If you are in the fitness industry as either a trainer or are a fitness enthusiast, you’ve definitely heard of, have seen, or have participated in a fitness competition. Tanned, glossy men and women strutting their stuff on stage in swimsuits and bikinis, looking like chiselled out Greek sculptures. These competitions are hard core and inspire many of us to set those physiques presented on stage as a goal for ourselves. So what does it really take to be stage ready? This week we want to give you an insider look into what it takes to participate in a fitness competition from the perspective of our very own Lindsay Blue, COO of Free Form Fitness.
R in the following section is for Riley, our main contributor to the FFF blog. L corresponds to the answers provided by Lindsay Blue.
R: What was your initial motivation to participate in a fitness competition?
L: Because I never thought I could – and I don’t like feeling like I cannot do something. That was my initial reason, but it turns out I really loved the process – now I do it to keep myself on track and accountable to my nutrition and exercise.
R: How much did you know about the process prior to signing up?
L: Nothing – absolutely nothing.
R: Did you do research before signing up? Or did you sign up and learn as the process unfolded?
L: I signed up first and learned what I needed throughout the process and from my then-coach Tess Franklin (Albert St. Manager), who had competed a couple of times before me.
R: What doesn’t the research tell you?
L: How tough it will be mentally. It is very time consuming, and mentally and physically draining. And each time you prep, your body responds differently, what worked before, may not work again. You may have to switch up your approach many times throughout prep.
R: How long was your first prep?
L: Beginning of March to Mid June.
R: How many times have you competed?
L: 5 times total – 4 in bikini, 1 in figure.
R: Does it get easier or harder the more you do?
L: A bit of both actually – because you have done it before, you know what to expect. But because you know what to expect, there are aspects that you dread, lol.
R: What was the hardest part of prep?
L: Staying on track with the uber strict nutrition and, towards the end of prep, fitting in all the cardio and workouts while maintaining a full time job and a home life.
R: What was the best part of prep?
L: Watching the progress (gains) you make and as the fat melts away, watching that hard earned muscle appear from underneath.
R: What was the most unexpected part of your prep?
L: How much I was going to love it.
R: What does a typical prep diet look like?
L: VERY CLEAN – no processed sugars, foods, alcohol, simple carbs etc. Stick to the primal foods – meat, veg, and complex carbs cooked as naturally/cleanly as possible. You only begin removing calories and macros as your body plateaus. As long as your body is responding and you are continually leaning out, keep as much food in your diet as you can. It does drop quite significantly very shortly out from your show.
R: How did your training change throughout the process? After the process?
L: Training changes slightly from prep to off season bulking – but I let the experts figure that out for me! And I follow their plan. We take the judges feedback from each show and adjust the focus as we go.
R: Is a coach necessary? (posing, nutrition, workouts, etc.)
L: I think so. Even having done multiple shows, with multiple coaches and trainers, and working in the industry, I still have a coach. Somebody who knows the process, can work with your body as it plateaus and needs changes made, and to give you a fresh, external perspective. But even if you want to try the workout and nutrition on your own – at very least – get a posing coach so you are prepared for stage and present your hard work in the most flattering way you can! You do NOT put in all this hard work to tank your presentation on stage and not place where you should!
R: Who do you think competitions are best suited for? Is there anyone you would caution against taking part in this process?
L: To be honest, anybody with poor body image, eating disorders etc. this process can wreak havoc on them. It is a very subjective sport where you are getting up on stage in front of a LOT of people in very little clothing and having them analyze your body and critique it, compare it against all the others up there with you. However, if this is a goal to challenge yourself or a bucket list item – give it all you got!
R: If you could give 1 piece of advice to someone considering the process, what would it be?
L: If you are going to commit to a competition – give it your all so when you walk across that stage, you strut with pride and confidence, showing off all your hard work knowing you gave it your all and did all you could to make it there.
R: Could you summarize the process in 1 quick statement/sentence?
L: Challenge yourself – “If we are not a little bit uncomfortable every day, we’re not growing. All the good stuff is outside our comfort zone.” – Jack Canfield “Once in a while, blow your own damn mind” – unknown
Many of our trainers have competed in these fitness competitions and each bring their own perspective and experiences to the sport, so if you wish to find out more about this level of training, or you have your own comments and experiences to share, send us an e-mail! We’d love to hear from you!
