by Christian Duque
Let’s all welcome the Fit Model Division to the seemingly non-exhaustive list of divisions hosted at the NPC and IFBB Pro League. And before going on, I’m by no means picking on the American-dominant IFBB because the European dominant one launched a division that featured women in dresses some years ago. Both IFBB’s and any number of other smaller federations like to introduce junk divisions for one simple reason – money. Of course they won’t come and say it, but that’s what you have me for.
Since I no longer do contest coverage, I no longer have to watch what I say. And thanks to the strong support of IronMag Labs, as the title sponsor for StrengthAddicts, I don’t have to worry about the brass placing a phone call that will end the relationship. That said, I’ve owned and operated StrengthAddicts since August 2008. It’s not going anywhere. And I’ve written well over 800 articles for Iron Magazine. Robert DiMaggio, or simply Rob as I call him, is also not about to let anyone tell him how to spend his money and/or allow anyone to instruct him on his writers for Iron Magazine as to what they can and can’t say. Our digital magazine is all about honest news and honest commentary. To cut to the chase, I think “Fit Model” is bullshit, but will it be a huge success? More than likely, and here’s why.
Bodybuilding is the flagship division and while I’m sure I’m going to probably ruffle many feathers – as I often do – it’s the toughest division. There’s a reason why you have men and women fighting for years to earn a pro card in bodybuilding. We can’t forget guys like Vinny Galanti who battled for over a decade to get to that point. Look at how hard the late, great Andy Haman had to fight. Look at how much Jerome “Hollywood” Ferguson battled.
Going pro in bodybuilding actually meant something back in the day. And even today, it’s still far more difficult than the other men’s and women’s divisions. That said, when the newer divisions were first unveiled, you had people going pro that looked like trash. When Bikini first came out, there were women who looked like they never worked out before. It was as if they had finished their shifts at Hooters or the local strip joint, bought a bikini, and got on stage. And they went PRO!
You had guys who looked like they had trained all of three months earning pro cards in Men’s Physique. I kid you not. And once you’re a pro – you’re a pro for life. Well, provided you’re not a rebel like Lee Priest, but you know what I mean.
Subpar competitors bring down the overall quality of a division. We saw this often in Fitness. Now there’s a division that’s fun to watch! A great fitness routine can bring the house down. The problem is, not all routines are great. In fact, at the local and even at the regional level, you had Fitness Divisions of one. Meaning one competitor showed up. That one competitor “won their class” and then went on to “win the overall.” Sometimes that one competitor didn’t even know how to pull off a couple of moves, let alone a great routine. That started happening more and more and before you knew it, these inexperienced “nationally qualified” fitness contenders started showing up at national events. This happens with all new divisions. The judges don’t know – definitively – what they’re looking for – and the competitors have even less of a clue. During the confusion that ensues, countless mediocre athletes will “earn” pro cards.
The new Fit Model Division will be the same thing. It’s an all but forgone conclusion that the judges will fumble around with it for the first 1-2 years. It might even take three years before they know exactly what they’re looking for. And why? What’s the point of adding another division? Is it going to be more inclusive? Will bodybuilding grow?
The reality of the matter is that this will be the eleventh division – provided it’s only for the women. Imagine if they add it for men and women? If that’s the case, they’ll have a dozen divisions total. Imagine how much later local, regional, and national shows will finish. Imagine what this will do to pro shows. Imagine how long the Olympia will now run. And for what? What’s the benefit of yet another soft division that will inevitably get as hard as the rest. And by “hard,” I don’t mean competitive, I mean drug use will make for harder physiques. I mean all of these new divisions start out being mainstream and striving for beach body looks to sell protein powder and suntan lotion, but the drugs turn them all into large, ripped-to-shreds freaks. It’s happened with Bikini and Figure on the women’s side and it’s happened with MPD on the men’s side.
Men’s Physique guys are bordering on Classic. And Classic guys could easily crossover into bodybuilding and do quite well. I mean look at Chris Bumstead. Two weeks after doing the Classic Physique Olympia, he almost won a Pro Bodybuilding show and battled with the #4 bodybuilder in the world. The lines that separate the divisions are BLURRY AT BEST. So then why create more divisions?
I’ll give you one guess. If you said, MONEY, you guessed right. That’s what the real motivating factor is. But if it meant more reach for physique-based sports, then I’d be all for it. But it won’t translate to that at all. It will just enrich the federation and water down the pro card.
In the end, I like to give you, the loyal readers of Iron Magazine, the final word. So what say you? Is this new division a good addition? As always, thanks for reading my article. I look forward to reading your feedback in the comments.
