Wanting to compete in 2020 - what should I work on?

[ninabel]

Hi y'all - 23F here, been lifting on-and-off for the last four years and pretty damn consistently since November. I trained for a show ages ago and am now a full time personal trainer, and have itching to get back on stage. Hoping to compete in a natural show (I am 100% natural) sometime in Spring/Summer of 2020. Sitting at around 15% bodyfat right now, 5'8" and 130lbs. I know I need to put on some size before I am ready to hit the stage - looking at my physique, what advice would you have? Currently trying to grow my glutes and hams since I'm super quad dominant, and am also trying to grow my shoulders.

[hardyboysare]

What competition are you planning to compete in as obviously different levels of development are required for each category Bikini, Figure, Physique, or Bodybuilding?

Depending on each will be the overall progress you will need to focus on.

This link explains quite well the general overall if you are interested

https://3dmusclejourney.com/female-b...ing-divisions/

Advice will be vary dependant on your target goal.

[ninabel]

Bikini!

[hardyboysare]

As bikini is more about presenting the overall feminine structure of the women body combined with structure and symmetry this will be the easiest development (if the word easiest can be utilised) in your time frame as muscle size is not as important as physique and bodybuilding. That said its usually the most competitive and the most difficult to stand out.

Based on your images you do have the basic body structure to really work in bikini so that is a positive. Your upper back is clearly a highlight with good symmetry on the trapezius and you are already lean so that is a good starting point. The pictures don't show it completely but your full lat spread seems pretty decent which will only improve with some extra muscle development combined with leanness. Judges will be look at the lat spread keenly.

The areas I say you will need to work on are your glutes and hams as you stated. They look good but this is one of the key areas of women bikini and the most focused area by judges. Yes shoulders as you will need a more predominant separation between deltoid and tricep would be beneficial to offer symmetry. I would also say some calf work in order to offer full shape to the leg would also help. You need to make more muscle gains in these areas to bring out your shape more and offer a upper/ lower comparison.

I think those 4 areas would be the main areas, your abs are already showing slightly so when you lean out before the show they should become more defined anyway and combined with the heavy compound lifting from squatting and SLDL to develop your glutes and hamstrings natural development of the core should occur. The good things you certainly have is a nice overall physique which combines softness with leanness + a impressive back structure which should become more of a focal point once you develop your glutes and lean out.

Other then that its a case of nailing your posing and offer good skin complexion + being yourself which I am sure you know all about.

Bret Contreras discusses the importance of glutes in bikini comps

https://bretcontreras.com/how-to-tra...-about-glutes/

[LukeEverhart]

Here's a guide with some visuals to help further assess. The divisions for women are now Bikini, Figure, Physique, & Fitness. Bodybuilding has been dropped by the IFBB & most major organizations (a good move imo because the exogenous androgen use was through the roof and fundamentally mutating the women beyond mere muscularity).
A lot of contestants debut in bikini then get the bug to try more and move on to figure or physique as their musculature develops and their ability to fine-tune their diet for competition peaking improves.
http://www.getfitgofigure.com/divisi...-bodybuilding/