From Figure to Bikini...HOW???

[LaVida]

I'm looking for some training advice on how to go down in size from a figure body type to a bikini competitor type.

Sonia Gonzalez as well as a few others have done it, but I haven't been able to find any helpful training info on how to do it.

Anyone??

Much appreciated!

[MissKris24]

Wondering the same thing myself. Guess you never got any answer?

[WillAshland]

Judging from the pictures in your avatar profile, I would say just rock the body that you have. I am a 26-year old guy and I find both you ladies very attractive. Were you thinking about modeling, or just want to look good at the beach?

[Zebii]

I haven't seen any articles relating to this particular subject but a few of my friends have done this. I recall they simply reduced the amount of weight/resistance and increased the reps across all their exercises/routines and obviously changed their diet so they don't lower the BF as much. It took some time to lose muscle mass whilst continuing to train however they did it. Also there's that tough mental barrier to break down being trying to purposely lose mass after the years it took to gain and condition it.

Good luck.

[LaurieSchnelle]

alot of cardio and plyos. i would put a halt on weight training for a while and lean down.
make sure to keep your glutes in check.. (lifted/round) good luck

[TroJon]

http://www.youtube.com/user/ZuzkaLight?feature=g-u-u

[Faust24]

http://www.youtube.com/user/ZuzkaLight?feature=g-u-u

is that the http://www.bodyrock.tv/ chick

[adamrochester]

cardio , less weights for a while , keep doing dem squats though like laurie said

[LaurieSchnelle]

cardio , less weights for a while , keep doing dem squats though like laurie said

go low in the hole and heavy!!

[CiCi2012]

What is the difference between fitness and bikini comp.?

[LaurieSchnelle]

What is the difference between fitness and bikini comp.?

Fitness or figure? they are all diff divisions.

fitness do routines with gymnastics type stuff. they also have a two piece round where they are judged on their physiques.

figure we have mandatory poses we perform in our two piece suits. then do a comparison line up.

bikini totally diff look then fitness and figure! They also have certain posing that is unlike figure or fitness
(youtube the videos, check pics)

there is now womens physique which is a bit more muscular and lean. (smaller than women bodybuilders) in between bodybuilding and figure look ... I really like that new division. they perform a routine as well and have mandatory poses.

[LaVida]

Fitness or figure? they are all diff divisions.

fitness do routines with gymnastics type stuff. they also have a two piece round where they are judged on their physiques.

figure we have mandatory poses we perform in our two piece suits. then do a comparison line up.

bikini totally diff look then fitness and figure! They also have certain posing that is unlike figure or fitness
(youtube the videos, check pics)

there is now womens physique which is a bit more muscular and lean. (smaller than women bodybuilders) in between bodybuilding and figure look ... I really like that new division. they perform a routine as well and have mandatory poses.

Thanks for all the great replies everyone!

Yeah, I thought exactly that....lighter weights/more reps and more cardio with plyos. What I'm most concerned with is like a few of the ladies said here is the butt! I'm scared not training it heavy and hard will cause it to go flabby make it look even bigger! Do you think I should just keep training it hard but with not as many exercises? Do you think just a couple of exercises along with the plyos will keep it tight?....guess I'm really scared! lol

[fitmodeltrainer]

Thanks for all the great replies everyone!

Yeah, I thought exactly that....lighter weights/more reps and more cardio with plyos. What I'm most concerned with is like a few of the ladies said here is the butt! I'm scared not training it heavy and hard will cause it to go flabby make it look even bigger! Do you think I should just keep training it hard but with not as many exercises? Do you think just a couple of exercises along with the plyos will keep it tight?....guess I'm really scared! lol

Go heavy on more isolated glute movements like barbell hip thrusts/glute bridges but continue to scale back your squatting/pressing weights. In fact if you weren't doing thrusts/bridges before, your butt could even end up tighter. You can also add higher rep cable/butt squats towards the end of the workout. All of these will still recruit the hamstrings to some degree but if you scale back the exercises that you used to build/maintain your hamstrings/quads, you should be able to tone down these areas no problem.

Also...don't assume that more reps will mean less muscle. Increasing volume is a great way to add muscle. In general, you need to look at what you've done over time to build, and do less of it to lose. If you built your physique primarily with high volume training, reduce volume. If you built it via heavier weights, lighten your weights. If your legs came primarily from your overall athletic history (eg soccer/tennis type sports)...or genetics...it may be harder/take longer to lose them. But these are always things that need to be looked at in a situation like yours.

