Rules

Definition of Novice & TRUE NOVICE: If an athlete has placed in the top ten (10) of any national event (including the IFBB North AmericanChampionships), the athlete is no longer considered a novice.  A true novice is an athlete that has never entered an NPC event.

NEW BIKINI CLASSES
OPEN BIKINI
. INFORMATION WILL BE IN THE ENTRY FORM
. ALL NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE FOR ONE YEAR
. FIGURE WILL HAVE JUST TWO PIECE SUITS, THERE WILL BE NO MORE ONE PIECE SUITS.

·Must be a member in good standing with the NPC.
·Membership runs from January 1 to December 31.
·Membership provides the competitor with insurance coverage to, from and during any event in which they are competing.
·Members also receive the NPC NEWS magazine for the duration of their membership.
·Competitors at local or regional level events may purchase an NPC card at Friday check-in.
POSING SUITS- FOR BODYBUILDERS
·All suit bottoms must be V-shaped, no thongs are permitted.

·Suits worn by male competitors at the Prejudging and at the Finals must be plain in color with no fringes,
wording, or sparkle and no fluorescents.
·Suits worn by female competitors at the Prejudging must be two-piece and plain in color with no fringes,
wording, or sparkle and no fluorescents.
·Suits worn by female competitors at the Finals must be two-piece but may include a printed design with
fringes, lace, sparkle or fluorescents that are in good taste.
·All Prejudging suits will be checked at the morning Check-in.
·Competitors are not permitted to alter the fit of the posing suit by hiking it up in the back or by pulling up the sides during Front and Rear Lat Spreads.
POSING MUSIC
·Posing music will be used at the Finals only with the exception of Mixed Pairs competitors who will use
music at both the Prejudging and the Finals.
·Posing music must be on a CD and must be the only music on the CD.
·Posing music must not contain vulgar lyrics. Competitors using music containing vulgar lyrics will be disqualified.

ONSTAGE
·During the Prejudging male and female competitors are not permitted to wear any jewelry on stage other than a wedding band and decorative pieces in the hair are not permitted.
·During the Finals female competitors are permitted to wear earrings on stage.
·No glasses, props or gum are permitted on stage.
·Any competitor doing the “Moon Pose” will be disqualified.
·Bumping and shoving is prohibited. First and second persons involved will be disqualified.
·Competitor numbers will be worn on the left side of the suit bottoms.
BACKSTAGE
·The only people permitted in the backstage area are competitors, expediters and NPC officials.
·Alcohol is not permitted in the facility.
COMPETITORS HEALTH
·Any competitor who appears to be disoriented, light headed or experiences undue cramping will be
disqualified from the contest.
·Any competitor disqualified for health reasons must be checked by attending EMT and, if it is advised by the EMT, must go to the nearest hospital for evaluation.
·Competitors who refuse to be evaluated at the hospital will be suspended from competition for a period of one year from the date of the occurrence.
THE PREJUDGING POSING ROUNDS
Judges will score competitors according to the NPC “total package” which is ultimately a balance of size,
symmetry and muscularity.

·Relaxed Round
·Keep your feet flat.
·Keep your heels together.
·Hold your arms at your sides.
·No twisting.
·Your head must be facing the same direction as your feet.

·Mandatory Round
·Front Double Bicep
·Front Lat Spread
·Side Chest
·Side Tricep
·Rear Double Bicep
·Rear Lat Spread
·Abdominals with one thigh
·
WEIGHT CLASSES
Male Competitors (All Contests)
·Bantamweight -Up to 143 ¼ lb.
·Lightweight -Over 143 ¼ lb. up to 154 ¼ lb.
·Middleweight -Over 154 ¼ lb. up to 176 ¼ lb.
·Light-Heavyweight -Over 176 ¼ lb. up to 198 ¼ lb.
·Heavyweight -Over 198 ¼ lb. up to 225 ¼ lb.
·Super-Heavyweight -Over 225 ¼ lb

Female Competitors (Non-Tested Contests)
·Lightweight -Up to 118 lb.
·Middleweight -Over 118 lb. up to 132 lb.
·Heavyweight -Over 132 lb.

Female Competitors (Polygraph Tested Contests)
·Lightweight -Up to 114 ½ lb.
·Middleweight -Over 114 ½ lb. up to 125 ½ lb.
·Heavyweight -Over 125 ½ lb.
·Class winners of the drug-free NPC TEAM UNIVERSE CHAMPIONSHIPS go on to represent the
United States in the IFBB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS which are run under the IFBB weight limits.
Hence, the NPC polygraph tested contests are run under the same IFBB weight limits.

NOVICE CLASSIFICATION
·A novice competitor is one who has never placed top 3 in their weight class in a Novice, Masters or Open
competition.

NATIONAL LEVEL QUALIFICATIOINS
·A competitor must place in the top two in their weight class of the Men’s Open or in the top three in their
weight class of the Women’s Open division in a contest that has been sanctioned as a national qualifier.
·This qualifies the competitor for competition on the national level for a period of one full calendar year
after the year that the qualification took place.
Figure girls same guidelines, but please disregard round two- fitness routine round

NPC WOMEN’S FITNESS GUIDELINES
National Physique Committee of the USA

QUALIFICATIONS
·Open to all members of the NPC
·Contestants competing in local and state level events NPC membership cards may be obtained Friday at checkin
·Contestants competing in national level events must purchase NPC cards at least 6 weeks in advance of the contest. Call (412) 276-5027 for an NPC membership application.

