So, you wanna compete?

Getting ready to step on stage for the first time can seem like an overwhelming and daunting task. Here are a few items I put together on my experience to help accomplish your goal!

 

Diet:  Diet is a huge part of your preparation.  Probably 80% of your results will come from your diet alone.  It can not be underestimated.  Typical foods I consume on my diet are chicken breast, eggs whites, tuna, tilapia, flank steak, green beans, asparagus, lettuce, cucumbers, grapefruit, oatmeal, yams, and cream of rice.   You can develop your own diet, however getting your body fat to the low percentage necessary to compete may be difficult without the help of a certified nutrionalist that specializes in contest prep.  I would recommend the use of a nutrionist to help get contest ready.  Once you’ve dieted a few times and understand how your body reacts you will be better equipped to diet on your own.  When looking for a nutritionist you can either find someone locally or online.  My best advice would to be look at the competitors that the trainer has trained.  Find the girls that look like how you want to look and then hire their trainer!

 Cardio:  Cardio, the length, and the frequency will depend on your body type.  Cardio can range from 3 times a week to 12 times a week for competitors.  (I’m more on the end of 12 times a week!)  Again a trainer would be a great asset in determining the amount of cardio you need to get lean.

Training:  Again a personal trainer would help here, but if you are comfortable with handling your own training, then by all means create your own program!  Continue to lift heavy as you prepare for competition.  There are different schools of thought on how to lift when preparing for comp, but if you lifted heavy to get those beautiful muscles then why change when you are trying to maintain them?  If it’s not broke, then don’t fix it!  For new training ideas, Oxygen magazine is a great resource.

 Posing:  To begin working on posing you need to decide what organization you are going to compete in.  Each organization may require a different type of posing so make sure to familiarize yourself with what is required.   Once you have determined what organization to compete in you may want to find a posing coach who can help you look your best on stage.  Make sure your posing coach is familiar with your organization and what is required.  Practice, practice, practice!  Posing is a huge part of competing.  If you can not display your physique then you will not do well.  Take pictures, makes videos of your posing.  I practice posing after my cardio, when I am tired.  That way it should feel easy when I am on stage!

Suits: What organization you are going to compete in is also going to determine what type of suit and how many suits you will need. Most organizations require only a two piece, while the NPC requires a two piece and one piece round. Look at photos of competitors within the organization you are competing in to see what style of suit is used.  Working with a local suit designer may be best, as you can go for fittings.  If this is not possible there are a number of reputable suit designers online that work via phone and email. Suits can be very expensive, so lightly used suits may also be something you want to consider.  www.divaexchange.com is a great source for used suits, at a much lower price.  Plan suits can also be ordered if you would like to save money and stone your own suit.  Stoning can be very time consuming, but also will save you a lot of money.  

 Shoes:  Shoes for figure competitions typically range from 4” to 6” in height.  Higher is not always better.  Go with the pair of shoes that you feel most comfortable in.  An inch or two isn’t going to make a big difference on stage, but the difference between walking gracefully across the stage or tripping over yourself will be noticeable.  I always compete with a strap on my heels, because I feel more comfortable that they will stay on, but strapless shoes are fine too.  Most shoes you see on stage are clear; however they do not have to be.  (Unless designated by your organization.)  Clear shoes are used because they do not distract the eye from the rest of your body.  If you do wear colored shoes you want to make sure they do not distract from your hard earned physique!  I order all my shoes from www.snaz75.com .

Vitamins and Supplements:  Depending on your needs you may want to incorporate certain vitamins and supplements into your diet. (This is also where having a nutritionist comes in handy.)  Fat burners and glutamine are commonly used supplements for figure competitors.  If I need something quick I typically purchase these items from GNC.  If I am buying in larger quantities I usually order online from www.bodybuilding.com. 

Tanning:  Tanning is a crucial element to your presentation on stage.  The eye is naturally drawn to a darker physique on stage. Also a lighter complexion will give the appearance of more body fat, whereas a darker tan will give the appearance of less body fat.  You do not want to get on stage and not have all your hard work show up! (I speak from personal experience.)  I do not use tanning beds, as we all know the dangers that can be caused by them.  Some common tanning products are Jan Tana, Pro Tan, and Dream Tan.  One of these or sometimes a combination of these products is necessary to get the perfect tan for yourself.   (I use one bottle of pro tan with about 5 to 6 coats of Jan Tana!)   All these products are also available from www.bodybuilding.com

Makeup:  You can not wear your day makeup on stage.  It will wash out under the bright lights.  Your foundation should match your tan and make sure to blend your foundation into your tan.  (Do not use tanning products on your face!)  Ulta sells a good foundation for on stage.  Other items such as mascara and lip gloss can be purchased at Targert or Wal-Mart.  And don’t forget the fake eyelashes!  I usually buy items like eyelashes, and fake nails at Sally’s Beauty Supply.

Jewelry:  A set of nice shiny earrings always looks great on stage.  I like to go with rhinestones or something that will match my suit.  Bracelets and anklets also look great.  Go with something that has elastic and not a clasp.  You do not want to be messing around with a clasp backstage while you’re in a hurry to get on stage!  Again jewelry should be kept simple.  You do not want to have anything that distracts from your physique.

So this should get you going in the right direction!  Remember everyone is different and no two people get on stage the same way.  Remember to listen to your body.  You’re the only one who knows how you are feeling.  Come up with your own style, this sport is about self expression.  Be confident and believe in yourself.  You can do it!