Your honest opinion, please....

**ahmitabha** · #1 06-10-2010, 09:15 PM

I am starting to doubt my efforts are going to pay off on the national level this year in figure. I cannot acquire the beautiful rounded delts I am seeing all the national level champions have in 6 more weeks. Perhaps next year I would be better suited for a national figure show...

I have placed 1st in both bikini and figure in the last year on the local level - should I do bikini in July for the national show or should I stick with figure even though my chances of placing well are more likely in bikini??

I really appreciate any input you can offer!!

Here are some photos...

**ahmitabha** · #2 06-10-2010, 09:34 PM

Haha... I tried to make this a poll - just to get a quick response from more people, nevertheless, if you could even just take a sec to type bikini or figure... Id be much oblidged!

**KKKRRR** · #3 06-10-2010, 09:50 PM

I like your bikini look!

**tkokayde** · #4 06-10-2010, 09:53 PM

I say Figure.

Please try to remember, the National level shouldn't just be considered a brief stepping stone to the Pro stage. Have fun with it. Treat it as a learning experience. If your heart is in Figure, rock out in Figure on the National stage! Get yourself in the judges' eyes and heads so that as you improve, they see that and take notice! Same for if your heart is in Bikini. Just do what you love and enjoy the ride.

**jewelisa** · #5 06-10-2010, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkokayde

I say Figure.

Please try to remember, the National level shouldn't just be considered a brief stepping stone to the Pro stage. Have fun with it. Treat it as a learning experience. If your heart is in Figure, rock out in Figure on the National stage! Get yourself in the judges' eyes and heads so that as you improve, they see that and take notice! Same for if your heart is in Bikini. Just do what you love and enjoy the ride.

**titonej** · #6 06-10-2010, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahmitabha

I am starting to doubt my efforts are going to pay off on the national level this year in figure. I cannot acquire the beautiful rounded delts I am seeing all the national level champions have in 6 more weeks. Perhaps next year I would be better suited for a national figure show...

I have placed 1st in both bikini and figure in the last year on the local level - should I do bikini in July for the national show or should I stick with figure even though my chances of placing well are more likely in bikini??

I really appreciate any input you can offer!!

Here are some photos...

Listen up! You are a Figure girl all the way. A few tweaks in your posing is all you need. Do not get discouraged. Remember it is the art of posing without posing! Confused?????

Continue to practice posing and you can always give me call and I can give you a few free pointers that will help. However, I would recommend some posing at a minimum. We do skype!!!!!!!

**tammyp** · #7 06-10-2010, 10:31 PM

figure all the waY. you have too much muscle for bikini imo.. you have a great look!

**ShawnCarla** · #8 06-10-2010, 11:50 PM

I would have to agree that you should focus on where you feel most comfortable and not where you're going to place the best. If you love Bikini, do Bikini... if you love Figure, do Figure. You have plenty of muscle to do Figure and as Jack said, it's just a couple posing tweaks and you'd be on fire!
But you can also look very sexy as proven by the Bikini pics. Sooooooo, my conclusion is that you're going to do well in either division as long as you go after it wholeheartedly!

**janet kaufman** · #9 06-11-2010, 01:37 AM

I say stay with figure.

Siouxcountry · #10 06-11-2010, 02:58 AM

You are closer to figure IMO. If you enjoy competing, compete at the USAs. See what the National level judges think of your physique.

**FigureFanatic** · #11 06-11-2010, 03:52 AM

FIGURE hehe

**ripitupbaby** · #12 06-11-2010, 11:47 AM

Bikini

(you look great in either)

**ISABELLE TURELL** · #13 06-11-2010, 01:28 PM

I agree with Lori You can go either way

BUT.....

Figure is a totally diffrent look from Bikini and looking at the pictures you would ROCK as a figure girl. You do have the look and the body for it

Bikini... you have a beautiful body and cute face! Keep in mind though that the judges are looking for something totally diffrent here. They don't want a hard look with muscle. They want a more softer toned body. The last show here in Indiana there was a girl who had a killer body BUT she was hard as nails and had shredded ripped abs. The girl that won was toned all over and wasn't hard. I would have liked to have her with more meat on her legs.

