I have competed for 2 years in the novice woman’s figure category for international federation of bodybuilding NZ, taking 3rd place in my first show I had to come back for more. Knowing what it took and what I had to do I came away with gold at Wellington Regionals and a silver placing at NZ Nationals. There is a lot of research and things to consider, take a look below if you are thinking about competing in a show.
- Why do you want to compete?
Ask yourself why you want to do a bodybuilding competition?
- Cost
Bodybuilding is a very expensive sport here are some estimates of what you will be looking at.
- Trainer $60 per session
- Posing coach $60 per session
- Nutritionist $80 per session
- Supplements $100 plus a month
- Bikini Suit/Trunks all are custom made to fit your body $500 plus
- Time
Your life will consist of training, work, training, sleep, and repeat. You will spend at least 4 hours if not more a day in the gym, as well as food prepping, trying get everyday life chores done, work and ensuring you get enough sleep.
- Will it affect your job or studies?
Ask anyone who has competed, becoming a zombie really does exist. This can and will start to take a toll on you career or studies, you won’t even know its happening to you until you start to hear the comments from everyone around you.
- Have you done your research?
Do you know which category you want to compete in or which category best suits your body type, what federation do you want to represent? Do you know what they stand for or how long until you get to stage?
There are multiple federations and all are different to each other, see which one you like best.
- Support
The battle of “I can’t do this, this is too hard, I’m too tired to train” will slowly start to creep in when calories become less and less. It is so important to have family and friends around who support you and understand and know how to pick you up.
- Coach/Trainer
Do your research on trainers. I recommend getting someone who has competed multiple times and also having someone who has done the same category you have chosen is beneficial.
- Do you know what a diet of a bodybuilder looks like when cutting down?
Get use to the taste of plain food, the endless amounts of chicken and fish with delicious broccoli and beans for every meal and oats in water for breakfast. Yum.
- Are you willing to sacrifice a lot of things to get to where you need to be for stage?
Think it’s going to be easy? Think again! You will sacrifice drinking and nights out, you’ll have to give up a lot of the foods you love for 16 + weeks. You will no longer go out to social dinners with friends cause you can’t eat the food and sitting there watching them eat is just torture.
Make sure to consider the above before competing. This gives you an insight into what a preparation for a competition is like and the reality of the sport. Competing isn’t made for everyone.
If you want to know more about bodybuilding competitions, training or posing please contact me on: 027 222 7660 or sashatemaru@hotmail.com
Read more about me on my Personal Trainer page click here
