Women's Physique

Women's Physique Info and Rules

General Information

ENTRY DEADLINE: Entries are due by 9pm on April 16th, 2025. Late entries will have a $40.00 handling fee. Visit the registration page to enter
ELIGIBILITY: Open to all NPC registered athletes 18 and older. If you are not a NPC registered athlete, you can obtain your NPC card at www.NPCNewsOnline.com. This must be done prior to entering the contest. Bodybuilding, Classic Physique, Physique, Figure, Wellness and Bikini competitions are a national qualifier and therefore open to all NPC registered individuals.
DATE, TIME & LOCATION: April 19th, 2025 at 5pm | Niagara Falls Convention Center | 101 Old Falls St, Niagara Falls, NY 14303
CHECK-IN: Friday, April 18th, 2025 at 6:30pm at Niagara Falls Convention Center. (All contestants MUST report for height and/or weight verification and NPC membership)
PRE-JUDGING:
Athlete Meeting: Saturday, April 19th, 2025 at 9:00AM
Judging: Saturday, April 19th, 2025 at 10:00AM
EVENING SHOW: Contestants are to report at 4:30 PM on Saturday, April 19th, 2025. Finals at 5:00 PM. All contestants will be presented to the audience at the finals.
MUSIC: Bodybuilding, Men’s Classic Physique and Women’s Physique: All music must be uploaded into Muscleware and should be no longer than 60 seconds. Once registered, you will be able to upload your music into the software. This must be done by 9pm April 16th, 2025. If music is deemed to have profanity, the contestant will be disqualified. Men’s Physique, Figure, Wellness and Bikini will use house music.
AWARDS: Top five in each class and overall winners will receive awards
MISC: All contestants must display good sportsmanship at all times and follow rules. Signing the registration form is consent of acceptance to financial responsibility for replacement cost of Convention Center property caused by misuse.

Criteria for Judging Competitors

Muscularity
Condition
Symmetry and Balance
Presentation (Posing)

Women's Physique athletes should display:

More muscular density than seen in figure
Clear muscle separation – small amount of striations is acceptable
Emphasis is on muscular development with full muscle bellies
Muscular development should be balanced between upper and lower body

Women's Physique athletes should NOT display:

An overly striated physique
Graininess associated with female bodybuilding

Women's Physique Height & Age Classes

Up to and including 5'6''
Over 5'6''
Over 35

Photo Credit: Tony Spriglia

Women's Physique
Competitor Rules

Suits worn by Women’s Physique competitors for prejudging must be a two piece. Suits do not have to be solid in color.
The bottom of the suit must be v-shaped. No thongs are permitted.
Competitors can compete in an off-the-rack suit.
All suits must be in good taste.

Photo Credit: Kenny Krug

Women's Physique
Check-Ins

All suits will be inspected at the check-in’s. Every competitor must wear their competition suit under their clothing to check-in’s for inspection. If your suit is not inspected you will not be permitted to compete. No Exceptions.
If you change your competition suit from prejudging to finals and the judges deem it not to conform to the rules you will be directed to leave the stage. No Exceptions.

Photo Credit: Tony Spriglia

Women's Physique Judging Format

Prejudging

Individual routine with 10 second warning up to one minute in time.
Quarter turns
Mandatory posing comparisons/callouts

Finals  Individual Posing Routine

Finals routine will be 60 seconds in length, performed to music of athletes choice adhering to rules set forth by the NPC. Music containing profanity or explicit language should not be used and may result in routine being cut short.
No props will be used.
No heels may be worn at any time during the competition/judging of women’s physique.
No Gymnastics Moves are Allowed.

Mandatory Poses

Front double biceps/open hands (no flat footed full front pose – some sort of front twisting pose)Back double biceps/open hands
Side triceps with leg extended
Side chest with arms extended
Front ab/thigh

Physique Judging Criteria

Symmetry, shape, proportion, muscle tone, poise and beauty flow
Physique assessment and comparison will take place during prejudging
Women’s Physique Division has been created to give a platform for women who enjoy weight training, competing, contest preparation. Competitors should display a toned, athletic physique showcasing femininity, muscle tone, beauty/flow of physique.

The following are examples of common terms used in the bodybuilding industry. These words can be helpful to assess what should not be descriptive to the physiques being judged in women’s physique:

Ripped, shredded, peeled, striated, dry, diced, hard, vascular, grainy, massive, thick, dense, etc.

While all types of physiques will be considered when it comes to height, weight, structure, etc. Excessive muscularity should be scored down accordingly.

Women’s physique competitors should have the overall aesthetics and look that is found in figure with a little more overall muscularity.