FITXPO STROM CLASSIC - COMPETITION RULES
Terms & Conditions – The boring bits
- No Membership fee needed for the FIT XPO Strom Classic 2020 – (This may change in year two dependent on volume of shows and only if we see a genuine benefit to the Athlete)
- It is the competing athletes’ responsibility to make themselves aware of all relevant competition rules & adhere to them.
- Variations to classes, omissions to classes & additional classes are at the discretion of the promoter but must be approved by the head of FITXPO Strom Classic / and or Head Judge.
- Athletes may only compete in ONE single class in any of the classes per show. Promoters may put on other classes outside of the qualifying classes such as local area competitions & these can be entered additionally.
- Any age relative class will require the athlete to produce ID at registration if asked.
- The minimum age to compete in the FIT X Strom Classic is 16 years old.
- FIT XPO Strom Classic show(s) will operate as run-through events. Athletes will go on stage, participate & then receive placings, trophies, invitations, etc.
- No background music shall include swear words, blasphemy or promote violence or racial hatred. In any instances of this happening the music will be stopped.
- The head judge has in exceptional cases the authority to remove or to not allow an athlete to step on stage if it is felt that the athlete has not reached a basic minimum standard required for a competitive athlete.
ALL MEN'S BODYBUILDING CLASSES - JUDGING CRITERIA
All Bodybuilding classes will be judged on - Muscularity, Symmetry, Balance, Conditioning & Presentation. Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decision
- Attire will be posing trunks with no logos or motifs. Thongs are not permitted.
- Athletes should be free of body hair. No body jewellery is allowed.
- Athletes will enter on-stage in numerical order & stand in line.
- Athletes will perform quarter turns.
- Athletes will perform compulsory poses.
- Athletes will perform individual posing routines – (60 seconds)
- Athletes may be asked to perform a free style pose-down as a group.
- Athletes will then be awarded medals, trophies, Finals invitation if applicable.
In all instances the athletes will be directed & instructed by the MC, Judges Panel & possibly designated stage helpers.
Quarter Turns
- Head must face the same direction as the feet
- Hands must be held slightly away from the trunk
- No twisting of the torso
- Feet must be flat on the floor
Compulsory Poses are as follows:
- Front Double Bicep
- Front Lat Spread
- Side Chest
- Side Tricep
- Rear Double Bicep
- Rear Lat Spread
- Abdominals & Thigh
- Most Muscular
Individual Posing Routines
Each athlete will be allowed 60 seconds of Individual Free Posing to music of their own choosing. In all instances the music will start playing & the athlete will enter the stage to perform their routine.
Note: In the event of a technical problem with music – which will at times happen - a music track will be provided by the event organiser.
MEN'S CLASSES
JUNIOR BODYBUILDING
The age limit to compete in Junior Bodybuilding is 23 & under. For clarification this limit is 23 years & 364 days. This ruling also applies for Finals (If applicable) If an athlete has qualified within that age range but then falls outside by the time the final comes around the athlete is permitted to change classes, usually to Novice Class but will generally be guided by officials if required.
FIRST TIMERS CLASS
This class is for an athlete who has never stepped on stage at all previously. Model Classes, independent shows or local show involvement disqualifies an athlete from entering. It is for TRUE First-Time athletes only.
In the event of an athlete being selected for Finals they are subsequently allowed to compete in future shows, however if that athlete then again is selected to compete in another class at the Finals then we would insist that the athlete rescind the First Timers Invitation & compete in the more experienced class.
NOVICE BODYBUILDING
An athlete who has not placed in any top 3 of ANY Federation’s National Final will be considered a Novice, First Time Classes or Junior Classes being the exemption to this rule.
A Novice cannot move between open Classes & then back to Novice, the single exception is if they are/ were able to move to Junior Bodybuilding.
In all cases, athletes will be encouraged to move out of the Novice Class if it is felt they are of a sufficient standard to challenge in open classes.
MASTERS OVER 40’S
The age requirement to compete in the master’s Over 40’s is that an athlete MUST be aged 40 or above at the qualifying show. A 39-year-old man cannot compete with the intention of being 40+ at the Finals. (If applicable)
MASTERS OVER 50’S
The age requirement to compete in the master’s Over 50’s is that an athlete MUST be aged 50 or above at the qualifying show. A 49-year-old man cannot compete with the intention of being 50+ at the Finals.
