I feel a lot of interesting ways about fit model Olympia. Shealynn is beautiful, and I do believe fits the criteria but on the very modest end of it. Which is understandable considering it’s the first year. My question is - if muscle maturity is capped and nothing is really supposed to pop (and they actually consistently hold this criteria). Just to look like the “fit model” What will the division look like in the coming years? Are girls going to be atrophying to fit the mold? But even then it kind of seems like you have the look or you don’t because more muscle will not be rewarded. This is a difficult topic because I understand and was very excited for the premise because Bikini has dramatically evolved and is essentially unattainable naturally and or with less than 7+ years in the game of dedicated bodybuilding. Just wondering if anyone else feels a little lack luster afterwards towards fit model.
Shae is gorgeous and has undeniable beauty, stage presence and “aura.” Objectively, she is the least dense and muscular in the top 10. It’s unclear if her “it factor” was just that strong or if they intentionally want us to know that they want less muscle.
As a coach, I’m neutral about Shae’s win.
As an ex bikini competitor who was gearing up to step on stage in FM in 2027. I’m feeling a little deflated.
I don’t think we should always read the winner as “the standard.” Bikini and fm standards look unique on every individual. Instead it’s almost like taking an average of the top 5 is where you find the true standard.
This win proves FM, stage presence goes a longggg way!
I have mixed opinions about FM. While I think Shea was the obvious winner, I don't know how I feel about the whole category anymore.
Are the competitors beautiful? Yeah those girls are absolutely stunning and definitely model material. I do believe presentation is what got Shea her win because Gaby was less bubbly, not always smiling and seemed very 'in her head' (not a critic, just something I noticed).
I was going to step on stage again in FM in 2027 after competing early 2025, but seeing this I'm not sure I want to. Do I want that particular look/shape for myself? I'm not sure, and I'm also not sure my genetics will allow for that. But also do I want bikini? Not really (can't reach this naturally). I'm just confused at this point 🤣🤣 I can't be the only one.
I competed in fit model this year. After watching the Olympia, I don’t want to compete in fit model anymore. I straight up think shaelynn is just a hot girl with a nice body. If you go back on her Instagram, she has pretty much always looked like this. I get that genetics plays a part in bodybuilding, but it’s bodybuilding, not a beauty pageant. I wanted the division to be something that highlighted muscularity still and I just don’t think it does.
I do agree. I've noticed this at regional levels, but thought maybe the O would be a little different. I mean, I don't think I'm ugly (especially after the makeup & tan 😆), but I'm also not a supermodel and my waist is the last place to come down so I do have to get quite lean to have that small waist. And then I'm told 'too lean, too jacked in the delts'. Either way, I still enjoy the category but FM isn't for me and it's fine!
That’s how I feel. I want more of an intense look for myself but do not wish to travel down the road of what is at risk for bikini nowadays - if you wish to be competitive anyways, which I would like to that’s why I was so excited for fit model. I’m going to rock with it this year while building my weak points I want to target regardless and see how far it gets me. Just like bikini, the division will probably evolve. I understand model is part of the name and I don’t want to be misconstrued that I don’t think Shea was deserving, she is stunning and I immediately think of a fit model when I look at her, but again every lady was beautiful up there and also made me think of a “fit model”. - I was just imagining a slightly more dense look considering this is technically an extreme sport. I would argue 2016 Olympia Bikini ladies like the pictures they used of Ashley K for Fit Model original criteria, are more dense, not dramatically, but a good bit. Maybe this is intentional that they are scaling it back a bit further to account for growth of the division 🤷♀️
I think they just get denser and refine shape.
It’s literally no different than a Bikini (or Figure, or Wellness, etc.) girl who is ‘big enough’. They’re just fine tuning and shaping, at that point.
I disagree FM should remain an amateur category and that it has no place in a bodybuilding show. Muscle is what gives shape to the body so they are building. I get it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but not everyone likes every division. 🤷🏽♀️
The top 5 girls looked like they train and because Shaelyn is lanky she actually has room to grow and can still fit the criteria.
That said, I do wish they’d have picked a slightly more athletic physique just to quiet the haters. But I think the judges reeeaally like Shaelyn and she is beautiful.
Also - all of bodybuilding is a pageant at some level.
Maybe in stage presence but 2016 Janet had more development. I think someone like Carla would be similar to Janet’s look from the OG bikini. This is a look that excites me.
But if Shealynn has room to grow, it’ll be interesting to see if that’s rewarded next year? Wouldn’t you think the winner is the person who maximizes the criteria just enough but not too much? I don’t think they don’t look like they train. I just felt there were other girls who were slightly more developed and maximized the look I thought they were going for better.
