DOWNSIZE ME!
Unless you've been living under a rock, then you know there is yet another new division for the women this year called Women's Physique. No qualifying shows. Two classes, tall and short. Instant IFBB pro status with a class win. Two shows already under our belts and four girls waiting in the wings for the 2012 pro division.
With the announcement of the WPD came speculation about what would happen to female bodybuilding. Would WPD replace pro and amateur bodybuilding? Possibly. Would bodybuilders be able to switch? Sure. Would they make an easy transition to fit the current criteria? Definitely not.
"It's almost impossible for existing women bodybuilders to successfully crossover to women's physique," says Dave Palumbo, a contest prep guru who has worked with hundreds of clients.
What's a girl to do then? Downsize!
Telling bodybuilders they need to get smaller is an oxymoron. The notion of having to strip away hard-earned muscle has been met with a myriad of emotions, mainly anger and resentment.
Downsizing is no easy task. Take it from me. It's not just a matter of decreasing protein intake, easing up or completely eliminating weight training, nor simply doing insane hours of cardio. It doesn't work that way for all women. Those who are naturally slender and have difficulty putting on mass will have an easier time adjusting than a naturally thick girl who gains muscle very quickly.
Bodybuilders are accustomed to dropping 20, 30 sometimes 50 pounds in matter of weeks. Their body fat dips into single digits during a typical 12-week prep. This process is no comparison to simulating a catabolic state, and I do mean simulating if you look at the science behind such activity. Forcing the body to burn muscle is far more complex. The more seasoned the muscle the harder it is to lose.
"Large female bodybuilders are not going to transition easily, says fitness trainer P.J. Braun, who specializes prepping females. "It can be done though. Kim Chizevsky was the freakiest bodybuilder in the world in 1999 and in 2001 she got on a fitness stage dramatically streamlined. The best advice I could give the larger female bodybuilders that want to transition is get off the drugs!!"
Beyond that, bodybuilders are going to have a hard time getting past the mere feeling of being small. Some don't even realize they have body dysmorphia and bigarexia complexes. Most bodybuilders who have entered WPD have walked away dejected and did not place well. Perhaps they convinced themselves they would be ideal simply because they were "more feminine." However, reality truly sets in when you switch divisions and you see just how much wider and thicker you are when compared to the average woman. I jumped into a Bikini competition for just that reason.
Downsizing requires mentally changing your approach and focus to the fitness lifestyle almost entirely. There are days you will feel out of sync. Your hormone levels may fluctuate but will eventually reach homeostasis. Expect to be frustrated, feel fat and look flat for awhile. Seeing the roundness come back to your frame can be devastating but is actually a cause to celebrate.
Women's Physique on paper is said to be a bridge between bodybuilding and figure. Less mass, less conditioning, less of everything. The bridge has proven to be much wider than many women had hoped based on the current winners.
"The first thing they need to do is do a complete 180 from what they are used to - throw the bodybuilding lifestyle out the window as they are on a different path now," says Chad Nichols, contest guru and Chizevsky's husband. "Most body builders think all they have to do is drop 10-15 pounds and they'll be ready for physique - but they have to restructure their entire game plan from diet to training to mindset. They need to figure out how much they can train where they WON'T maintain muscle because most athletes will be able to maintain their muscular size even when they decrease the amount of weight they lift."
"The next thing, Nichols adds, is to figure out what type of dietary changes they need to make in order to lose the bulky muscle and lose weight, while keeping their skin firm and tight. Kim went into this just like she did anything - she knew exactly what she wanted to accomplish and didn't stop until she reached her goal. "
Bodybuilders who were "too small" to be competitive on any level and Figure girls who were told they were too muscular see WPD as perfect fit. Some pro Figure, Fitness and Bodybuilders see WPD as an escape to something better. Others want no part of it like figure pro Larissa Reiss who says if she can't wear heels, forget about it. Having to learn new poses and perform a routine is almost frightening to some.
IFBB pro Figure competitor Alicia Harris whose name has been mentioned as a possible candidate for WPD has mixed feelings.
"There is slight consideration but I wouldn't get any bigger," she says. "I would just dry out from my figure physique. But I would consider fitness before I do physique."
If pro bodybuilding shows are indeed reduced or eventually eliminated competitors like Tina Chandler and Tonie Thompson look forward to the challenge of streamlining.
"I'm already one of the smallest girls up there," Thompson said.
IFBB Athlete Representative Bob Cicherillo, who is partly responsible for implementing WPD, views the early success as a sign most women are happy with the new division. An estimated 45 girls have entered each pro-qualifying shows. Cicherillo anticipates the numbers continuing to grow on the regional level. Trainers especially like WPD because it brings them clients eager to make Chizevsky-like transformations.
"I love this new division, Braun says. "I think it is a truly awesome idea. Basically WPD is the early 2000's figure class but with posing. Think of Davana Medina through Gina Aliotti era. I love it."
"I'm definitely a fan," says trainer Shelby Starnes. "I think the transition will be easier for a competitor going from Figure to WPD, than FBB to WPD. It will depend on the individual though."
"I think the federation made a very smart move here," Starnes added. "I think we'll see more and more women competing in WPD, and even less in FBB (which was already declining in a major way). The new look of WPD has a much greater appeal to the masses too, so it will generate more publicity and revenue. Female bodybuilding is definitely on its way out though. Those who stick with it will have to be very passionate about it."
Fans who love bodybuilding want to know why not just add another division and leave bodybuilding alone? Great question. But no one likes the answer.
"Lack of interest," Cicherillo bluntly states. "The numbers speak for themselves."
It's just business. Nothing personal. Sounds like a lame company line but think of this way. Bodybuilding isn't being axed. More like discontinued like your favorite lipstick color or fragrance that's no longer available because the company wants to move in a different direction. If you can't beat em', join em'. Reinvent yourself!
Here are some tips on how to streamline:
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