Contest Mistakes!

[CEO Alex]

It'd be great if you guys can share mistakes you guys made during pre-contest preparation and contest day. Also, what you did/would do next time to correct the mistakes.

[Need2BHuge]

I wanna hear some of these too. If you tell us YOUR mistakes, we dont have to make them. We can learn from your mistakes lol. PLEEEAAASSSSSSEEEEE.

[Dann]

too much oil

[CEO Alex]

I would really like to get some replies in here! As, I'm sure, others would want to know what mistakes to avoid.

1) I used too much oil too in my first competition in the night show.
2) I didn't time "carbing up" well, so I actually ended up looking better post-competition (that was so frustrating!).
3) Distilled water is not necessary! (an old competitor told me to begin drinking distilled water 8 weeks pre-competition...I should have NEVER followed that).
4) Forgot my tape with my routine music, since I was in a hurry to sign in. I accidentally slept until 30min before the show began!...since it was the first night I actually got a few hours of sleep due to insomnia. Luckily my girlfiend gave me a call and woke me up wondering where I had been and ended up bringing a copy of the tape!

I probably did more stupid things, as I'm sure some of you did, that I can't think of at the moment that beginners would like to read.

[AzianGurl]

Here is my 2 cents.........

1. Make sure you have a good base tan. Don't depend on the pro tan to do it all for you. A good base tan with about 4 coats of pro tan usually looks great!

2. Make sure you use proper amount of oil equally distributed. Don't come on stage dripping. You want to be remembered for having a good presence, not "the guy with all that oil on him".

3. SMILE on stage. Your routine is your presentation. Make it look fun and exciting even though you are starving and can't wait to get off stage to go eat that pizza you have been craving for 12 long weeks!

4. Hit your poses correctly. There is nothing worst than watching someone hit their poses incorrectly. These are the guys that watched a few shows and just decided to get up on stage and do what they see. Find some good posing videos or get some help from someone who knows how to pose. You can have the best body on stage, but if you don't know how to show it off, all your hard work will have gone down the drain.

5. Always remember, every second you are on stage you are being judged. The moment you step on stage to the moment you step off stage, you are being judged. You only have a few minutes to show the judges what you have worked many weeks to achieve. Enjoy it!

I could go on and on..but this is enuff for now...hehe... thanks!!!!

[Pboy]

This is embarrasing but here goes. I had never been to a bb show before my first contest. So after winning my class and being called back out on stage for the Overall and posedowns, I was unprepared. I wasn't surprised that I won, I was planning on doing that. I just didn't consider the Overalls.

[AzianGurl]

Originally posted by Pboy
This is embarrasing but here goes. I had never been to a bb show before my first contest. So after winning my class and being called back out on stage for the Overall and posedowns, I was unprepared. I wasn't surprised that I won, I was planning on doing that. I just didn't consider the Overalls.


Wow..that's awesome! You won your class and never attended a show! You go boy!

so...what DID you do after you got called out for the Overall??

[CEO Alex]

Wow, Aziangurl...you couldn't have put it any better. I wish I would have had a better base tan on my first show. And, even though I was consistently working with a professional bodybuilder for poses, I didn't catch my mistakes until after the first show. So...I would definitely recommend to practice your poses a lot with and WITHOUT a mirror (too many guys look rediculous out there because they realize that they can't see themselves, so they can't catch their own mistakes...practicing without a mirror will help minimize this).

[jimratpa]

1. enjoy yourself. another words smile on stage.
2. dont stair down a judge.
3. have a banana ready 1/2 before you hit hte stage for pre-judging, esp if your in a big clas. since you are ALWAYS posing on stage, even in the back row [lareg class], you need it to keep cramps off.
4. use oil sparingingly. PLEASE. we are all dieting, and a glazed donut is not appealing.
5. test your color before the night before. get someone who knows how to paint do it. nothing is more off then a commando look.
6 soild color suit, no multi harlaquin print. And I'm very much RED/White/Blue, but no flag prints.
7 posing, either know it or stay in your seat. Esp the first show wher you can't fake it well.
8 music, make a copy that has your song over and over again. So if your listening to it just before giving i t to the guy, the next copy is ready for him. Nothing SREAMS newbie more then musci fpuck-ups.
9. Find a friend that knows BB, and WILL HONESTLY tell you the truth. Better to have a buddy say 'you not ready' then discover your 5 and there are only four trophies being handed out.

[mssixpack56]

Jimratpa:

RE #9. I'm glad I didn't find out the hard way. I recently attended two BB shows as a spectator. I looked like Olive Oyl beside them. And this was natural, drug tested and polygraphed but those women were HUGE.

