Judging Criteria
Muscularity and Body Condition
Judges will be looking for fit contestants who display proper shape and symmetry combined with muscularity and overall condition. This is not a bodybuilding contest so extreme muscularity should be marked down.
On Stage Presence and Personality
Competitors will enter the stage without a shirt and barefoot.
No lewd acts allowed for example the moon pose.
No Gymnastics Moves are Allowed.
Judges are looking for the contestant with the best stage presence and poise who can successfully convey his personality to the audience.
Competitors numbers will be worn on the left side of the suit bottom.
Posing Shorts
Contestants will be asked to walk in board shorts
Shorts must be just above the knee in length and can be one inch below the belly button,
no spandex and no logos are permitted on the board shorts however a manufacturer’s logo such as Nike symbol or Billabongs are acceptable.
Competition Judging
Presentation
Competitors will walk to the center of the stage alone
Perform front and back turns with optional pose of hand on hip or hand in pocket or just hands relaxed
finishing facing the judges
then proceed to the side or back of the stage.
Length of time allowed is 15 seconds
Comparison Round
The competitors will be brought back out in a group and directed to do front and back poses.
Judges will have the opportunity to compare competitors against each other in front and back poses.
Height Classes
A Men's Physique competition may be divided in the following height classes.
2 Classes
Class A | Up to and including 5’8” |
Class B | Over 5’8” |
3 Classes
Class A | Up to and including 5’7” |
Class B | Over 5’7” and up to and including 5’10” |
Class C | Over 5’10” |
4 Classes
Class A | Up to and including 5’6” |
Class B | Over 5’6” and up to and including 5’8” |
Class C | Over 5’8” and up to and including 5’10” |
Class D | Over 5’10” |
6 Classes
Class A | Up to and including 5’7” |
Class B | Over 5’7” and up to and including 58” |
Class C | Over 5’8” and up to and including 5’9” |
Class D | Over 5’9” and up to and including 5’11” |
Class E | Over 5’11” and up to and including 6’0” |
Class F | Over 6'0” |
Men's Physique Posing Video Tutorial
Join the CPA
To compete or participate in a CPA event, athletes must be registered with the CPA.
Competitor Health
Any competitor who appears to be disoriented, light-headed or experiences undue cramping will not be permitted to compete.
Junior & Masters
Junior Athletes - must be at least 18 years old and no older than 23 as of the day of the show.
Masters Men and Women’s Classes begin at 35 years of age or over as of the day of the show. Promoters may add masters classes as follows 40/45/50/55/60 years of age.
Qualifications received as a junior or as a master are valid for the respective division only and may not be carried over to other divisions.
Placing Top 3 in a Regional competition in the Masters 35+ qualifies you to all Masters Pro Qualifier classes in your division. Placing Top 3 in a Regional competition in the Masters 40+ qualifies you to all Masters Classes above 40+ in your division provided you meet the age requirements.
True Novice & Novice
True Novice – All first-time competitors are eligible to compete in the True Novice category (never competed with the CPA in any category at a bodybuilding or physique competition). The True Novice category provides no qualifications, just awards and bragging rights.
Novice – All competitors who did not place first in any category in a CPA competition may compete in the Novice category. The novice category provides no qualifications, just awards and bragging rights.
Athlete Check-Ins/Weigh-Ins
Competition check-ins/weigh-ins take place the day prior to the contest at a location provided by the contest promoter. The promoter will publish the official check-in/weigh-in start time. All competitors, regardless of category, must be present for the official check-in/weigh-in.
During the official check-in/weigh-in competitors will be officially heighted and/or weighed, receive their competitor number and information verified. All competitors must show their CPA membership card. Junior and Masters competitors must provide government issued ID showing date of birth (i.e. passport, birth certificate, etc.)
Please note: Any competitor who does not make weight will be given a maximum of 30 minutes in which to do so. If, for whatever reason, the competitor does not return within thirty minutes, he or she will be eliminated from the competition. The onus is on the competitor to return within the deadline; the CPA is under no obligation to issue time warnings or to track down the competitor.
Backstage
The only people permitted in the backstage area are competitors, approved backstage pass purchasers, expediters, CPA officials & CPA Media.