WEEK FIFTY-SIX :: How Do You Determine When You Are Ready To Compete? [Archive]

Shaolin Monkey

12-23-2005, 03:32 PM

When are you ready to compete?

I believe it ultimately is up to you. If you want to compete and are willing to devote the time and effort to doing it, then go for it. True, our friend Joey probably will not win. However, although this is an extreme situation, what does he have to lose? You don't learn anything by winning. You learn through losing, and you get closer to winning by picking yourself up and trying again, knowing what you have to do to next time around to get yourself into that winner's circle. So, even if you decide to compete and lose, it doesn't necessarily mean that you aren't "competition material," although in Joey's case it might mean just that. Sorry Joey. But chin up, kid, 'cause with time and hard work you'll get there.

How much muscle should you have? What should your body fat be?

Your body fat should be low, so that your muscles are clearly visible and have that "cut" look. The actual percentage depends on the person. I've heard ranges of anywhere from 2-7%. As for muscle, size is important, to a degree. I say "to a degree" because size isn't everything in a competition. What's going to be more appealing, a 200 lb symmetrical and well balanced bodybuilder, or a 350 lb. monster who can't touch his hands together because of his massive muscles? If I was a judge, I wouldn't want to be scared into making the bigger guy the winner. The winner is supposed to be selected for the best physique, not for being the freakiest person there.

In the above example I mentioned balance and symmetry. These things are just as important, if not more so than size. Symmetry shows proper attention to muscles, making sure none are lagging behind others. Balance is also extremely important. When I say "balance," I mean that no one bodypart is overpowering over others. For example, if your biceps are bulging and beautiful while your triceps are pathetically small, then your chances of winning are much smaller than they would be, had your arms been well balanced.

Again, balance and symmetry are just as important as size, if not more important.

What are some helpful tips before entering a bodybuilding contest?

The first is to catch up any lagging bodyparts, for symmetry. If, say, your left bicep is smaller than your right, you can either:

1) Keep the workload the same on the right arm, while increasing it on the left, or
2) Reducing the workload on the right and keeping it the same on your left.

In this case, I would recommend option number one, as you will keep your right arm at the same strength and size while making the left catch UP, instead of bringing your right down some and your left up some, the second option resulting in less overall growth.

Also, as contest day approaches, keep things simple. Eating simply is key. Stick to things like tuna, chicken, and other sources of lean meat for protein. I would recommend increasing veggie and carb intake the week or maybe even two weeks before the contest. The veggies will clean your system out so that you will absorb more nutrients from the foods you eat (much like cleaning out the drain of a sink: afterwards, the water drains smoother and faster). The carbs will fill out your muscles a bit further, helping to give them a "full" look. You also might want to train with a lighter weight the week before the contest, also to help "fill" your muscles and give them a tight feel. Using a lighter weight, more reps, and less intensity will also ensure you don't injure yourself right before the contest.

Have you ever entered a bodybuilding contest? If so, do you think you were ready? Why? If not, do you think you would be able to prepare for one with only 3 months time? Why, or why not?

I have never entered a bodybuilding contest, as I don't train for size, but I train for functional strength/athletic ability. Being a martial artist, having applicable strength is most important to me. And the bigger I am, the more mass I have to move to get my fist or foot to the target. Efficiency is my game.

I don't believe it would be possible for me to be contest ready in 3 months. I don't have much in the way of size, and I will admit that I'm not completely balanced. I might be able to do it with maybe 6 months of prep time, but I would seriously doubt being able to do it in half that time.

Anyway, to sum it all up, you're the one who decides if you're ready for competition, but you're also the one who has to do the work to get there.

no_strain_no_ga

12-24-2005, 03:09 PM

How Do You Determine When You Are Ready To Compete?

Competing takes lots of hard work and dedication in bodybuilding to get on the stage. From building them muscles to high extremes to knowing what pose will look better to show off. You can't just go "I think I am ready to compete". One think you can't "think" you most "know" that you are ready to compete on stage. Also you must check yourself mentally and physically if you are ready.You must have the guts to get on that stage and show what you have. You can't get all nervous and walk off stage in the middle of the show.

Things you must be ready for:

-Be physically and mentally healthy(No loose muscles and no getting nervous, be focus and hardworking)
-Know all your poses.(Poses is a MAJOR, it is what makes the show the show, come with every pose memorized)
-No hair should be shown.(Hair is a BIG no-no on stage, we don't want to see your hairy armpits or legs, we want to see those muscles)
-Get a tan(Doesn't matter if it is spray on or natural, tan gives the muscle more definition)
-Don't worry about the competition, worry about yourself
-If you lose, please don't cry, this goes with the mentally healthy part. This just shows that you need to improve for the next show.

Be ready for what you are against. Going to compete takes hard work and dedication. All muscle groups should be perfect. All poses should be perfect. And YOU should be perfect.

BF% needs to be at the right amount, No flab at all. Muscle and vascullarity should be top notch. And everything else I said.

Make sure you eat a diet that is for competing.

If you need to find a good diet go to this link-------> http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/huston22.htm has a 12-week out diet and everything else you will need to know when getting ready for a competition.

Well, that's all I have to give. I hope this will help you know if you are ready and how to get ready for the Master stage

You decide if you are ready or not.

Thanks

Mike Kramer

"Live Strong"

Have you ever entered in a bobybuilding competition?If so, do you think you were ready? Why? If not, do you think you would be able to prepare for one with only 3 months time? Why, or why not?

I haven't enter in a competition. I'm certain I'm not ready in the next 3 months. I have to build my muscles first. I realy would like to, but I have 3 years until I am confortable to go on stage.

mattn4376

12-25-2005, 05:27 PM

Are You Ready To Compete?
This seems like a simple question to the novice bodybuilder, but to the more expierenced ones it really is not as easy as it seems. If your like me everything has to be absolutly perfect at least two weeks before i get on stage, that way I know I will be looking really cut and full for my contest. I personally compete at a middle/heavyweight divison, and while I try to have just as much mass as other guys, definition is just as important to me. I believe you are ready to compete after your 1st-2nd year of serious bodybuilding training and nutrition. I say this because these two things are the rock solid base holding up your bodybuilding career, if you dont't have these two things down then there is no way you should compete.You have to know how to manage your macronutrient intake, and also how you cycle your sodium before a competion so you look as cut as possible. You should also know your posing routine in and out without a mirror, remeber there are no mirrors on stage with you. You shouldn't go up and stage with a bloated beer belly and man boobs, simply because you will just make a fool of yourself. As for how much lean mass and bodyfat you should have when you compete, I would say you should weigh as much as your class allows, an ideal bf% for competing is 3-5 percent. But the main topic here is your devotion to this magnificent sport. If your willing to but in the time,energy, and very important research, then I truely believe you are ready to compete.

My Personal Experiences.
Bonus: Have you ever entered a bodybuilding contest? If so, do you think you were ready? Why? If not, do you think you would be able to prepare for one with only 3 months time? Why, or why not?

Yes I have entered Two bodybuilding contests. Was I ready? not really I wasnt quite sure how to manipulate my calories the first time but the second time I was and took 2nd place, I am now trying a different approach to contest prep by extremly depleting calories, see my thread under contest prep if you wish. But to anwser the 3 month question, no I would no be ready in 3 months i like at least 7 to add some new mass and then do a mini cut, then contest prep. A lot of people wouldnt be ready in 3 months though, unless your a genetic freak.

mivi320

12-26-2005, 01:18 PM

How Do You Determine When You Are Ready To Compete?

Intro

Bodybuilding is truly a great sport. Dedication, discipline, perseverance, and consistency are some of the many values that bodybuilding has to offer. As bodybuilders, we constantly try to improve our physique day in and day out.

Generally, bodybuilders are split into two distinct groups: recreational bodybuilders and competitive bodybuilders. A recreational bodybuilder is simply an individual who trains regularly and eats a mostly strict diet, but has no intention of competing. Recreational bodybuilders have a different outlook on bodybuilding than competitive bodybuilders do. Recreational bodybuilders simply view the sport of bodybuilding as a mere hobby, where as competitive bodybuilders perceive bodybuilding as a lifestyle.

Competitive bodybuilders are simply individuals who train regularly (usually more intense than a recreational bodybuilder), follow a super strict diet regimen, and compete in bodybuilding contests. Competitive bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who then judge the individual on aesthetic appearance, symmetry, and size.

Competitive bodybuilding, especially natural bodybuilding in particular, has been experiencing mind-blowing popularity recently. If you classify as a recreational bodybuilder, and feel as if you have what it takes to dominate on the competitive level, read on to find out more!

Do you have what it takes?

To win a bodybuilding contest, you must possess a very high level of physical and mental discipline to overcome any obstacles you may face.

Do you have what it takes?

If truly you feel as if you have the mentality, focus, dedication, and consistency to enter the realm of competitive bodybuilding, then you are most definitely ready. Most lifters develop this "edge" after 2-3 years of solid lifting, dieting, and recovery. Beginners in the sport of bodybuilding usually don't have the perseverance it takes to compete, and should wait a few years to build a solid foundation first before competing.

How much muscle should you have?

If you’ve convinced yourself that you have the mentality and perseverance it takes to prepare for a bodybuilding competition and give it your all, that’s half the battle. The other half is an assessment of your physique. Do you have enough muscle on your frame so when you diet down for the show, you won’t look like a stick with no mass at all?

