The "downsizing" letter! Is this true?

[Mike Pulcinella]

I heard that a few years ago the IFBB sent a letter to all female bodybuilders asking them to "downsize". The idea was that female bodybuilders were getting too big and that it was becoming detrimental to the popularity of the sport. Is anyone here familiar with that letter?

 

[phoenix13]

I haven't seen the letter, but know what you're referring (and there are references to it in this months MD, John Romano feature on Britt Miller). The powers that be mandated a 20% reduction for the ladies. This has caused lots of confusion as to what is the standard by which one should reduce herself.... i.e., if Iris is considered the standard since she wins the big shows, is Iris minus 20% the new ideal? Is it referring solely to mass? Does it take into account conditioning?

Since it is not clear, and this is a subjective sport, after all, some ladies I've talked to at the top nat'l and pro level are all pretty much of the attitude that they will create the look that most pleases themselves b/c who knows how the judging will go.

 

[mikeheavypecs]

I haven't seen the letter, but know what you're referring (and there are references to it in this months MD, John Romano feature on Britt Miller). The powers that be mandated a 20% reduction for the ladies. This has caused lots of confusion as to what is the standard by which one should reduce herself.... i.e., if Iris is considered the standard since she wins the big shows, is Iris minus 20% the new ideal? Is it referring solely to mass? Does it take into account conditioning?

Since it is not clear, and this is a subjective sport, after all, some ladies I've talked to at the top nat'l and pro level are all pretty much of the attitude that they will create the look that most pleases themselves b/c who knows how the judging will go.

This is always a very sore spot for me with the IFBB (and in the past NPC). The pendulum swings back and forth every 10 years or so beginning with Lisa Lyons back in teh late 70's to the Bev Francis "Look" in the late 80's that caused both IFBB AND NPC to swing greatly back to the "feminine" look. That is why i elect to mainly judge men. It is much more stable in judging criteria (MASS, SYMMETRY, and Conditioning). That is why there is such variation in womens bodybuilding because the judges themselves don't know what is in "vogue" to look for in a women competitor, even at the International Level. Oh well, it will swing back to less mass (masculine) look and then before we know it the women will be getting massive again in another 5 years; that is what the audience wants to see , anyway......MASS in both men and women.

Mike

 

[oldfella]

This is always a very sore spot for me with the IFBB (and in the past NPC). The pendulum swings back and forth every 10 years or so beginning with Lisa Lyons back in teh late 70's to the Bev Francis "Look" in the late 80's that caused both IFBB AND NPC to swing greatly back to the "feminine" look. That is why i elect to mainly judge men. It is much more stable in judging criteria (MASS, SYMMETRY, and Conditioning). That is why there is such variation in womens bodybuilding because the judges themselves don't know what is in "vogue" to look for in a women competitor, even at the International Level. Oh well, it will swing back to less mass (masculine) look and then before we know it the women will be getting massive again in another 5 years; that is what the audience wants to see , anyway......MASS in both men and women.

Mike

Good pts Mike. I am of the opinion and always have been of the opinion that Body Building was to be judged on 1. muscularity 2. Symmetry 3. Definition and 4. Separation.

Now please correct me if I am wrong here but I always interpreted muscularity as "having an appreciable amount of muscle mass on your frame, whether male or female. Then you judge according to the other criteria and you pick the winner! Now since the introduction of fitness models, figure shapers, bikini models why are they asking for female BBers to downsize?? if they want to see a beauty pagent then look at the other classes. But Body Building is just that. Packing on as much muscle as you can and carving it up to an astheticly pleasing look. Another nail in the coffin for female physique contests is all I see here. I thought this was why they created the other divisions, so that all females that wish to compete may do so in their choice of category. I say let the Body builders do their thing!!!

 

[Mike Pulcinella]

Good pts Mike. I am of the opinion and always have been of the opinion that Body Building was to be judged on 1. muscularity 2. Symmetry 3. Definition and 4. Separation.

Now please correct me if I am wrong here but I always interpreted muscularity as "having an appreciable amount of muscle mass on your frame, whether male or female. Then you judge according to the other criteria and you pick the winner! Now since the introduction of fitness models, figure shapers, bikini models why are they asking for female BBers to downsize?? if they want to see a beauty pagent then look at the other classes. But Body Building is just that. Packing on as much muscle as you can and carving it up to an astheticly pleasing look. Another nail in the coffin for female physique contests is all I see here. I thought this was why they created the other divisions, so that all females that wish to compete may do so in their choice of category. I say let the Body builders do their thing!!!

I very much agree. Bodybuilding is bodybuilding. You want something more classicly feminine, there's figure and fitness. But bodybuilding is what it is...pushing the body to the extreme. That's why it's exciting and women shouldn't have any more restrictions on it than men.

 

[Mike Pulcinella]

Good pts Mike. I am of the opinion and always have been of the opinion that Body Building was to be judged on 1. muscularity 2. Symmetry 3. Definition and 4. Separation.

Now please correct me if I am wrong here but I always interpreted muscularity as "having an appreciable amount of muscle mass on your frame, whether male or female. Then you judge according to the other criteria and you pick the winner! Now since the introduction of fitness models, figure shapers, bikini models why are they asking for female BBers to downsize?? if they want to see a beauty pagent then look at the other classes. But Body Building is just that. Packing on as much muscle as you can and carving it up to an astheticly pleasing look. Another nail in the coffin for female physique contests is all I see here. I thought this was why they created the other divisions, so that all females that wish to compete may do so in their choice of category. I say let the Body builders do their thing!!!

I very much agree. Bodybuilding is bodybuilding. You want something more classicly feminine, there's figure and fitness. But bodybuilding is what it is...pushing the body to the extreme. That's why it's exciting and women shouldn't have any more restrictions on it than men.

 

[Sassy]

I haven't seen the letter, but know what you're referring (and there are references to it in this months MD, John Romano feature on Britt Miller). The powers that be mandated a 20% reduction for the ladies. This has caused lots of confusion as to what is the standard by which one should reduce herself.... i.e., if Iris is considered the standard since she wins the big shows, is Iris minus 20% the new ideal? Is it referring solely to mass? Does it take into account conditioning?

I do remember reading something about this a couple of years ago. I did a search and googled it, but I couldn't find it. The only thing I came up with was from Wikipedia... LOL They have a little bit on everything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_bodybuilder