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.
Charleston,
South Carolina
May 19, 2012
Hey there Men's Physique Fans, this is Derek M. Trombetta here in Charleston, SC with your Men's Physique Update! What a Competition it has been and as usual the Men's Physique Division came in with their A Game! There were nearly 100 Competitors spread among three classes (A, B, C) with almost 50 Competitors in the B Class! I had the pleasure of competing in that B Class and can tell you that it was Classic Men's Physique Style: Look to your left... Yep they are dialed in! Look to your right... Yep they are dialed in too! What an Honor to be amongst such worthy Competitors! AWESOME!!!
So
you competed in a national qualifier and got your qualification…fantastic! But now you may be wondering how to prepare for a national level show, what to pack, and generally what to expect at the national level. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen competitors who are newbies to the national circuit and have that deer in headlights look. They are completely stunned by the magnitude of a national show and intimidated by all the other nationally-qualified athletes who, for the most part, look amazing. Quite frequently these new competitors have no idea what to pack for a show outside of their local region and end up scurrying all over the place trying to procure the items they neglected to pack.
This weekend we are looking at only the second ever MP PRO show to hit the stage. The
NPC and IFBB were quite wise to establish the Men’s Physique Division. However, it is the baby of the bunch amongst divisions (alongside Women’s Physique) and will endure growing pains for a period of time before standards are clearly defined. The newly minted IFBB Men’s Physique Pros have the opportunity to legitimize and strengthen the division not only by how they continue to condition their bodies, but also by how they conduct themselves within the IFBB and how they choose to brand themselves within the mainstream.
This past weekend March 24, 2012, the first IFBB Mens Physique Pro was held in Sacramento, CA. For those of you that have been following the sport this has been a much-anticipated event seeing that whoever was crowned the 1st Champion would go down in the history books.
For
those that are new to the game, the Men’s Physique division was introduced this year in the NPC. What makes a good physique competitor? If you go to www.npcnewsonline.com or look at the rulebook, the judging criteria specify that competitors are judged on "Muscularity and Body Condition" as well as "Stage Presence and Personality."
The website states:
"Muscularity and Body Competition” - "Judges will be looking for fit contestants who display proper shape and symmetry combined with muscularity and overall condition. This is not a bodybuilding contest, so extreme muscularity should be marked down."
Are 
you one of the many competitors that want to “Go Pro?” If that is the case and you are looking to make the jump from NPC Amateur to IFBB Pro then you need to compete in a National Show. You may be asking, “How do I compete in a National Show?” I will explain a bit about that in a moment. Not only do you have to compete, you have to win or achieve a placing that the NPC/IFBB deems “good enough” to earn pro status. That being said, many Men’s Physique competitors went to a National Show this past weekend. The show: The National’s in Florida.
For me the trip to Miami is already underway. I am writing this on the plane from LAX to Miami; however, by the time you see it I will already have landed and competed in the show. Weeks and weeks of anticipation and preparation are coming to a head! Though I maintain “Shoot Ready” status year round for my fitness modeling and acting career, there are a few more details that go into the final couple weeks before a Physique Show. Unlike a photo shoot, for a competition you have weeks and weeks of notice as to the date of the show. This gives you added time to dial in the exact look you are going for.
Beyond the dialing in of the body, there are many other factors to consider.
To name a few of the basics:
Five National shows down and one to go. The North Americans 
was full of surprises and produced the 2nd largest Men’s Physique class to date. I’m expecting the Nationals to be the largest as many top competitors passed on heading out to Cleveland in preparations for bringing their best to the stage in Miami. Here are the new rankings following this weekend’s competition...
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