Generally, before preparing for a show bodybuilders go on a bulking diet – where they eat insane amounts of clean foods and lift with gut wrenching intensity to create some serious size. If you feel as if you need more muscle on your frame than you are simply not ready to enter a competition. To resolve this, simply “bulk up” by going on a bulking program, in which you eat large quantities of healthy foods, lift heavy weights, and focus in on recovery. After you complete the bulking cycle, take a look in the mirror. Are you still going to look like a stick with no mass at all if you diet down for the show? If you feel so, continue bulking until you accumulate enough muscle mass suitable to your frame.

If you feel as if you have enough muscle mass on your frame, you are ready for the preparation of the show.

What should your body fat be?

Your body fat should be 10-18% before preparing for the show. Most of that body fat is going to melt off as you prepare for the show. You should ideally begin preparing for the show 12-20 weeks out of the competition to allow yourself to get in top-notch shape.

On contest day, your body fat should be preferably 8% or under. You won’t be holding much water if you carefully preparing for the show, so this is very attainable for most bodybuilders.

What are some helpful tips before entering a bodybuilding contest

Before entering a bodybuilding contest, assess your goals. Establish a plan of attack, which will allow you to get ready for the show, and conclusively will enable you to look your very best on stage! Besides, planning things out always makes it much easier! Below is a basic schedule to aid you in your preparation for your next bodybuilding competition:

1 year out

Chose the show in which you wish to compete in.
Follow a bulking diet in which you eat plenty of clean foods – tons of protein, carbohydrates, and a moderate amount of healthy fats.
Establish what training program you wish to use. My personal favorite off-season training programs are ones that focus on heavy compound lifts (bench press, deadlift, and squat).
Record your lifts, reps, sets, and anything else you wish to include in a training journal.
Incorporate cardiovascular activity into your plan. Make an effort to perform some form of cardio at least 1-2 times a week.
Practice your posing. Watching a video of how to execute each pose has really helped me with my posing.

5-6 months out

Continue following the bulking diet – eating plenty of healthy foods every 2-3 hours. You may even want to increase your calories if you have hit a plateau.
Modify your workout routine so that you are really emphasizing on bringing your lacking body parts up to par. Continue training with the utmost intensity on all the compound lifts.
Continue doing cardio 1-2 times a week, but increase your intensity. Sprints and interval training are two great high intensity cardiovascular workouts.
Begin to search for posing suits that match your physique.
Select your mandatory poses – ones that you wish to use on the day of your competition!
Begin to think about a good posing song – one that complements your character and posing routine!

12-20 weeks out

Place your order for your posing suit. Posing suits can easily be purchased at the bodybuilding.com cyberstore: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/suits/suits.htm
Establish your competition diet regimen. No more bulking. It’s time to get more shredded than an Enron bank statement now!
Begin working on your posing routine more extensively by performing your mandatory poses after each workout.
Continue training hard and heavy each and every workout. Don’t forget to really focus on the body parts that are lacking when training!
Increase your cardio intensity and duration to get as shredded as possible.
Keep a journal of your mood, thoughts, and feelings. Don’t forget to include progress pictures in your journal to better assess your weaknesses and strong points!

2-8 weeks out

Register for the competition!
Continue with the competition diet, cardio, and intense training
Begin working on your tan. Believe it or not, a good tan will make you look much more defined and vascular!
Purchase items you need for contest day. Bronzer and lotion are key to looking your best on stage!
Continue executing your mandatory poses after each workout. Begin performing each pose before you go to sleep at night as well, and hold each pose for 15-30 seconds! Getting the poses down to a science is extremely important for coming out big on contest day!

Contest day

You’ve done everything possible to look your very best up to this day. Now it’s up to the judges to decide! Go out there and have some fun, and believe in yourself!

Bonus: Have you ever entered a bodybuilding contest??

I haven’t entered a bodybuilding contest as of yet. However, I’m currently training for my first competition for 2007. I feel as if I need more muscle on my frame, and that’s why I decided not to compete in 2006. Therefore, I’ll be using this entire year to get as big as possible, naturally!

If not, do you think you would be able to prepare for one with only 3 months time? Why, or why not?

Yes, I believe I can prepare for a bodybuilding competition with only 3 months time, but would I be in top notch shape? Probably not. I truly believe it takes a good year or so of planning and training to really show up in tip top shape for the day of the show. There is so much planning, effort, and commitment that goes into preparing for a show, and I honestly feel as if 3 months is simply not enough time for me to prepare for a show. Advanced bodybuilders and those who have competed previously probably can prepare for a show in that short amount of time, but personally, I don’t feel as if that’s an ample amount of time for me.

Best of luck with all of your goals!

Mike

Squat_lt

12-26-2005, 09:43 PM

How to determine when you are ready to compete?

First of all we must realize that everybody is different and determining when to compete is unique choice of every bodybuilder. You must be prepared not only physically but mentally as well. Generally a pro competitor which is bodybuilding and competing for numerous years can make decisions way easier than novice. He can almost sense when he’s ready to compete and win. Of course most newbies will find it difficult to judge themselves so it’s always worth to ask advice of more experienced bodybuilders and trainers to decrease risk of failure and get some beneficial ideas. Our little Joey would certainly make a big mistake if he would compete in his condition. Lack of knowledge could lead to this. Generally here are a few steps that you need to focus when determining to compete or not:

• Planning – The more you think about future the better it gets. Planning is essential if you are preparing for few competitions a year. You don`t want to screw yourself up of poor planning of bulking, cutting cycles, nutrition, training and other things essential if you want to be successful in competition. Try to set short time, realistic and achievable goals to yourself. eg. To lose or gain certain amount of weight in a month. Also time when competition takes place is also important. You don`t want to mix you preparing time with university exams and fail one or the other. Only when you carefully plan everything, you can be sure that you are concentrated at your contest and nothing can disrupt you.

• Observing – It’s another essential thing if you are going to compete soon and want to be successful. It’s way easier to prepare for a competition if you know who your opponents are going to be. So it’s always worth to attend as much shows as possible to know your opponents better and see possible mistakes on stage, and bypass them later. You don`t want to enter a competition and see that it’s in way higher level that you thought it will be. Another strategy is to train with competitive bodybuilder, who has more experience than you. You will have a chance to share his knowledge about training, dieting, posing and contest preparation.

• Reaching Your Peak – Try to predict if you can reach your best shape at competition time. A good bodybuilder always tries to compete only when he achieves his peak. Timing here is very important and planning again comes into play. You are likely to finish in the top when you are at your best. You don`t want to achieve your best shape few days after the contest. Only when you achieve a decent shape you can be sure that you are ready to compete. You mustn’t compete if you have some major lagging body parts or many week points. First of all you must be sure that you have a balanced and symmetrical physique and no lagging body parts. Body fat is also very important. You need to get as cut as possible to look at your best on competition day. Don’t delay the cutting cycle, because you can be disappointed when you see the results. It’s better to give plenty of time to everything. Especially for cutting. You don`t want to see your big gut on the contest day and you don`t want to lose muscle when shredding a lot of body fat in short amount of time.

How to determine when you are ready to compete in your first bodybuilding contest?

Mhm, this is a hard question. Again it’s very individual. I recommend competing once when you have a strong base and well balanced physique. Mass at this stage is not so important. You need to focus on balance, condition and symmetry. Some people might achieve this in a few years of hard and consistent training and dieting, while others might need less or more. How quickly you develop is a matter of genetics and how young you start training. Some bodybuilders tend to jump into competition very quickly and fail while others prefer to bide one’s time and finish with a high placing. Both choices have their pluses and minuses. If you start to compete very early you can be discouraged when you finish dead last and you could even stop training if you are mentally weak person. But at another case you gain valuable experience which will definitely help you in future. So I recommend competing early enough and getting some competition experience. When it comes to competing you have to start somewhere. So don`t be surprised if, the first time you step onstage, you go completely blank. You can have very good and balanced physique, but lose against weaker opponents just because you lack experience presenting yourself.

Posing, posing, posing and posing again! Posing is vital if you want to compete! After years of hard training and hours spend in gym, you can win or lose contest with a same body. It’s all how you present your body. Posing can be a tool for drawing attention to your strengths and away from your weaknesses. You just must learn doing all compulsory poses correctly is you want to compete. Only when you know all essential poses you can be sure that you are ready to compete. I would recommend to start practicing posing as soon as possible. Study photos of other bodybuilders, attend contests regularly and learn. Hit some poses in the gym when you are training, flex muscles between sets, study yourself in the mirror. It all helps. Also remember the need of endurance. If you are not used to posing, you will fail to stand flexed for a long periods of time as a competition takes place.

Everybody must also be aware of nutrition if they want to compete. You can’t succeed in competition without a proper contest diet. If you can indulge a bit when you are bulking – you must be absolutely strict during cutting if you want to reach your best potential. First of all newbies need to start measuring food intake and counting calories to reach maximum potential of a diet. Learning how to eat clean is also very important step towards competition diet. If you didn’t have any dieting discipline before, I’m pretty sure it won’t appear before contest. Once you have mastered nutrition, you can be sure that you are one step forward to competing.

How much muscle should you have? What should your body fat be? Etc.

