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Rules & Regulations

June 1, 2004

CBBF Chief Judging Official Debbie Karpenko has valuable insight along with years of top-level judging experience.
(photo June 2002)

(Almost) Everything You Need to Know About Competing Nationally in Figure this Year

The CBBF is the governing body for bodybuilding, fitness, and figure competition in Canada, and is the only organization that qualifies competitors for IFBB Pro Card status, as well as the IFBB World Championships

Fitness has been featured on the national stage for years now, but figure only began in the CBBF in 2003. As a result, when the first two national-level figure competitions occur in Canada in July, it will be the first time that many competitors will be on a national stage. Understandably then, there are likely numerous questions that any first-timer will have. Luckily, the CBBF is aware of this, and thanks to Mark Smishek (CBBF president) and Debbie Karpenko (chief judging official), this brief summary of the figure competition has been compiled and is being supplied to competitors who have entered the competitions.

Since some competitors have not entered yet, and others may only be thinking about it, we’ve obtained a copy and are publishing it here so everyone can see what it entails.

To find out more about the CBBF Canadian Figure and Fitness Championships to be held July 3rd in Brantford, Ontario, and the CBBF National World Qualifier to be held July 24th in London, Ontario, (the latter features figure and fitness as well as bodybuilding), please visit CBBF.net.

Figure Competition -- CBBF Rules
(Note: subject to change without notice)

(Note: Rules below in effect as of June 1, 2004. Since figure is a new and evolving sport there is a good chance that the rules may change in the future. Always contact your promoter as your contest date nears to ensure that you are aware of the latest rules. Knowing the rules is the responsibility of each competitor. SeriousAboutFitness.com and the CBBF cannot be held responsible for misunderstandings, rule changes, or errors in the text below. This is only a guide.)

Figure is considered a new discipline in response to the demand for fitness competition without the need to perform a routine round. In Figure, the emphasis is placed on aesthetics – beauty combined with an athletic physique.

Categories

There are three categories in Figure competition as follows:

  1. Up to and including 158 cm (SHORT);
  2. Up to 164 cm (MEDIUM); and
  3. Over 164cm (TALL).

Rounds

Figure consists of the following rounds:

  1. Prejudging - Round 1 (two-piece bikini);
  2. Prejudging - Round 2 (one-piece swimsuit); and
  3. Finals - Round 3 (two-piece bikini).

Round 1

Attire for Round 1 (two-piece bikini)
The attire for Round 1 (two-piece bikini) will conform to the following criteria:

  1. The bikini will be plain, opaque, two-piece in style.
  2. The bikini will be solid black in color.
  3. The bikini fabric will be cloth in material (no plastic, rubberized or similar material).
  4. The bikini will be matt in texture (no shiny material).
  5. The bikini will contain no ornamentation, frills, lacework edges or borders.
  6. The bikini will cover a minimum of half of the gluteus maximus and half of the breasts.
  7. High-heels will be worn during this round. Shoe style must be black, classic stiletto style, open-toe and -heel acceptable. Sole thickness will be no greater than 6.35 millimeters (¼"); stiletto height will be no greater than 127 millimeters (5"). Platform high-heels will be strictly prohibited.
  8. The hair may be styled.
  9. Jewelry may be worn, within limits.
  10. The Chief Official, or a delegated representative, will have the right to determine if a competitor's attire meets an acceptable standard of taste and decency.

Presentation of Round 1 (two-piece bikini)
The procedures for Round 1 (two-piece bikini) will be as follows:

  1. The entire category will be called onstage, in a single line and in numerical order.
  2. In numerical order, and in groups of no more than five competitors at a time, each group will be directed to the center-stage area to perform the following four quarter turns:
    · Quarter-turn-right
    · Quarter-turn back
    · Quarter-turn right
    · Quarter-turn front
  3. This initial grouping of competitors, and performance of the quarter turns, is intended to assist the judges in determining which competitors will take part in the comparisons that follow.
  4. All comparisons will be carried out center-stage in the order requested by the judge.
  5. All competitors will undergo at least one comparison.
  6. Upon completion of the last comparison, all competitors will return to a single lineup, in numerical order, before exiting the stage.

