I 
have been hesitant to write on this topic, but with the latest announcements of 2 pro Men’s Physique shows being cancelled now is the time. As I write this the Nebraska pro cancellation was just posted and last week the Toronto pro was cancelled, both due to low number of athletes wanting to compete. There has been much controversy with the division just like any division that is new in the NPC. We knew there would be growing pains, unhappy competitors, and judging criteria changes. I am happy to say I have been part of history to be involved in this division. I competed in some of the first local shows in my state and I competed at the first 2 national shows. And I have been able to help many men’s physique competitors step on stage and reach their dream of competing. I am writing this with the intent to voice my story and my thoughts, the thoughts of others, and the facts. This is not to upset anyone or to take away from anyone’s victories or accomplishments.
On Jan 1st 2011 I made the decision to compete in the new Men’s Physique division. I knew with the opinions going around I would get some s@#&; and that people would look down at me, but I have never given a s@#&; what people think so I made the commitment. I started training and dieting just like I would for a bodybuilding show. I had competed in bodybuilding for many years, but was never big enough to be a serious competitor. I was always told my conditioning was spot on and that my symmetry was second to none, but bottom line I needed 100lbs of muscle to be a pro. When I heard about Men’s Physique I was excited and knew this is where I would fit in. The first thought of many bodybuilders and people within the industry was that it would be Abercrombie models and guys off the beach that didn’t know what a dead lift or squat was. I said no way. Who would pay to see that? The NPC would never have a division for someone who could walk off the street and win. Who would want to compete in that??
My first show had 4 competitors and I placed first and won overall. It was a great feeling to win, but without much competition I was looking to get to the national level. I talked with a national judge in our local state and was told “You’re too big for the national level” Really!! I’m 5’9” 175lbs with good sized legs. If this is too big then I am out I thought, I refuse to lose muscle to win a competition. Luckily I told myself that even though this is a national judge that I can’t believe that is true. I decided to continue. I competed a few weeks later in where there was an even smaller turn out. Myself and one other competitor that I had already beaten competed and I took my second victory. Then it was time to wait till Junior USA’s. As Junior USA’s approached I saw other local shows throughout the country and the guys winning were bigger than me! I started to get excited again and looking forward to competing against the best physiques in the country. I saw sponsored athletes and fitness models all preparing for the national level. As I stepped on stage with 21 other competitors in my class at Junior USA’s I was excited and nervous all at the same time. I stepped off stage May 21st 2011 with a 9th place victory out of 21 competitors. I had mixed emotions. This is the worst I had ever done at a show, but this was the toughest and largest show I had ever done and after looking at pictures that night was very happy with 9th. I decided to submit my application to compete at Junior Nationals.
The feedback that I received from Junior USA’s was to grow my hair out and do highlights. I was also told my face was not feminine enough for physique, but I was told not to change my physique at all. This really bothered me since I have always sculpted my physique and never had to worry about hair or makeup! I’m not a hair and makeup guy. And that they were looking for prettier feminine looking guys. Again I started wondering about this division and if it was for me. All I knew was I couldn’t change how pretty I was and that I wasn’t doing highlights. So I did decide to grow my hair out and not to change the physique. I stepped on stage at junior Nationals in the toughest lineup to date in my opinion! I placed 7th out of 27. I was in the first callout and 3 of the 6 guys ahead of me are now pro! I was very happy with the lineup, my placing and the results. I wanted to continue to compete, but after 7 months of dieting and competing in 5 shows I was burned out!
As I followed along the rest of 2011 trying to refocus to step back on stage the judging started to change and guys placing in the top 5 started placing in the second and third callouts. Guys I had beat started getting pro cards and a lot of inconsistency started taking place. As I sat out and watched from the sidelines much controversy started and many of the top competitors were now starting to second guess the division. Some stating they would go to some of the other federations and get out of the NPC. By Nationals over 150 competitors were on stage at the show! It was obvious that the demand for the division was there. Guys wanted to have a division that was not based on size, but based on the aesthetic well sculpted physique. The Frank Zane look as many put it. Many were starting to wonder where the division was heading.
As 2012 competition season arrived many local guys are looking to get qualified for the national level and many new pros are looking to shape the division with what they believed the look should be. In our local shows here in our state much controversy was happening and guys 5’9” 160lbs, 10% body fat were winning divisions and the guys who looked like the pros were not. They were being told that they had the physique of a pro, but they were too good for the local level. What does that even mean? Is that to say that Jay Cutler could not win the local show because he was “too good” for the local level? At the pro level inconsistency with the look was obvious with the top 5 and many pros are upset with the level of conditioning and size not being rewarded. The standard is in need of being set, but no “standard” has been established. It seems like more questions are emerging than answers. As I write this some pros are deciding to not compete in the remaining 2012 season. Some have dropped out all together to pursue bodybuilding again, and others have decided to not even pursue Men’s physique because they do not like the direction of the division. The size of some local shows is down compared to last year even. The repeated thing you hear about the division is there needs to be a difference between bodybuilding and physique. I can understand and respect that. But I think 5’9” 280lb Jay Cutler and 5’9” 175lb Tim Staggs is a clear distinction. Anyone who can’t see the difference needs to open their eyes. No one wants to see everyday beach bodies on stage. Even bikini girls are more ripped then some local physique guys!!
The bottom line is Frank Zane had in my opinion one of the best physiques of all time and would have no place to compete and win. The sad thing is he could not win a national Bodybuilding show or a national Men’s Physique show! So one of the greatest physiques of all time has no division to compete in. Is Men’s Physique in a death spiral? Will the division continue to draw competitors? Even if it does draw competitors will people want to watch the competitors that are being rewarded in the division? How interesting will the physiques, lack of posing, and long board shorts be? Maybe we should create a division for the Frank Zane physiques to compete in. Make them show some quads and hit a couple classical poses. I think we should and call it the Physique Division!
Website: www.staggsfitness.com
90 Day Challenge: www.staggsfitness.bodybyvi.com
Fan Page: www.facebook.com/staggsfitness
Facebook: www.facebook.com/staggstim
Blog: http://www.staggsfitness.com/category/tims-blog/
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