If you have been around bodybuilding for any length of time, you know one thing for certain: the sport never stops evolving.
The physiques we see today are not the same physiques we saw 10 years ago or even five years ago. Training and nutrition have advanced, athletes are stepping onstage with more development, and the overall level of competition continues to rise.
That evolution is exciting. It is one of the things that makes bodybuilding such an incredible sport. But it also creates an important challenge: as physiques continue to progress, how do we make sure each division still represents what it was created to represent?
Figure Is a Perfect Example
Figure has always rewarded muscularity, symmetry, shape, and balance. The ideal includes capped shoulders, a developed back, beautiful lines, a small waist, and enough lower-body development to create a complete, balanced physique.
But Figure has grown a lot.
Today’s competitive Figure athletes often carry significantly more muscle and display considerably more conditioning than competitors did years ago. That standard continues to move forward because athletes naturally build toward what gets rewarded.
Tyler Manion recently released an update addressing the direction of Figure and changes to how athletes will be expected to present the division. Updates like this matter because competitors and coaches need to clearly understand what they are building and preparing for.
They also reinforce a point that does not get discussed enough in bodybuilding:
More is not automatically better.
More muscle is not always better. Leaner is not always better. Harder is not always better.
The goal is to bring the physique that best represents the criteria of your division.
That becomes difficult when athletes watch shows and see increasingly muscular or extremely conditioned physiques being rewarded. When a certain look consistently wins, competitors are naturally going to chase it. That is how divisions evolve—but it is also how they can begin growing beyond their original intent.
Every Division Needs Its Own Identity
Women’s bodybuilding now offers an incredible range of divisions: Fit Model, Bikini, Wellness, Figure, Women’s Physique, Fitness, and Women’s Bodybuilding. Each creates an opportunity for athletes with different structures, levels of muscularity, conditioning, and personal goals.
That is a great thing. A woman should not have to build a physique she does not want simply to experience competing.
But those choices only work when there is a clear distinction between the divisions.
Figure should not slowly become Women’s Physique. Bikini should not slowly become Figure. Fit Model should not eventually become what Bikini used to be.
There needs to be room for every look and each division needs to retain its own identity.
Fit Model Gives Athletes Something New
Fit Model is one of the newest additions to the NPC and IFBB Pro League, and it has been interesting to watch the division take shape.
The division created another opportunity for women who want an athletic, feminine stage physique without the muscularity or conditioning currently rewarded in Bikini. For newer competitors, it can also provide an appealing entry point into bodybuilding.
However, creating a division also means establishing an entirely new standard. It takes time for athletes, coaches, judges, posing coaches, and suit makers to develop a shared understanding of the desired muscularity, conditioning, posing, and overall presentation.
The Fit Model suit criteria are a good example. The published rules require one plain color, moderate coverage in the front, and 50% rear coverage. They also prohibit bling, connectors, side ties, and thong-style bottoms. Our team reached out directly for additional clarification about holographic fabric and was told it is not permitted.
Yet as the division develops, we have already seen competitors step onstage in suits that appear to push those boundaries and, in some cases, those athletes have stood at the top of their classes.
That is not a criticism of the competitors. Athletes make decisions based on the written rules, the guidance they receive, and the examples being rewarded in front of them.
It does, however, demonstrate why consistency is especially important while a new division is establishing its identity. If a rule is written one way, clarified another way, and enforced differently onstage, competitors and the professionals serving them are left without one dependable standard.
Athletes Will Build Toward What Wins
This is one of the biggest truths in competitive bodybuilding: competitors pay attention.
If judges consistently reward bigger shoulders, athletes will build bigger shoulders. If harder conditioning wins, competitors will get leaner. If fuller glutes are rewarded, athletes will spend their offseasons building glutes. If a particular style of suit, posing, or presentation repeatedly appears in the winning lineup, that becomes the example others follow.
The stage ultimately teaches athletes what the standard is.
That is why the written criteria and what is rewarded onstage need to stay closely aligned. Otherwise, the standard can slowly move without anyone intentionally deciding to move it.
Coaching Bodybuilders Requires More Than Macros and Workouts
Coaching a competitive athlete is not simply a matter of writing macros and workouts. It requires constantly studying the sport.
We watch shows, compare physiques, listen to judges’ feedback, follow official updates, and adjust how we develop and present our athletes. At Top Knot Strong, that responsibility extends even further.
We are a full-service coaching team working across physique development, nutrition, posing, stage presentation, and competition suits. Our goal is to bring the highest quality of coaching, posing, and suit design to every athlete we serve.
If we are building a Figure athlete, we want to develop the right amount of muscle for Figure. If we are teaching mandatory poses, we want our athletes presenting exactly as the organization expects. If we are creating a competition suit, we want it to meet the criteria while showcasing the athlete beautifully onstage.
To do that well, we need greater solidarity across the sport. Coaches, posing coaches, suit makers, judges, promoters, and competitors should all be working from the same playbook. Clear rules are important, but consistent communication, interpretation, and enforcement are what give those rules meaning.
Bodybuilding Should Keep Evolving
None of this means bodybuilding should stop progressing. It should not.
The level of talent we are seeing today is incredible, and athletes will continue getting better. The challenge is allowing that progression while still protecting the identity of every division.
That is where clear criteria and consistent judging become so important.
When a mandatory pose changes, athletes should understand exactly what is expected. When a suit rule exists, competitors and suit makers should be able to interpret it with confidence. When a division places limits on muscularity or conditioning, the physiques rewarded onstage should demonstrate where those limits sit.
Because ultimately, athletes are going to chase what wins.
Our responsibility as coaches is to help them chase the right look not simply the biggest, leanest, or most extreme version of themselves.
Bodybuilding will continue to evolve. It always has.
The goal is not to stop that evolution. The goal is to make sure that as the sport grows, every division maintains a clear identity and continues to provide a place for the athletes it was created to serve.
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About the Author
Coach Stephanie is a certified nutritionist, bodybuilding competitor, and dedicated contest prep coach with a passion for empowering others to unlock their full fitness potential. With extensive training in medical terminology, anatomy, and nutrition, she specializes in creating practical, science-backed strategies that support sustainable health and strength.
As an online fitness and nutrition coach, Coach Stephanie inspires clients to build confidence, improve performance, and achieve their personal best. When not coaching or competing, she enjoys sharing insights, tips, and motivation to help others lead stronger, healthier lives.
