How to find your right fit in physique competitions?
For women, there are five options -
- Bikini
- Figure
- Women's Physique
- Bodybuilding
- Fitness
All these divisions focus on different styles, body shapes, and even different levels of muscle definition.
Let's break them down one by one to help understand them better.
Bikini Competition Division
Bikini competition is the most popular division among female competitors. This is also a crowd favorite because they do not require you to have much muscle definition. This means more new athletes can join the competition. Bikini competition judges are looking for a well-balanced and curvy body structure, with the right amount of muscle definition.
But before selecting a bikini, remember that the level of muscle tone and definition can vary depending on the levels of the competition.
Bikini competitors need to wear a two-piece rhinestone bikini suit. The stage performance requires competitors to perform a whole posing routine wearing 6-inch high heels and some stunning jewelry to complete their look. But these competitions are beauty pageants, you will also be judged on your overall physical appearance, including your skin and overall stage appearance. To be able to ace your performance, you need to have confidence and a healthy attitude while simultaneously striking different poses from front, rear, and side to over-the-shoulder poses.
As you move up the ladder, rules can change from local shows to national and more professional championships. So, if you decide to compete in bikini competitions, keep your ultimate goal of progressing with time in mind.
In the judge’s opinion, the perfect bikini competitor has a nicely balanced curvy body, a small waist, with long and shapely legs. The main aim of bikini competitions is to create an hourglass figure through proper diet and training.
Figure Competition Division
Figure competitions are a little different than bikini competitions. Figure competitors need to have more developed physiques with more muscular symmetry and proportion, other than this figure competitors also perform a posing routine on stage. Because competitors perform several poses, it becomes hard to hide any flaws in their build.
Figure athletes need to have good muscle definition and tone, but not too ripped also. Judges want to see athletes with firmness, overall good muscle definition, and shapely lines, but athletes should not look excessively lean.
The ideal figure competitor needs to have broad shoulders with a tiny waist, but it's not only about your body type. If you are someone who grows muscle very easily and can stay lean without too much effort, figure competitions can be the best fit for you.
Women’s Physique Division
WPD is where things get a little more serious. If you compete here, judges are going to look for everything. You will be judged based on a balanced figure shape, proportion, muscle tone, and how well you can carry yourself on stage. Competitors need to wear a two-piece rhinestone suit with V-shaped bottoms and walk barefoot on the stage. Their posing routines require them to strike traditional bodybuilding poses with some mandatory poses. This division has one unique pose - an open-handed front and back double biceps pose. Competitors need to perform a 90-second routine to music in the final round.
If you are someone who builds muscles easily, and you are comfortable with a higher muscle development, the Women’s Physique Division can be the perfect fit for you.
Bodybuilding for Women
This division requires the most amount of muscular physique. While some people have replaced women's bodybuilding with women's physique, you can still find bodybuilding bikini competitions on national levels, including national events and shows. In this division, judges want to see the complete package. The mix of symmetry, muscle, and good size. These competitors also have some mandatory poses, and quarter turns for the final judging round wearing custom-made rhinestone bikini suits to show off their muscles.
If you are all about building muscles and do not fancy wearing high heels, then the women’s bodybuilding division is the best place to show off your hard-earned physique.
Fitness Division
The last division is the fitness division. This is a blend of performance and physique. Competitors have the standard figure and physique rhinestone bikinis but the main highlight is the fitness performance they need to perform with music. This division requires competitors to dance, do some gymnastics, and show off some strength moves. Most competitors in this division are cheerleaders, gymnasts, and dancers, you do not need any training to give this one a shot.
You need to come up with a strong routine for this because your score depends heavily on this only. Fitness can be the perfect fit for you if you can put together a striking stage routine. It can become a faster path to becoming a pro compared to other divisions.
Now that you know the different divisions and what you need to do to compete in them, make your hard work count. For a detailed guide on preparing for your first competition, be sure to read our beginner's guide to bikini competition prep.
Wherever you decide to compete, Competition Suit Shop offers you the best range of rhinestone bikinis to choose from. We make made-to-order rhinestone bikini suits for all federations, so you check one thing off your list.
Happy competing, ladies!
