You’ve finally convinced yourself you’re going to do it. That is the 12 months you’re going to enter a bodybuilding competition. You’ve worked hard within the gym, and now it’s time to point out it off. Easy enough, right? Well, hold on; there’s so much to think about before you arbitrarily pick an upcoming bodybuilding show. I’m going to cover some things it’s best to know before joining a contest, a variety of which I knew before I went into my first show. Let’s get into it.
1. Selecting the Right Federation
Research the Federations
Every bodybuilding federation has its own rules, judging criteria, and categories. There’s a big difference in competition between federations which might be for natural athletes (OCB, ABA, ANBF, simply to name just a few) and federations that don’t test for enhanced athletes (NPC, NABBA, WFF, etc). There’s nothing flawed with whichever direction of coaching you’re pursuing; just understand that in just about all situations, an enhanced athlete will beat a natural one.
Understand the Divisions
Every show can have multiple divisions, including:
- Women’s Bikini
- Women’s Bodybuilding
- Women’s Figure
- Women’s Fitness
- Women’s Physique
- Women’s Wellness
- Men’s Physique
- Men’s Classic Physique
- Men’s Bodybuilding
Do your research into which division will match your physique the perfect. Whilst you’re free to compete in whichever division you want, you’ll most probably do the perfect within the category that matches your body.
Inside those divisions, you possibly can compete in the next groups:
- True Novice
- Novice
- Teen/Collegiate
- Open
- Masters (35+, 40+, 50+, etc.)
- Wheelchair
If applicable, you possibly can compete in a number of of the groups (i.e., Novice, Masters, Open). So long as the groups don’t contradict one another, most federations don’t have an issue with people competing in multiple group.
2. Training Commitment
Train Like a Competitor
Now that you just’ve found your federation and division, it’s good to be sure that you’re training with purpose. With a contest date that’s further out, you will have time to do a bulking cycle. In case your competition is closer, you’ll must go right right into a cutting phase. While you may not want to totally commit to a coach or trainer, it may be idea to see how much it will cost to sit down down with one and see in the event that they can be willing to present you a roadmap of the direction your training should go.
Since at SET FOR SET, we would like to see everyone succeed, here’s a pair tricks to get you began.
Concentrate on Weak Points
In the event you have already got a terrific set of front delts that overpower your side and rear delts, it’s time you chop down on the overhead presses and begin specializing in some raises. Have someone take pictures of you and analyze them with a critical eye. Are your right and left halves symmetrical? Do you appear to be Johnny Bravo with an enormous upper body but tiny legs?
Don’t Forget About Recovery
With that goal firmly in your mind, it’s easy to be obsessed, pondering you need to be training as much as humanly possible to make essentially the most gains. Unfortunately, unless you’re going the improved route, you will have to present your body a likelihood to rebuild. Don’t forget that muscle-building occurs through the recovery period after exercise. Overtraining can derail your whole contest prep.
3. Weight loss program and Nutrition
Bar none, essentially the most vital part to creating sure you look your best on contest day. You possibly can do your research online to determine how you can hit your macros and design a meal plan for yourself; heck, just look on our site, and also you’ll find loads of resources.
In the event you’re in a bulking phase, you’ll need to be in a calorie surplus, and if you happen to’re cutting, you’ll need to be in a caloric deficit. While that sounds easy enough, to maximise results, you’ll must painstakingly track every macronutrient you intake.
In the event you managed to figure it out and designed yourself a meal plan, bear in mind that in “peak week” your weight-reduction plan might have additional tweaks. Adjusting carbs, fats, and water intake could make or break the ultimate product you bring on stage.
All that being said if you happen to can afford it, hire a nutrition coach. They know exactly what it takes to have you ever look your best on comp day, including how you can tweak your peak week. Remember that depending on the extent of involvement you select for the coach (one-time meal plan, weekly check-ins, every day check-ins, etc.), it would most probably change how much you’re going to pay. Bear in mind that it’d look like a high cost, but in the event that they can get you looking your best, then it’s price greater than saving a couple of dollars and showing up looking such as you don’t belong there.