Once you've lost some size, you should definitely try and add back in more lunges, DEEP squats, step-ups, etc and just keep an eye on things to make sure you're not re-gaining too much. Full body circuit type workouts may be a good option, so you'd be able to train lower body often but be far less likely to build...and you'd get more calorie burn outside of any cardio you do.

The main thing to remember is that it can take time to change your physique in either direction (usually faster the way you're going, but not always), and that whatever approach you take, you'll need to stick to for a while before you can really assess/adjust. You'll also need to get used the idea of being softer now that you're moving to bikini...although you should be able to stay closer to your fully-prepped aesthetic/leanness now than you could with figure.

[LaVida]

Go heavy on more isolated glute movements like barbell hip thrusts/glute bridges but continue to scale back your squatting/pressing weights. In fact if you weren't doing thrusts/bridges before, your butt could even end up tighter. You can also add higher rep cable/butt squats towards the end of the workout. All of these will still recruit the hamstrings to some degree but if you scale back the exercises that you used to build/maintain your hamstrings/quads, you should be able to tone down these areas no problem.

Also...don't assume that more reps will mean less muscle. Increasing volume is a great way to add muscle. In general, you need to look at what you've done over time to build, and do less of it to lose. If you built your physique primarily with high volume training, reduce volume. If you built it via heavier weights, lighten your weights. If your legs came primarily from your overall athletic history (eg soccer/tennis type sports)...or genetics...it may be harder/take longer to lose them. But these are always things that need to be looked at in a situation like yours.

Once you've lost some size, you should definitely try and add back in more lunges, DEEP squats, step-ups, etc and just keep an eye on things to make sure you're not re-gaining too much. Full body circuit type workouts may be a good option, so you'd be able to train lower body often but be far less likely to build...and you'd get more calorie burn outside of any cardio you do.

The main thing to remember is that it can take time to change your physique in either direction (usually faster the way you're going, but not always), and that whatever approach you take, you'll need to stick to for a while before you can really assess/adjust. You'll also need to get used the idea of being softer now that you're moving to bikini...although you should be able to stay closer to your fully-prepped aesthetic/leanness now than you could with figure.

Great Advice/info, thanks. One question though....would doing a cardio/fit program like Insanity be another way of maintaining my firmness while going down in size? (Of course I would probably stick with some extra butt work).

[kimm4]

Thanks for all the great replies everyone!

Yeah, I thought exactly that....lighter weights/more reps and more cardio with plyos. What I'm most concerned with is like a few of the ladies said here is the butt! I'm scared not training it heavy and hard will cause it to go flabby make it look even bigger! Do you think I should just keep training it hard but with not as many exercises? Do you think just a couple of exercises along with the plyos will keep it tight?....guess I'm really scared! lol

You carry more body fat in your lower half hamm/glute area so you'll have to lean it out more, letting your diet do the work for you. A lower body fat, combined with a decent amount of hamm/glute muscle is what brings you in tighter. I would absolutely continue training heavy lower body. This thing called gravity and the way we carry bodyfat changes as we age compared to the typical, younger bikini girl.

With that being said, no doubt you can make it happen.

[LaVida]

You carry more body fat in your lower half hamm/glute area so you'll have to lean it out more, letting your diet do the work for you. A lower body fat, combined with a decent amount of hamm/glute muscle is what brings you in tighter. I would absolutely continue training heavy lower body. This thing called gravity and the way we carry bodyfat changes as we age compared to the typical, younger bikini girl.

With that being said, no doubt you can make it happen.

LOL Yes, I concur Kimm! Gravity loves weighing down on my arse in particular. hehe I have been doing 1 or 2 heavy glute exercises everyday before my regular workouts to keep it up there!

Thanks!

[Figure2Bikini]

I've been trying to do the same thing since I decided to start competing (though I've only been in one show), but I naturally have a muscular build so I decided for my first competition to go figure. I know that if I continue doing figure that I'll have to put on more muscle and separation, which is the opposite direction of where I want to go. I have the personality of a bikini competitor, and I want my body to reflect that. After looking up Sonia Gonzales, I'm confident -- more than confident actually -- that I can do that. I have a LOT of muscle to lose, and if anyone else has experience doing this I would love some advice!