There are no limits or norms regarding your mass and body fat in bodybuilding. However every bodybuilder has a goal to be as muscular and lean as possible. Some people achieve it easier, some not. So notionally you should aim for as much lean mass gains during bulking and as much body fat loss when cutting as you can possibly achieve. Of course it’s easier to say than to do it. Actually certain norms of size depend of your competition level, other opponents, category you want to fit in and many other reasons. But you shouldn’t focus on a scale or measurements too much. Mirror is your best judge. Remember – in bodybuilding you are judged by how you look and how you present yourself, not how much you weigh or how much you can lift. You should focus on balance, symmetry, proportions, condition and thickness instead of sheer mass.

Some helpful tips before entering a contest:

Training:

• Don`t go overboard with increasing the total number of sets and reps. Light weights will decrease
muscle size and strength.

• Include more isolation exercises to isolate each area of every single muscle.

• Focus on your lagging body parts even more when you’re approaching contest.

• Include few cardio sessions a week to your training regimen. It will increase your metabolism and hasten your fast loss. But do it carefully, if you are not losing enough fat – it’s better to decrease calorie intake instead increasing cardio. You don`t want to lose muscle.

Nutrition:

• Increase protein consumption. It will help to preserve muscle when dieting. You should consume at
least 1.5gr of protein for 1 Lbs. of bodyweight.

• Decrease carb intake. But don`t do any extremes like “carb deplete”, etc. unless you want to lose a lot of muscles in a short amount of time.

• Limit fat intake to a minimum.

• Eat less and more often to increase metabolism.

• Use supplements to preserve more lean mass when dieting. BCAA at this case is extremely helpful. You should also consider taking Glutamine and/or HMB. You can also take an effective fat burner for speeding your fat loss.

• Don`t limit your sodium intake and cut it one day prior to the contest for more dramatic effect.

• Stay well hydrated all the time. Consume plenty of liquids to avoid dehydratation. You should consume at least 1-2 gallons of water a day. Limit your fluid intake slightly only starting the night before a contest.

Overall Preparation:

• Posing Trunks – It’s important to buy the right ones well before the competition. Trunks should fit you perfectly. Color is also important. You don`t want to detract judges from your overall appearance.

• Tanning – A good tan and oil is essential part of your success in a contest. It helps to keep your definition from disappearing under the bright stage lights. You must choose the one that fits you best.

• Hair – Hair shaving prior to a contest is essential part of contest preparation today. It gives the skin a much smoother and cleaner appearance and makes the muscles more visible. It’s also worth to shave well before a competition and then giving yourself periodic touch-ups. If you would cut yourself – there would be plenty of time for your skin to heal. Hairstyle is also important. You should keep your hairs to the minimum. Shorter hair tends to make body look more massive.

Generally remember – you are preparing for bodybuilding, not rocket science competition. So keep it simple! Don`t be nervous ant just keep doing what you have to do. Good Luck!

Squat_lt

12-26-2005, 09:45 PM

Bonus: Have you ever entered a bodybuilding contest? If so, do you think you were ready? Why? If not, do you think you would be able to prepare for one with only 3 months time? Why, or why not?

However, I’ve never entered a bodybuilding contest. I’m that sort of person, who likes to prepare. I hate to be in a rush. Life is long so I think I will compete soon. At this moment I’m doing my bulking cycle ant I’m trying to put as much lean mass as I can. After some time cutting will come, so we will see what’s left of me :)

Would I be able to prepare for a contest with only 3 months time? I think I would. I wouldn’t be in a best shape of my life but I could prepare. 3 months period is short amount of time, but I think if I would correct my diet to perfection and include cardio I would achieve something. Also I don`t have any big week points at this time so I bet I could prepare.

Poppa Pump

12-27-2005, 01:59 PM

Am I Ready To Compete?

You’ve been hammering away in the gym day in and day out. You weigh every bit of food before it enters you mouth. You make sure that everything you do from lifting, cardio, eating and rest has a distinct purpose in benefiting your physique. You’ve put in hard work and a lot of time and it’s all about to pay off. It’s finally time to unveil your physique on the bodybuilding stage and take home that first place trophy. Or is it?

Deciding when you are ready to compete is a very difficult thing. You can ask the opinion of anyone, but the fact of the matter is that it is a highly personal issue. No one but yourself can tell you when you are ready. So now the real question becomes, how can I determine whether or not I am ready? And the simple answer to that question is: experience! This experience comes in a few different forms.

Gaining Experience

First – Go to the shows in your area that you are planning on entering. This is a great time to assess your competition. After all, these are the people you will be competing against in the future. Feel free to get to know the competitors in your age group. It can be very comforting to find out that they haven’t been training much longer than you have, or even that they admire aspects of your physique.

Second – Look at pictures and videos of past competitions and recent ones you could not attend. Pay particularly close attention to the people who are placing in those competitions. What do you notice about their physiques? Why do you think they are the ones placing?

Third – Familiarize yourself with the judging criteria. You can do this by speaking to judges, competitors or checking out this link http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/billdobbins1.htm and many other links that can be found on bodybuilding.com. I’d recommend using as many resources as possible. Granted the Internet may be the easiest way, you will gain an even greater insight by speaking with judges and competitors who can answer your questions and offer advice.

At this point you should have a grasp as to what bodybuilding competitions are all about. And now comes the time to see if you are ready.

Begin by assessing your physique. Do you have any week points? Do you lack symmetry? How long would it take me to diet down to around 4% body fat?

Then proceed to stack yourself up against the potential competitors in the show you are planning on entering. Is this guy bigger than me? Can I beat him? Where can I expect to place in this show?

Then it’s time to decide whether or not you want to compete. Am I happy with my physique? Can I get into condition in time? Am I happy with the position I expect to place in? Would I be content placing worse than I plan?

These are all very important questions and the answers to them should determine whether or not you compete. It is important to see that these are questions that (for the most part) no one can answer for you. They are all personal questions and sum up to “Do I feel that I am ready to compete.”

Some Helpful Tips

-Bodybuilding competitions are scored in one night, but take more preparation than any other competition for any other sport. It begins several weeks, or months, before the competition with your diet. The diet can be incredibly complicated. I’d recommend dieting down to competition condition before you enter your first competition. This way you will know approximately how long it takes you to get into shape, and there will be no surprises when it’s finally time to diet down for your first competition. There are tons of dieting strategies out there. Way too many to cover right now. I would highly recommend that anyone who is considering entering a competition should look through these articles found on bodybuilding.com: http://bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=ContestDiets

-You should aim to get into condition about two weeks before your competition. This way you don’t have to worry about losing any more weight, and you can coast for the next few weeks and focus on the competition.

-Pay carefully attention to your carb up. In order for your muscles to be full and hard by the time you step on stage, it is necessary to deplete carbs, and then load up on them. This fills your muscles with even more glycogen than they hold normally and really helps to fill up your physique, especially after a diet. You can read about carb up strategies on the bodybuilding.com article database. It is a good idea to attempt this at the completion of tip number one. Your carb up can literally make you or break you, so do not underplay its importance.

-Know your strong points and don’t be afraid to use them! Arnold Schwarzenegger, having great biceps, tried to show them off in every pose he did. If you have a strong point, make it work for you. Make sure the judges know it’s your strong point and make sure you show it off relentlessly.

-Before entering a show, you need to make sure your skin is dark enough so you are not rendered invisible by the stage lights. But a regular tan will not get you dark enough, so you will have to rely on a spray tan after getting a base tan, either naturally or from a tanning bed.

-Use the bodybuilding.com article database! There are tons of articles on this very web page that can help to make sure that you show up at your first contest more prepared than anyone else there. This web page is a great resource and it can and will help you immensely.

-Practice your mandatory poses and posing routines constantly and make sure they are perfect. You can have the best physique on the planet and it wont mean a thing if you can’t display it properly.

-There can be big crowds at some of these competitions and at your first one it is very likely that you will be nervous. Just remember to be confident and comfortable and most importantly, just have fun!

“Am I ready to enter a competition?” Can be the toughest question a bodybuilder will ever ask himself or herself. It is important to realize that bodybuilding is an individual sport, and the decision of whether to compete or not should be made by you. If you are ready, don’t let anyone sway you other wise; and if you feel as if you are not ready, hold your ground as well. Get on stage as soon as you are comfortable and don’t stop posing until you have the gold!

ho_124

12-27-2005, 07:10 PM

WEEK FIFTY-SIX: How Do You Determine When You Are Ready To Compete?

First off, wanting to compete in a bodybuilding contest isn’t just as easy as saying oh today I feel like I want to enter. If you’re like this you will get eaten alive and you probably will be laughed at. Bodybuilding is a sport, and like any sport tournaments you have to be prepared and you have to have done the training to succeed in that sport. If you just get up one day and decide to play world class tennis you will just get owned. Same thing for bodybuilding you have to have done all the planning and preparation to be in peak condition. There are a few guidelines you should follow to determine if you actually are ready to compete but ultimately it is up to you. Just like if someone tells you that you will get killed if you go into law school, but you still want to go, then you should go because you want to. Same thing with bodybuilding, if you really want to go because you have prepared well then go for it. You’re not going to be anything in bodybuilding if you just spend all your time in the gym.

How do you determine when you are ready to compete?
Here are a few helpful ideas to help you figure out whether you should go into a bodybuilding competition or not.