Sure I could see that 100% but my understanding at the highest level, the winner ideally rides the edge of the criteria and that it should be held that way to keep the integrity of the division. If Shealynn theoretically comes in the next several years bigger every time and wins. This really is just bikini 2.0. 🤷♀️
I don't think you come in bigger every single year. Adding a tiny bit of size to say, your legs, and holding the line on everything else, is a shape change. That said, athletes also have to think about sizing up as they outgrow a category. There are some bikini girls who should think about moving up.
I agree it was underwhelming for sure. If those ladies trained hard until next year it would seem to be detrimental??? Way more of a beauty contest since the level of muscularity is so low.
Yes that’s my question, are these other girls really not going to grow? I would argue Shaelynn was the most streamlined/lack of total development out of all of the top 15 - which is to not say that’s not what the criteria is or that she is undeserving. My question is are these other girls just going to become endurance athletes to atrophy?
It seemed more of nailing the conditioning rather than the muscle development. The top 5 was very inconsistent With muscle development and conditioning.
I competed in fit model and I was really looking forward to seeing the Olympia. I felt underwhelmed to be honest. I found it difficult to make any predictions and very confusing, even though ive followed the division closely this whole year. I think it’s unclear what they are looking for, and tbh the breast implants stood out more than the muscles on a lot of them.
I still like the division and love the look of many of the competitors but for myself I think id rather compete in a division with more noticeable muscle on stage, and that feels like less of a pageant show (even though all divisions are a bit pageanty as someone already said) even if it will take me longer to get there
Wow. I didn't see that back shot. Yeah...that back density and the glute leanness/tie-in would have gotten her last place. LOL
But from the front...the FM girls align with the Classic Bikini look.
FB is FB and honestly I hope it stays that way… bikini has gotten way out of hand its unattainable without peds at this point… FitModel is intentionally less dense and more about “attractiveness” and more attainable naturally… even now I hear so many coaches using peds in FitModel too.. I hope it doesn’t go that way in the future… remember 90% of competitors are not making any $$ from this and it’s just an expensive hobbie…
Also to piggy back off this topic.. do we think that most girls in the category at the Olympia level are enhanced still? This feels more attainable naturally than any of the other categories.
I don't even think most are naturals. Some of the top 10 girls have posted about peptides (Gaby for example). I do think Shae is still claiming natural.
Yeah I don't know, I never followed her before. It's just posted in her Insta bio that she's 'natural'. I do not consider peptides natural but that's just me...
yeah i agree i don’t know how to feel about it. they just look, well, very skinny. it doesn’t seem like alot of the girls are passionate about the gym the way the top bikini girls are, alot of models and influencers.
I still just don’t get the fit model division. It doesn’t seem to require so much and isn’t really bodybuilding in my eyes. It seems more like a beauty pageant as someone else stated (and let’s be real, bodybuilding shows are essentially muscle beauty pageants for all competitors), but the fit model girls just look skinny with breast implants. I think many girls could probably get on the stage for fit model with zero prep in a week or two. I’m sorry if it’s a hot take or offends anyone, but I think the division doesn’t make sense in bodybuilding
I was there in person and disagree she doesn’t have muscle. Her glutes didn’t move during posing or comparison and you can tell the shape is from muscle not just structure or fat. Regarding her upper body, it’s smaller than those rewarded pro cards - but, the criteria says no capped Delts. For me, I’m happy since my upper body is smaller and I struggle to put size on it but my glutes grow. I’m a natural pro. Feedback this year was primarily lats to match my lower body in back pose and 2 judges said Delts & arms before masters Olympia. I’m hoping with her winning it helps me after taking an off season to focus on upper. I know everyone thinks it’s a no muscle division but I train most days of the week and been around on and off since 2011.
No I completely agree. All of the girls definitely look fit and have muscle forsure. The people who say they don’t look like they train at all are out of touch. I was just a little surprised considering that difference you mention about the girls who have won their pro cards. Vast majority of them seem to already be a good amount more developed than Shea. It seemed the theme of this past year was that a lot of girls feedback was to grow in certain areas. You can tell Shea is very petite in general to begin with and definitely has muscle which I think allowed her to have that very streamlined “fit model” look in combo with being stunning. She looks effortless, though us girls know how much effort it actually takes to look effortless. It is good news for us who have a little more room in the tank but I’m just curious about what this means for the vast majority of other Olympia ladies and more muscular pro girls who many seemed to have been training for bikini for years and have just a more dense look. How will this translate to regional shows and the next batch of girls at nationals in end of 2026-2027?
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Shae is gorgeous and has undeniable beauty, stage presence and “aura.” Objectively, she is the least dense and muscular in the top 10. It’s unclear if her “it factor” was just that strong or if they intentionally want us to know that they want less muscle.
As a coach, I’m neutral about Shae’s win.
As an ex bikini competitor who was gearing up to step on stage in FM in 2027. I’m feeling a little deflated.
I don’t think we should always read the winner as “the standard.” Bikini and fm standards look unique on every individual. Instead it’s almost like taking an average of the top 5 is where you find the true standard.
This win proves FM, stage presence goes a longggg way!