Ok, so maybe another year of eating like a banshee and abusing muscles in gym. Glad winter's coming, haha. Thanks for the info.

stasia

[strongfox2002]

Some of the things I did to get ready for my first show were:
1. Order posing tapes and practice, practice, practice. If you don't learn those mandatory poses, it will hurt you. Having a great looking physique is one thing, how you present it and execute each pose is another. Pick poses for your routine that compliment YOUR PHYSIQUE. Every move doesn't work for everyone. Remember, that's the time to show the judges your best bodyparts and hide your weaker parts.
2. Tanning beds helped me get that great base at least 6 weeks from competition. It helps get some water out of you too and makes the tan look natural after applying ProTan.
3. Remember to shave your entire body. Purchase hair remover for your back and have someone help you. You should do it at least 2 weeks before the show and the at least 2 days before applying your ProTan.
4. Search for colors and styles that compliment your body type. For the women, your can get a fancy suit for the evening finals.
5. Take pictures during the pre-contest dieting every week or two. See how you look and where you need to improve. Video taping your posing practices also help.
6. Carb load/deplete way in advance to see if it will work for you. The last week is the worst time to experiment.
7. Try to be ready one week before your show. Continue what you are doing that last week...do not change anything if you look really good and are at your peak.
8. At the show, carry your food, water, snacks, supplements, 2 music tapes (one for back-up), extra suits, towels, oils, ProTan, toothbrush & paste, resistance bands (sometimes weights are not supplied to get you pumped - that sucks). Try to have someone with you backstage to help get you ready.
9. Be polite to EVERYONE. No reason to have an attitude. If a competitor has an attitude, be polite and walk away. Stay focused and relaxed. Some will try to psych you out and if you let them, it won't be a great experience.
10. Know that you are a winner regardless. You've worked hard and should enjoy yourself.

Good luck!
Peace

[latinmuscle]

Common mistakes

1) Forgeting your Music at home

2) Rutine too short or too Long

3) Bad sound quality on your music

4) droping Pro Tan on your posing suit

5) wearing too Much Oil or wearing Baby oil

6) Forgeting your rutine

7) Posing for the crowd during pre-judging

8) not knowing your Mandatories

9) wearing a suit that is either too big or too small

10) not holding your poses for long enough

[Pboy]

at my 2nd show this year, or ever, for that matter, I made the biggest mistake a competitor can make: I allowed myself to get intimidated and thus psyched-out. It was a Pro-qualifier, and I had seen pics of the guy that won the previous year. So at 6 weeks out I was already thinking there is no way in Hell that I'm going to win. BIG MISTAKE!!! it caused me to be somewhat lacadaisical in my dieting and posing practice. Unfortunately, I have not completely been able to rid myself of the tendency to not-try-my-hardest-in-case-I-don't-win, so I can use that as an excuse (for myself). Sounds F'd up I know, but that's always been an issue with me. Anyway, I'm certain that it cost me at least one position and maybe two. Moral of the story: Always prepare to win. You never know what the competition is going to look like.

[latinmuscle]

Beleive it or not, one thing I've seen in almost every amateur show is competitors with their Pubic hair showing. either they wear a posing suit that is too small or they are just hairy and fail to trim their junk.

Just discusting!

[MsFit]

Biggest mistake, taking Lasix. My advice, don't touch a diuretic. Start preparing for the contest early so you don't have to rely on a diuretic. I still incorporate natural fluid pill before a show.
MsFit

[RedHedd]

Nope.. the biggest mistake of all is chickening out at the last minute and not competing. Been there.

[Abdominator]

I had a nightmare the other day about leaving my music tape at home. Scary stuff.

- Skip

[MsFit]

This isn't a mistake, but it's the funniest thing. A few years ago my training partener was training an older gentleman, 60 years old. He looked great for his age, I was most impressed. What amazed me is that his 80 year old parents showed up to watch their 'little boy' ;) compete.

Poor man, he competed in every show in the state that year. During the sametime, his wife left him. He got outraged and tried to burn down his house, it was said to be an accident though. She came back, he did another show, then she left again. That made him O.D. on antidepressants. They rushed him to the ER and pumped his stomach. That happend twice.

Amazingly, he continued competing, getting better and harder each time. I can only contribuet the added hardness to the continual gut pumping.

Anyone wanna give that a try? :D
MsFit

[freaker]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46373

[Bobsgotabs]

Ugh, the memories of competing. I first competed almost 3 years ago, and I can tell you I made every mistake that you could have made. First, I didn't tan for long enough, so my base color wasn't dark enough. Second, I didn't use enough Pro-Tan, and didn't apply enough to my butt. Soooo, when I turned sideways, my hips and butt were glaringly white. Next, I didn't use enough oil, so I looked extremely dry. On top of that, my posing was horrendous. So, ok, you live and learn.
I entered another show 6 months later. I thought I was ready, since I learned so much. Well, training and dieting are going great, and I threw everything down the toilet the night before. My manager at work threatened me the night prior to my contest that if I didn't work, I would be out of a job. So, I worked, got extremely stressed out, stopped drinking water, and missed 2 meals.
So, I show up the next day at the show looking like absolute CRAP. Retaining water, AND flat! Nice combo! From those two experiences with competing, I still have a reoccuring nightmare to this day that I wake up the day of a show, and somehow forgot to put on Pro-Tan, and worse off, forgot to shave!
Bottom line, attend as MANY shows as you can, if you can be a trainer for a competitor so that you can go backstage, and absorb as much as you can!

Bob H