Val Waugaman video interview NOW AVAILABLE!

[Lift Studios]

The video interview explaining her thoughts on her posing, answering the tough questions on what she was saying on stage outloud, who she was blowing kisses to, if she was high or on drugs and what she has in store for this weekend's West Palm Beach show performance.

After you see it you get the feeling she really believes in what she is doing and is on a mission to change figure. Do I agree with her antics? Not the so much but it is the most interesting thing to hit figure scene to date.

http://www.hardbody.com

[Tre]

... it is the most interesting thing to hit figure scene to date.

Finally, our young Isaac gets it.   

[JKDMan]

I've written enough on this...but anyway  :

I can respect Val and her personality after viewing this vid. I haven't viewed the whole thing yet, but I get the sense by her speech that:1) She's likely really into yoga, which I appreciate as well. 2) She believes in herself enough to  try something new, and negative feedback isn't likely to dampen her spirit. Good for her. Respect. 

However, I do think positive affirmations should be said to yourself and not out loud when onstage next to your competition.

[Lift Studios]

Finally, our young Isaac gets it.   

Ah Grandpa Tre, if I agreed with everything you said, you'd call me a Tre-guy or the likes. Characters is this industry are interesting and Val is definitely a character.

The follow up interview and video this weekend should be equally as interesting.

[Tre]

Great interview, guys.  I'm glad you gave her the forum to share her side of the story and hope others will be inspired by what she's bringing to the table.

I can't wait to see this weekend's routine.  I won't be there myself, but hope you're planning to provide coverage for us.

Thanks again.

[Lift Studios]

Great interview, guys.  I'm glad you gave her the forum to share her side of the story and hope others will be inspired by what she's bringing to the table.

I can't wait to see this weekend's routine.  I won't be there myself, but hope you're planning to provide coverage for us.

Thanks again.

Glad Tre daddy approves. Everyone was/is interested in what she was thinking so why not ask her point blank and let her explain for herself? I will be in West Palm Beach this weekend covering the show and will make sure to video tape the routine and try to get a follow up interview with her there.

[Ron]

Valerie is one interesting person - with her own creative ideas for figure. However, changing the sport is not easy to do, and if you want to place and do well, you need to adhere to the guidelines set forth for the sport. That being said, Valerie was the talk of the Olympia weekend, even more so then Jenny Lynn, who should be congratulated for her win and being the new queen of the figure pros!

[tommyguns]

Is that all she did is what she showed in the interview?  IMO, that wasn't all that far out.  With all the stuff I've read about the performance, I guess I was expecting it to be really crazy.  Does anybody have a clip of her at prejudging?  I haven't seen it yet.

Does the extra flair fall outside the guidelines?  What guidelines?  Isn't that the whole point, that there aren't any well defined guidelines?

Right now female BB is dying because of the anabolic look making otherwise beautiful women not so beautiful, and fitness is limited because unless you were a competitive gymnast as a kid, you can kill yourself trying to compete.  Figure is growing because it gives many woman an outlet for their training.  Right now figure is a joke... have an incredible physique stand there in heels (try not to fall over), stand as if you've got a stick jammed up your butt, turn around in four quick quarter turns, and walk away.  So the athlete gets about 5-10 seconds to show off their physique from 4 angles after spending 14-16 prepping for the show.

How about canning the 1-piece round, and giving each girl about 30-60 seconds to be creative, show off their physique from several angles, highlighting their strengths, mitigating their weaknesses, etc. and give them a better chance to present the physique they've worked so hard on.  If you still need the 4 quarter turns so that you're seeing each girl in the exact same pose, that's fine; keep it as well.

[Lift Studios]

Is that all she did is what she showed in the interview?  IMO, that wasn't all that far out.  With all the stuff I've read about the performance, I guess I was expecting it to be really crazy.  Does anybody have a clip of her at prejudging?  I haven't seen it yet.

Does the extra flair fall outside the guidelines?  What guidelines?  Isn't that the whole point, that there aren't any well defined guidelines?

Right now female BB is dying because of the anabolic look making otherwise beautiful women not so beautiful, and fitness is limited because unless you were a competitive gymnast as a kid, you can kill yourself trying to compete.  Figure is growing because it gives many woman an outlet for their training.  Right now figure is a joke... have an incredible physique stand there in heels (try not to fall over), stand as if you've got a stick jammed up your butt, turn around in four quick quarter turns, and walk away.  So the athlete gets about 5-10 seconds to show off their physique from 4 angles after spending 14-16 prepping for the show.

How about canning the 1-piece round, and giving each girl about 30-60 seconds to be creative, show off their physique from several angles, highlighting their strengths, mitigating their weaknesses, etc. and give them a better chance to present the physique they've worked so hard on.  If you still need the 4 quarter turns so that you're seeing each girl in the exact same pose, that's fine; keep it as well.

It was much more dramatic on stage that was just a bit of what she did on stage. Combine that with the slow motion entrance and the butterfly suit.

Guidelines - that's a good question. I don't think it does fall outside of any guidelines. Had Val been the shape she was in Colorado at this show, we would be having a different discussion. IE did it effect her not winning, but she didn't so we'll save that for another day.

