One month progress pics!

[cassiefrass1]

Ok so I'm 10 weeks out from my first bikini comp and I'm busting my butt to make sure I'm ready. I know I still have a long way to go and a lot of work to do but based on my progress pics is there anything you think I really really need to work on? My trouble spots are still my lower tummy(had a baby 4 months ago) and my darn triceps just don't wanna go away! Thanks for the help!

[oregonchick76]

It's not like you can spot reduce, and with only 10 weeks to go you don't have enough time to gain any muscle, you can only really cut from here. Looks like you don't have a ton of muscle under there, but maybe bikini is way more forgiving with that? At any rate, it'll be good practice, and I'm sure the judges can tell you what to work on for next time.

[5more]

You had a baby four months ago! Wowzers good job!

[freebirdmac]

10 weeks out? That's not enough time. I take it you're not breastfeeding? Be happy with looking good for summer. Go for a comp later when you can gain some more muscle and have time to lean out properly.

[cassiefrass1]

10 weeks out? That's not enough time. I take it you're not breastfeeding? Be happy with looking good for summer. Go for a comp later when you can gain some more muscle and have time to lean out properly.

Why is it not enough time exactly? I knew a woman who had a baby and competed in figure 4 months later and figure is a lot less forgiving than bikini. I'm just curious as to why my coach feels that 3 1/2 months(I've been training for a month already) is enough time to get me where i need to be but you feel it's not?

[Madi-J]

Why is it not enough time exactly? I knew a woman who had a baby and competed in figure 4 months later and figure is a lot less forgiving than bikini. I'm just curious as to why my coach feels that 3 1/2 months(I've been training for a month already) is enough time to get me where i need to be but you feel it's not?

Had this person competed in figure before the baby?

[cassiefrass1]

Had this person competed in figure before the baby?

She had done bikini before

[kimm4]

Why do you constantly post threads only to come back and argue with people who are telling you what you don't want to hear? You're working with a coach, who keeps telling you you'll be ready and it's obvious you're not going to listen to anyone else, so why bother posting in the first place?

The truth:

You're sitting higher in bodyfat. You don't have the body shape for the typical bikini physique at this time. You lack overall muscle and you need to build more to create a better overall shape from head to toe.

You're not anywhere close to being bikini stage ready and that's the truth period.

[Fawnl]

Why do you constantly post threads only to come back and argue with people who are telling you what you don't want to hear? You're working with a coach, who keeps telling you you'll be ready and it's obvious you're not going to listen to anyone else, so why bother posting in the first place?

The truth:

You're sitting higher in bodyfat. You don't have the body shape for the typical bikini physique at this time. You lack overall muscle and you need to build more to create a better overall shape from head to toe.

You're not anywhere close to being bikini stage ready and that's the truth period.

I would have to agree, but you do look AMAZING for 4 months post baby!!!

[Mindi912]

Really not being funny here but if you think you are ready to step onto any stage you are delusional! You do look good for just having had a baby but who ever is your bodybuilding coach is telling you a pack of lies if they are saying you are ready! You need at least another year of building muscle! And that's being nice to you.

[cassiefrass1]

Why do you constantly post threads only to come back and argue with people who are telling you what you don't want to hear? You're working with a coach, who keeps telling you you'll be ready and it's obvious you're not going to listen to anyone else, so why bother posting in the first place?

The truth:

You're sitting higher in bodyfat. You don't have the body shape for the typical bikini physique at this time. You lack overall muscle and you need to build more to create a better overall shape from head to toe.



You're not anywhere close to being bikini stage ready and that's the truth period.

Um I wasn't arguing with her I was genuinely asking her opinion as to why she feels 10 weeks out wouldn't be enough time. It makes me wonder why my coach says ill be ready but people like you say I won't. Had nothing to do with arguing just wanted to hear her opinion.

[kimm4]

Um I wasn't arguing with her I was genuinely asking her opinion as to why she feels 10 weeks out wouldn't be enough time. It makes me wonder why my coach says ill be ready but people like you say I won't. Had nothing to do with arguing just wanted to hear her opinion.

There are plenty of coaches willing to take your $$ all day long and tell you what you want to hear.

Good work for just having a baby, but it's not the same thing as being ready for the stage.

[cassiefrass1]

There are plenty of coaches willing to take your $$ all day long and tell you what you want to hear.

Good work for just having a baby, but it's not the same thing as being ready for the stage.

Hence why I ask for more opinions on here from other women who have done bikini comps. I'm also curious to know why most trainers and coaches say you need 12-16 weeks to prep for a bikini competition which would put me in the right amount of time but that's not enough time for me even though I'm eating and training perfectly

[DivaJana]

There are plenty of coaches willing to take your $$ all day long and tell you what you want to hear.

