Local fitness instructor and competitor Laurie Dickson has recently added to her list of competitive laurels, with a third-place finish in the World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation World Championships, held Sept. 18 in Mississauga, Ont.

Two years ago, Dickson took first place competing as a world fitness model at the WNSO Championships (World Natural Sports Organization), but this year represents a change in her approach to competition.

?This year, I changed divisions, and went in Figure,? she said. Figure competition is different from fitness in that it is bodybuilding in a more traditional sense.

Fitness model is judged on marketability, poise, symmetry, stage presentation and femininity. Judges are looking for a physique you want to see on the front of a fitness magazine. Figure division is a little more difficult, Dickson explains, ?in the sense that it is based on muscularity, conditioning, poise, stage presentation and symmetry.

?They are two different things.?

Dickson said her decision to change divisions was in part a desire for something new, but also in response to changes to her physique. ?I?d noticed my physique changing quite a bit over the past two years, and it responded more to the conditioning aspect of physique competitions.

?I won my world title in Fitness Modeling, so my next endeavour was to win my world title in Figure.

?It was a very, very tough competition,? Dickson added.

There were 13 competitors in Dickson?s category ?35 plus years of age ? and 400 elite competitors from around the world overall.

?What happens is that when you get older, you have muscle maturity. Some of the physiques that were most developed were in that older category,? she said.

?Those women have been working out for years on end, whereas you get 20-year-olds ? who look phenomenal as well ? who only have a certain amount under their belt.?

Competitors only had one chance to present before the judges.

?Prejudging was in the morning, and that?s when the judges do their judging scores. The evening presentation is just for public viewing.?

Figure competition is like traditional bodybuilding in that the competitor must display a variety of poses displaying the entirety of the musculature.

?You present yourself in what they call a ?T-walk.? You go from three positions on the stage, and at each one you do a presentation,? said Dickson.

?Figure?s a little bit different because they want that hard flexing. Every single muscle group has to be tight and flexed.?

Competitors transit from pose to pose in a series of mandatory movements. This in itself can be an intense physical challenge.

?You can?t relax,? Dickson said, ?and you have to keep a smile on your face at all times ? like it?s second nature.?

Dickson said she was ?completely and utterly ecstatic? with her third place finish, ?considering the competition I had on stage. First and second were absolutely deserving of their positions. When they called the top five physiques out I was called out, and as they went down the line from fifth through fourth I thought ?My God, I made top three.? It?s what I wanted.?

Dickson received a crystal award for her finish, ?and from that has come some fantastic opportunities as well.?

Dickson intends to enter the competition next year and fight for that first place title.