Derik Farnsworth interviews the 2011 NPC Los Angeles Overall Men’s Physique winner Art Ortiz, who is now heading to the NPC USAs to try and get his IFBB pro card.

Originally posted on Hardbody.com, here is some of Isaac Hinds’ thoughts, tips and more on the new NPC Men’s Physique division. Isaac Hinds himself is days out from the first NPC Men’s Physique contest in Colorado, at Jeff Taylor’s NPC Northern Colorado contest. Here is what Isaac Hinds wrote about what he thinks about the division.

One of the first big shows of 2011 featured the new division of the NPC, Men’s Physique. Promoter Jon Lindsay wisely chose to add the new division to his popular event, the Muscle Contest. The contest drew 47 physique competitors to the stage, which ended up out numbering the men’s bodybuilding entrants. Now before you die hard bodybuilding fans freak out, don’t worry bodybuilding is not being phased out. Bodybuilding is the backbone of the industry and will continue to survive. Female bodybuilding is going through it’s own changes and we’ll see how things play out with that side of things at the NPC JR USA in May, where the first women’s physique pro cards will be awarded.

In late 2010, the NPC introduced a new division, called the Men’s Physique. What will it entail? What type of physique are they looking for? Here we are, in 2011, and the first NPC Men’s Physique contest will be arriving in March.

Here are the guidelines, and judging criteria for the new division.