1. Its up to you
- That’s right, the most important thing is if you really want to go and truly feel that you should be going, then go for it. You will never know what would have happened if you don’t go, so don’t pass up on the opportunity. But just because you want to compete in a bodybuilding competition doesn’t mean you can just go in without doing any training or putting any effort into it. This means having a strict diet and training hard in the gym to maximize your gains. If all this has been done, I see no reason why you shouldn't compete with other bodybuilders. Even if you know you probably wont win and people are telling you that you will get killed, you should still go if you want to. For example when I used to play badminton, we would always go into tournaments even though there were people there who would kick the **** out of us 15-0, 15-0. We had already done all the training and we really wanted to go to the tournaments because it actually was fun. There is no point in going if you don’t want to. Even badminton players from America and Canada who go play in the Olympics get killed by the Chinese guys, but they still go anyway because they want to be there. Even if you aren’t the biggest and most ripped guy in the competition you should still go for the experience. You then know what it feels like to compete and you know what you will have to do next time to win, whether it be work on posing or train harder to gain more mass. That’s basically why I went into so many badminton tournaments, for the experience even though I would get killed in the first or second round. And from losing I knew what I needed to work on which you can also apply to bodybuilding.

2. Watch a competition
- Like what all football coaches do go to a competition you would like to compete in and videotape it or download it. This is an awesome way to determine if you’re ready or not. If you see that maybe your bigger and more cut then some of the guys there, then by all means you should go and see what you can do. But if you realize your nothing compared to these guys who have 100 pounds on you, then maybe you should train a lot more before you even think about entering a competition. This is probably one of the best ways to gauge if you’re ready to compete with others. You can also learn how to pose by watching professionals on stage and you can find your weaknesses by comparing and contrasting.

3. Ask and compare
- If worst comes to worst and you really don’t know if you should go into a bodybuilding competition, just ask someone if they think your ready to go. If your really debating if your just boarder line big enough to really compete then maybe if someone gives their opinion then it will help you decide. But make sure this person knows what they are saying, so ask your gyms personal trainer or someone who is entering the competition you are thinking of going to. Also as a last resort compare yourself to other gym goers. If your among or even bigger than the “Huge people” in your gym then your probably ready to compete and see what you can do.

How much muscle should you have?
- This is a very hard question to answer. The reason being is because there is not definitive answer. There isn’t really a general rule saying that you should be carrying 150 pounds of muscle or anything like that. It also varies for everyone since people of different heights will carry more or less muscle. This is basically where your choice to enter comes in. If you feel that you need to be bigger to enter even though you do have a lot of mass then you should keep training. But if you feel that you want to go through with it anyway even though you only have decent muscle mass then its ok to enter. This is also where your watching comes in. For different competitions there will be different size competitors. For more lower end and natural competitions you wont have to have as much mass, so you can afford to go in without being extremely big. But if your planning to go into the Mr. Olympia you better be inhumanly huge or else you should just go home. In my opinion you should have at least a decent amount of muscle mass. By having a decent amount of mass I mean that you should be in the middle rungs or the middle-lower rungs of the people your competing with in terms of mass. So if there are 20 guys competing you should be about the 10th – 5th biggest guy there. But again that’s just my opinion. If you’re the smallest guy there and you still think you got some mass then go for it. This is again where watching comes into play which is so important. You have to watch your opponents to see what you have to match.

What should your body fat be?
- This is a much easier question to answer than how much muscle you should have. Before your competition you should have already started your cutting phase where you try to cut as much fat as possible off your body to bring out muscle definition. For most people going into competitions your body fat should be 6-7% or even better it should be less than that. Ideally your body fat should be around 4-5%. You should note that it is impossible to get your body fat percentage below 3-4% unless you get some freakish surgery. At body fat levels of 3-4% your body will hold onto it no matter what because if it dips any lower you could die, so therefore it’s a defense against dying. If you have a body fat caliper which is something that measures your body fat percentage and it says your about 4-5% and you still don’t look as ripped as some of the pro bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman you see on T.V, don’t even worry about it. Those guys take extreme lengths to take out all the fat in their body to about 3-4%. Then they use diuretics to flush out almost all the water in their body to further enhance muscle definition. That’s why some of the bodybuilders have to go to the hospital because they are so deprived of water. So therefore unless your going to extreme lengths to flush out all the water in your body, don’t expect to look as ripped as those guys on Mr. Olympia.
- If you’re thinking, why does 1 or 2 % of body fat matter? It’s just 1 or 2 %, well think about it. Ronnie Coleman is about 300 pounds and 2% of 300 is 6 pounds of fat. If I actually sucked out 6 pounds of fat and showed you how much it is you would be surprised since it as actually a very large chunk because fat is quite light compared to muscle. So just taking 2 percent of your body fat out of your body would make a huge difference.

What are some helpful tips before entering a bodybuilding contest?
1. Sodium intake
- Sodium intake is huge before entering a contest. You want to keep your sodium intake very minimal before going into a competition. The reason being is that sodium promotes water retention, which means your body will store water lessening your muscle definition. This doesn’t mean you should totally avoid sodium because if you do you will die. One thing you should try to do is to keep lowering your sodium as you get close to your competition. So at one week before keep your sodium at about 3200 mg. Then at 5 days before lower it to about 1700 mg, at the 2-3 day before lower it to 1000 mg and the day before take 500 mg.

2. Stop creatine
- Like sodium creatine also promotes water retention making your muscles look puffy lessening muscle definition. But creatine stays in your system for a while which means you have to stop creatine intake well before your competition. By this I mean stop the creatine a month to 25 days before your competition. If you want to be really safe then stop it a month and a few days before your competition. Another reason why you should stop is because you’re cutting at this point which means trying to lose fat. Creatine helps build muscle and if you didn’t know it’s impossible to put on a lot of mass and lose weight at the same time. Therefore creatine wont help you gain mass but just give you an energy boost which you can do without or take other supplements to give you an energy boost. However there are weird exceptions to gaining mass and losing fat but don’t expect this to happen to you since it rarely does happen. If you want to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time then take steroids, lift weights and get lyposuction .

ho_124

12-27-2005, 07:11 PM

3. Don’t overtrain (If you overtrained here then your real screwed)
- Never overtrain before a competition. Im sure everyone has overtrained in some part in their life, some more severe than others, but trust me you don’t want to overtrain before a competition. Especially if it’s a month or two before the competition and your cutting. If you do overtrain in this situation then your basically screwed because you cant do any training meaning you wont be able to cut all the fat in time for your competition. Luckily for people lifting weights overtraining happens really fast if your doing it because weights takes so much out of your body, so overtraining will overtake you real quickly and you will recover with in a few weeks to a few months if you stop. You will for sure know your overtraining on weights because it taxes your recovery system so much and you will just feel like **** and you will be very weak and tired. But if you over do cardio way too much so that your body can’t handle it then you’re screwed. I had an experience with this before when I played badminton. I did way too much running and cardio exercises. Since it didn’t take as much energy out of me unlike weights, I would be able to recover just a little to last the next day. But eventually it got to the point where I damaged my leg muscle fibers so much that it couldn’t recovery anymore and one day while I was running my legs started hurting and I collapsed. I had no clue what happened so I waited a few days and ran again and this time I had cramps everywhere and I almost passed out. Finally I realized I had overtrained and I couldn’t train for over six months which was a huge setback. This is true for a cutting phase, don’t be stupid and over do cardio by a lot when your body can’t take it or else you will end up like I did. Although a lot of you wont do this there are always “Those guys” who have everything perfect and screw it up by thinking doing tons and tons of cardio will cut the fat away fast. Don’t do too much weights either thinking to gain as much before a competition as well. You could overtrain this way as well but right now your not going to gain much muscle at all because your body is cutting fat so its impossible to gain a lot of mass.

4. Planning
- Like the saying goes if you don’t plan then you plan to fail. This goes for anything. If I built a house without a plan, then it would suck. But if I planned it out really pro, then it would be good. Same goes for bodybuilding. You should have a log keeping track of what your workout consists of and how many sets and reps to do so you don’t end up wasting time doing something wrong or thinking what to do. You should also plan your diets ahead as much as you can. But don’t go extreme and plan what your eating half a year in advance because that’s just stupid. Just plan what you’re going to eat in the next few days so your not scrambling to find something healthy to eat.

5. Don’t dehydrate yourself
- Opposite to what you might think, if you dehydrate yourself over a period of time then your body will retain water as a defense against dehydration. So you will actually keep all the water because your body does not want to die. Plus if you keep doing this over a period of time your body will not have enough water to carry out metabolic reactions and you will not be able to train at your full potential. So before your competition drink just enough water to get by but don’t overdo it.

6. Practice how you pose and flex
- If you actually think about it, if you have everything possible to gain as much mass as possible then the only logical thing next to try be able to show them off as best as you can. If you don’t know how to flex and pose, then what use was all that training? Your only as strong as your weakest link which is very true. If your posing is horrible how can you bring out the muscles you have worked so hard to gain?

7. Lose as much fat as possible
- This is the goal of cutting, to lose as much fat as possible before a contest to bring out muscle definition. To do this you have to do a number of things I will briefly outline below.

