Figure Info & Rules

General Information

ENTRY DEADLINE: Entries are due by 9pm on April 16th, 2025. Late entries will have a $40.00 handling fee. Visit the registration page to enter
ELIGIBILITY: Open to all NPC registered athletes 18 and older. If you are not a NPC registered athlete, you can obtain your NPC card at www.NPCNewsOnline.com. This must be done prior to entering the contest. Bodybuilding, Classic Physique, Physique, Figure, Wellness and Bikini competitions are a national qualifier and therefore open to all NPC registered individuals.
DATE, TIME & LOCATION: April 19th, 2025 at 5pm | Niagara Falls Convention Center | 101 Old Falls St, Niagara Falls, NY 14303
CHECK-IN: Friday, April 18th, 2025 at 6:30pm at Niagara Falls Convention Center. (All contestants MUST report for height and/or weight verification and NPC membership)
PRE-JUDGING:
Athlete Meeting: Saturday, April 19th, 2025 at 9:00AM
Judging: Saturday, April 19th, 2025 at 10:00AM
EVENING SHOW: Contestants are to report at 4:30 PM on Saturday, April 19th, 2025. Finals at 5:00 PM. All contestants will be presented to the audience at the finals.
MUSIC: Bodybuilding, Men’s Classic Physique and Women’s Physique: All music must be uploaded into Muscleware and should be no longer than 60 seconds. Once registered, you will be able to upload your music into the software. This must be done by 9pm April 16th, 2025. If music is deemed to have profanity, the contestant will be disqualified. Men’s Physique, Figure, Wellness and Bikini will use house music.
AWARDS: Top five in each class and overall winners will receive awards
MISC: All contestants must display good sportsmanship at all times and follow rules. Signing the registration form is consent of acceptance to financial responsibility for replacement cost of Convention Center property caused by misuse.

Criteria for Judging Competitors

Muscularity
Condition
Symmetry and Balance
Presentation (Posing)

Figure athletes should display:

An overall balance of muscular development which includes rounded delts, sweep to the quads, back depth, and width – emphasis is on balance and symmetry
Small amount of muscle separation
A nice “V” taper
Tight glutes with separation between the hamstring and glute area
Balance between the upper and lower body

Figure athletes should NOT display:

Striations or graininess
Muscularity thickness associated with Women’s Physique

Height and Age Classes

Figure Novice Classes

Up to and including 5'4''
Over 5'4''

Figure Open Classes

Up to and including 5'4''
Over 5'4'' up to and including 5'6''
Over 5'6''

Figure Master Classes

Over 35

Figure Competitor Rules

Competitors will compete in a two-piece suit. The bottom of the suit must be v-shaped. No thongs are permitted. Competitors can compete in an off the rack suit. All swimsuits must be in good taste.
Competitors must wear high heels.
Competitors may wear jewelry

Photo Credit: Kenny Krug

Figure Check-Ins

All suits will be inspected at the check-in’s. Every competitor must wear their competition suit under their clothing to check-in’s for inspection. If your suit is not inspected you will not be permitted to compete. No Exceptions.
If you change your competition suit from prejudging to finals and the judges deem it not to conform to the rules you will be directed to leave the stage. No Exceptions.

Figure Competition Judging

1. PRESENTATION

Competitors will walk to the center of the stage alone and perform quarter (1/4) turns, face the judges as directed then proceed to the side of the stage.

2. COMPARISON ROUND, TWO-PIECE SWIMSUIT

Competitors will be judged wearing a two-piece swimsuit and high heels
The competitors will be brought back out in a group and directed to do quarter turns
Judges will have the opportunity to compare competitors against each other in quarter turns.

3. SCORING

Judges will be scoring competitors using the following criteria:

Small degree of muscularity with separation, no visible striations
Overall muscle tone with shapely lines, overall firmness and not excessively lean
Full general assessment
Healthy appearance
Make-up
Skin tone