By Meriza DeGuzman IFBB Pro Figure

It’s still the most beautiful sport there is!

The sport of Figure is a beautiful celebration of what it means to be strong, healthy and fit, and feminine at the same time. It is an evolving, growing and changing sport. Sometimes, I’m not sure if it’s exactly accurate to call Figure a true sport by definition because I think your biggest competition is really with yourself – but I know that I love it!

I’ve been competing in Figure since 2004. Over the past few years, I’ve seen the sport evolve, and the shapes of the athletes change. Most recently, the judging of the sport of Figure has seemed to trend away from a harder, more athletic looking physique, towards a softer, less muscular look. This past year has been confusing for many competitors, who look toward the professional level for their cues as to how they are “supposed to” look. I must confess that I had some confusion, too, in terms of knowing what to expect from the judges choices of top physiques.

As we watch the trends unfold, we are beginning to see what I believe is a new ideal for our sport. It’s not a new direction, so much as it is a subtle shift toward what I perceive to be a more “feminine” flavor to the look of what is being rewarded in our sport. And that is what our sport is all about, anyway, right?

It’s been a tough year for me as a competitor, but I think it’s taught me to realize that you can never control what the other girls bring to the stage. All you can do is bring the best package you’ve got, present it as professionally as you can, and shine, smiling, knowing you are at your own best for that day! In this way, no matter what your placing, you have already won!

The real challenge is to achieve what you honestly believe to be your personal “perfect physique”. This is the real “sport” of it. Every body is different, we all have strong and weak points. The true art of our sport means accentuating and working with your better points, and creatively downplaying, while constantly improving on your weaker points. (Isn’t this also, in truth, the Art of being Female?)

To me, Figure is the Art of celebrating what it means to be female. Figure says, “Yes, young ladies, you can be strong, healthy, powerful and still be feminine!” We as strong and beautiful women have the opportunity to act as teachers and role models, as inspirations for those around us! I know that I work hard to live by example for my clients, for my daughter, and for all the women out there who lack the confidence or the faith that it can be done – yes, women, you can achieve a beautiful physical self, if you only just apply yourself, get up, and take charge of your own life!

Figure is a beautiful sport and it is an art. By participating in Figure competitions, we show the world that we are powerful. No matter what the placings or the numbers on the scoresheet, realize that by just stepping on the Figure stage, by participating, by bringing your best, and by summoning the courage to put on that tiny little sparkly suit and getting up there to strut your stuff, you have already won! You have completed a part of your journey toward becoming the best you can be! Just as simply as that, you are already your own champion! And on any given day, you may just take home that First Place trophy as well!

Meriza uses MAN Sports products as a part of her competition supplementation regimen, and she recommends them to her clients.

“I incorporate MAN Sports Scorch and Vaporize for my fat loss program. I have achieved my best condition ever, over the past year, since incorporating these two products into my regimen. I also recommend them to my clients whose goal is to get lean, without losing muscle. I also take Vaporize daily, even in the off-season. Vaporize is heart-healthy and, especially in the “off-season”, Vaporize can help prevent storing extra fat! This is extremely important for us competitors!”

“I use Body Octane before and during my cardio and circuit training workouts. Also, as a personal trainer, my job is very physical. Sipping on Body Octane throughout my work day helps keep the fatigue away and keeps me from getting physically tired during my busy work day. I love Body Octane!”

Meriza DeGuzman is an IFBB Pro Figure athlete. She is a sponsored athlete for MAN Sports Nutrition. She lives in San Diego, and is a personal trainer specializing in female physique transformation. Meriza regularly holds presentation clinics for amateur figure athletes; she recently released her first Figure posing and presentation video, The Art of Figure, available now through her website, www.merizafigure.com.