Qualifications and Classes

The NBBF / IFBB Nederland organizes an amount of contests on an annual basis. We organize a number ourselves and a number in collaboration with an under auspices partner.

The following competitions take place under the flag of the NBBF / IFBB Nederland (click on contest name for details and registration):

–   Juliette Bergmann Cup for C-level athletes
–   Isala Cup for C-level athletes
–   Open Rotterdam Championship for B-level athletes
–   Dutch Championship for A-level athletes
–   Golds Gym Classic for C-level athletes
–   Notorious Cup for D and C-level athletes
–   Hercules for B-level athletes
–   Juliette Bergmann Grand Prix for A-level athletes
–   Open Lichtstad for D and C athletes

Every athlete can, after he or she has become a member of the NBBF, register for the D or C competition. D is the absolute beginner level. We are referring here to athletes who have just started training and still have real beginners physique and have never competed before.

C is also beginners level but this includes athletes who have already participated in an NBBF competition. The participants in a C-level contest can also have a more advanced physical. It is always about starting athletes. When you finish in the top 3 of a C-level contest you win the right to participate in a B-level contest. The only two B-level competitions are the Open Rotterdam Championships and the Hercules.

If you get the top 5 in a B competition you can participate in an A competition.

Athletes who have competed at the Dutch Championships or GP can participate in international competitions of the IFBB in consultation with the NBBF board.

Athletes who achieve international success can participate in the IFBB elite competitions where great cash prizes can be won.
The athletes who achieve top results on pro qualifiers from the IFBB Amateur branch can achieve an Elite Pro Card.

In order to participate in IFBB / NBBF competitions, you must get a contest license first. As with other sports associations such as the KNVB and KNSB, it is not permitted to participate in competitions of another organization as a member of the NBBF / IFBB. In addition, there are clearly defined guidelines that you must meet in terms of physical appearance (physique) and posing.

Symmetry is central to the NBBF / IFBB. Depending on the class you are in, we will then look at Conditioning and Hardness. As you participate at a higher level, the Presentation also becomes increasingly important.

To register for participation in a contest organized by the NBBF / IFBB Nederland, you must first purchase a contest license from IFBB Nederland.

Get a contest license now, click here.

Once you have got a contest license of NBBF / IFBB Nederland, you can then register for one or more competitions/contests organized by us.

Go to ‘‘contests calender‘ and choose the contest that you like to compete in.

A-athletes who have participated in the IFBB / NBBF Dutch Championship or the Juliette Bergmann Grand Prix can submit a request to participate in an international competition. Send your mail with the request to:

juliettebergmann@ifbbnederland.nl.
 

Every year the NBBF organizes several posing and instruction clinics for its members. These clinics are given by the IFBB / NBBF national coaches supported by a selection of Dutch top athletes. The posing clinics are free for NBBF / IFBB Nederland members.

Follow the news on this website to find out where and when the next posing clinic is being held.

Bikini Fitness
Body Fitness
Bodybuilding
Classic Bodybuilding
Classic Physique
Fitness Women / Men
Fitmodel Women / Men
Kids Fitness
Men’s Physique
Mixed Pairs
Muscular Men’s Physique
Wellness
Women’s Physique

Women’s Fit Model
Women’s Bikini Fitness
Women’s Bodyfitness
Women’s Wellness Fitness
Women’s Physique
Women’s Fitness

1. Women’s Fit Model, see international rules for this class:

Women’s Fit Model Rules (2017)

2. Women’s Bikini Fitness
This category was introduced in 2011 and is intended for women who keep their body in shape and eat healthy. Overall body lines, balance and proportions, body tone and healthy appearance are considered. High intensity strength training and hard, lean muscles are not necessary. The emphasis is on a well-formed, fitting, healthy and attractive appearance, comparable to that of models.

Participants are assessed in two rounds, with a two-piece bikini and high heels. Quarter turns, including front, back and both sides, are performed in both rounds. The final round also starts with “I-walking”, which gives every participant the opportunity to present her body and charm.

This competition started with one open class and – due to the extreme popularity – now expanded to eight body height categories: 158 cm, 160 cm, 162 cm, 164 cm, 166 cm, 169 cm, 172 cm and more than 172 cm.

Women-Bikini-Fitness-Rules-2019
bikini-sizes-and-shoes-during-games-do+don’t-in-pictures-ifbb

3. Women’s Bodyfitness
Body fitness was implemented by the IFBB in 2002 to give a chance to compete for a large group of well-formed women without the routine rounds, just the physique. This formula has proven to be useful and the number of participating competitors is increasing every year. Later IFBB created the opportunity for them to set their figure in motion during a short individual presentation on stage called “I-walking”.

Currently there are two rounds of quarter turns in bikini of their choice and classic stiletto pump of every color. At the start of Round 2 (finals), top 6 participants give individual “I-walking” presentations and then a quarter run as a group.

