We know that a lot of questions come with competing in the NPC. Here, NPC and IFBB Women’s Head Judge Sandy Willamson answers some of the more common questions she receives from current and aspiring NPC competitors in our latest installment of So You Want To Compete?
Do you have a question for the NPC? Email your question to info@staging.npcnewsonline.com and we will do our best to answer it in the next segment of So You Want To Compete?, only on staging.npcnewsonline.com.
Miss our previous installments?
– Q&A On Competing in the NPC Part 1
– Q&A On Competing in the NPC Part 2
Q: I’m planning to compete next weekend and decided last minute, but I realize that means I might not get my NPC card in time. I have the check in my hand, but I’m wondering if there’s a way to make this transaction over the phone and have my card emailed to me instead? – Kristen
A: You would need to send the check overnight to NPC Headquarters in Pittsburgh, then call to confirm that your payment has been received. Once they receive your check you will be listed in the system as a registered member of the NPC. You can complete and send in your entry with a note that you purchased your NPC cared but haven’t received it yet. The NPC office is able to email you a copy of the card as well. You can then either email a copy to the promoter prior to the competition or you can print it out and bring it with you to checkins.
Q: I’m not a US citizen but will be moving to the United States next month and would love to compete in the NPC. What do I need to do in order to be eligible to compete? Also, if I do well and qualify for a national-level show, am I able to try for my IFBB Pro card? – Marcelo
A: Anyone can compete in regional NPC contests as long as they are a US resident. However, to compete in a contest that offers you a pro card, you must be a citizen of the USA.
Q: I am looking to compete for the first time in the Men’s Physique division and am wondering what the judges are looking for as far as the shorts we are supposed to wear. Can you give me some direction on the type of shorts (length etc) I should be wearing on stage? – Austin
A: The board shorts which are popular with the Men’s Physique competitors work well. You want to make sure that they do not have a logo on them. They can sit low on the hips but should come down to the knees. I would recommend you look at some photos on our website of competitors who have placed well, that should give you a good idea of what the judges are looking for.
Here is a link to the NPC Junior USAs, held on May 18.
Q: What happens if two competitors tie for first place? How do the judges decide who wins, is there separate posedown?– Chris
A: To determine the relative placing, find out who was scored the best by each judge. In the below example Judges 1, 2, 3 and 6 (total of 4 judges) scored Competitor No. 1 better. Competitor No. 2 received better scores from judges 4, 5, and 7 (total of three judges). Since Competitor No. 1 had more judges score him higher (4 to 3), Competitor No. 1 receives the higher placing.
Q: If I qualified for a National-level contest in the Women’s Bodybuilding division, can I choose to compete in a Women’s Physique pro qualifier instead? – Amanda
A: Unfortunately not. You have to qualify in the division that you are going to compete in.
Q: If I qualified for a National-level contest on June 1, 2013, when does the one-year qualification for the USAs or Nationals end? – Natalie
A: We do not count the year during which you qualify. So if you qualify on June 1, 2013, you are qualified until December 31, 2014. Qualifying anytime during the 2013 season means you are eligible to compete in those contests in 2014.
Q: In men’s physique do the competitors do quarter turns or front and back poses? – Richard
A: There are no quarter turns in the Men’s Physique division. The mandatory poses are the front pose and the back pose only.
Here is an official video on posing for the Men’s Physique division.
