The wellness division is yet another division that further waters down the sport of bodybuilding. I admit I am a bodybuilding purist. So, the fact that bikini divisions exist and many participants at regional and state levels can roll out of bed and compete irks me.
I do apologise if that is construed as offensive. I am generalising. There are definitely some bikini girls that train hard, eat well and recover. But they are in the minority.
For those of you who don’t know, the wellness division means those who compete are expected/allowed to have “thicker legs and glutes”. Now I like booties and I love quads. I wish I had bigger ones that’s for sure. But the problem is more fundamental than that.
One of the most major if not the major criteria when judging bodybuilding is you are supposed to be balanced and symmetrical. And by this, I mean upper to lower, right to left, and front to back.
Now speaking frankly, the girls in the wellness division look like someone glued the top half of one girl and the lower part of another girl. And let’s face it, these girls will not place well in a more standard division such as bikini, fitness or figure.
Wellness girls can’t get lean
Because they tend to be completely unable to get lean around the thigh and glute area, so are simply nowhere as conditioned as say a competitor with shredded glutes. I mean – there is simply no comparison and condition is a large part of the judging criteria.
These girls DO NOT represent a proportional, balanced physique, which is the foundational focus of physique sports and what’s supposed to separate them from a basic beauty show or a wet t-shirt competition.
Being a judge for three different federations here in Australia my judge brain just says “nope, not resonating at all, get them off stage, as they can’t cut it”.
This division was made for the girls who are more muscular on their lower half. Brazilians, Colombians, and Venezuelans for example are the perfect athletes for this division.
Let me translate that for you. F%$k proportion, symmetry and balance. Grrrrrrr
The Wellness Division Is a Means to Make More Money
Federations who are all about bums on seats and making money just see it as another division money making machine. It’s like, they aren’t good enough to be competitive in the traditional figure class so let’s create one that suits them so that bodybuilding becomes even more “inclusive”.Yeah…..just like winged angels……just like WTF?
Why don’t we add a “thick waisted” girl division. Or “division for pancake bottoms? Maybe even a “I don’t have time to train” division? I mean in the US one show created a “dad bod” division. FFS. And nooo I am not even making that up.
I AM totally down with inclusivity, in fact it is a value of mine, pinned up on my gym wall. Nonetheless not when it comes to creating divisions under the bodybuilding umbrella. I just wonder where it will end.
To tell you the truth it is one of the many reasons I just got fed-up and cynical of bodybuilding competitions. They used to be fun. You had to really EARN the right to be on stage. Now it’s just willy nilly anyone can and it’s lost its appeal to me completely.
As a judge, towards the end I was quite frankly as bored as bat shit. The quality of competitors on stage was generally terrible. Judging became a chore with an endless sea of less than quality physiques. The majority of girls looked like they prepped on cocaine and plastic surgery, and I feel it does a disservice to the whole sport and image of “bodybuilding”.
I do know this sounds harsh. I commend the girls on changing and improving their bodies absolutely I do. But being on stage you are supposed to be a total “cut above the rest”. Not less than mediocre.
The Effects of Bikini, Wellness, Winged Angels on Bodybuilding
We, the judges are faced with classes chock full of girls who have no business being on stage. (But they are coaches who you can contact for training and nutrition plans)!!! They look tanned and pretty. They bend over in front of us at the judges table and push their vaginas out right in front of our faces.
Speaking for the female judges, it’s most unpleasant and disconcerting to be honest. Besides then Insta gets oversaturated with provocative photographs and before you know it, a slew of fresh blood who have no business on stage. Additionally they mostly have even less shame, end up “prepping” for a show because they want to be like “those girls”. Consequently the calibre of competitor is sub-par.
Conclusion
I think some of the onus falls on coaches to speak frankly to their clients. These girls could get involved in transformation competitions, challenges, apply for Victoria’s Secret or, dedicate themselves to 3 or 4 years of serious weight training to build some quality muscle, even for bikini or wellness division. Do the hard work, do the time and deserve to stand on that stage.