Learn The Step to Take to Prep for Your First Figure Contest
Have you ever thought about how to prepare for your first figure contest? The mere THOUGHT of being in a competition, on stage under those beaming and bright stage lights, can be all but terrifying. However, just the sheer TRILL of presenting your well-prepared physique, which you worked so hard for, to a trained judging panel can be just the adrenaline rush you need to make your dream into a reality.
So, what does it REALLY take to be to on stage to compete and even a win a figure show? Good question. I’ll cover 3 little secrets you need to implement so you can be stage ready in just 12 weeks.
Gather Data
Yes, if you want to compete and look you absolute best, you need to do your homework. Your homework involves you getting involved in the fitness and competition industry.
You need to go online and search for local bodybuilding competitions in your area. You need to get a REAL look at what competitors really look like. Competitors look very different from their off-season to their contest condition. What you see backstage and in the lobby at a show is VERY different from what you see posing on stage.
I highly recommend going to pre-judging and the night show. The pre-judging is held first so the judges can fully assess each competitor and determine each placement. This allows the night show to flow quickly and smoothly. All the competitors and placements (with the exception of overall) will have been determined at pre-judging.
Be sure to take pics and videos so you can use them to study how competitors walk and pose on stage.
By going to regional shows, and even nationals, you get will be able to rub elbows with some top names IFBB Pros and even chit chat and network.
Create a Strong Foundation
This is a CRITICAL step, and so often ignored… Have a solid muscle base built BEFORE you start to prep.
The honest truth is, when you diet down for your show you will lose some muscle along with body fat. Therefore, I highly recommend you have at least one good year of solid muscle-building under your belt before you start prep.
A quality off-season muscle building program consists of training 4-5 days a week along with light to moderate cardio. Then, as a competition approaches training can be increased to 5-6 days a week and added cardio can be applied.
Prep Progressively
Finally, the third little on how to prepare for your first figure contest is to prep progressively so burn body fat and spare as much lean muscle mass as possible.
One of the biggest mistakes many first time competitors make is that they start their figure prep 100% full-force right out of the gate. Listen… You will be prepping for at least 12 weeks. You need to make sure you don’t run out of energy the first month.
If you blindly start your prep on 1200 calories, you have really no room to lower them when it comes time to tweak your diet. Start your calories a little higher, as recommended in Figure Competition Secrets, and lower them accordingly as needed.
The same goes for cardio. If you start day one of your contest cardio prep doing 45 minutes 6 days a week you don’t have much wiggle room when it comes time to increase your cardio.
Start gradually and tweak as necessary on diet, cardio, and training.
Here’s How to Do Your First Figure Contest
Learning how to prepare for your first figure contest is a process. That’s why you prep for 12-14 weeks or so. You need time to start, see changes, tweak and repeat. You have to complete on step before you move to the next. Going ballistic doing cardio 6 days a week for 45 minutes on 1200 calories, topped with weight training is just ridiculous and will only burn muscle, leaving your muscles flat and soft.
