Fitness Competition Training Tips for Success
Fitness competition training is extremely popular these days. There are more women in the gym and on stage now than ever before in history. If you are reading this web page, then you are pretty interested and dedicated enough to learn these basics. A lot of confusion goes along with contest training. Therefore, we are going to clear that up so you can move forward and start transforming.
Training Off-Season to Build Muscle
Training to build muscle is a bit different from contest prep training. Before you even start your contest prep you need to make sure you have a solid muscle base built to support strategic dieting and intense cardio. If you start a 12 week prep and didn’t take at least a year to put on some quality muscle you will:
- Lose some of the muscle you do have
- Lower your metabolism since you lack muscle to support it under intense circumstances
- Be as smooth as a baby’s bottom on stage due to lack of muscle and your body’s lower metabolic rate
You don’t want that! You want to be a well-built, muscular and fit, MACHINE on stage. That’s why it’s important to spend at least a good solid year (12 months) of some good hardcore heavy training under your belt. That’s your off-season. You need that strong base to diet and train on for a contest.
Off-season is a very critical aspect to fitness competitions. But, too many first-time competitors overlook that part due to competitive eagerness. If you are going to get on stage, at least do your homework and spend a year building your foundation.
Basically, to build muscle and strength you need to lift heavy poundage in the low rep range 8-10 reps, 3-4 sets. Nothing extravagant. Muscle it built through the tension that is applied. Powerlifters lift heavy for few reps, and therefore they are big and strong.
Fitness Competition Prep Training
When you merge into your contest prep training you’ll slowly make tweaks as necessary. Just because you start a 12 week prep doesn’t mean you have to change or overhaul anything in your training. Keep doing the same training you have been doing as long as it’s working. Tip: If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
As you diet down and lose body fat, your natural strength will drop a little. When your strength drops, that’s when you lower your pound a little and increase the reps. But keep that heavy weight and low reps for as long as you can. It’s what’s going to help keep and even build muscle during prep.
Here’s the Fitness Competition Training Secret
Look… you can run around in circles chasing your tail and listening to others. The problem is that too many cooks in the kitchen can ruin a good meal. Choose one system and follow it. Don’t go mixing recipes.