4. Posing Practice
Yes, it’s good to practice posing. You possibly can bring a tremendous physique, but in case your posing is off and also you don’t know how you can display your body, you most probably aren’t going to bring home the gold (see Paul Dillett). Return and watch Pumping Iron again, and see how seriously Arnold takes posing. Learn how you can showcase your strong points, hide your weak points, and construct your stamina. Do a 20-minute posing practice, and tell me you don’t feel like you only had a brutal workout.
That is one other area during which it will be smart to seek out a coach or someone who can provide feedback in your poses. Filming yourself can also be an option, but if you happen to’re undecided what to search for, you’re not going to get as much as you possibly can out of it. Whatever you do, don’t wait until the last week to begin posing practice. Your transitions through the poses/routine won’t be as smooth as they needs to be, and your conditioning won’t be anywhere near what it needs to be. Know your mandatory poses, and have the ability to do them perfectly in your sleep.
Most divisions would require a person posing routine. Similar to your mandatory poses, it’s best to know what to do without even occupied with it. Get feedback from someone you trust to be honest with you, resembling a lifting partner. Even in the event that they don’t know the nitty-gritty of bodybuilding judging, more often than not, they’ll tell if a routine flows nicely.
The last item…SMILE!!! It is best to look confident and pleased to be there. I remember looking back at my first competition pictures and pondering I looked like someone was forcing me to be there against my will. Practice smiling when you’re posing so it feels natural.
5. Mental Preparation
It will probably be considered one of the hardest stuff you do in your life. Lowered food intake, intense training, and missing out on social gatherings are only just a few of the facets that make preparing for a contest difficult. Most individuals won’t understand what you’re doing and why you possibly can’t “just have a small piece of cake.” In some unspecified time in the future, you’ll most probably hit a wall or moment of weakness and need to say screw it and eat that pizza or exit drinking along with your friends, but it’s good to keep in mind that could set back what you’re trying to perform. Don’t let self-doubt creep in, and keep yourself motivated. You wanted to do that for one reason or one other, be sure that you see it through!
As for the competition, you’re going to get criticized. That’s literally what the judge’s job is. Don’t take it as a private attack; they’re supplying you with feedback on what it’s good to accomplish that you possibly can take home 1st place. You may think your rear delts are a weak point, but if you happen to hear they’re from a few judges, you already know you’ll must step up your training.
Now, after the competition, you might get a case of the “post-competition blues.” You’ve just spent months singularly focused on one thing, and now that it’s over, now what? Many individuals have reported feeling a void after their show. Plan some goals for after your competition to assist get back to a somewhat “normal” routine.
6. Financial Considerations
Competing isn’t low cost. You may have to pay for a gym membership, food costs, competition entry fees, travel costs (gas or a hotel if the competition is much enough away), tanning, posing gear, and training (weight-reduction plan, posing, training). Know that you just’re most probably going to be spending no less than $1,000 going into it. And that’s if you happen to’re doing every little thing yourself. In the event you’re going a full coaching route, then it’ll be closer to $2,000 and up.
A few of these costs might have the ability to be negated with sponsorship opportunities, though. You possibly can all the time reach out to complement brands or your local gym to see in the event that they can be willing to sponsor you.
7. Competition Day
The massive day is nearly here, so you would like to be sure that you’re good to go the morning of. The night before your competition, be sure that your competition attire is packed, along along with your meals and water. It’s also not a foul idea to have some form of tanner to the touch up any areas which might be lacking. It’s also idea to bring a few of your individual bands to pump up. I’ve been to a contest that stated there can be weights there to make use of for pumping up, but once I got to the competition, there wasn’t anything there.
While everyone else there may be your competitor, remember, you all went through the identical prep and are there to point out off all of your labor. That is a terrific likelihood to make connections with other those that share an identical interest and might even be great resources for support in future comps!
Wrap-Up
A bodybuilding competition tests you physically and mentally like few other stuff you’ll experience in life. With the correct preparation, mindset, support system, and guidance, competing may be considered one of the best experiences you will have in your fitness journey. Keep on with it, and even if you happen to don’t win, you’ll be rewarded with the undeniable fact that you probably did something that the common person would never have the ability to perform. Stay focused, embrace the hardships, and savor every moment of your path to the stage.
