Want to Compete?? Here are the rules for NABBA...

CONSTITUTION
The National Amateur Body-Builders’ Association is a non profit making concern and all monies received are used solely for the purposes of the Association.

The management of the Association is in the hands of a small Executive Committee, easily available for regular consultation on urgent day to day matters.

There is an area representative for each of the major areas, who works in close liaison with the Secretary. They are also informed regularly about all NABBA matters. They are also responsible for organising shows and appointing judges for NABBA shows in their areas.

The name and address of the NABBA representative in your area can be had from the Secretary or website www.nabba.co.uk.

MEETINGS
In order to cut down the cost of expensive and often unnecessary meetings by bringing area representatives to Birmingham the Secretary is in constant touch with them, and they often meet at various shows up and down the country, also at the Britain and Universe finals.

MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to all physical culturists - men and women - over the age of 14, either as an amateur or an associate member and is current for twelve months from month of enrolment. It becomes renewable in the same month each year thereafter.

Those under the age of 14 years are only accepted for membership if they are members of an affiliated NABBA Club and join through the secretary of the club or have their parent’s permission to become members.

NABBA MEMBERSHIP FEES
(Subject to annual review)
New “yearly” membership £15.00
A club can be affiliated for the sum of £25.00

AWARDS
There are also special ticket privileges for NABBA Affiliated clubs, and individuals at some of these shows, including the Britain and Universe.

FREE ADVICE SERVICE
NABBA members can seek training advice if they train alone and have no instructor to turn to. But they must be limited and necessary. Stamped addressed envelope and current NABBA membership number must be included in all such letters. No medical queries can be answered.

DEFINITION OF A PROFESSIONAL
Competitor who declares being Professional (who earns a living by being a Professional Competitor). Once a Professional he/she cannot go back to Amateur status. However In the case of a Mr who becomes eligible to compete in the Masters, a clear 12 months gap should take place before being allowed to compete in the Amateur Masters category.

DEFINITION OF AN ASSOCIATE
An Associate is one whose wish is to support NABBA but who through status is not eligible to enter competitions with amateurs.

OBJECTS OF THE NABBA
1. To unite in one powerful Association all those interested in body-building as a recreation, as an aid to health and fitness and the perfection of the physique, and for the improvement of personal performance in all forms of sport.

2. To promote in the U.K. and Northern Ireland, National, Area and Club physique contests.

3. To promote International physique contests; send leading competitors abroad to and to bring leading body-builders to this country for shows and demonstrations.

4. To maintain a central office of information on body-building, and club addresses for free use of members.

5. To standardise and control the judging of all physique contests and to appoint a board of qualified judges.

6. To encourage all body-builders to use their physical advantage to some form of sporting activity.

7. To co-operate with recognised sports Associations at home and overseas in the furtherance of their aims and objectives.

8. To use all means available to make known the benefits of body-building to a wider public.

COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS
The Area shows lead up to the Mr, Miss, Junior, Senior and Novice Mr. Britain finals held annually.

Those placing in the first six or so in the Britain finals are asked to compete in the NABBA Universe Contests. Anyone placing either 1st or 2nd at the Universe will have an invitation to next year's Universe.

Selected winners also compete in the annual Mr. World Physique Championships which NABBA recognises.

NABBA CONTEST RULES
1. All competitors (both male and female) shall be NABBA members.

It is the organiser’s responsibility to ensure that memberships are valid.

A closing date for entries of one week prior to the contest date is suggested, so that any doubtful memberships may be checked with NABBA HQ.

Non-members may be allowed (at the discretion of the organiser) to join on the day of the contest on payment of membership fee to contest organiser. Membership card will be sent to the competitor on receipt of membership fee to NABBA HQ.

Any organiser allowing non-members to enter without charging competitor(s) membership fee will be invoiced by NABBA for said fee(s).

Organiser will furnish NABBA HQ with all entry forms within seven days after the contest date.

2. Judging shall be in three phases:
(a) Front, back and side in line up.
(b) Individual posing routine, not to exceed 1 minute 30 seconds.
(c) Standard comparison poses.

3. Competitors own music may be used at the judging and/or show at the discretion of the contest organiser.

Organiser shall provide suitable music for competitors not providing their own.

Organiser must provide adequate changing facilities and suitable lighting for physique presentation.

4. Competitors may enter only one contest per show. Unless an OPEN contest is run in conjunction with an area local contest.

5. In the case of a large number of entries, finalists may be selected at the judging to appear at the show. This should be stated on the entry form.

6. At the discretion of the contest organiser tanning colour may be used.

7. Any competitor acting in an unsportsmanlike manner must be reported to NABBA HQ and may be liable to disciplinary action. If considered serious he/she may be disqualified from contest by judges present.

8. Contest organiser may specify age limits for Junior and Senior contests, which must be made known to competitors in advance. It is the organiser’s responsibility to check birth certificates if necessary.

9. Only NABBA approved judges shall officiate. Organiser must invite judges well in advance and submit names of proposed judges to NABBA HQ.

Rules apply to MALE and FEMALE competitors unless otherwise stated.

All contests are for AMATEURS unless otherwise stated. An amateur is one who has not competed for a money prize (not applicable to Miss).

Special Notes regarding NABBA AREA contests:
1. No competitor may enter more than one AREA contest. This must be the area in which he/she normally resides.

In extenuating circumstances competitors may seek written permission to enter ‘out of area’.

2. Juniors must be under 21 on the 1st of January in the year in which the Britain Finals take place.

3. Seniors must be over 40 on the date of their area contest.

4. Novices must not have been previously placed in the first three in any AREA novice contest or have won ANY OPEN contest.