MIXED DISABILITY
This Class is open to disabled athletes only – Men & Women combined.
MR CLASSES (HEIGHT)
The Height Requirements at time of writing are as follows:
- Mr. Class Short – Up to & including 5ft 6 inches
- Mr. Class Medium – Over 5ft 6 & up to & including 5ft 10
- Mr. Class Tall – Over 5ft 10 inches
*CLASSIC BODYBUILDING
In larger groups the classes may be split into Tall & Short Classes.
Short Class: Up to & including 175 cm’s (5 feet 8 inches)
Tall Class: Over 175.1 cm’s
* If the decision is made to introduce a height / weight ratio this will be:
Height in Centimeters (minus 100) + up to 6 KG Maximum
Example 178CM = a Maximum weight on Morning of Show Weigh in of: 84Kg.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Classic Bodybuilding Class will be judged on, Muscularity, Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation.
Judges will reward physiques that best represent a graceful package with all muscle groups flowing from broad shoulders. Athletes should ideally be small at the waist & have legs that tie in & complement the upper body.
Individual Posing Routines will be marked & should be considered by the judges when assessing the athlete’s overall scoring.
Stage presence & Classical Posing will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
The compulsory poses are the same as Men’s Bodybuilding but will also have 2 more as follows;
Classical interpretation of:
Front Pose & Side Pose.
*CLASSIC BODYBUILDING MASTERS OVER 40
The age requirement to compete in the master’s Classic Over 40’s is that an athlete MUST be aged 40 or above at the qualifying show. A 39-year-old man cannot compete with the intention of being 40+ at the Finals. (If applicable)
* If the decision is made to introduce a height / weight ratio this will be:
Height in Centimeters (minus 100) + up to 6 KG Maximum
Example 178CM = a Maximum weight on Morning of Show Weigh in of: 84Kg.
MEN'S PHYSIQUE CLASSES:
The following Classes fall within the categorisation of Men’s Physique;
- Junior Men’s Physique
- Men’s Physique
- Masters Men’s Physique
JUDGING CRITERIA
All Men’s Physique Classes will be judged on the Athlete having an athletic appearance with, Muscularity, Symmetry, Balance, Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
Every aspect of the Athlete’s performance will be judged including skin tone & condition, hair & facial features.
All Men’s Physique Classes will follow the same format:
Attire will be long board shorts of any colour that do not extend below the knee.
Athletes should be free of body hair. No body jewelry is allowed.
Athletes will enter on-stage in numerical order & stand in line.
Athletes will perform quarter turns.
Athletes will perform compulsory poses.
Athletes will perform individual “I” Walks
Athletes may be asked to perform a free style pose down as a group.
Athletes will then be awarded medals, trophies, Finals invitation (if applicable) etc...
Athletes will then leave the stage.
In all instances the athletes will be directed & instructed by the MC, Judges Panel & possibly designated stage helpers.
Quarter Turns:
Head must face the same direction as the feet
Hands must be held slightly away from the trunk with no clenching of fists
No twisting of the torso
Feet must be flat on the floor
The compulsory poses are as follows;
- Front-Facing, Arms Overhead, Open Handed
- Left Side Showing abdominals & obliques with left hand behind head
- Rear-Facing, Arms Overhead, Open Handed
- Right Side Showing abdominals & obliques with right hand behind head
*Inside poses the remaining hand can be on or off hips
The “I” Walk will be performed as follows;
Athletes will be selected in numerical order.
The Athlete will commence from rear of the stage with a front pose of choice.
The Athlete will move to the front of stage & again show a front pose of choice.
The Athlete will then perform four quarter turns presenting their own interpretation. In all cases hands can be high or low but must be open handed.
The Athlete will the return to the line in numerical order & await direction.
The complete “I” Walk should take a maximum of 60 seconds.
MEN’S PHYSIQUE CLASS
In larger groups the classes may be split into Tall & Short Classes.
