Note: The minimum age is 16 years old. The age on the day of competition is decisive.

Note: Use of subcategories is dependent on the amount of athlete registrations of the category, the use of subcategories will be announced when the timetable for the competition is released (after the pre-registration deadline).

First timer: You have never competed before in any federation. You are entering your first contest; therefore, you are only a First Timer once in your life. However, you can enter multiple divisions on the day of your first contest.

To best protect this category, when you register you declare that you are indeed a first-time competitor. If you are nevertheless not honest about this, your result will be deleted and you’ll be suspended for life within the organisation.

Junior:  this category is mandatory as a first category for all athletes who are younger than 23 years on the day of competition (with the exception of First Timer athletes who only compete in 1 category).

Master:  this category is mandatory as a first category for all athletes who are 40 years or older on the day of competition (with the exception of First Timer athletes who only compete in 1 category).

Open (Height): Athletes are divided into subcategories according to body height measured at the registration/weigh-in. There will be 2 subcategories (minus or plus 1m75).

(An athlete can register for as many categories he prefers across multiple divisions as long as he qualifies for the above regulations of the specific category.)

Overall: All winners from the above categories are put into this category to decide the best athlete of the division in a competition. The athlete does not have to register for this category himself and is free of charge.

PRO: NCOBB/ICN Belgium does not host PRO shows at the moment. All PRO athletes are automatically signed up in the Overall category. Please contact info@ncobb.com when you are a PRO athlete looking to compete in our shows.

Well developed and muscular upper body with emphasis on broad, round shoulders, small waist and excellent V-Taper. Men Physique is well-groomed, polished in presentation and requires sharp conditioning to complement V- Taper and full 6 pack.

Judges will look for specific characteristics in athlete’s physiques that are quite different compared to bodybuilding division:

Broad shoulders, small waist and very well balanced between all muscle groups of the upper body with emphasis on conditioning of abdominal muscles AND back width (through flaring of the latissimus dorsi and small waist). 

Athletes should avoid displaying extreme muscle striations and vascularity in posing (clamping down during posing, max effort), to contrast this with posing in bodybuilding division. Lower body muscularity and conditioning is negligible, with the exception of the calf musculature.

Symmetry > conditioning > muscularity (Symmetry is most favourably judged, followed by conditioning and muscle mass)

Great V-taper with wide back, round shoulders and small waist. Conditioned midsection without extreme vascularity and muscle striations.

• • Men board shorts are mandatory
    • Colour is free of choice. Not transparent.
    • Discrete or non-ostentatious printed pattern (see specificity below) 
    • The shorts must not cover the knees 
    • Stage time is barefoot
  • Jewelry, piercings are allowed but not excessive
  • Facial hair is allowed but doesn’t contribute to the look of a Men’s Physique athlete.
  • Athlete number must always be visible at the left side of the waist and on the back

  N.B After inspection of the posing attire at the registration, any objection will automatically result in disqualification of the athlete if no remediation is possible before the start of the contest (first category of the day).

Examples of approved board shorts:

• • • It may be of different colours but without cartoons or drawings on them or any other print that may be confusing to good morals and it must not be transparent. 
    • The board should be loose and must leave the knee clearly visible.

Athletes of the same category present themselves backstage in their competition outfit. 

Under the direction of the stage organiser all the athletes of the same category come on stage. The stage organiser presents each athlete in ascending order of athlete numbers. Under the orders of the stage organiser, after presentation at the back of the stage, and having advanced on the comparison/judgement line, the athletes perform:

A quarter turn to the right so as to appear in profile, then again a quarter turn to the right so as to stand facing the judges, then a quarter turn to the right to present their other profile, and finally the athletes finish with a last quarter turn to regain face to face position with the judges. 

Depending on the number of athletes a new order of numbers can be made. All athletes perform all (or several) quarter turns again in the new order of athlete numbers. After being put back in the original order of the athlete numbers, the athletes are aligned in the background. This ends the first round.

By instruction of the stage organiser, the athletes individually make a tour on the stage in a ‘T’ shape lasting approximately 45 seconds in front of the judges before returning to their position at the back of the stage. International ICN contests may differ in the inclusion of an individual posing round.

In the ‘posing zones’ on the diagram, an athlete can do several poses (quarter turn poses from first round, variations of muscularity poses from third round and alternative poses), the poses must be fluid and well transitioned to provide a convincing individual posing round. 

Important Note:

• The music is randomly chosen by the organisation and will be the same for all athletes. The music lasts 45”.
• Each athlete starts with a “T-Walk”, beginning from the middle of the back of the stage. 
• The athlete will have to regain his place in the background as soon as possible at the end. Any breach will be sanctioned or disqualify.
• Athletes who do not perform a “T-Walk” will be sanctioned with points. 

Below you can find a video of a t-walk performed by an athlete on stage.

After the second round, the line up is once again formed on the backline of the stage in ascending athlete numbers. All athletes are moved to the front of the stage, the stage presenter will call for 5 mandatory poses. Front double biceps, preferred side chest, back double biceps, preferred side triceps and abdominals pose.

Note that these muscularity poses are judged to look for the specific Men Physique judging criteria and should differ in presentation from bodybuilding muscularity poses. 

Below photos of all muscularity poses.

At the end of the third round (muscularity round), comparisons by 3 can then be requested by the judges in order to better estimate the athletes’ physique and refine the ranking. Requests for comparisons will be made by the head of the jury table. The comparisons of these 3 athletes will be with the same poses as the third round (muscularity round).

After the judges have asked for call-outs, 1 minute of free posing is offered to all athletes on stage. The posedown is competitive, but friendly in nature, overly aggressive behaviour will be sanctioned by the jury.

Image below: Posedown! 1 minute of free posing for all athletes together on stage!