Tanji Johnson and Tina Durkin stood out with lean, balanced, muscular physiques, just slightly more muscular than the Figure girls. Adela Garcia, the reigning Ms. International and Ms. Olympia, was symmetrical and muscular….a little too muscular from my perspective. It’s understandable considering her long and successful career. Truthfully, her condition and muscularity have been set as the standard by her multiple Olympia and International wins. If the IFBB is looking for a Women’s Physique archetype, Adela’s physique should be it.
Finally, the Ms. International bodybuilders were called out. Now here’s a rub for me. I love muscular women. No, I’m not a schmoe…I’m married to a champion bodybuilder. I just can’t fathom that the IFBB is eliminating Female bodybuilding! I don’t care what the press releases state; it’s not about steroid use and women’s health. It’s about the money. Female bodybuilders appeal to a small market, therefore making them unappealing to fitness industry advertising…and there is where the bulk of the money comes from that supports magazines, sponsors athletes, and finances pro and national amateur shows. So here comes the WP…Women’s Physique…to replace bodybuilding. Take a figure competitor and stick a few more pounds of muscle on her and she’s still marketable. Mark my words: the WP will eventually morph back into bodybuilding. As the prototypical WP body is defined over the next year or two, each following year will find a woman just a tiny bit bigger winning, until we end up with what we left behind.
I’ll leave it at that.
The majority of the muscled women this year were in the top shape of their lives. Big, ripped, symmetrical, and ready to rumble. Iris was the apparent winner, even in the early judging. She did, however, have some trouble midway through the rounds. Apparently too dehydrated, the judging had to be stopped momentarily to allow a medic to bring her some bottled water and give her a quick visual diagnosis. You really couldn’t tell that she was hurting except for 30 seconds of her bending over, hands on knees following her drink. She rallied and finished the rounds with a smile and a very confident affectation.
Yaxeni was spectacular, and as far as my taste goes, should have won the title. Her muscularity was denser than Iris’, her shape a little more pleasing to the eye. Yet no one can come close to Iris’ lower body. Her long, full quad sweeps, hanging hammies, and unreal calves are light years ahead of the pack. Her overall conditioning, however, was about a week out from perfect, and it’s my guess the cause behind her dehydration issue. It’s a common mistake bodybuilders make at all levels of competition. They mistake the thin layer of fat hiding that ripped muscularity for water and desperately try to drain it with life-threatening measures. The perfectly conditioned Iris cannot be beat by any of the current pros on the circuit.
Maria Bello was unbelievably cut…I mean ripped! None of the men could’ve compared. Yet she sacrificed muscle to get there, coupled with a very week lat spread, making her a spectacle, but not in the running for a win. If she brings up her lats and keeps 5-7 lbs more muscle, she’ll be a top three competitor. Her ass was so shredded that it was a little sickening.
Alina Popa was pure eye candy. If anyone has the chance to become the new, long-running champ, it’s her. First, she’s gorgeous. That alone is novel in women’s bodybuilding. Even dieted down, her face still holds its beauty. And her physique is very balanced, perfect symmetry head to toe. She just needs 10 lbs more muscle and the trophy can be hers.
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Who say’s the women competing in the new physique division aren’t strong? Not me…in fact, as much as I love hardcore female muscle, I do like the retro look of the new physique class.
