Figure Competitions: What we can learn from 7 times Ms. Olympia Champion

 
Cydney Gillon Dominating Olympia In a fabulous Figure Suit that you can design on www.competitionsuitshop.com

It’s no surprise that I’m writing this as we wrap up the last big Figure Competition event of 2023 namely the Ms. Olympia Event, which ideally sets, or resets, the criterias that the NPC and IFBB Pro League are looking for in Figure competitions in the coming year as well. So if you’re looking to get into Figure or even if you’re a seasoned athlete looking to secure your pro card then this is a must read for you!

Revisiting the Basics: Rules Recap

Figure criterias as explained by IFBB PRO LEAGUE’s Chairperson Sandy Williamson are 

  1. A balanced development of muscularity, which means an emphasis on balance and symmetry of muscles 

  2. Emphasis on the Classic V Taper - We will highlight this with Cydney’s Win below, so stay with us! 

  3. Good back depth, back width, rounded delts.

  4. A nice development to your quads and to your hamstrings with a small amount of separation between the quads.

  5. A nice separation between the glutes and the hamstrings.

  6. Everything about Figure is about The V, BALANCE, SYMMETRY AND SHAPE; You want a nice balance between your upper and lower body. And you want nice overall symmetry.

What you don’t want to see!

  1. Striations of any kind in Figure Competitions. 

  2. No deep muscle separation that you associate with Women’s Physique (entire different division of women’s bodybuilding)

Pro Tip: Find a Coach who really understands the above criteria. This will go a long way to helping you succeed in Figure. Many athletes do not have the right criteria guidance and that is just a recipe for failure from the start

Coach Ace Pictured in her Beautiful Custom-Made Figure Suit from www.competitionsuitshop.com, at the NPC Armed Forces Figure Competition 2023

Coach Ace Pictured in her Beautiful Custom-Made Figure Suit from www.competitionsuitshop.com, at the NPC Armed Forces Figure Competition 2023

When it comes to Figure, there’s only one name that comes to mind and that is Cydney Gillon. She has cemented her legacy status even more by winning this year’s Ms. Olympia to become the 7 time Olympia champion in the figure division. So needless to say, we’ll be doing a deep dive into the GOAT’s win, and break down things you should be working towards, or doing to realize your 2024 Figure Competition Goals!


  1. A Very Accentuated V Figure Shape - She’s got the wide shoulders, the very very narrow waist. The lats are wide with the sweep into the torso that ties the whole physique together. All four finalists of this year’s Ms. Olympia pictured below seem to have this on point, because the key about figure is “The more dramatic you can make the Classic V Taper, the better you’re going to do in figure.” 

  1. However, if you notice Cydney (Highlighted Her V shaped above) as opposed to her direct competitor Jessica (to her left in the picture), she has less developed shoulder muscles. Because Figure is more about Shape and Balance than Muscle Density. The moment you push out of Shape and Balance, you are stepping out of Figure Criteria and into Physique. 

  2. Symmetry: She has enough muscular development in her arms - biceps, triceps, shoulders - that does not distract from the V-Shape. Again a more dense muscular shape will throw the symmetry off balance.

  3. Staying true to the Criteria: Every other athlete is more muscular than Cydney in the arms and torso, so to the untrained eye, that seems deserving of a higher score, but no (AND TAKE NOTES HERE LADIES), Cydney wins because she has PERFECTED to the tee the rules of the Figure Criteria that is outlined above.

You will also notice how Cydney has really picked out a Figure suit that really accentuates her V-shape. This can only be accomplished with a custom-made bikini with a sizing expert who understands how the cut needs to be patterned and shaped to the athlete's stage porportions. And how each rhinestone needs to be embellished to compliment, and not distract from what the champ is trying to achieve on stage! 

Custom-Made Suits that are made to accentuate the V-Shape in Figure Competitions from www.competitionsuitshop.com

We’ll be doing another deep dive into the second part of what we can learn from Cydney’s Figure Competition domination, looking at her lower body and what muscle groups you should be focusing on, so stay tuned!

Read More on Part 2: Figure Competitions: What we can learn from 7x Ms. Olympia (Part 2)

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