The IFBB has established new classes: Women’s Fit-model & Men’s Fit-model. More dressed, less muscular. What do these classes add?
Women’s Fit-model & Men’s Fit-model
The classes Women’s Fit-model & Men’s Fit-model “have been officially recognized as a new sport discipline” by the IFBB Executive Council and the IFBB Congress on November 6th, 2015, in Benidorm, Spain [1,2]. I missed it until I saw the footage of the Levrone Pro Classic in Poland.
In short, you could call these classes a less muscular, less dry, and more dressed version of the Bikini Fitness class for women and the Men’s Physique class for men.
The body parts should have a nice appearance. The physique should neither be excessively muscular nor excessively lean. Physiques that are considered too muscular or too lean must be marked down[1].
You may wonder what the added value of such classes is. I certainly did. On the IFBB website, you can find the following:
IFBB doesn’t give up in searching of new possibilities for presentation of the human physique beauty. This time it will also include the prettiness and sublime elegance. With the beginning of 2016, IFBB has introduced two new sport divisions: Fit Model Women and Fit Model Men. In both cases, less attention is paid to body parts and muscles details in favour of overall lines and shape of the physique, elegance of moving on the stage, style and attractiveness of presentation[3].
Give it a chance?
When the Men’s Physique and Bikini-Fitness classes emerged, many questioned whether they belonged on the stage during “Bodybuilding” competitions. “Shouldn’t you be more muscular?” “Shouldn’t you train your legs?” (in the case of Men’s Physique regarding the shorts), “Shouldn’t you have harder abs?” (in Bikini Fitness). However, these are now very popular classes. For women, whose physique often appeals to more women (and men) than the more muscular classes. But also for the Men’s Physique men whose super narrow waists can arouse jealousy even in the most muscular bodybuilder. Sometimes time teaches us not to judge too quickly when we see a new class emerge.
Beauty pageant?
That being said, I still have difficulty seeing the added value of these classes. For women, I see participants who could easily compete in a Bikini Fitness class. They may enjoy wearing a beautiful dress themselves. I wonder how much more expensive it will be for the participants when I look at the prices the Bikini Fitness ladies already pay for two pieces of fabric. But well, I’m a man and naturally don’t understand that. However, if it’s about wearing beautiful clothes and to a lesser extent about your figure, what’s the difference with a beauty pageant? Soon, the ladies will have to talk about world peace and hunger in Africa.
I also don’t understand the function of the swimsuit instead of a bikini. Can’t we at least see that you have a tight stomach on a “fitness stage”? I don’t think the ladies in Poland had to be ashamed of that.
In the second round, men are allowed to show their stomachs under a blazer, but it must not be too hard. Next year: The “Dad bod” class?
Why offer the podium?
You could say: “Why not offer them a podium? They have also worked hard for it.” But in my opinion, that podium already exists with the existing Bikini-Fitness and Men’s Physique (although some of the men from Poland for Men’s Physique still have some work to do).
You could also say that it’s not about the different physique, but the opportunity as a candidate to wear different clothing. However, should that come at the expense of others who mainly want to work on their physique and to a lesser extent on their “elegance”?
As far as I’m concerned, it shouldn’t.
References
- http://www.ifbb.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Mens-Fit-Model-rules-final-to-be-released.pdf
- http://www.ifbb.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Womens-Fit-Model-Rules-final-to-be-released.pdf
- ifbb.com/2016/01/new-year-new-challenges-new-ifbb-sport-divisions/
