I took that statement to mean that Figure is less challenging that Fitness....so that is why it is gaining in popularity. I realize it is not 'politically correct' to say. ...but it is. Obviously the physique goal is identical in both, with the only difference being the inclusion of the routine skills. One arms pushups, all splits, straddle hold, pike holds, high kicks etc + just the ability to move at a very high pace while looking decent doing it for 2 minz - is a hell of a lot harder than making 4 turns on a stage. Not saying Figure is easy, cause it's not, but IMO as it less challenging than Fitness and far easier to prepare for,we will see Fitness going down...well we already are...
People are placing more emphasis on a body's appearance and less on what it can actually do. The irony of it all is that fitness shows were supposed to spell the death of female bodybuilding. When people saw fitness competitions as virtually nothing but T&A, the women went ballistic, swearing that they were legitimate athletes.
That came to backfire on them, once the girls with heavy gymnastic backgrounds started to dominate. Later, someone came up with the Galaxy, which had an objective way to measure "fitness": an obstacle course. Of course, we saw more of the same. Many of the girls, who were more sinew than silicone, vaulted up the placings chart by way of their obstacle course time. Case in point: Raye "Zap" Hollitt competed in a Galaxy show. She didn't fare that well in the bikini round (still carried a lot of muscle from her bodybuilding/American Gladiator days). But, she smoked the obstacle course, which vaulted her to third place finish, overall.
The biggest problem was the fitness shows that had three rounds, with 25% of the score going to the evening gown round. The remaining 75% of the score cause the controversy. Some shows put 50% of the score in the bikini round and 25% in the fitness round; others did the exact opposite 50% fitness routine, 25% bikini round.
Those with great "pin-up girl" bodies (pretty faces, blonde hair, and freshly-purchased silicone mammaries) but modest athletic ability prospered in the former scenario. The ones with good-looking bodies, who could spin on their heads, launch themselves in the air, stick their feet in their mouths, and have them coming out their ears (while doing push-ups) dominated in the latter scenario.
Now, these ladies, by migrating to figure, are becoming the very thing people said all along. Granted, a number of the gymastic girls are heading to figure, too (their 30+ year-old bodies can't take the beatings, anymore). But, the desire to prove their athleticism has apparently disappeared. They'd rather just look the part; in essence, it's back to T&A.