1. Calories – Calculate how many calories you need each day and eat so that you consume fewer calories than your maintenance level. This way your body will burn fat for energy since it is in an energy deficit and fat is basically energy in the form of unattractive globs.
2. Eat at least 6 meals a day – Eating six meals a day simply put makes sure that you keep your metabolism up so that your more likely to burn food than put on fat. If you don’t eat enough meals then your body will store fat as a defense against starvation. The last reason why you should eat six meals a day is because if you eat just three larger meals a day, your body might store the food as fat because its getting a lot more food at one time because your meals are compounded into thee meals instead of six.
3. Drink water – Drinking water not only transports nutrients throughout your body and keeps your metabolic functions going but it is surprisingly something that will help you stop some fat gain. If you don’t drink enough water then your liver will have to help your kidneys pick up some slack, which will then end up in your liver not being able to metabolize food as well so it stores it as fat.
4. Keep insulin low unless after a workout – If you keep your insulin up all day then your going to end up gaining fat. The reason is because if your blood sugar level is high then your body releases insulin which gets your body to store nutrients including your fat cells. It also converts all the excess sugars to be stored as fat since it cannot store it anywhere else. To do this eat low G.I carbs which will be absorbed slower and not spike your insulin.
5. Lowering your carbs – Lowering carbs is essential for cutting. If you lower carbs then your body will look for other sources for energy meaning your fat. However don’t go Atkins style and eat no carbs or else your body will just end up eating your muscles which you don’t want at all.
6. Eat more protein than you did during bulking – This might seem strange to eat more protein when your not trying to gain muscle but cut. But the reason is because if you’re eating less carbs your body might look at your muscles for energy. To ensure this doesn’t happen eat lots of protein so that your body uses the protein for energy instead of your muscle. Remember the general rule of thumb is 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. So you should up your protein intake from this rule.
7. Eating before bed – Don’t eat a large meal 2 hours before bed or else your body will not be able to metabolize it fast enough and will just store it as fat. But you want to eat a real small meal before bed consisting of slow absorbing protein like casein protein found in milk. This ensures your body will not starve and burn off muscle for energy.
8. Cardio – If you didn’t know you had to do cardio to cut fat get a personal trainer. This is a given.

8. Stay regular
- By this I mean taking your dump everyday. Fiber will help you do this, and you should be eating at least 25 grams to ensure this. Staying regular helps flush out fluid which can help in increasing muscle definition. This is just a small thing however that won’t mean the difference between life and death. However it’s just a small thing to keep in mind and all the small things make a difference.

9.Get a good tan
- Nothing is worse than going into a competition and realizing your skin is very pale. Muscles look good when they have a tan to them and also when you get a tan your skin tightens which improves muscle definition a little bit. So go to the beach, paint yourself or go to a tanning salon although I don’t recommend it because you will get skin cancer.

10. The worst part, shaving
- It didn’t really occur to me until the end since I don’t go to competitions but you should shave all that chest and leg hair and other parts with lots of hair. If it’s your first competition then you’ll probably feel uneasy about this but if you think about it if you had chest hair like Austin Powers, how could the judges see your abs and chest? All they would see is a glob of hair instead of your defined abs and pectorals. This time you actually have an excuse for shaving.

Bonus Question
- No I have never been in a bodybuilding contest. First of all my main goal is not to gain as much muscle as possible. Although some muscle mass is nice I don’t just want big muscles that are only good for showing off. I also want them to be able to perform in both strength and speed. Although I have done bulking and cutting for a while and gained some good mass, I don’t enjoy doing it 24/7. I’d rather prefer to just have fun with it rather than be so strict. Sure I do eat my six healthy meals a day but I don’t like being all hardcore about it and counting all the calories and getting the exact amount of sodium or other nutrients. I just like to go my own way and train and diet so I do gain a little bit of mass, but just so it doesn’t form my main goal.
- If you gave me three months to enter a competition I honestly don’t think I would be ready. First off all I’m not really super big since it’s not one of my main goals and I don’t like living the bodybuilding lifestyle 24/7. So therefore I would probably have to go on quite a long bulking phase to gain some muscle that would last anywhere from 3.5-5 months. Next I would probably have to cut the fat I gained in the bulking phase which would take a few more months of my time. So basically I think I would probably need about 8 months to a year to fully be prepared to enter a bodybuilding competition.

Other useful articles on BB.com: Topic of the week – How to prepare four weeks out

Dallas68

12-28-2005, 07:04 AM

WEEK FIFTY-SIX: How Do You Determine When You Are Ready To Compete?
________________________________________

Ok change place! Yes, you number 4 with number 12, ok thank you. Back double biceps, shot thank you.

From the Judges to the concentration, competing is the final factor in bodybuilding. It is the pinnacle of the main goal we are all trying to achieve. That moment on stage should be the day you show off all the hard work and stress you put on your body and mind for years on end.

Either you put in the effort and go for perhaps a local show or you don’t, it’s that simple. In my book you’re only truly recognized as a bodybuilder once you compete and get a place in the top ten.
It may be harsh, yet it makes sense, as the guys in the upper echelons have made the biggest sacrifices to look the way they do.

Competing is no mean feat. You must have a 100% critical look at yourself, to make sure from your neck to your calves, that you are built to the maximum amount that will guarantee that you will win.

Symmetry, balance and presentation are what the judges should be looking for. Strive and impress.

After all, that’s what we all go for. We aim to be number one! I understand that a champion is built by past failure. Just look at Ronnie Coleman, he didn’t win at the start of his career, yet look at him now!

You have to have the training and mental philosophies in place, to be sure that when you strike your first pose that the judges will be in absolute awe of you.

Before we jump into this, remember all of the time spent dieting, training, drinking water, going through very hard times all shows strength of character. The guys up there on stage who are near the top in the Olympia or NPC, clearly show that they have that characteristic. That special knack to battle through the guaranteed rough times. Not everyone has it, but then again not everyone is a champion.

Live to be a champion! You will be remembered as one forever.
How do you determine when you are ready to compete?

R.e.a.d.y. - an acronym for our purposes

Rage
Excitement
Anticipation
Discipline
Yesterday

You must have the raging desire to go out and literally kick ass. You must be so pumped up and focused, that you will not even care if a bomb went off!
You must keep it in your head that this is all that matters, and that you have to keep going on with your daily routines and your diet.
You must have that pure rage that gets you up every time, and keeps the taste of victory on the tip of your tongue.

The excitement must be from when you wake up and chug down your meals and obligatory supplements.
You need to take excitement to the point of when you want to throw up after your last set of squats. That you enjoy even those moments. The excitement must be to the point that it’s so vivid that your dreams are consumed by pure joy.

You anticipate picking up heavy weights, eating bland meals that will make you better tomorrow. You anticipate what will happen tomorrow as you have the plan to winning all sorted out!
You anticipate winning and striking that most muscular pose that blows the competition away.

You have the discipline and tenacity to go to sleep early, instead of watching a movie, so that you can raise growth hormone levels. After all, you do grow at sleep time. You skip going clubbing with your friends because you must win and achieve.

Yesterday - so many people always forget that today will soon be yesterday. People always put off work for “tomorrow”, but they could have done it already.
So basically do what you can in the day, a time you are in now, namely the present! It’s the best time to better you! You never know what will happen tomorrow!

Dallas68

12-28-2005, 07:06 AM

The regular dedicated bodybuilders sometimes know when to enter a contest and when not to. Unfortunately, this isn’t true for everyone. 110lb Joey, who started working out 6 weeks ago may think that he is ready, but is really not.

How do you determine when you are ready to compete in your first bodybuilding Contest?

"How do you know you're ready? Let me tell you something... You don't. As I'm lying here in the dark, alone in the gym and thinking about the next 18 weeks, I know this... You won't find answers anywhere. It's not written in any book. There's no guide. Nobody's gonna tell you it's time.

Only one person will know...You alone.

You just got to want it bad enough. Maybe one day you'll wake up and you'll know today's the day and you start your own journey. Just remember this...Making the decision to venture into the unknown, into uncharted territory--that's the hard part. If you can get over that, then your future will open up.

Destiny will be within your grasp. That doesn't mean things will get any easier. Heck no, they won't. But just getting to the edge, being able to look over--that's why I'm here. Listen, you can't wait until you think you're ready. I got news for you--you'll never be ready. You'll never be big enough.

You'll never be lean enough. Your lagging parts will never catch up quick enough. So if you waited for that time when you thought you might be ready, you'd never step up. If you don't step up, you're not in the game. I'm in the game. I'm gonna look and see what's on the other side..."

Excerpted from Animalpak.com the journey week 00 log 2

Now if that doesn’t give you a clear message as to when you should be ready then there is no chance for you.

It really is a state of mind. So much of this sport is such. People will doubt and ridicule you for being who you are. Keep in mind that you’re making the sacrifices alone!

These choices along the road will determine your journey. Please make the most of it, as you only live once. (as far as we know!)

Back to physical ideals

Symmetry
Composition
Size
A through knowledge of the battlefield or competitors in other words, as well as the judging panel patterns.

Symmetry

If you were to take a piece of paper and put a basic design on the one side with a brush and paint, then folded it carefully and take away the two sides - they should look the same.
That is the same idea with the body. If you were to look at your physique, you would want to be able to know if you look at one side that it is the same as the other side.