Scoring of Round 1 (two-piece bikini):
The scoring for Round 1 (two-piece bikini) will proceed as follows:

  1. Each judge will award each competitor an individual placing, ensuring that no two or more competitors receive the same placing.
  2. With nine judges, two high and two low scores will be discarded. The remaining scores will be added to produce a "Round 1 Subscore" and a "Round 1 Placing."

Assessment of Round 1 (two-piece bikini):
Round 1 (two-piece bikini) will be assessed using the following criteria:

  1. The judge should first assess the overall athletic appearance of the physique. This assessment should begin at the head and extend downwards, taking the whole physique into account. The assessment, beginning with a general impression of the physique, should take into consideration the hair and facial beauty; the overall athletic development of the musculature; the presentation of a balanced, symmetrically developed physique; the condition of the skin and the skin tone; and the athlete's ability to present herself with confidence, poise and grace.
  2. The physique should be assessed as to its level of overall muscle tone, achieved through athletic endeavors. The muscle groups should have a round and firm appearance with a small amount of body fat. The physique should neither be excessively muscular nor excessively lean and should be free from deep muscle separation and/or striations. Physiques that are considered either too muscular or too lean must be marked down.
  3. The assessment should also take into consideration the tightness and tone of the skin. The skin tone should be smooth and healthy in appearance, and without cellulite. The face, hair and makeup should complement the "Total Package" presented by the athlete.
  4. The judge's assessment of the athlete's physique should include the athlete's entire presentation, from the moment she walks onstage until the moment she walks offstage. At all times, the fitness competitor must be viewed with the emphasis on a "healthy, fit, athletic" physique, in an attractively presented "Total Package."

Round 2

Attire for Round 2 (one-piece swimsuit)

The attire for Round 2 (one-piece swimsuit) will conform to the following criteria:

  1. One-piece swimsuit, must cover entire torso, no holes or see-through material.
  2. Color, material, texture at the discretion of the competitor.
  3. The swimsuit will cover a minimum of half of the gluteus maximus and half of the breasts.
  4. High-heels will be worn during this round. Shoe style must be classic stiletto style, open-toe and -heel acceptable, color at the competitor's discretion. Sole thickness will be no greater than 6.35 millimeters (¼"); stiletto height will be no greater than 127 millimeters (5"). Platform high-heels will be strictly prohibited.
  5. The hair may be styled.
  6. Jewelry may be worn, within limits.
  7. The Chief Official, or a delegated representative, will have the right to determine if a competitor's attire meets an acceptable standard of taste and decency.

Presentation of Round 2 (one-piece swimsuit)

  1. Same as Round 1 (quarter turns)

Scoring of Round 2 (one-piece swimsuit)

The scoring for Round 2 (one-piece swimsuit) will proceed as follows:

  1. Each judge will award each competitor an individual placing, ensuring that no two or more competitors receive the same placing.
  2. With nine judges, two high and two low scores will be discarded. The remaining scores will be added to produce a "Round 2 Subscore." This subscore will then be added to the "Round 1 Subscore" to produce a "Prejudging Score" and a "Prejudging Placing."

Assessment of Round 2 (one-piece swimsuit):

Round 2 (one-piece swimsuit) will be assessed using the following criteria:

  1. The judges assess the physiques using the same criteria used for Round 1(see above).
  2. The judges must be mindful of the fact that a competitor may present a different "Total Package" while wearing a swimsuit with high-heels as opposed to a bikini with high-heels. Therefore, judges must ensure that this round is judged from a "fresh" perspective, ensuring that all competitors receive a fair assessment based upon their attire in this round.