RULES
·Competitors and NPC officials are the only people permitted in the backstage area
·Poor sportsmanship will be grounds for immediate disqualification

MUSIC
·Music for the Fitness Round will be collected at the Prejudging Check-in
·The music must be on CD and must be the only music on the CD
·Vulgar music is not permitted

AWARDS
·No money prizes may be given at the amateur level
·Awards presented will include trophies, medals, plaques, etc. at the discretion of the promoter with the
approval of the NPC District Chairperson

PREJUDING ROUNDS OF COMPETITION
ROUND ONE – TWO-PIECE SWIMSUIT ROUND
·Contestants must wear heals in the Swimsuit Rounds
·Contestants may wear jewelry in the Swimsuit Rounds
·Thong-back swimsuits are not permitted. Swimsuits must be in good taste at the discretion of the highest ranking NPC official
·Contestants will be brought out in a group and directed to do quarter turns as a group
·Judges will be scoring the competitors on their degree of firmness, symmetry and proportion along with their overall physical appearance including complexion, skin tone, poise and overall presentation.

ROUND TWO – FITNESS ROUTINE ROUND
·Each competitor will perform a routine with a maximum time limit of 2 minutes
·Contestants must wear tennis/athletic shoes in the Fitness Round
·Routines at local, state and regional level contests may include aerobics, dance, gymnastics or other
demonstrations of athletic talent, but there are no required movements
·Routines at all national level events (JR.USA, JR. NATIONALS, USA, TEAM UNIVERSE and
NATIONALS) must include the six mandatory fitness moves:
1.One Arm Push-Up
2.High Kick
3.Leg Extension Hold
4.Straddle Hold
5.Full Split Front
6.Full Split Side
·Props are allowed but must be approved by the Head Judge at the Check-in
·Judges will be looking for style, personality, athletic coordination and overall performance
·Competitors should give special attention to their apparel, as it too will be judged
ROUND THREE – NO MORE ONE-PIECE ROUND

PREJUDGING SCORING
·Judges will place each competitor beginning with first place and continuing on until all competitors are placed
·Scores are handed in to the head judge after each round
·At the conclusion of prejudging the scores from both rounds are then added up to arrive at a final score for
each competitor
·If there is only one height class the Evening Finals performances do not affect the placings
·If there are two height classes the Evening Finals fitness routines of the two height class winners will be
judged.

SCORING OF OVERALL WINNER
·In the event that the contest is one that includes two height classes the judges will have to choose an overall winner
·Prior to the evening finals the judges will be informed as to which competitor won each class. The judges will be directed to pay particular attention to the fitness routines of the two class winners
EVENING PREFORMANCE
·All competitors will be introduced at the evening event in their two-piece swimsuits
·The number of competitors that will perform their Fitness Routine will be determined by the promoter and the Head Judge depending on the number of total athletes in the event
·When the contest includes two height classes the judges will be informed, prior to the evening finals, as to
whom the class winners are. The judges will assess the fitness routines of the two class winners and use this assessment along with the two-piece overall pose-down to decide the overall winner
·In the contests that include two height classes there will be an overall pose-down
·The overall pose-down will take place after the presentation of awards to both classes. The two class winners will be compared against each other in their two-piece swimsuits. The judges will then choose the overall winner.

NPC BIKINI DIVISION
. TWO PIECE BIKINI NOT FITNESS & FIGURE SUITS
. NO THONGS
. COMPETITORS MUST WEAR HIGH HEEL
. COMPETITORS MAY WEAR JEWELRY
. EACH COMPETITOR MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE NPC
COMPETITION JUDGING

Presentation
. Competitors will walk on stage alone and perform their Model Walk (personal
preference) MUST BE DONE IN GOOD TASTE, (NO SEXUAL OVERTONE)
. The Model Walk consists of the following:
Walk to the center of the stage, stop and do a front stance then a full turn & and do a rear
stance then turn to the front again in front of the judges & then proceed to to the side of the
stage.
Comparison Round, Two -Piece swimsuit
. Competitors will be judged wearing a two piece swim suit and heels.
. The competitors will be brought out in a group and directed to do a full front
and rear stance.
. Judges will have the opportunity to compare competitors against each other in half
turns. (No side judging permitted, front and back only.)
. Judges will be scoring competitors on the following items:
. Balance and shape
. Overall physical appearance including complexion, skin tone, poise and overall
presentation.

. THIS IS BIKINI, NOT FIGURE, IF YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WOULD DO WELL AT FIGURE THEN STICK TO FIGURE. NO DEFINITION IN ANY MUSCLE GROUPS AND MINIMAL MUSCLE MASS.

QUALIFYING FOR NATIONAL LEVELS EVENTS
. The following placings will qualify competitors for one year for the NPC
national level Bikini contests:
Top 5 places in each class at National Qualifying events only.

. The NPC national level contests are listed below:
JUNIOR USA BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS
JUNIOR NATIONAL BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS
USA BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS
TEAM UNIVERSE BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS
IFBB NORTH AMERICAN BIKINI CHAMPIONSHIPS

QUALIFYING FOR IFBB PRO STATUS
The following placings at selected national level events will qualify competitors to turn professional and compete in the IFBB.

USA CHAMPIONSHPS– Height class winners earn IFBB Pro Card ( 6 height classes)

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS-Height class winners earn IFBB Pro Card (6 height classes)

JUNIOR USA CHAMPIONSHIPS– top 2 in the overall comparison earn IFBB Pro Cards- (6 height classes)
JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS– top ( 4) in the overall
comparison earn IFBB pro cards (6 height classes )
IFBB NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS– Top two (2) in Overall
Comparison earn IFBB Pro Cards (6 height classes)
TEAM UNIVERSE CHAMPIONSHIPS – Top two (2) in each height class
earn their IFBB pro card (6 height classes)