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. 

What is Beauty?

To me, beauty is an athletic body. Beauty is not defined by nice hair and nails, or a designer handbag with matching shoes. It is not gobs of make-up and hair sprayed hair. And on my goodness it is not all that plastic surgery to make a 40 year old attempt to look 18!


It is sweat and tears. It is hard work and triumph. Beauty is in the struggle to succeed where no one else has.

Beauty is a female athlete.

It's not just the physical aspect, but the strength, life and passion they bring to the world as they compete in their respective sports.


Strength is beauty. Desire is beauty. Determination is beauty. Individuality is beauty. Endless pursuit of a dream is beauty.


I want to show you some women I feel are beautiful. For each of these women, their beauty comes out in their sport. They are athletes.

Athletes are beauty to me.

Florence Griffith-Joyner (deceased) - "Fastest woman of all time"

Cory Everson - Bodybuilder

Serena Williams - tennis player

Dana Linn Bailey - IFBB Pro Womens Physique Competitor

Darra Torres - swimmer

Brandi Chastain - Soccer player

There are many, many more.  Each of these women are an inspiration to me and remind me of the beauty that surrounds me every day.

Am I Becoming a Bodybuilder?

Am I becoming a bodybuilder? My body has changed, I am getting more muscular but I am trying to. 


I have never been curvy, I have always had a "boyish" figure, and that's fine with me, I wouldn't want to struggle with the womanly hips so many of my friends have. 


I really like the "athletic" look, lean, sleek, fast, natural and almost androgynous. I don't see many athletes with breast implants, they just get in the way and anyway, athletes are focused on the actual sport, not the look of the physique.


I would really like to start competing in Women's Physique though, and I just might be able to in a year. What's the difference?


Bodybuilding = women, big, big muscles, mandatory poses like the men, to show off the muscles, no shoes. It's losing popularity, people just don't want to get that big or see women that big. These are the women who make you take a double look, when I say they are big, I mean big! These are generally not thought of as particularly feminine looking women.  


Figure = women, muscular, yet feminine, "model" poses, basically standing around, posing looking pretty, mandatory 5 inch Lucite high heels (WTF?!) These women have muscles, and are pretty darn cut at competition time, but the ideal look is not big like a bodybuilder, in fact you receive a lower score if you are big and muscular, with a lot of muscle separation and vascularity. 


Women's Physique = women, not as big as bodybuilders, bigger than figure, no shoes (yay!), mandatory poses but not like men, "open hand". They do the model poses like Figure and "open hand" or more soft, fluid poses similar to the bodybuilders. You actually get marked down for getting too big and muscular in Women's Physique, such as a bodybuilder would get and if you are not big enough, you compete in Figure.




Womens' Physique is new this year, it has only been at the National Level, so I would need to qualify in Figure to be able to compete in Women's Physique at the National level. Makes it a a little daunting since the first woman to win her pro card this year is Dana Linn Bailey, and she looks awesome! But I am up for the challenge, she has the physique I strive for. I like the Women's Physique look best of all of them!


Bikini= we won't be discussing here, it's not relevant, although the competitions do include bikini. 



Although most people will tell you there is a hierarchy of status here, it really is what you want to compete in, what your body type is best for and how you want to look and present yourself. While some women may want to compete in bodybuilding, they might not ever get big enough to do so. And on the other hand, some are so big that they just won't ever place well in Figure, so sometimes it's not just about what the individual wants, it's what their body knows best!


And, some people just wanna wear the damn shoes! ha ha


What came first? Bodybuilding; Fitness; Figure; Bikini; Women's Physique. 


I was actually thinking about this not because of how I am looking but because I smelled pancakes. Yes indeed and they smelled good!


I was driving home from the gym one morning and went past "The Diner", and a wonderful aroma of freshly made pancakes wafted into my convertible car. I have never been a pancake fan, but I wanted to stop and get a stack right then and there.


I laughed wondering to myself if I was turning into a bodybuilder! You see, at every competition there are hours, and I mean hours of sitting around doing nothing. The men and women sit around, or stand and talk. They talk about a couple things:


How they look
How others look
What they will eat for lunch (or not for some) 
What they will eat for dinner (for all)
Food in general


That's about it!


And the men- all they talk about is pancakes, I am not sure why, but most of them plan to go to ihop immediately after and gorge on pancakes. Kinda odd to me, but to each his own.


I am planning on making some, after my competition. I will make yeast risen ones for Cooper, the batter is made the night before and is light and fluffy. He never gets out of bed until lunch time so he can have his when he gets up. 




David and I will have Bridge Creek Oatmeal Pancakes.



Bridge Creek Oatmeal Pancakes (from The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham)  


2 cups buttermilk 
2/3 cup Old Fashion Oats (not instant) 
1 large egg 
2 tablespoons brown sugar 
2 tablespoons oil  
1/3 cup all purpose flour 
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon fine salt 


At least 6 hours before making the pancakes, mix the buttermilk and oats together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate (overnight is fine).


Put the egg in a mixing bowl and beat well, then stir in the brown sugar and blend. Add the flours, baking soda, salt, oil, and the oatmeal- buttermilk mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed.


Heat a heavy griddle or skillet until it is good an hot, then film with oil. Drop the batter by tablespoons (about 2 1/2 per pancake) onto the griddle and cook until lightly browned on each side. Makes about a dozen four inch pancakes. 


Then I will really be a bodybuilder!