What is men's physique?

In one line

Men's physique is a men's division in which competitors wear loose shorts and show a well-proportioned, trained body that is less massive than a bodybuilder's.

What is men's physique?
The men's division on stage in shorts
At a bodybuilding show, some competitors (people entered in the show) go on stage in shorts that reach just above the knee. That division is men's physique. They share the stage with bodybuilders, but judges want a different kind of body.
In one line
Less massive, but a balanced, trained body
Men's physique is a men's division for bodies that are less massive than a bodybuilder's but shaped by training to look good. Competitors wear loose shorts and turn on stage to show their bodies. Judges look at body shape, proportions and evenly built muscle together.
When it started
A new division of the 2010s
The International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) recognized men's physique as an official division in 2012. Its rules describe it as a division for men who want a less muscular, athletic and good-looking body. It came out of the 2010s trend in which new divisions branched off from bodybuilding.
What they wear
Loose shorts down to just above the knee
Competitors go on stage shirtless and barefoot, wearing loose shorts (board shorts). The shorts reach just above the knee and cover the thighs, and tight stretchy fabric is banned. So the thigh muscles are not visible on stage.
What happens on stage
Turns instead of flexing poses
Competitors do not perform 'mandatory poses' (poses set by the federation) where they raise their arms and flex like bodybuilders. Instead they stand and turn to set directions, such as front and back (turns). Judges line them up a few at a time and compare them in these stances.
What judges look at
Body shape and proportions
Judges scan from the head down, looking at overall shape, balance and evenly built muscle. IFBB rules name proportions as key factors, such as waist and hip width compared with shoulder width, and leg length compared with the upper body. Skin condition and hair are also part of the overall impression.
Stage presence counts
Showing yourself with confidence
Men's physique also judges how competitors carry themselves on stage. Judges look for the competitor who stands with confidence and poise and gets his personality across to the audience. Everything from walking onstage to walking off is judged.
A class for more muscular bodies
'Muscular men's physique'
In 2016 the IFBB created a separate class called 'muscular men's physique'. It is for competitors with slightly more muscle than accepted in regular men's physique. Apart from muscle size, its rules are the same as men's physique.
A common misconception
Is more muscle always better?
No. The rules say 'this is not a bodybuilding contest' and tell judges to mark down extreme muscularity. Bodies that look too hard, or so lean that the muscles look deeply split, are also marked down. Judges want a softer, smoother look than in bodybuilding.
Summary
A division for a balanced, trained body
Men's physique is a men's division where competitors in loose shorts turn on stage to show body shape, proportions and stage presence. Muscle has to be evenly built, and too much is actually marked down. Related terms: bodybuilding division, classic physique, V-taper.