5. A first timer must not have competed before.

6. Any event with less than three competitors shall be deemed a ‘No-Contest’ and winning participants will not be invited to the Britain Finals unless considered to be of high enough standard by the judges present.

7. Winners of MASTERS/OVER 50's Area contests will only be invited to compete in Britain Finals if considered to be of high enough standard by the judges present.

8. For area contests a majority of judges should be from other areas.

Amendments to rules governing NABBA Area Contests from 13.7.1985
1. Organiser may run a Novice and/or Beginners' contest at his discretion. This will not however automatically qualify the winner to compete in the Britain Final.

2. The MR class will be divided into four height classes (new height classes as of 2.7.2000):
Class 4 Up to and including 1.65m
Class 3 Over 1.65 and up to and including 1.72m
Class 2 Over 1.72 and up to and including 1.79m
Class 1 Over 1.79m
Figure 2 Up to and including 1.63m
Figure 1 Over 1.63m

3. The Winner of each height class will qualify to compete in the appropriate height class at the Britain Finals if considered to be of high enough standard by the judges present.

4. Winners of the Area height classes will pose-down to select overall Area Winner.

5. Winners of Britain Final height classes will pose-down to select Overall Mr. Britain/Miss Britain.
NB: Item 6 of previous Area Contest Rules will apply to all contests; i.e. any event with less than three competitors shall be deemed a 'No contest' and winning participants will not be invited to Britain Finals unless considered to be of high enough standard by the judges present. All other Area contest rules apply.

GENERAL CONTEST RULES (Non area)
Organisers may run Novice and/or Beginners' contests at their own discretion.
The MR class may be divided into three height classes at the organiser's discretion.

Item 4 & 5 of previous Area contest rules will apply to any Novice contest; i.e. Novices must not have previously been placed in the first three in an Area novice contest, or have won any OPEN contest. A First-Timer must not have competed before.

N.A.B.B.A Area Contests:
Scotland;
Wales;
N. Ireland;
N. Britain: Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Durham, Cleveland.
N.W. Britain: Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cumbria, Isle of Man
N.E Britain: All Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, North & South Humberside.
S.E. Britain: Kent, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Berks, Beds, Bucks, Greater London (inc. Middlesex), Essex.
S. Britain: Dorset, Hants, East & West Sussex, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands.
W. Britain: Gloucestershire, Wilts, Avon, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall.
Midlands: Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, the West Midlands Metropolitan Area (including Birmingham), Oxfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk.

Winners and some runners-up in each area will be considered for the Britain Finals. In very big areas even thirds may be considered.

NABBA Universe, this great annual event will be staged at whichever suitable venue is available in the U.K. and British entries, usually from Britain, Mr & Miss England finalists or those with national honours, will be considered for the Universe.

NABBA MISS TRAINED FIGURE
Height Class Criteria

MISS TRAINED FIGURE
The agreed NABBA criteria requirements for the Miss Trained Figure judging are as follows:
The emphasis must be on feminine shape and proportion, while retaining a "trained look" and low body fat levels, but not carrying development or definition to an extreme that could be classed as unfeminine.

Height Classes:
Figure 2 Up to and including 1.63m
Figure 1 Over 1.63m

Three disciplines are involved and competitors should prepare with diligence for all three. During the disciplines wearing jewellery and/or shoes is optional.

DISCIPLINE 1: FRONT, BACK AND SIDE LINE-UP
This discipline begins with competitors facing the judges 'front-on', knees and ankles together. After an appropriate time lapse the judges chairman will instruct competitors top make a quarter turn to the right - the first of four such turns (through 360 degrees) which will allow judges to assess the competitors left side, back and right hand side before returning to the 'front-on' position facing the judges.

DISCIPLINE 2: INDIVIDUAL ROUTINES
This discipline will allow judges to assess each individual competitor. Time allocation for each competitor will be 90 seconds (1 minute 30 seconds) maximum. Judges are again reminded that, however graceful and exciting an individual presentation may be, the most important aspect is the agreed criteria applied to Figure Judging. Competitors should construct their routines to reflect this.

DISCIPLINE 3: COMPULSORY COMPARISONS
A vital discipline. Competitors should strive to achieve their best possible performance. The five comparison poses (Front Double Biceps, Side Chest, Side Triceps, Rear Double Biceps showing Calf, and Abdominals & Thighs) are the accepted guidelines for Domestic and International FIGURE contests.

NABBA "TONED" MISS FIGURE CRITERIA

The Total package of the "Toned" Miss Figure Class should display an athletic level of development presenting a balanced, symmetrical developed figure, considering the condition of the skin and the skin tone, with the ability to present confidence, poise and grace.

Judging criteria will be for a "Toned" Figure and not "physique" or "trained" Figure category - (Muscularity, vascular, muscular definition and/or diet leanness will not be considered acceptable). Competitors will be assessed as to the level of overall tone, achieved through athletic endeavours. The figure should have a round and firm appearance with small amount of body fat. Competitors cannot be excessively muscular and should be free from deep muscle separation and /or striations.

The Head Judge will make considerations as to whether or not to remove any competitor that displays a look that is "too hard". (Anyone that is considered too hard for the "Toned" figure, will be given the opportunity to enter the Figure 2/Figure 1 height class categories.

The Competition Presentation will consist of the following:
Quarter Turns - The general presentation during the quarter turns will consist of competitors presenting themselves with poise, self-confidence and posture. Although they will be in a semi tense stance the judges are looking for a "total package" and competitors are warned against adopting any stance that tries to emulate too much muscularity.

Followed by - Any 1 favourite pose at front, left side, back and finally right side.

Each competitor will then be required to do an individual posing routine (90 seconds duration).