Round 3 (finals)

Attire for Round 3 (two-piece bikini)

The attire for Round 3 (two-piece bikini) will conform to the following criteria:

  1. Two-piece bikini.
  2. Color, material, texture at the discretion of the competitor.
  3. High-heels will be worn during this round. Shoe style must be classic stiletto style, open-toe and -heel acceptable, color at the competitor's discretion. Sole thickness will be no greater than 6.35 millimeters (¼"); stiletto height will be no greater than 127 millimeters (5"). Platform high-heels will be strictly prohibited.
  4. The hair may be styled.
  5. Jewelry may be worn, within limits.
  6. The Chief Official, or a delegated representative, will have the right to determine if a competitor's attire meets an acceptable standard of taste and decency.

Presentation of Round 3 (two-piece bikini)

The procedures for Round 3 (two-piece bikini) will be as follows:

  1. The top 15 finalists will be called onstage, in a single line and in numerical order.
  2. In numerical order, each competitor will be introduced by number, name and city.
  3. The entire lineup will be directed to perform the four quarter turns.
  4. The entire lineup will be asked to exit the stage.
  5. The top 6 finalists will be called back onstage, in a single line and in numerical order.
  6. As a group, the top 6 finalists will be directed to perform the four quarter turns.
  7. The entire lineup will be asked to exit the stage.

Scoring of Round 3 (two-piece bikini)

The scoring for Round 3 (two-piece bikini) will proceed as follows:

  1. Each judge will award the top 6 finalists an individual placing, ensuring that no two or more competitors receive the same placing.
  2. With nine judges, two high and two low scores will be discarded. The remaining scores will be added to produce a "Round 3 Subscore." This subscore will then be added to the "Prejudging Subscore" to produce a "Final Score" and "Final Placing."

Assessment of Round 3 (two-piece bikini)

  1. The same criteria used in judging Round 1 will be used in this round. However, the judges must be mindful of the fact that a competitor may present a different "Total Package" while wearing a two-piece bikini of her own choosing. Therefore, judges must ensure that this round is judged from a "fresh" perspective, ensuring that all competitors receive fair assessment based upon their attire in this round.

Description of the four quarter turns:

Quarter-turn right: Relaxed erect stance, head and eyes facing the same direction as the body, heels together, feet inclined outward at a 30° angle, knees together and unbent, stomach in, chest out, shoulders back, left arm hanging relaxed and slightly back from the center-line of the body with a slight bend at the elbow, thumb and fingers together, palm facing the direction of the body, hand slightly cupped, right arm hanging relaxed and slightly front of the center-line of the body with a slight bend at the elbow, thumb and fingers together, palm facing the body, hand slightly cupped. The positioning of the arms will cause the upper body to twist slightly to the left, with the left shoulder lowered and the right shoulder raised. This is normal and must not be exaggerated. This position is a relaxed stance. Flexing of the muscles is prohibited.

Quarter-turn back: Relaxed erect stance, head and eyes facing the same direction as the body, heels together, feet inclined outward at a 30° angle, knees together and unbent, stomach in, chest out, shoulders back, both arms hanging relaxed and at the side along the center-line of the body, elbows slightly bent, thumbs and fingers together, palms facing the body, hands slightly cupped, tips of the fingers resting lightly on the hips. This position is a relaxed stance. Flexing of the muscles is prohibited.

Quarter-turn right: Relaxed erect stance, head and eyes facing the same direction as the body, heels together, feet inclined outward at a 30° angle, knees together and unbent, stomach in, chest out, shoulders back, right arm hanging relaxed and slightly back from the center-line of the body with a slight bend at the elbow, thumb and fingers together, palm facing the direction of the body, hand slightly cupped, left arm hanging relaxed and slightly front of the center-line of the body with a slight bend at the elbow, thumb and fingers together, palm facing the body, hand slightly cupped. The positioning of the arms will cause the upper body to twist slightly to the right, with the right shoulder lowered and the left shoulder raised. This is normal and must not be exaggerated. This position is a relaxed stance. Flexing of the muscles is prohibited.
 
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Please remember: These are advanced athletes and the information given here is for educational purposes only. Before you begin any type of exercise program, we strongly urge you to consult your physician.