In all rounds, judges must judge the overall athletic appearance of the body, taking into account symmetrically developed physique, muscle tone and shape, with a small amount of body fat, as well as hair, makeup and individual presentation style, including personal confidence, balance and grace. This sports discipline is wide open to all well-formed women who train in the fitness centers and follow a healthy sports diet. And they benefit from it! Just like in fitness, subscores from the last round are used to get the final total and places. There are four body height classes: 158 cm, 163 cm, 168 cm and more than 168 cm.

Womens-Bodyfitness-Rules-2019

4. Women’s Wellness Fitness
The Wellness Fitness division is intended for women who prefer a muscle body without muscle separation, athletic and aesthetic, with a larger body mass than in Bikini Fitness. From this point of view, Wellness Fitness is placed somewhere between Bikini Fitness and Women’s Physique.

Assessing physique, assessing criteria and rounds are the same as Women’s Bikini Fitness. Competitors perform quarter-rounds in all rounds plus individual “I-walking” presentation in the final. Vertical proportions (legs to upper body length) are the most important factors. Horizontal proportions (hips and waist to shoulder width) can favor women with slightly larger hips, thighs and buttocks. There are four categories of Wellness Fitness: up to 158 cm, up to 163 cm; up to 168 cm and more than 168 cm.

Women’s Wellness Fitness Rules (2017)

5. Women’s Physique
This IFBB division was introduced in early 2013 for women who want to make a heavier bodybuilding body, but not extremely dry, lean and muscular, yet athletic and aesthetic.

In total there are 3 rounds. In round 1 (semi-final), the physique and muscularity of the participants are assessed during quarter turns and four compulsory postures. In the final, the compulsory poses and the posedown are performed in round 2 and a short, 30-second routine to the music chosen by the opponent in round 3.

This sport is somewhere between Bodyfitness and former Women Bodybuilding, which was removed from the IFBB list of official sports in 2013.

Participants are expected to present the overall athletic development of the muscular system, but also a balanced and symmetrical development of all muscle groups, their sports condition and quality, with visible separation.

There are two categories in this division: up to 163 cm and more than 163 cm.

Womens-Physique-Rules-2019
Womens-Physique-infographics-do+don’t+clothes+excercises+judging

6. Women’s Fitness
This concept was introduced by the IFBB in the early 90s, starting as an official competition in 1996 in response to the increasing demand for competitions for women who prefer a less muscular, yet athletic and aesthetically attractive physique and also for their physique to show in motion. In Women’s Fitness the emphasis is on a beautifully shaped, athletic looking physique, assessed by comparing four quarter turns and athletic ability, all being assessed during a very attractive and dynamic fitness routine. There are currently two Women’s Fitness categories: up to 163 cm and more than 163 cm.

The judges are looking for strengths, flexible movements, fast pace, technical perfection, elegance and grace. Competitors may use small props associated with their clothing.

Because it is also a physical sport, there are two body evaluation rounds in addition to these artistic routine laps. In rounds 1 and 3, participants perform four-quarter turns in bikinis, judges judging their figures and body contours, body shape, body fat level, body hardness and muscle tone, overall stage presentation (self-confidence, balance, coordination of movements) as well as the general presentation style.

Eliminations (if there are more than 15 athletes), round 1 (quarter rotation comparisons) and round 2 (90-second routine) are performed during the Prejudging. In the final, the six best competitors again perform their posing routines (round 3) and then a quarter run (round 4). The subscores of these last two rounds are summarized to create the total and final places of the participants.

Women-Fitness-Rules-2019

Men’s Fit Model
Men’s Fitness
Men’s Physique
Men’s Muscular Physique
Classic Bodybuilding
Classic Physique
Bodybuilding

1. Men’s Fit Model, see international rules for this class:

Mens-Fit-Model-Rules-2017

2. Men’s Fitness
This sport discipline is similar in structure to Women’s Fitness; however, the body mass is limited according to the formulas established for all four body height ranges: 170 cm, 175 cm, 180 cm and more than 180 cm. However in the Netherlands we currently only work with one open category of men’s fitness.

The competition also includes four rounds, with the artistic fitness routine in round 1 and round 3 plus quarter turns in round 2 and round 4. During the quarter turns, participants wear only the swimsuit and the judges judge the overall male athletic physique. Positions must be power and flexibility movements, gymnastic movements or other ways to display their athletic talent and capacity.
At the end, the sub scores from the last two rounds (round 3 and round 4) are added to produce the final scores and reach the final places of the top 6 participants. Participants in places 7 to 15 only retain their scores for the Prejudging (Round 1 and Round 2). However, these are the international rules. In the Netherlands all participants also receive a 3rd and 4th round.

Mens-Fitness-Rules-2019

3. Men’s Physique
In 2012, the Men’s Physique division was officially launched as a new IFBB sport discipline.

It appears to be a very popular category, so the IFBB has increased the number of men’s physique categories from 2 (two) to 6 (six): 170 cm, 173 cm, 176 cm, 179 cm, 182 cm and more than 182 cm. They perform two laps of a quarter turn with shorts of their choice. The final round (round 2) starts with a short individual presentation on the podium of each participant.

It is intended for men who train with weights, stay fit and follow a healthy, balanced diet, but prefer a less muscular, yet athletic and aesthetic body.