Many minor problems with symmetrical bodyparts go unnoticed for years. This is dangerous and detrimental to your future bodybuilding career.

A question for you! Do you ever feel while doing simple Barbell curls that your one arm near the end of the heavier sets makes up for the other arm by lifting the weight up higher than the other side?

If so then you’re creating a future imbalance which could be dramatically traumatizing. Not only for your contests but as well as everyday life.
This is corrected by lowering the weight slightly, and watching carefully that the weights go up and down at the same rate as each opposing hand.

Composition

Body fat and Lean body mass - all very important factors. This bodily composition can be broken up. The more LBM you have the better, and as your Body fat decreases, the LBM increases.

Total Body fat

Made up of essential (to continue living healthily) fat, and the fat that is in excess and is a waste. This is potentially dangerous visceral or subcutaneous fat.

Fat Free Mass

You can pretty much understand what is being explained here by the title. Anything in the body which is not fat. An example is the skeleton, or the major organs.

Bone minerals

How much bone density there is and the weight thereof. The bones need to be well looked after, as they hold your whole body’s structure together.

Subcutaneous Water

The excess water you may be holding primarily in your waist line, that makes your muscles puffy and not tight or hard. Many crash diets resort to getting the water out of you, and yet you have not lost any real fat.

There are many ways to find out your body mass for both LBM (lean body mass) and your BF, or Body fat percentages. Some are more reliable than others.

Size

Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman, Sergio Olivia.

These three men in my head, truly set the world apart from the Frank Zane or Steve Reeves sculpted body types, to the new level of absolute freaky types.
These mass monster’s bodies were not as well proportioned, yet they complemented that with the sheer mass of other body parts. This undeniably unique idea launched the bodybuilding community into another realm.

You need to know that you have the size to compete in the classes that fit your weight. You must know from watching the competition training at gyms, and by watching them on stage.
You must know you can get bigger, but stay at the weight rules, thereby bringing an extra freaky package in a tighter and rule abiding manner.

Bring the X factor into your training. That should help the idea of mass building to the correct proportions, but still bringing that freakiness into it.

The Knowledge of the battlefield

As stated above, you must know what you’re getting yourself into! Look in the local magazines and gyms - they should show some of the local heroes.
You may go in thinking that your lat spread will blow them away, only to realize that the local champion is twice as shredded, and twice the size, with half the waist.

Read
Watch
Talk

Do those with everyone who is in the know after gym sessions. Go find the guys who you think are competing, and talk to them to see if they may even help you?

How much muscle should you have? What should your body fat be? Etc.

First off let me point you towards an excellent post.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpost.php?p=2450726&postcount=2

This post clearly shows the many different ways body fat can bring across a person’s physique.

I would aim for a good 6 percent body fat at the least. Yes I understand it may be your first competition, yet if you want to have a chance of receiving a high ranking, then you have to aim high. Reach for the end of the universe and you will land at the stars!

To safely aim for 6 % BF then, I would say that you need to be at least 10% BF. The best idea with your first competition, is to take more time out to prepare and repair any mistakes that may happen along the journey.

Dallas68

12-28-2005, 07:09 AM

What are some helpful tips before entering a bodybuilding contest?

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne36.htm

Again I point you towards a huge article by Layne Norton. This will cover any last minute queries you have on many different factors for dieting, training and posing.

Firstly you must know if you’re in the lightweight, middleweight’s or heavyweight’s divisions. These of course will clarify your decisions even more.

If you have been bulking cleanly to gain that extra 15 pounds of muscle in the year, you may have been added to a higher class.

This of course means more mass and more freakiness that you have to bring to the stage.

Make sure you can handle your body. By this stage of your development, and your decision to compete, you should know whether you’re an ectomorph or an endo-mesomorph.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm

You must know if your Insulin is not as stable as it should be, and know what to do about it. Plus how it affects you as a bodybuilder who has to manipulate all aspects of a body’s composition.

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/mike13.htm

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/matt55.htm

You must know if carbohydrates make you bloat, and to make sure you know how many grams will keep the muscles fueled, but not in excess, so as to store unwanted fat.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Carbohydrates

You must know how to manipulate Sodium levels two weeks out of the show.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne18.htm ( a diet one week out by Layne to manipulate sodium to be ready for competition day without that extra sub-coetaneous water which makes you look smooth and flat)

You must know how to peak on the day.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/behar16.htm

Posing

This can make or break that extra power and presence you have on the stage. Intensive posing can bring out more striations. Vascularity will improve - posing has no limits. Push on your muscles hard. Try bringing the mind-muscle connection into play.

Bodily manner

Make sure you are dark enough. A good tanning lotion applied in the directional way, will produce a vibrant shine that will bring definition to the forefront of your pose.

Hairy guys will have to bite their lips and take the time to strip away all the unnecessary hair from the legs, to the chest, back and even armpits. The show is to see your muscle, not your mainly hair growth. Hair grows back, so it is temporary of course.

Bonus: Have you ever entered a bodybuilding contest? If so, do you think you were ready? Why? If not, do you think you would be able to prepare for one with only 3 months time? Why, or why not?

No I have not entered into any competitions yet.

3 months is an estimated time of 12 weeks which is 84 days or 2016 hours and finally 120960 minutes.

Now, if you are to train for a good five days of a week in which each session lasts 45 minutes, then you would have used up 112.5 hours or 2700 minutes for training. That may not sound like too much, but it all adds up.

You sleep for an average time of 8 to 10 hours. That equals 480 hours of sleep minimum, which is 28800 minutes.

Eating six times a day minimum, day in and day out, is a requirement for your lifestyle. To prepare the meals takes an average of 20 minutes each to truly have a good nutritional meal. That equal 72 hours, or 4320 minutes to consume and finish them.

What I am getting at is time is of the essence.
Let’s add up our training, eating and sleeping regimen.

+2700 minutes
+28800 minutes
+4320 minutes
=
35820 minutes

120960 minutes total minuses by
-35820

=85140 minutes of free time which sadly will be used up by even more work and chores.

3547.5 hours to think, idealize and refine your plan to win the competition.

That’s all worth it in the end when the trophy is in your hand. You will know that you put the time and knowledgeable effort into it.

I am sure that if I was this committed, I could do a quick half month bulk up to add a precious few more muscular pounds, and then I would cut to maintain the muscle, but shred down.

I have an ideal for my physique, so I would want to try mirroring that in real life before I competed. If I did now, I would not place well, as my size is just not there yet.

-------------------------------------------------------------

DSM18

12-28-2005, 07:55 AM

How Do You Determine When You Are Ready To Compete?

The regular dedicated bodybuilders sometimes know when to enter a contest and when not to. Unfortunately, this isn’t true for everyone. 110lb Joey, who started working out 6 weeks ago may think that he is ready, but is really not.

How do you determine when you are ready to compete in your first bodybuilding contest?

You train so hard. Stepping on stage is your opportunity to show off all you've acheived. Although not all of us wish to compete, if you are having thoughts of taking your bodybuilding to the big stage, I would begin by asking myself the following the questions.

How do you look next to any other bodybuilders at your gym? Although the mirror is a good tool to see your progress, you have to realize that when competing, you are standing next to other guys. So although you may look good on your own, on stage is another story. Don’t be afraid to ask another bodybuilder at your gym to hit a few poses with you. This will also get you comfortable posing in front of people.

What is your Symmetry, Definition, Size, and Separation like? These are some of the main criteria for judging a physique. Does your physique match the criteria? Do you have more visible weaknesses than strengths? It can be hard to asses things like seperation and definition until pre-contest, so don't worry about these as much.

And most importantly...

Is your goal of entering a competition realistic?

It can be a big disappointment for a teen, or anyone else, when they are struck by the reality that maybe there aren’t as ready for competition as they thought they were. This is usually a result of over-confidence. You’ve achieved so much and come a long way, but are you really ready to step on stage?

If you’re not sure, I’d probably wait. Patience can be a virtue. Then when you are ready, you will truly know it. You can only improve from now to the time you do decide to step on stage.

If you have all the above things covered, and your body is developed to a stage where you are ready to compete, then it’s a matter of commitment. Are you really ready to tackle the added pressures of dieting and cardio? Most of us have a passion so deep for this sport, that the answer to this question will be a straight yes.

There are a lot of things to consider before stepping on stage. Make sure you have each covered.

Reccomened article.

To Compete Or Not To Compete!, Anthony Monetti Jr. (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/monetti1.htm)

How much muscle should you have? What should your body fat be?

Muscle size is important. Although you might think you look big now, once you shed your body-fat for a competition, you will look considerably smaller in size.

Therefore, I would recommend you have a good degree of mass before stepping on stage. I know everyone is different and stats are never a true measure of how ready one is, but in the case of our good friend Joey, he is too small.

Before stepping on stage, ask yourself. Do I look full? Do I have a good degree of thickness? Check all angles – How full do I look side on? The back? Front? Different poses.

How about body-fat levels?

At contest time, you should aim between 4-7 percent. Any higher you probably won’t have the dry conditioned look that wins competitions. In the off-season, levels should be consistent. If they are too high, it will make dieting and cardio all the more difficult when competition does come.

What are some helpful tips before entering a bodybuilding contest?

Have Confidence: Stand upright on stage. This makes the world of difference to your onstage presence. Be sure to make yourself noticed. Feel free to smile, and enjoy yourself.

