The INBA PNBA added a new natural bodybuilding category to the women’s amateur division for the 2022 season.
You may be eager to know what the new category is, especially if you’re a raving natural bodybuilding fan. So what is it? Drumroll… it’s Wellness! Wellness is an exclusive female category available for INBA PNBA amateur athletes. It’s an Open division – no age limit – and will be at all 2022 INBA events, including Natural Olympia.
New Natural Bodybuilding Category
Below is an overview of the outfit and scoring in the Wellness division.
Required Suit
Competitors will dress in a two-piece decorative competition suit with a traditional suit bottom that’s V-shaped in the front, all one material without connectors, and sits high on the hips. No thongs or T-backs are allowed, and the bottom cut from the back is standard to the Bikini Divas division. Although, competition Bikini Divas style suit bottoms with connectors is an alternative option. Each athlete will also be wearing acrylic heels and complimentary jewelry.
Judging Criteria
As most bodybuilding categories are judged, athletes will need muscularity, definition (conditioning), and a good stage presence to be competitive in this division. Judges scoring the Wellness division will focus more on women with more muscle development in the hips, glutes, and thighs than the upper body. Although, some degree of upper body muscularity is important. It’s also good for the contestants to be developed and lean, but the judges will be looking for less developed physiques – some muscle separation but no striation – in this category compared to Women’s Figure or Women’s Physique.
INBA PNBA Provides a Safe and Just League for Aspiring Natural Bodybuilders
Natural bodybuilding displays the boundaries the human body can break mentally and physically. As the famous Greek philosopher, Socrates once said, “No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” Since the dawn of time, we’ve witnessed the power and beauty our body is capable of naturally.
Fast forward millennia later, drug use is prevalent to push your physique to peak performance. Not so fast, though. Drug use is prohibited in natural bodybuilding leagues. And if you do get caught at any time failing a drug test in the INBA PNBA league, you’ll be stripped of your title and publicly ridiculed on the Hall of Shame.
After the recent surge of 2021 bodybuilding deaths, bodybuilding fans are worried about bodybuilding’s health and safety measures. Conversely, they shame natural bodybuilding. But hopefully, with the rise of multi-media contracts with Generation Iron, Iron Man Magazine, and INBA PNBA, we can see more expansion and support of natural bodybuilding.
What Will the Next Category Be?
The next category remains a mystery, but contemplating the thought is exciting. The INBA PNBA league is progressively growing so seeing new classes pop up wouldn’t be surprising. The Bikini Angels is a fun division, and we’re sure fans and competitors alike would love to see more creative divisions. For example, after William Long went Super Saiyan at L.A.’s Comic-Con, he expressed interest in a cosplay natural bodybuilding category in an Instagram post.
Not going to lie; a cosplay category does sound amusing!
Let us know a category idea you think would be suitable for the INBA PNBA to implement. Leave us a comment on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
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