What You Should Know Before Competing
by Abby Austin
Alarm goes off at 5:30am, time for an hour of cardio. Shower, eat, coffee of course, and get ready for the day. Off to work or school. Eat 3-4 prepped meals you packed. That afternoon/evening you return to the gym for weight training. Shower and eat again. “Me”time. Fast asleep by 11pm.
Yep, that’s a typical day for a competitor 4 weeks out. Not to mention the time during a week it takes to prep your food, stay consistent with supplements, learn posing, network, etc.
It may sound overwhelming, but totally manageable if you’re dedicated!
Here’s what you need to know before you decide to compete at your first show:
- Give yourself plenty of time to prep. You need to mentally and physically prepare for the long, meticulous process. Competition diet can take 6-20+ weeks depending on your current lifestyle and physical state. Learning to pose and training will be time-consuming. Emotionally, competition prep is demanding; you are constantly critiqued on your physique and your strict diet will affect your mood and energy.
- Have a specific, attainable goal and expectations. Know what you want to achieve by competing in the show. Are you competing because you lost an impressive amount of weight and this is your unveiling? Are you wanting to prove to yourself you can do it? Want a new challenge? Are you doing it with a friend? Whatever the case may be, keeping that goal in mind helps keep you motivated and accountable. Also make sure it’s realistic. You will not get a pro card your first show, but possibly your second!
- Competing can be very expensive. A single session with a trainer can be $40-$120. If separate from your trainer, posing coaches can be $25-60 a session. Custom suits start around $150. Your tan will cost $100+. Any professional hair and/or make-up will run $100+. Shoes and jewelry for the ladies, can be $100+. NPC card is $100 for the year, plus cost of the show, usually $150. On top of all that, you will have a hefty grocery bill as well as adding in the cost of supplements. There are ways to ease the cost a bit, but expect to pay at least $600.
- Fitness competitions are public, meaning your stage shots will now be the top of your Google search and all over the internet. If you have a sensitive job or prefer your privacy, I suggest using a nickname or alias when you sign up.
- Ignore outside “help”. Throughout prep, listen to your body and your trainer/nutritionist. People love to chime in with what they would suggest you do or change. What works for others may not work for you. On the other end of the spectrum, people not familiar with fitness competitions, such as coworkers, may ridicule you for ‘eating too much or too healthy’, ‘never taking a break’, etc. Be stronger than the contempt.
- Love your final package; the body and personality you bring to stage. You can’t control what your competition will look or act like, so don’t worry about it. Appreciate the progress of your efforts, without becoming fixated on the end result. Sure, every competitor wants to place, but do your best and be happy knowing you rocked that stage, trophy or not.
- Posing is tremendously vital! No matter how great your body looks, you will not place well if you don’t have a big smile on your face, fluent poses, and a graceful walk. Judges LOVE a personality that commands stage presence. Practice, practice, practice!
- Network with your fellow competitors. Most competitors are amiable, and you’ll find many in the same boat as you (beginner), or veterans eager to provide insight. Nonetheless, the motivation is contagious!
- Most importantly, have fun throughout the process and at the show!
- Resist the post-competition rebound. During prep, you probably didn’t have many ‘cheat meals’. After the show, don’t eat everything you missed out on; you are more likely to gain unhealthy weight.
Questions about competition preparation? Contact alafitness1@gmail.com.
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