Short Class: Up to & including 178 cm’s
Tall Class: Over 178.1 cm’s
JUNIOR MEN’S PHYSIQUE
The age limit to compete in Junior Men’s Physique is 23 & under. For clarification this limit is 23 years & 364 days. This ruling also applies for the British Finals, if an athlete has qualified within that age range but then falls outside by the time the final comes around (If applicable) the athlete is permitted to change classes to Men’s Physique.
MASTERS MEN’S PHYSIQUE
The age requirement to compete in the master’s Men’s Physique is that an athlete MUST be aged 35 or above at the qualifying show. A 34 year- old man cannot compete with the intention of being 35+ at the Finals. (If applicable)
MUSCLE MODEL
In larger groups the classes may be split into Tall & Short Classes.
Short Class: Up to & including 178 cm’s
Tall Class: Over 178.1 cm’s
JUDGING CRITERIA
The Muscle Model Class will be judged on the Athlete having a Muscular appearance & displaying a fuller deep chested presentation than that of the smaller Men’s Physique Class. The Athlete should be marked on Muscularity, Symmetry, Balance, Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
Every aspect of the Athlete’s performance will be judged including skin tone & condition, hair & facial features.
Attire will be Fashion Shorts with a lace up waist. The shorts can be any length.
Athletes should be free of body hair. No body jewelry is allowed.
The Muscle Model Class will be executed in the same way as The Men’s Physique Classes with the following differences:
Compulsory Poses vary in that there are two additions:
Abdominals & Thigh
Most Muscular Pose (One or Both hands on thighs- no Trap Over Pose)
For clarity: Muscle Model is a larger more muscular version of Men’s Athletic Class & hence the only difference in performance is the showing of the two extra compulsory poses.
LADIES CLASSES
In all ladies’ classes there may be a requirement to split classes into a Tall & a Short Category. This decision may be made in advance by the promoter or may take place on the day of the competition.
These are the height categories that will be used:
Short: Up to & including 164 cm’s. (5 feet 4½ inches)
Tall: Over 164.1 cm’s.
Ladies Bikini Classes
The following Classes fall within the categorisation of Ladies Bikini Classes;
Bikini
Junior Bikini
Bikini Trained
Masters Bikini
Master’s Bikini Trained
Wellness
Both Bikini Toned & Junior Bikini Classes have the exact same criteria with the single exception of age range. Both classes will be offered at registration, however classes are subject to a minimum entry of 6 Athletes per class. If less than the required numbers register for Junior Bikini, then these Athletes will be moved into the open Bikini. The judges will be aware of the athlete’s age groups & will be able to extend invitations for Finals appearances relative to the specific age.
**For Clarity: No individual music track must be submitted by the Athlete – Background Music will be played – No need for Individual Music.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Attire will be a 2-piece bikini of any colour, fabric or texture that may be decorated with crystals or similar. The bikini bottom must cover all the frontal area & be tasteful & feminine from the rear.
All ladies will need to wear heels. No restrictions. Just go for heels that you know you will feel comfortable walking in and strutting your stuff!... simple!
Athletes must not wear tiaras or any other head-dress.
Jewellery can be worn but must be tasteful & not detract from the physique.
Bikini, jewellery & shoes will not be judged.
All Ladies Bikini Classes will follow the same format:
Athletes will enter on-stage in numerical order & stand in line.
Athletes will perform quarter turns.
Athletes will perform compulsory poses.
Athletes will perform individual “I” Walks
Athletes may be asked to perform a free style feminine pose-down as a group.
Athletes will then be awarded medals, trophies, Finals invitation (If applicable) etc...
Athletes will then leave the stage
In all instances the athletes will be directed & instructed by the MC, Judges Panel & possibly designated stage helpers.
Quarter Turns;
Front position- Athlete with one hand on the hip & the other hand off.
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Side position left side showing- right leg straight, left leg slightly bent, right hand on the hip, left hand off & pulled back to show waist.
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Rear facing position- legs open no more than hip width apart, two hands on hips or two hands off, this is the athlete’s choice. No excessive bending forward at the waist.
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Side position, right side showing- left leg straight, right leg slightly bent, left hand on the hip, right hand off & pulled back to show waist.
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
The “I” Walk will be performed as follows;
Athletes will be selected in numerical order
The Athlete will commence from rear of the stage with a front pose of choice.