They are good-looking participants who display the right shape and symmetry, combined with some muscularity and a good overall condition. The athletes must have a presence and appearance on stage and their personality and the ability to present themselves confidently on stage must be visible.

Mens-Physique-Rules-2019
Mens-Physique-infographics-do+don’t+presentation+clothes

4. Muscular Men’s Physique
In 2016, IFBB introduced one open category called ‘Muscular Men’s Physique’, intended for participants with slightly greater musculature than was accepted in regular Men’s Physique.

5. Classic Bodybuilding
It is a bodybuilding version for those male athletes who do not want to develop their muscles to their “extreme” full potential, but prefer lighter “classic” physique.

To create equal opportunities for them, the body weight of the participants is limited based on their height, according to the special IFBB formula for each body height class (currently there are five categories: 168 cm, 171 cm, 175 cm, 180 cm and more than 180 cm).
As muscle mass is limited, special attention is paid to the overall body image, body proportions and lines, muscle shape and condition (density, body fat, definition and details).

These values are judged by the members of the jury during rounds 1 and 3. In round 2, as with bodybuilding, free pose routines are performed on music of the choice of an athlete.

Mens-Classic-Bodybuilding-Rules-2019

6. Men’s Classic Physique, see the international rules for this class:

Mens-Classic-Physique-2019

7. Men’s Bodybuilding
Athletes train to develop all body parts and muscles to the maximum size, but in balance and harmony. There must be no “weak points” or underdeveloped muscles. In addition, they must follow a special pre-competition training cycle to keep the body fat level as low as possible and to remove subcutaneous water to show the quality of muscles: density, separation and definition. Who can display more muscle details, scores higher in the competition. And the other issue that needs to be assessed is the overall image of the body that needs to be built proportionally. It means wide shoulders and a narrow waist, as well as sufficiently long legs and a shorter upper body.

These qualities are shown during two body evaluation rounds when participants do 7 compulsory postures during comparisons of 3 to 8 athletes suggested by the jury members. Athletes perform barefoot in posing trunk. There are 7 body weight categories for men: 65 kg; 70 kg; 75 kg; 80 kg; 90 kg; 100 kg and more than 100 kg.

There is also a routine round when athletes can show their physique during the 60-second free pose routine that is performed on the music of their choice. It is an attractive, artistic presentation, including mandatory and non-compulsory postures and other types of movements. There are three rounds. In every round, each jury member must rank the participants, giving them individual places from the first to the last position.

Mens-Bodybuilding-Rules-2019

Mixed-Pairs was officially recognized by the IFBB as a sports discipline in 1983 as a mixed pair of bodybuilding; however, the IFBB International Congress 2013 in Marrakech, Morocco, has canceled women’s bodybuilding, so nowadays the IFBB Mixed Pairs category is open to women participating in women’s physique or women’s fitness or women’s body fitness with male bodybuilder or male classic bodybuilder.

Men from Mixed-Pairs perform compulsory poses in the same way as in Men’s Bodybuilding, while women perform these poses in the same style as in Women’s Physique. Male participants wear the same clothing as in Men’s Bodybuilding, female participants wear the same clothing as in Women’s Physique.

Mixed Pairs competition consists of three rounds: round 1 in the semi-finals (comparisons) plus round 2 (compulsory poses) and round 3 (posing routine) in the final.

In the Mixed Pairs category, jury members assess the overall physique of both partners in the degree of proportion, symmetry, muscle size and quality (density, separation) and skin tone. The pair will also be assessed as a unit with particular attention to how well their individual physiques complement each other and how well they move together.

In the routine round, jury members pay special attention to how well each couple shows their physique on music. Jury members will look for smooth, artistic and well-choreographed routines that can include any number of poses; however, mandatory postures must be included. The couple must also take intermittent breaks to reflect the muscular development of their physique.

Mixed-Pairs-Rules-2017

Children Fitness is the only IFBB sports division that is available for children with no minimum age. The maximum age limit is 16 years old. After that, children go to the junior age class. Currently, there are the following age categories for girls: up to 7 years, up to 8 years, up to 9 years, up to 10 years, up to 11 years, up to 12, up to 13 years, 14-15 years. Categories of boys: up to 7 years, 8-9 years, 10-11 years, 12-13 years, 14-15 years old.

The semi-finals and the final each consist of two rounds: fitness routine round (90 seconds) and quarter-turn round. The routine lap is more important because the results are multiplied by 2 (two). Judges assess the routine with regard to style, personality, athletic coordination and overall performance. Jury members will also look for competitors who perform strength and flexibility movements, as well as gymnastic movements. The routine can include aerobics, dance, gymnastics or other demonstrations of athletic talent.

In the quarter turn round, judges evaluate the overall appearance of the body, taking into account the entire body. The overall development of the body must be taken into account in the assessment; the presentation of a balanced, symmetrically developed physique; the condition of the skin and skin tone. The child participant must be viewed at all times with an emphasis on a “healthy, fit, good looking body”.
 
Children’s Fitness Rules (2017)