i attended, judged, and thoroughly enjoyed the Memorial Day Weekend Muscle Beach Classic.  For that particular holiday weekend, it was by far the best and largest group of competitors that I have seen since my involvement years ago.  We usually get about 20-30 more competitors for the 4th of July show because of the summer-like atmosphere.  Prior to Monday's event, I got an opportunity to check out the 2010 NPC California Bodybuilding, Figure, and Bikini Championships in Culver City, CA.  Ironically, the event took place literally down the street from the Muscle Beach competition … it was great seeing old friends and making new ones.  This is where the "wacky" in my title begins.  I just don't know what the NPC judges are looking at and looking for.  One minute they are siding with hardness, the next they are going with a tad softer physique … and that was just with the Figure and Bikini competitors.  On the mens side, I saw a few bad decisions.  Back when I was judging for the NPC, judging was much more "cut-and-dry".  It was symmetry first, then muscularity, then conditioning before any intangibles were factored in … the way it should be.  The judging that I witnessed was literally all over the place.  Going back to the female competitors, there were some physiques that were sloppy that placed really high.  I will NEVER side with a competitor that possesses just good genetics.  Pure and simple, I want competitors that live the lifestyle and are not afraid of training hard.  The overall winner of the NPC show looked like she hardly ever worked out.  Not to say that she was not fit, but I could tell that her physique was much more about genetics than dieting and training.

I feel really bad for female competitors as judging seems much more inconsistent for them as compared to the mens.  When I am judging Bikini competitions, the first thing I look for is fitness.  I don't want a whole lot of, but I do expect to see abs and some muscle tone.   Then i look for presentation … who poses best and owns the stage … then I look into overall beauty.  Some women are genetically more curvy than others, which will unfortunately give off the illusion of being softer than a more slender and/or small physique.  I truly believe that these traits are not being factored on the NPC level … which translates into the field of the IFBB Bikini circuit.  Many worthy competitors are being simply overlooked because they don't fit the mold that the NPC has created.  The Bikini look in the world of fitness should be about possessing the entire package of muscle tone, attitude, and beauty.  As Head Judge of the 4th of July Muscle Beach competitions, I will work to ensure that everyone that sits next to me on the judging panel will be on the same page.  Judging has been and will continue to be a privilege for me and I will work diligently to ensure a fair and fun event for all.