Physique or Pageant
I have read comments on various blogs which discredit FIGURE as a sport. As a figure competitor myself this insulted me. I know how much Training, Dieting and Discipline goes into preparing for these shows. The question is why are we judged on facial beauty and are the 5 inch heels necessary. Shouldn’t we be judged solely on our muscularity, symmetry and posing? I am curious to see what people think….. post away!
December 13, 2007 at 12:46 pm
As a judge, we do look at symmetry and muscularity. We all know that you all train hard and Diet just as hard as other competitors. The heels, I think it is from the beauty pageant days and your facial beauty is the last thing that we look at. It is part of the criteria of the figure competition, to have your appearance such as makeup and hair all count only if your physique is so close that it is what puts you over the other girl next to you. The people that think that you don’t train hard should try to walk in your shoes for a day on stage and see what you go through. Keep training hard and great job!!
December 13, 2007 at 12:55 pm
I totally agree with ditching the heels AND jewelry AND the lame-o T walk AND the one piece suits in figure! Personally, I love the figure physiques, but think the competitions are lame and insulting to the competitors.
December 13, 2007 at 12:58 pm
I don’t really have an issue with it, but I agree that it is a sport. Bikini is a show, and not a sport.
December 13, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Thank-you so much for your comments.
Now lets hear from some competitors!
December 13, 2007 at 1:18 pm
my wife is a figure competitor..fairly new to the sport..the diet, training and discipline involved is extremely intense..no less than for bodybuilding..
as for bahamaman, if the competitors felt insulted..they wouldn’t compete..the heels should stay..if you want the "beauty" piece removed, then go watch female bodybuilding comps..
a number of ‘bodybuilding" competitions just have bodybuilding and figure as there are not enough fitness competitors in the sport..and i can tell you that without the figure component, you would lose 75% of the audience and have a fairly tame show..
sue-z-q..rock on!!
December 13, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Hey gofigure, You’ve missed the point, dude. The conversation is not about how to put butts in seats at shows, it’s about the women being forced to be something other than athletes by having to wear the heels and the jewelry and the false eyelashes. Think Ms. Olympia circa 1980. That’s what figure SHOULD be!
December 13, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Bahamaman….. I think gofigure miss read your post.
December 14, 2007 at 11:53 am
this is just my opinion, but i’d rather see the 5" heels, jewelry, etc. during figure comps. i agree that beauty (and the like) shouldn’t be the deciding factor, and i very much like lean muscularity and symmetry - that combined with a sexy look (i.e., heels and make-up) is what i think figure should be.
to lose that you turn figure into a somewhat less muscular version of female bodybuilding (i.e., 1980 ms. olympia)
December 15, 2007 at 7:03 pm
I agree with you posing in heels is preposterous. These contests are all subjective, and the judges from contest to contest are subjective. They must be difficult to compete in. I’d rather compete in a race where the person who finishes first wins.
December 15, 2007 at 7:26 pm
I think everything about figure is good, except the heels. I really think bikinis and heels just looks dumb. Just my opinion.