The Athlete will move to the front of stage & again show a front pose of choice.
The Athlete will then perform four quarter turns presenting their own interpretation. In all cases hands must be low.
The Athlete will the return to the line in numerical order & await direction.
The complete “I” Walk should take a maximum of 60 seconds.
BIKINI
Bikini Class will be judged on an athletic body promoting a healthy lifestyle. Ladies will be recognisably fit & show evidence of training muscularly without being excessively defined or dieted. Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation will all be assessed by the judges.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
JUNIOR BIKINI
The age limit to compete in Junior Bikini is 23 & under. For clarification this limit is 23 years & 364 days. This ruling also applies for the Finals (If applicable) If an athlete has qualified within that age range but then falls outside by the time the final comes around the athlete is permitted to change class to the open Bikini Class.
Junior Bikini Class will be judged on an athletic body promoting a healthy lifestyle. Ladies will be recognisably fit & show evidence of training muscularly without being excessively defined or dieted. Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation will all be assessed by the judges.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
BIKINI TRAINED
Bikini Trained Class will be judged on an athletic trained body promoting a healthy lifestyle. Ladies will be recognisably fit & show evidence of training muscularly & body fat will be low. Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation will all be assessed by the judges.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
WELLNESS
This Category is for Females with athletic physiques that showcase more body mass in the hips, glutes and thigh areas. The upper body is developed but not to the same degree as the lower body.
BIKINI MASTERS - 35
The age requirement to compete in the Bikini Masters Class is that an athlete MUST be aged 35 or above at the qualifying show. A 34-year-old lady cannot compete with the intention of being 35+ at the Finals.
Bikini Masters Class will be judged on an athletic trained body promoting a healthy lifestyle. Ladies will be recognisably fit & show evidence of training muscularly & body fat will be low. Judges will reward muscle maturity & dry conditioning associated with older, experienced athletes. Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation will all be assessed by the judges.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
BIKINI TRAINED MASTERS - 40
The age requirement to compete in the Bikini Masters Class is that an athlete MUST be aged 40 or above at the qualifying show. A 39-year-old lady cannot compete with the intention of being 40+ at the Finals. (If applicable)
Bikini Trained Masters Class will be judged on an athletic trained body promoting a healthy lifestyle. Ladies will be recognisably fit & show evidence of a bit more training muscularly & body fat will be low. Judges will reward muscle maturity & dry conditioning associated with older, experienced athletes. Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation will all be assessed by the judges.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
LADIES FIGURE CLASSES
The following Classes fall within the categorisation of Ladies Figure Classes:
Toned Figure
Athletic Figure
Trained Figure
JUDGING CRITERIA
Attire will be a 2-piece bikini of any colour, fabric or texture that may be decorated with crystals or similar. The bikini bottom must cover all the frontal area & be tasteful & feminine from the rear.
All ladies will need to wear heels. No restrictions. Just go for heels that you know you will feel comfortable walking in and strutting your stuff!... simple.
Athletes must not wear tiaras or any other head-dress.
Jewellery can be worn but must be tasteful & not detract from the physique.
Bikini, jewellery & shoes will not be judged.
All Ladies Figure Classes will follow the same format:
Athletes will enter on-stage in numerical order & stand in line.
Athletes will perform quarter turns.
Athletes will perform compulsory poses.
Athletes will perform individual posing routines.
Athletes may be asked to perform a free style pose-down as a group.
Athletes will then be awarded medals, trophies, Finals invitation etc...
Athletes will then leave the stage.
In all instances the athletes will be directed & instructed by the MC, Judges Panel & possibly designated stage helpers.
Quarter Turns;
Head must face the same direction as the feet
Hands must be held slightly away from the trunk
No twisting of the torso
Feet must be flat on the floor Individual Posing Routines
Individual Posing Routines
Each athlete will be allowed 60 seconds of Individual Free Posing to music of their own choosing. In ALL instances the music will start playing & the athlete will enter the stage to perform their routine.
To reiterate the entry rules, no music shall have bad language, blasphemy or promote violence.
In the event of a technical problem a music track will be provided by the event organiser.
