There are so many vital components necessary for achieving the muscle size, symmetry and shape needed to win a bodybuilding competition.
It is easy to become overwhelmed when trying to prepare for a bodybuilding competition. In this article I am going to cover some information about competitive bodybuilding that will help you in your journey.
Select the right Coach/Dietitian
It doesn’t matter how long you have been going to the gym, seeking professional guidance is a key step towards stepping on stage for the first time.
No matter how skilled you may be, everyone needs a little extra help sometimes. A competition Is a big commitment, you are gonna need all the help you can get with both, your training and diet in order to be in shape for getting on stage.
Professionals all have a team of people working with them for a reason. Every bodybuilder/coach has a different point of view and sometimes even the most dedicated and educated athletes need that extra push or advice.
The main reason you need a coach is accountability, as it is easy to let yourself slide when you don’t have someone to report to on a weekly basis.
Nobody likes to fail, so when you have to show up for a training session, or send progress pictures, your coach will know if you’ve stuck to the plan. You don’t want to face the embarrassment of failing on your program, so you’re much more likely to stick to it.
If, you have another set of eyes guiding you in the right direction. It is much less likely that you will get down on yourself and give up. Trainees can be critical of themselves, so having a neutral set of eyes can keep them on track when things get difficult.
Healthy Nutritious Food
In order to get the lean muscle mass, balanced muscle groups, symmetry, muscle conditioning and low body fat levels you need for competing, it requires detailed nutrition programming and expertise to get that right.
Bodybuilders use different training styles in order to achieve the look they want, including strength and power training in order to build and strengthen the muscles.
These athletes will therefore demand a combined nutritional approach to match and support the training that they do at one given time.
When it comes to competition, physique athletes will commonly classify this period as ‘on-season’ and a rigorous training and nutrition ‘prep’ will be conducted.
Nutrition ‘prep’ stage usually lasts from 12 to 16 weeks, for most athletes, during this stage of developing their physiques, it involves achieving the lowest body fat possible.
Most competitors will require a constant calorie deficit throughout the ‘prep’ stage which means their nutrition should be made to back this throughout the whole stage.
High-quality foods ensure your body is energized and ready to tackle any workout you put it through. There are 3 main food groups to consider: protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Lean proteins, like turkey, chicken, fish, and egg whites, replenish muscles and help them grow. A high-protein diet is commonly advised for bodybuilders given their focus on muscle density.
Your body however also needs energy for daily use with complex carbohydrates. This includes sweet potato, quinoa, brown rice and oatmeal.
Healthy fats also play a crucial role, too. Nuts, avocado and olive oil are great healthy fat options that help your joints and fill you when you start to cut out foods to reach your desired show weight.
Supplements are also very important when preparing for competition but you have to remember that no matter how many you take, they cannot make up for a bad diet.
The supplements I recommend for this stage of your prep:
- BCAAs
- Creatine
- Beta-alanine
- Fish oils
- Multivitamins
- Whey protein
Start Prepping Your Skin Early
You must prepare your skin in advance before you apply your tan., have a poor tan, even if you have the best physique in the world it’s just not going to look right. You need to start prepping your skin about two weeks before the show by exfoliating.
The night before the competition you need to shave, wax or laser every part of your body. Hair removal is an essential part of the preparation process because hair can obscure your muscle, and can distract the judge.
If, you shave you need to use a blade razor, as an electric razor will not cut the hair short enough. Your skin will not accept that tan properly if you don’t shave.
It is important that you do not use any lotion, deodorant, or aftershave on your skin, as they will cause your tan to discolour.
Start Posing 4 Weeks Before Competition
Posing is vital in bodybuilding shows. I have seen physiques that should have won by a long shot, but ended up losing because they couldn’t pose properly.
Posing and tanning are the biggest things that people mess up on. After months and months of preparation and hard work, it isn’t nice to see somebody lose just because they don’t know how to display it.
Having a great physique is irrelevant if you cannot display it properly. Many bodybuilders seem to neglect their posing ability in their pursuit of victory.
The ability to present your physique to perfection onstage is one of the key components to being successful in competitive bodybuilding.
A good posing routine can show confidence to the judges that the athlete is ready to win and are putting the effort it to show off their amazing physique to its maximal potential.
Posing is the best way to show off your body’s symmetry, definition, and mass. If any of these are obscured by poor posing ability, they can not give any points for that muscle.
Bodybuilding poses can be a good way to work around any genetic imperfections. You can contort your body in a way that shows off the true size of your muscles and the best you can look.
The 8 mandatory poses in bodybuilding. 
Pose 1 – Front Lat spread
Pose 2 – Front Double Biceps
Pose 3 – Side Chest
Pose 4 – Rear Lat Spread
Pose 5 – Rear Double Biceps
Pose 6 – Side Triceps
Pose 7 – Abdominal and Thigh
Pose 8 – Most Muscular
Contest Day
On the day of the contest it is important to get up early and try to eat three meals before prejudging begins. Eat the same foods as the day before, but try to sip just enough water to get each meal down.
Apply the last coat of tanning agent before arrival and make sure you apply the oil lightly, ask for help to do your back and double check after you have applied.
Make sure you pay attention to what is going on around you so you know exactly when you need to start preparing to hit the stage and frequently inquire of time remaining until stage presentation.
Pump up for last 10-15 minutes before you get on stage and take you time between exercises.
Moments before you are about to step on stage, make sure you wipe your feet on a towel to remove dust and recheck your body for any streaks or splotches.
Make sure you enjoy the experience and cherish the moment after putting in all the work and sacrifice needed to get you there!
Now that you know how to properly prepare for a bodybuilding contest I hope this article gives you the confidence and push you needed to enter your first contest.
Leave a comment below if you have any questions. I am here to help.