NABBA 2003 Nationals

[JJFigure]

NABBA 2003 Nationals are being held on the East Coast again this year, near Harrisburg, PA:

 

[JP@Ironology]

For more information go to http://www.nabba.com/

 

[big richie]

i was in the nabba nationals last year, took 2nd in the tall class, got invited to the nabba universe in england..took 10th out of 40 guys from all over the world...i will be back at the nabba nationals this year...great contest!!!!!! i am currently 7 weeks out at 258 right now.

 

[Little Rage]

anyone else competing in this???

Hopefully i am free that weekend so i can at least watch it.

 

[JP@Ironology]

i was in the nabba nationals last year, took 2nd in the tall class, got invited to the nabba universe in england..took 10th out of 40 guys from all over the world...i will be back at the nabba nationals this year...great contest!!!!!! i am currently 7 weeks out at 258 right now.

Congrads on your placing richie.

The nabba is a great organization with a long history behind it.

I had planned on competing in this contest but I won't be ready.

 

[JJFigure]

Here's entry info, in case anyone is thinking about competing at NABBA Jr. Nationals and Nationals:

2003 NABBA JUNIOR NATIONAL BODYBUILDING CHAMPIONSHIPS,
MS. FIGURE(R) USA
PHILADELPHIA GRAND PRIX (Novice Men)
Philadelphia, PA - August 23, 2003
QUALIFIED ATHLETES OF ALL BODYBUILDING FEDERATIONS WELCOME TO COMPETE

http://www.nabba.com/LATESTJRNATINFO.pdf
http://www.nabba.com/LATESTJRNATENTRY.pdf


2003 NABBA NATIONAL BODYBUILDING CHAMPIONSHIPS,
MS. FIGURE (R) AMERICA
(QUALIFIERS FOR SELECTION TO THE 2003 NABBA UNIVERSE & 2004 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS)
EAST COAST GRAND PRIX (Novice Men)
Middletown, PA (near Harrisburg) - September 13, 2003
QUALIFIED ATHLETES OF ALL BODYBUILDING FEDERATIONS WELCOME TO COMPETE

http://www.nabba.com/LATESTNATINFO.pdf
http://www.nabba.com/LATESTNATENTRY.pdf

 

[JJFigure]

I will not be competing, but I will be test judging the Jr. Nationals in Philadelphia, and I will be in attendance at the Nationals. I need to put on some more mass before the 2004 Worlds, so I'm not doing the fall comps this year.

NABBA is a great organization; one in which I can say I've always been judged fairly. Plus, it's like a great big family - the competitors help each other out and truly support each other.

 

[Dial_tone]

Just out of curiosity, why do people do NABBA shows? They don't seem to get much publicity.

 

[big richie]

I was a top NPC and AAU competitor in the late 80's, there is alot of politics in the NPC....After the AAU bodybuilding folded, there was only the NPC...in some cases but not all, it didnt matter how good you were, it was who you knew or if they liked your look. Weider controlled the NPC shows, i know i will probably catch some grief for posting this, but unless you competed on the NPC national level you really dont know this.....there were some great physiques that came out of the NPC, i will never argue that, but there were also some 1st place gifts given...anyway...NABBA treats the athlete with respect and i received an invitation to the nabba universe last year, i didnt win my class at the nationals, i took 2nd but the NABBA President felt i would do better than the class winner at the Universe, I competed against the guys from all over the world and took a respectable 10th out of 40 guys in my class. This year i am only doing the Nabba Nationals, next year i will either do the NABBA World or Universe, I had a great time competiting in England and made some great contacts and made some good friends...I would recommend NABBA to anyone who wants a change....

 

[Dial_tone]

With all due respect, if you received an invitation w/o winning your class that seems like politics at it's best. It just happened to be in your favor that time. The 2nd place guys in the other classes could say they deserved the same break.

 

[DeepZenPill]

With all due respect, if you received an invitation w/o winning your class that seems like politics at it's best. It just happened to be in your favor that time. The 2nd place guys in the other classes could say they deserved the same break.

I completely agree.

 

[Dial_tone]

I suppose my opinion of NABBA was formed in the 80's when I competed. The AAU/NABBA competition was clearly a rung below the NPC/IFBB at that time. It's likely much different now that it's a much bigger sport. The respected shows in my home state (Georgia) were all NPC affairs so it just seemd natural to me.

 

[liftsiron]

Where are the NAABA nationals going to held and when? Congrats Big Ritchie. I'm glad to hear that a valid bodybuilding org. is getting a foot hold in the USA. There are many disgruntled NPC men and women competitors around to fill in the ranks. Now with Wieder gone will the NPC be as strong.

 

[JJFigure]

With all due respect, if you received an invitation w/o winning your class that seems like politics at it's best. It just happened to be in your favor that time. The 2nd place guys in the other classes could say they deserved the same break.

Actually, the same thing happened to me. I was fuller muscled than the girl who took 1st at 2002 Nationals, which is why I got the invite and she didn't. She honestly can't compare to the level of muscularity in Figure at the international level, and since NABBA picks up some of the expenses, they won't invite someone who doesn't at least have a chance.

One of the problems I've had in the US is I'm more muscled than most of the US female physique competitors, so when I'm compared with the other figure girls, I look like I should be competing in physique, not figure. However, at the 2003 Worlds, I was slightly undermuscled compared to the other Figure women.

Bob Gruskin definitely factors all this in when determining who to invite or not invite. So I wouldn't say it's political, just good business considering the expenses being picked up.

 

[JJFigure]

Where are the NAABA nationals going to held and when? Congrats Big Ritchie. I'm glad to hear that a valid bodybuilding org. is getting a foot hold in the USA. There are many disgruntled NPC men and women competitors around to fill in the ranks. Now with Wieder gone will the NPC be as strong.

NABBA Nationals are being held near Harrisburg, PA on September 13.

There's actually a show on August 9 in West Virginia that used to be an NPC show; this year the sponsors changed over to NABBA because a lot of the competitors were frustrated with NPC:

MS. FIGURE® WEST VIRGINIA - Bridgeport, WV
For further information contact: Dustin Vincet
Phone: (304) 842-0778
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.WVBodybuilding.com
August 9, 2003

 

[liftsiron]

Thanks, I guess that I should have read the poster more closely

 

[JJFigure]

BTW - NABBA U.S. REALLY needs some female physique competitors with size. If you know any women who would be interested in the chance to travel to the UK for the Universe and to Australia for 2004 Worlds, talk them into competing with NABBA. The current physique competitors are too small to compete internationally.

 

[big richie]

the guy who won my class was much smaller than me, he was very cut but much smaller. Three weeks after the nationals i peaked and was shreaded, if i looked like i did at the universe i would have won the nabba nationals...and yes, Bob Gruskin picks who he feels will be a better choice for the Universe....Just cause you beat me today, doesnt mean you better than me, just on that given day you were........Hey JJ, nice to hear your support...i am sure we know each other.......

 

[JJFigure]

Hey big richie! What class are you in?

BTW - I should mention NABBA Nationals, Worlds, and Universe are by height, not by weight. At NABBA Nationals, the weight classes for men are:

Short (under 5'6")
Medium (5'6" to under 5'9")
Medium-Tall (5'9" - under 5'11")
Tall (5'11" and above)

Women's classes are:
Short (to and including 5'4")
Tall (above 5'4")

 

[JJFigure]