LADIES TONED FIGURE
Ladies Toned Figure Class will be judged on a toned body promoting a healthy lifestyle. Ladies will be recognisably fit & show evidence of training muscularly without being excessively defined or dieted. Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation will all be assessed by the judges.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
The compulsory poses are as follows;
Front pose with hands overhead
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Left Side pose of choice
(Quarter Turn to the Rear)
Rear pose with arms arms overhead
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Right Side pose of choice
(Quarter Turn to the Front)
ATHLETIC FIGURE
Ladies Athletic Figure Class will be judged on an athletic body promoting a healthy lifestyle. The athlete will be feminine with muscle mass with such low body fat that striations are visible. Feminine Muscularity, Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation will all be assessed by the judges.
Stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
The compulsory poses are as follows;
Front pose with hands overhead
Side Chest
Rear pose with arms overhead
Side Tricep
All poses are open handed & at the athletes preferred interpretation.
LADIES TRAINED FIGURE
Ladies Trained figure Class will be judged on a trained body promoting a healthy lifestyle. Ladies will be recognisably fit & show evidence of training muscularly & body fat will be low. Symmetry, Balance & Proportions, Conditioning & Presentation will all be assessed by the judges.
stage presence, etiquette & tanning will form the foundations of all judging decisions.
The compulsory poses are as follows;
Front pose with hands overhead
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Left Side pose of choice
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Rear pose with arms overhead
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Right Side pose of choice
(Quarter Turn to the Right)
Abdominals & Thighs
Final Invitations
(If applicable)
British Final Invitations are awarded to athletes that the judges feel will be competitive at the yearly National Finals. First place in a qualifying event does not guarantee that the athlete will receive an automatic invitation to the Finals. ALL invitations are the responsibility of the head judge at the respective qualifying show(s).
An automatic Finals invitation is offered to any athlete who won their class in the previous year’s British Final. For clarity, being a British Final’s Class Winner is relevant for one season only.
Agreements
Any promoter, athlete, service provider or affiliated person shall enter
into any arrangement or agreement voluntarily & of their own free will.
By doing so these external parties are bound to accept the rules, as laid
out in this document & to follow the working practises of FIT XPO
Liability
Any promoter, athlete, service provider or affiliated person shall have no
claim over FIT XPO Strom Classic Shows in relation to any loss they may incur whether it is financial, harm to reputation or loss of time.
Any promoter or organiser shall make the necessary steps to provide
medical & insurance cover for any event over which they have control.
Media Rights
Any photograph, video recording or any other image of athlete
participation in a FIT XPO event will be considered an assigned image & FIT XPO will hold copyright of these aforementioned works or images.
FIT XPO reserve the right to control any & all press accreditation to
media organisations in all cases where formal media coverage is being
undertaken.
FIT XPO PRO
(If applicable) Professional Athletes will be selected from the very best amateur athletes. In all instances a Professional Athlete may not return to compete as an amateur Athlete.
Code of Ethics
Any athlete, official, judge or affiliate by participation agrees to
abide to a Code of Ethics.
QUALIFYING SHOWS
Any show or competition that allows Amateur Athletes to be selected to
compete in a National Final shall be considered a qualifying show.
Exceptionally, there may be shows or competitions to which FIT XPO
have no direct formal involvement but through prearranged agreements
Athletes may be selected through that event’s judging processes.
CODE OF ETHICS
COMMITMENT
As a Sporting Provider FIT XPO recognise the need to follow a set of values that will enhance, promote & forward not only the sport of Bodybuilding & Fitness but also that of a caring, equal & fair society.
In all instances FIT XPO insist on the following practises:
Officials & service providers must promote health & safety in every aspect of any related activities.
All Officials & service providers must ensure that respect is shown to all. Everyone should be treated equally & sensitively regardless of age, ancestry, colour, gender, race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or disability.
All officials & service providers must honour sport. Fair play, the following of the rules, politeness, acceptance of decisions & moderate language & behaviour must always be displayed.
In all manner of transgressions, cheating, bad behaviour or breaches of this Code of Ethics, the FIT XPO Team has the power to sanction, disqualify, withdraw support, expel or impose endorsements on individuals or support organisations that have been found to contravene rules