Get your timing right:You could have a perfectly developed physique, but you won’t win a competition unless you get your pre-competition timing right. Work with a professional who should guide you through the proper dieting and training phases, and keep an eye on you to ensure you peak at the right time.

Ask Others and Seek Advice: Look for those who have competed before. Tell them you are interested in competing and ask for honest opinions on where you need to improve. Make a commitment to work on these areas, regardless of whether you decide to enter or not. Talking to someone can really release some of the pre-competition jitters too.

Don’t be disappointed if they set you straight, it’s probably better off you asked first rather than stepping on stage not being 100% ready.

Here are a few good articles with pre-contest tips.

Mentally and Physically Prepared For Competition, Phano Paul Som (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/phano104.htm)

Compitition Tips And Tricks! Derek Charlebois (http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/derek32.htm)

Crash Course 12-week Contest Prep, Jon Huston (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/huston1.htm)

BONUS: Have you ever entered a bodybuilding contest? If so, do you think you were ready? Why? If not, do you think you would be able to prepare for one with only 3 months time? Why, or why not?

To this day, I haven’t. But I have plans of entering a competition by mid-2007. There have actually been phases in the past where I truly believed I was ready, but others have set me straight so i know how it can feel.

Would I be able to prepare for a competition within the next 3 months? Realistically, probably not. I need to add slightly more mass and bring a few bodyparts up which would add symmetry. But when I do step on stage, I want to make sure i'm the guy everyone fears; I want to look the best I possibly can, and when that time comes, I'll know it.

Thank you for reading.

perldog007

12-28-2005, 11:08 AM

This ain't my cup of mudd, but I see some good stuff here. Good luck to all and thanks for your work. Some decent reading to be found here for sure.

Dallas68

12-28-2005, 11:19 AM

This ain't my cup of mudd, but I see some good stuff here. Good luck to all and thanks for your work. Some decent reading to be found here for sure.

LOL it ain't your mud billy put it back! :) yeah all the guys stocked full with knowledge just untapped it all and let it flood their brain cells...:D perldog007 woooh lol

sword chucks

12-28-2005, 09:24 PM

Being Ready to Compete!

Introduction

Let’s talk about competing in a body building contest. Like many sports, bodybuilding has competitions to see who has worked harder and excels above others in the sport. Bodybuilding is different from most sports, though, as there is no set season for competition. You can find a competition at any time of the year if you look hard enough. There is really no rush, but you should have an idea of when you plan on competing if you want to be prepared. For this reason, it is important that you know when you are ready to step on that stage oiled up, in posing trunks and sporting those cuts and veins that make the judges go crazy.

Hold on a second there. How do you even know if you are ready to begin contest prep? In my opinion, the contest doesn’t start on the same day that it takes place. The contest starts as soon as you make that decision to compete in bodybuilding because it is you competing against every other bodybuilder to see who will work the hardest and build the most lean mass. So, to know when you should be ready to compete, you have to know when you can start cutting- how much muscle should you have? How much time will you need to drop body fat?

When you step on stage, that is just really showing who won the contest- the person who worked the hardest and came in with no question marks in their eyes is the winner on this day. Just how much preparation do you need to do, though? How do you know when you are ready? You need to be ready to step on that stage jacked and peeled, with all of the poses memorized and rehearsed and also have a large base of muscle mass. Just how lean should you be, though? How much muscle mass do you need to be sporting?

Getting ready for a competition is hard work, and because bodybuilding is year-round, you should time your competition choices just right to know when you are ready to begin competing. This article will shed some light on being ready to compete in bodybuilding, answering all of the questions above, and also will provide some tips on how to prepare and bring the details together to make a perfect product. I have not entered a bodybuilding contest, but I am going to share my thoughts on the subject, and what I would do to prepare.

Being Ready to Compete- Mentally and Physically!

Before entering and competing in a bodybuilding contest and beginning to prepare for one, there are a few things that you should have in check. First, you need a good base of muscle mass- you aren’t going to show much muscle separation or development if you’ve just been working out for half of the year, no matter how good your conditioning is. Next on the list is time. Do you have time to get ready? It takes, on average, 2 weeks to drop 1% off of your body fat, but sometimes it can take longer. You want enough time to drop that body fat slowly and steadily so that you don’t lose muscle mass. Finally, you need to have a good understanding of bodybuilding competitions, so your hard work doesn’t go to waste.

How Much Muscle Do you need?
How much muscle you need for a contest is not something that you can easily say a number of pounds of mass for and leave it at that. Everybody carries weight differently, even muscle, and some people are taller or shorter, so they will naturally carry more or less pounds of lean mass. But I believe that to enter a bodybuilding contest, your physique needs certain to have qualities about it. The judges won’t go up and measure your arms, write that down and then see who wins the most points for arms. Instead, they will look to see if your muscles look large in proportion to the rest of your frame. This type of muscular development only comes with time and consistency, and you are only ready to compete when your physique satisfies all of these qualities when contest-ready.

The upper body has a great deal of detail and if you are missing any of these details, you put yourself at a disadvantage to other competitors. The chest should be full and square with an equal development between upper and lower pecs. You should be able to see that split in between the upper and lower pecs a few weeks out from your contest. You want your back to be thick and wide so that you create a V-Taper. You also need some development of the intercoastals and lower back. The shoulders should be fully developed, with all three heads full and round. Biceps should pop out of the arms and show a large peak, but also have thickness to them. For triceps, you should feel the back of your arm, and see if you really have development of all three heads. The forearms should be developed from all angles.

The lower body, which includes the waist and legs, also must be developed, and should not dwarf the upper body. Waist should be small. Keep in mind, though, that your waist will shrink as you prepare for a contest, so your waist doesn’t have to start small. Your quadriceps must be well trained so that they show all four heads when you are in your best condition. The hamstrings should have separation from the quadriceps and be striated and grainy. Make sure that your glutes are well developed. For most people, glutes grow from squats and deadlifts alone, so you won’t have any problems there. Just make sure that you aren’t holding fat on the glutes- that area should be one hundred percent muscle tissue. The calves should show development of all of the sub-muscle groups, and have length and peak.

Overall, there isn’t a set amount of muscle mass that you need to compete, but at your best conditioned weight you should have these qualities and look to improve them as you prepare for the contest. You will probably want to have these things stand out, and every time you compete, try to add to the separation between muscles, or add to the size of the muscles, so that more definition can be seen.

What should your body fat levels be like?

The next item on your check list is body fat. You don’t want to be holding a good deal of body fat, especially if your show is in less than 12 weeks. You want to already be a bit lean before you begin your contest prep, so that you won’t accidentally come in to the show holding too much body fat on your frame, hurting your conditioning levels. Before a show, if you are holding too much body fat, the qualities which I mentioned above will not be present, and you will not do well at all. You need to lose body fat while maintaining lean mass.

There are some signs that you can look for to see if your body fat levels are low enough to compete. Look for these things to be present (or not present) at the latest one week out of the show. First of all, if you lift your arms up, and ask yourself does your chest disappear? If the answer is yes, then you should have been more prepared.

You should have some veins in key areas, too. Do you have veins running along the bicep? The calves should have some veins if you are really ready for your contest, too. The back muscles usually don’t become very vascular, except for under the armpits. The chest should have a good deal of striations and vascularity, especially that cut in between the upper and lower chest which I mentioned before. The forearms are another area that is usually ridiculously vascular- make sure you are at a low enough body fat where the veins ripple down your lower arms like snakes.

If you must have a number for this, I’d say that you will want to enter a contest with below 7 percent body fat. Remember, as your body grows more muscle tissue, it will be easier to reach these low body fat levels because a higher percent of your body will already be muscle. So, holding muscle is another important factor in achieving low body fat.

sword chucks

12-28-2005, 09:25 PM

Being Mentally Ready

Being mentally ready is also very important for a show. You need to know what your strengths and weaknesses will be on stage. Know your poses. Know how to make the lighting compliment your physique best. Know that you worked your hardest. Knowledge is probably the easiest thing to obtain in bodybuilding, so don’t miss out on any of this information and end up without an advantage that another competitor has. One thing that you can do to prepare is to video-tape yourself posing in similar lighting that there will be at the show, so that you can see what poses make you look your best. Even how you move in between poses is important, so work on that, too. Pretend you are at the contest and the judges are shouting out poses- then watch the video and critique your facial expressions, how the light hits your body, your posing form and your movement in between poses.

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses on stage is key! Many times, since Franco Columbu was a short bodybuilder, he would do poses that involve doing splits, or kneeling. This way, height would be less of an issue. Arnold, a bodybuilding genius on stage, would always perform poses that contrasted with his opponents. If his opponent did a pose that showed their thick body, he would perform a twisting pose, to make himself look slim compared to the other person. Make sure you know how to cover games like this where you can give yourself an advantage through illusions on stage. This is not cheating, it is knowing how to display your body! Do some brainstorming on how you can handle your opponents. Remember, only perform the same pose as the person next to you if you are sure that your pose is better than theirs. If you are not as strong in that pose, show one of your strengths, and bring it up later. This does not go for compulsory poses, but is helpful in later rounds in a bodybuilding show.