Adela has no gymnastics background and won the Arnold and the Olympia in fitness with great routines.

30-60 seconds to be creative? Why don't we do what Malibu Barbie suggested and just put a pole on stage then?  It is about the woman's physique, not how creatively they can shake their ass.

[tommyguns]

Points well taken.  However, why do men's BB and women"s BB have a posing round?  Why not just limit them to quarter turns?  Avoiding a "pole routine" is a point well made, but can't that be addressed by generating guidelines of what you can and can't do?

May be several mandatory poses that go above and beyond quarter turns is a reasonable compromise... I don't know, but if I was a figure competitor and did all the diet and training work, I'd like the judges to get a longer look at my physique than about 5 seconds before deciding what call-out I'd be in.  And as a competitor I might feel better paying for 1 suit, travel, etc. for 30-60 seconds than 2 suits, travel, etc. for 10 seconds.

BTW, I'm not grousing about any placings, sounds like there is consensus that Val didn't come in with the condition she had in Colorado.

[Jodi]

The open-handed posing round seems to work in NABBA.

The lack of movement and the flexing restrictions definitely contributed to my decision of switching from figure to bodybuilding. 

[Lift Studios]

The open-handed posing round seems to work in NABBA.

The lack of movement and the flexing restrictions definitely contributed to my decision of switching from figure to bodybuilding. 

Jodi would you come back to figure if a Valerie esq posing routine was implemented?

[Alex]

The open-handed posing round seems to work in NABBA.

The lack of movement and the flexing restrictions definitely contributed to my decision of switching from figure to bodybuilding. 

Yes...
Yana Vladimirova
NABBA figure champion

[Alex]

The Waug recently returned home from competing at the Figure Olympia
contest in Las Vegas, NV. While the judges overlooked her superior
lines and genetics, she still managed to be the most talked about
Olympian of the weekend. In a refreshing twist to the conventional
quarter turns, Val created quite a stir with her new graceful,
flowing, figure movements. While most fans thoroughly enjoyed the
figure physique being presented in a new way, some "old school" people
who prefer to tow the IFBB company line were outspoken about it and
labeled it as "feeding the ego", or other false accusations. It's
created quite the stir on the message boards. In any event, Val's
creative expression got people talking, and hopefully we'll see some
change in figure, which has become as boring as watching paint dry
(unless Val is in the contest). She performs her "2 minute FIGURE
routine" at the West Palm Beach Pro Show this coming weekend. Be on
the lookout for new Val photos from the O weekend here at the
Waugamaniacs group.

Thank you,
Wauggiefan1

[Militia-Men]

The open-handed posing round seems to work in NABBA.

The lack of movement and the flexing restrictions definitely contributed to my decision of switching from figure to bodybuilding. 

When Figure was introduced to IFBB, it was suggested by many people (familiar with NABBA Figure) that figure should be just like NABBA figure in regards to the posing rounds and posing routines (which don't need to need to be dance, gymnastic or fitness based, and this includes no props).  The figure should be just like FBB, with the only differences between the 2 divisions being the size and conditioning of physiques.

For some reason, the IFBB is happy & doesn't want to change the way they run figure (which IMO is a freaking bore), and I can't understand how the girls can spend the money they do and time preparing to be put on stage and made to do only 1/4 turns.
BTW - Can someone please explain to me how a girls physique can be judged based solely on quarter turns   

Maybe something positive will come out of this for Val, and IFBB Figure in general.  While the concept is nothing new (as NABBA has been doing this 10+ years) - it will definitely spice IFBB Figure and definitely make it more interesting for both competitors and spectators.

[Jodi]

Figure was actually supposed to be IFBB/NPC fitness without the routine.  It was for women who wanted to look like Timea at her best but who couldn't flip and turn and dance like Kelly Ryan at her best.

It all somehow changed from that starting point.

No, I would not come back to figure if the only thing that altered was the addition of a Val-esque routine.  It would have to be much more along the lines of a NABBA posing routine and a NABBA physique.  As I said, the lack of movement and inability to flex were only a portion of the factors as to why I switched.

Quite frankly, my genetic structure and overall look does not meet the current figure standard.  I do feel that if I had brought my 2006 physique to the 2003 Figure Nationals, I would have earned that third place spot and pro card behind Christine Wan and Latisha Wilder.  Instead, I fell to fifth behind them due to an out-of-balance physique, watery abs, and too-small upper body.

Now that I've improved, the standard has changed, and I couldn't get above tenth this year...not for lack of trying.

[Alex]

WABBA figure:

[princess_skye]

I'm huge Val fan and I think that she's one of the most beautiful women in the world- even without that knockout bod. Everytime I see her face, I just get drawned to it and whatever imperfection she has on that area (if there are even any) I don't see it coz she has this soft, angelic, flawless face IMO that you just can't help but be in awe.

Although when I saw her posing at O and Isaac's interview, I can't help but think she's slightly kookoo 
I'm all for being free-spirited and obviously she that type of person, but I will have to agree with Isaac that there is a time and place for that, just not at the Olympia stage.

I wish her the best in accomplishing the flare she believes that Figure needs.