**Kristal** · #14 06-11-2010, 02:06 PM

First of all you are HOOOOTTTT!

With that being said...I think you are SO blessed to have the physique you have and I would say go figure. If I had half the shape and size and definition as you I'd go into figure in a heartbeat.

Either way, you're gonna crush the competition in whatever division you are in!

**Michelle Brent** · #15 06-11-2010, 02:36 PM

Ditto figure. Your shoulders are fine!! take Jacks advice and just get your quarter turns down!!

**ahmitabha** · #16 06-11-2010, 03:44 PM

Seriously, where else can you go to get an opinion like this without sounding like a narcissistic freak?? lol...

love you guys and thanks for the responses! Kayde - I think you gave me the perspective I had lost. I forgot about going for the experience and got consumed with placing well. I love figure, I just dont want to embarass myself. I know in a year I could come back and look the way I need to - plus I will have the added confidence of already having a national show under my belt.

Jack, thank you for your input and offer to help with posing. I own every dvd on posing available, but I believe it's different for everybody. I would love to know your thoughts.

Thanks to all of you for your supportive words - I am most greatful!

**chicky9914** · #17 06-11-2010, 06:36 PM

Those gorgeous legs belong in figure. And you have beautiful shoulders! I totally understand your frustration with em because mine are stubborn too. But, often times the girls with the huge caps on their delts don't have the greatest legs or they lack in another area or they just look out of proportion. You look beautiful and you have no reason to hang your head. Rock it out sister!!

**Noel Fuller** · #18 06-12-2010, 09:23 PM

I'm going to get blasted for this but fuck it, your not ready for national figure, its not fun to do total prep and not be in top 5 do bikini this year or skip it and bring your A game next year. Too many people try to make a jump beyond there reach in this sport, you have time, dont waste money or muscle doing a show your not ready for.

**Powder7** · #19 06-12-2010, 10:33 PM

I would vote figure, too, and also say what has been said to me many times:

It takes a bit to believe it, but don't add up bodyparts individually; my understanding is that it is more the overall look and balance of the package that you bring than it is for a requirement to have cannonball shoulders.

I feel your pain; I love those bubble shoulders, too! It's hard not to compare yourself to who is placing highest, looking at the separate assets that they seem to have, and saying, "Ah HA!!! It must be the bubble shoulders that I need!" Well, maybe...and maybe not...maybe you need them for your best look overall, and maybe you need tweaking elsewhere, instead.

If you were first place, someone might look at you and say, "Oh, she has a waist, that's why. You gotta have that waist." But it's your overall package-- not the waist! So instead of the girl with a thick waist saying, "oh I can never compete," she works on building her back up to help achieve that nice taper to balance her out.

But, you'll see across the board that there are top 5 gals with smaller caps, wider waists, smaller legs, a bit softer in the back, and some with monster caps.....what matters is what looks best on THAT GIRL, then how she compares in her overall package to her competition's overall package.

I think that's why we get so confused with results: we want a 'prototype'. But I don't think that's how it's judged. It's an overall appearance....does this girl have balance, aesthetics, conditioning, femininity, does she look like the same girl from top to bottom, left to right...is there no exceptional area that swallows the whole look, and no real standout weak area, is her upper as developed as her lower--is there balance there? And finally, the girl could be as perfect as she can be, and someone else is better. And that leaves her confused, "What can I improve?" Well, you might be at your best, but someone else is better. Just the way competition goes, and this is why you gotta love it no matter what! I think it is more like that.

Anyway, my 2 cents

And I say figure.

**epolis** · #20 06-12-2010, 11:57 PM

VERY well-said, Tara. A lot of people get frustrated because they don't feel like they know what the judges are looking for, but it varies from individual to individual, show to show. Some people think the more MASS the better, but that's also not necessarily true. I've seen girls who have less muscle win overall simply becaues they were perfectly proportioned and well-balanced. The girl who won overall at my local show was a little bit of a thing, but she was extremly well-balanced. Even though I had more mass than she did, my lower half overpowered my upper half. Symmetry is key, NOT mass. If you're well-balanced ALL OVER, you'll be in good standing to place well. Enjoy the ride, love whatever you choose, and that will also help you own that stage. I say figure