mastermindz Productions and the routine was choreographed by Michelle Brent. Michelle has been a Bodybuilder for 26 years and she has a protein cookie business too! Both my music and routine were upbeat, fun, and entertaining. I am not overly fond of slow routines, but super fast would be hard to perform in a depleted state, so I think I had a happy medium.

Here is a Youtube of my routine, crank up the music! (Email subscribers will need to navigate directly to the blog link at the top to view the video).







Here is a link to all my photos from my Facebook  album.  You do not need to have a Facebook account to view these. Click on the first picture to make them all larger and click on through. You will see my day as it progressed  Sakura (in a red suit) is in many of them.

If you have any questions, ask away! I have so much to tell to recount the fabulous time I had with my friend Sakura and other women I met and interacted with along the way. I hope to find some time to write in the near future  until then, enjoy the pictures! 

8 comments:

  1. I just recently watched my first bodybuilding show in Shreveport, La. I was sooooo happy there were pro physique ladies there and I got to watch their night routine. I have fallen in love with physique. Your class of ladies all looked great and I am sure you feel wonderful for pplacing so well in such a fine group. Thanks for sharing your part of the show.
    Crystal

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    1. Hi Crystal, The physique is indeed very entertaining and really shows off the hard work all of the women put into it! I am in love with the division and I hope to be able to continue on for quite some time! All of the women were supportive and friendly, I had a great time!

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  2. I thought you were third in your age category ! That is so amazing, sis ! I am very proud of you, and all the students at my school come up to me and say "I saw your sister (on Facebook), that is so amazing!" And I would just smile with pride.

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    1. Derek, I am quite proud of my achievement, considering I am 22 years older than the first place winner, I feel I have done a tremendous job of maintaining and building my physique . I am excited about it all and cannot wait to do another! Thanks for being proud of me!

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  3. Wow, it has been a real pleasure to follow your journey to your first physique competition. Your focus and dedication are truly amazing and what you have been able to accomplish with your body is incredible!!!! Just getting on stage and competing is an accomplishment anyone should be proud of but to look as good as you did and to place so well in your first try in this category is completely off the hook!!! Congratulations, and I rellay look forward to following along as your journey continues!!!

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    1. Dave, Thank you so much! I have really enjoyed this and feel it is a better fit for both my personality and my physique, better than Figure. I was never comfortable in thse silly 5 inch heels, and it always seemd rather sexist to have the gals wear them anyway.

      I am having fun right now getting back to eating a higher calorie diet, training just as hard as always and relaxing a bit. But never, never, do I slack off!

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