The most important thing when entering a show is confidence. Don’t be the guy who walks on stage with his head down. If you have your head down when you walk on stage for the first time, that means you know deep down that you didn’t do everything that you could to be ready to win. You didn’t do your best and you could have come in more shredded if you had just skipped that second cheat meal on day 36 of your contest prep. If you had worked harder in the off season, could you have been bigger? Those kinds of things put question marks in your eyes. Confidence is key on stage not just so that you did your best and are physically in shape, but because if you are in a great, proud mood on stage, you will give off good feelings that the judges will pick up on. The way you move will be more aesthetic and attractive. This kind of thing is just natural, and bound to take place if you start working as hard as you can and do everything that you can to be ready, starting now. In fact, I don’t care when your contest is. You probably don’t know exactly when it is either. Just stop slacking off, stop missing meals, stop having an extra few chocolate chip cookies before bed, stop going light in the gym, and start giving your all. Then you will walk on stage mentally ready with no question marks in your eyes.

To sum it all up, being mentally ready involves having the right knowledge to compete and the right mindset to win.

Overall Being Ready
Overall, to be ready for a bodybuilding contest, you should have the things I mentioned above- mass, low body fat and knowledge of the game on stage. If you are a few years into bodybuilding, the mass should be there, so just make sure you are mentally ready to compete, and that you have a solid plan to drop to in-human body fat levels, and that is really all that it takes to compete in a body building show!

Important Points for your Bodybuilding Contest

Besides knowing when you should compete, you should also give yourself time to be ready, and know how to prepare for a show. I’m going to touch on that a little bit here. Diet is key before a show. You want to eat below maintenance so that you are not holding too much water for the show, and so that you allow yourself to drop body fat. Training is important leading up to a contest because you need to be able to maintain muscle mass. Getting sleep every night will maximize fat loss before a show. Finally, you should talk to others who have competed for insight and experience.

Diet
Having a strict diet to get ready for a show is key. You should limit yourself from indulging in a cheat meal, or any food with lots of saturated fats or simple carbs to once a week as soon as you start contest preparation. I would suggest having some pancakes and bacon as a cheat meal- this will also refuel the body’s carbohydrate stores, and is a nice tasty meal to keep you sane. If you must eat out, pick the chicken or salmon, and get a sweet potato without butter. Know ways to get out of situations where you are forced to eat fattening foods- all you have to do is show that you are sure of yourself and that you would gladly like the food but you are dedicated- don’t be embarrassed about turning down un-healthy food, be proud of it!

Maintaining muscle mass before a show is extremely important. Some bodybuilders will go on the 8-week hell diet before a contest, and drop 20 pounds of fat and 20 pounds of muscle. If you keep your diet loaded with proteins and keep some healthy carbs and fats in, you will lose weight at a slower rate, so more of it will be body fat, and less of it will be lean tissue. Losing some muscle is inevitable, though, especially at the very end of your contest preparations. You should try to lose only a maximum of one pound per week if you start your contest preparation at around 12-15 percent body fat. If you are above that before you begin a contest diet, then you should probably take extra time before the show to lose that fat before you really begin shredding your body up.

Training
Diet isn’t the only aspect of bodybuilding that will allow you to maintain muscle, though. You also need to maintain your intensity in the gym. Going to the gym isn’t just for bodybuilders looking to add mass. You should keep lifting the same weights in the gym that you did in the off season even when you are preparing for a show. This will keep all of the muscle that you built stimulated. If you go back to lifting the same weights that you did 10 weeks before you ended your off season training, then you will go back down to holding the same amount of muscle than you held then. If you stick with the same weights that you had been using at the peak of your off-season training and maybe even increase them, though, you will maintain muscle mass and add to development. Keeping muscle mass is important because muscle mass is necessary to create separations and that vascular appearance.

When preparing for a show, you should keep at the same weights for most of your movements, but you may feel the need to do less work on those movements so that you can add in more training in the form of cardio or shaping movements. When you are preparing for a show, you should really be doing much more work than you did in the off season. You should add in movements that will shape your physique by bringing up specific areas, such as rear lateral raises, dumbbell concentration curls and reverse calf raises, among other movements. Do these after your heavy compound movements, though. You will also probably have doubled your cardio training towards the end of your contest preparation phase, as this will allow you to lose body fat faster. To be in top conditioning, you won’t be doing the same amount of work that you did when you were fat and slow in the off season, you will need to be doing much more than that!

In the off season, you were probably doing about one hour of cardio per week- just enough to keep the body fat levels low, but not too much that it cuts into your energy to train. Since I lift weights four times every week, I will also throw in a 15 minute cardio session on the treadmill at an incline as my cardio. This is most convenient for me and doesn’t slow down my progress in the gym. For me, this is better than splitting cardio from lifting, especially because I get a full day of rest in between workouts, not just half a day after splitting up my cardio from my lifting. You can go for walks in the morning and try to use the stairs more often to make yourself more fit. High-intensity cardio would be a good workout for some off days, but don’t burn yourself out at the beginning- work this type of cardio in as you go to see how much you can handle.

sword chucks

12-28-2005, 09:26 PM

Protein and Supplements

Other things that you can do to maintain muscle mass are to maximize protein intake, take control of your workout nutrition, and incorporate supplements into your diet. Keeping the same amount of protein in your diet that you consumed in the off-season is very important, because it will allow you to keep that muscle mass that you built recovered. Think about it- if you were lifting a lot of weight then and eating a lot of protein, but now you lift a lot of weight but don’t eat a lot of protein, won’t your body react by cutting off its recovery of the muscle tissue? Workout nutrition is key, especially if you do cardio right after a workout. Try to eat carbohydrates before and after a workout, and also consume a shake with dextrose and amino acids during the training session. Another key point is that you should begin to supplement with amino acids more heavily so that you can quickly and efficiently repair muscle tissue. SciViation XTend is the best amino acid product that I know of.

Sleep Habits
Repairing muscle tissue so that you don’t lose it is always important, but more important for a show, because you won’t have time to put the lost muscle back on before you compete! Sleep is another aspect of bodybuilding that will allow you to keep your size on. Getting a good night’s sleep is also an effective method for weight loss, though! People who don’t sleep enough generally put on fat quickly because their bodies do not produce a normal level of growth hormone. You should try to put in a good eight to ten hours of sleep a night so that your body can burn fat and maintain muscle tissue.

Perfect Posing Practice Makes Perfect

Posing is key in any bodybuilding show. If you want to be good at posing, then you need to study bodybuilders. Look at their pictures and videos to see how they move from pose to pose, how they perform each compulsory pose, and how they show off their physique development. You should work on posing after every workout session in the gym. Try to hold each pose that you plan on doing for fifteen seconds, without your face turning beet red and barring your teeth like an angry dog. This will be difficult, but your face needs to have a nice smile while your muscles should be flexed and under control. If you just head into a show with no practice posing, you will probably cramp up pretty easily, too, which will make you uncomfortable. As you near your show, start posing every morning, and tape a posing video once per week. This posing video will allow you to see your style and also to see if you are becoming leaner each week, so it serves two purposes. Overall, posing practice and knowing your physique’s strengths are key in bodybuilding competitions. Don’t let your great physique go to waste!

Outside Experience

Even though this article itself is helpful, if this is your first show that we are talking about here you will want to get as many opinions as possible. Talk to everybody that knows anything at all about bodybuilding. Ask them what your weak points are, how your posing is, and what you can change in your diet and training. Then, you can maximize your performance in the show.

My Thoughts on Competition- Give Yourself Time!

Have you ever entered a bodybuilding contest? If so, do you think you were ready? Why? If not, do you think you would be able to prepare for one with only 3 months time? Why, or why not?

I have never entered a body building contest. If I did though, I would know when to be ready, and what to do, though. I feel that I am ready to compete whenever I feel like the opportunity presents itself. This is because I have the knowledge about what goes on at the competition, how to make my contest preparation work for my benefit and I have my priorities straight. If you also satisfy those qualities then you are probably ready to compete, too.

Three months time would definitely be enough time to get ready for a show. Not that I think that contest preparation is easy, but I think that I stay lean enough in the off season thanks to cardio training and a good diet that I don’t need to worry about cutting off more than twelve weeks worth of fat. I have a great deal of experience losing body fat even if I haven’t competed before, so I will know what to look for during my contest preparation, because contest preparation is really just a slightly extended cutting phase. I would have plenty of access to information about the day of the contest thanks to bodybuilding.com’s main website, and from my journals that I have kept of my weight lifting and body building progress.

If I found that 3 months out from a show, I was holding a bit more fat than I normally do in the off season, I would still try to prepare for the show. I feel that if I really want to compete, I would not want to miss the opportunity, so I would lose weight a bit faster than what would be ideal. Still, I could come in to the show ripped, and get the experience being on stage and know that I did my best preparing for the contest. I might have some question marks in my eyes if I did this, though. Try to stay in good shape during the off season in case anything like this happens to you.

Conclusion

There are quite a few details that you should look for to know when you are ready to compete. Your physique development, your posing, and your mindset are all key before a contest. You can ensure that all of this is perfect for you through hard work and a strong desire to do your best in the show. The best part of competing in bodybuilding is that you can really pick any time of the year to compete so that you are sure that you are ready. Always remember, the competition isn’t just one day, it is a competition that starts even before you sign up for the show, to see who works the hardest, who doesn’t slack off in tough times and who is most dedicated to the art of bodybuilding.