Tag Archive: figure

So…What Do You DO? (Bodybuilding)

Concerned friends and family members are always confused as to what I’m training for. Why do I go to the gym twice a day? Why do I cook 500 pounds of chicken in one sitting? What does 8 weeks out mean and what is a “cheat meal”? There’s no easy way to describe it, so normally I just smile and say, “I’m 8 weeks away from wearing a bikini and heels on stage with a bunch of other girls – this is what needs to be done!”

But it’s not that simple. Let me break it down as best (and easy!) as I can.

What is it called?

When I tell people about what I do, I refer to it as “Body building,” though to be technical I’m a figure competitor. If you think of a bodybuilding show as having 4 “levels” (I’m talking about your traditional NPC show here), I’m a “Level 2.” I’ll explain.

Level One-  Bikini

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Bikini athletes, like the beautiful Nikki Blackketter above from NikkiBNation, are the “level 1″ of body building. These girls are slim and athletic looking, but not overbearingly so. They have smooth lines and firm bodies. They don’t have a ton of muscle and they’re not terribly lean. Their bikini’s show off their glutes, their poses focus on their small waist and proportionate upper body. They are “level 1″ because, in the scheme of the shows, they’re the least muscular. They still lift weights and do cardio and count macros etc., but they’re expected to be lean without being “cut.”

Level Two – Figure

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Figure athletes are what I consider a “level 2.” Above is Ava Cowen, who’s considered one of the top figure athletes in the game.These girls have more muscle than bikini, and that muscle is more prominent due to their lower body fat. They have strong, wide backs that are showcased in their poses. Additionally, they have to do a number of poses that show off these different muscles. Since they’re leaner than bikini they require more conditioning, and since they’re more muscular they have stricter diets to maintain this muscle. Judges like a strong back, good shoulders, and symmetry. Posing also focuses on the “X” shape – that is a wide upper body, small waist and proportionate lower body.

Level 3 – Physique

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Physique is figure, but with more muscle and even leaner. Where figure athletes should have lines, physique athletes have striations. Their posing routine is more fluid and very similar to mens body building. The focus is their conditioning, size, and vascularity. They even have a 30 second routine to music much like mens bodybuilding does. Pictured above is Dana Linn Bailey, who’s considered the queen of physique. She’s won the Olympia (the Holy Grail of bodybuilding) in physique multiple times. These women are truly dedicated, their conditioning and diet is spotless. As you’ve probably guessed, the higher you go up in “levels” the harder the look is to achieve.

Level 4 – Bodybuilding

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The final level of body building is body building itself. Often when I mention bodybuilding to the average person this is what they ultimately think of, mostly due to the greats like Arnold and Lou. Above is my coach Judy Gaillard, an IFBB pro women’s body builder. As you can see, they are even more muscular than physique and even more defined. The ideal is big, symmetrical muscles that are easily visualized from one muscle to the next. They, too, use similar poses as mens bodybuilding and have a 30 second pose to music routine that they do.

That’s a simple, quick and dirty break down of the 4 “levels” of body building!

Where have you BEEN?

I know, I know, it’s been awhile since you’ve heard from me. My life, like the lives of all 20-something year olds in professional school, has been one crazy thing after another.

First, in February, I competed in my first powerlifting competition! During which I set 4 state records and came in as the second female overall, barely losing to the overall female by 2 points.

Second, I finished my second year of veterinary school. The last month (well, weeks really) marked a lot of huge changes in my life. I lost a classmate and friend during finals week and found myself single for the first time in two years. These two events together made me realize that life is too short and too beautiful for negativity. Instead of being angry at how I was treated, I decided to use that energy for positivity. That brings me to…

Third, I competed in powerlifting AGAIN and smashed my previous lift numbers in April. I set 4 more state records and made a lot of friends. Around this time I decided to try something new. I do love powerlifting, but I’ve always wanted to step on stage in a bikini and show off all my hard work. So, you guessed it…

Fourth – I’m competing in figure! My competition is mid August and I’ve been working with a coach for my nutrition, while still doing some serious powerlifting for my workouts. I know I’ll return to powerlifting (I miss Poptarts and cake daily) but for now this a fun foray into an aspect of fitness I’ve never experienced before.

This summer I’m working at an emergency clinic to get some more experience before I start clinical rotations in July. Look for more content this summer, from articles on fasted cardio to check ins as I embark on my first figure competition. Yes, this is a science blog, but first and foremost it’s my blog. Get ready to see my face a lot!