Good work for just having a baby, but it's not the same thing as being ready for the stage.

This This This ^^^^^^^ !!!

God I hate those coaches it is the reason I stoped working out then started reading for like a year before I start working out again coaches just want your $$ well most of them! they neither care nor give a honest advise. If your coach is telling you that you will be ready I say Find another coach or try to work by urself with some help from this forum!

Sorry cassie but you won't be ready. Which shouldn't take from your motivation I say Finish doing wutever your doing then start building muscles for as long as you can. Only then you can think about going on stage.

[sonti]

Hence why I ask for more opinions on here from other women who have done bikini comps. I'm also curious to know why most trainers and coaches say you need 12-16 weeks to prep for a bikini competition which would put me in the right amount of time but that's not enough time for me even though I'm eating and training perfectly

Having a 3.5 month old myself, I can appreciate you are working your ass off - but 12-16 weeks to be 'ready' for a competition refers to 12-16 weeks of strict dieting after spending months/years building a muscle base. You don't have that base. Very few woman would be able to pull that off when 6ish months postpartum because you've just spent the greater portion of a year putting on fat and losing muscle in order to grow the baby. And then, that's not touching on whether or not someone has the general muscle base for a competition (baby or not).

[oregonchick76]

"most trainers and coaches say you need 12-16 weeks to prep for a bikini competition

THAT is delusional. "Most" trainers and coaches say this? How many have you talked to? Maybe 12-16 is long enough for someone who has been training for years and has built up significant muscle and is also relatively lean. What can you accomplish in 12-16 weeks? If you are bulking, you can gain 3-5 lbs of muscle. If you are cutting, well you can lose 12-16lbs of fat (if you're aggressive). But if you don't have the muscle base, you're pretty much screwed.

[kimm4]

Hence why I ask for more opinions on here from other women who have done bikini comps. I'm also curious to know why most trainers and coaches say you need 12-16 weeks to prep for a bikini competition which would put me in the right amount of time but that's not enough time for me even though I'm eating and training perfectly

The number of weeks needed for prep depends on how much overall muscle you carry and where you sit in terms of leaness. When dieting for shows we want to preserve muscle first, lose bodyfat second and it's a very slow process. Most women sitting at higher bodyfat numbers will no way be show ready in 12 weeks. Plan on a good 16 weeks or longer if you're looking to get stage lean. You are new to contest prep/competing and there is no way you can say I'm eating and training perfect. Until you step onstage and get the judges feedback, that's a bold statement on your part that makes absoultely no sense.

Women lose muscle during pregnancy and this is your biggest issue. You need to get on a solid building program to build the base needed. Once you have that solid base, you cut.

Dieting down for a show is useless when you don't have the muscle needed (even in bikini) to support the look.

[cassiefrass1]

The number of weeks needed for prep depends on how much overall muscle you carry and where you sit in terms of leaness. When dieting for shows we want to preserve muscle first, lose bodyfat second and it's a very slow process. Most women sitting at higher bodyfat numbers will no way be show ready in 12 weeks. Plan on a good 16 weeks or longer if you're looking to get stage lean. You are new to contest prep/competing and there is no way you can say I'm eating and training perfect. Until you step onstage and get the judges feedback, that's a bold statement on your part that makes absoultely no sense.

Women lose muscle during pregnancy and this is your biggest issue. You need to get on a solid building program to build the base needed. Once you have that solid base, you cut.


Dieting down for a show is useless when you don't have the muscle needed (even in bikini) to support the look.

How is that a bold statement that I feel I'm training and eating perfectly? I'm following my coaches nutrition and training programs to a T I haven't cheated on my program once because I take it incredibly serious. I consider what I'm doing perfect because its what my coach told me to do and I'm following it without breaking for anything

[kimm4]

How is that a bold statement that I feel I'm training and eating perfectly? I'm following my coaches nutrition and training programs to a T I haven't cheated on my program once because I take it incredibly serious. I consider what I'm doing perfect because its what my coach told me to do and I'm following it without breaking for anything

If you're talking level of leaness at 10 weeks out, you're off the mark. Even if you're following your training/diet to a T...it's not perfect because timing is a huge part of the equation and you're behind schedule. I'm not talking muscle at this point, I'm talking conditioning only...more time would be needed to diet down properly.

[freebirdmac]

There are plenty of coaches willing to take your $$ all day long and tell you what you want to hear.

Good work for just having a baby, but it's not the same thing as being ready for the stage.

Your coach is essentially bilking you. As Kim said, many do. And many girls in every category get on stage nowhere near ready. Local comps have become an "I got on stage" event rather than an actual contest. That may be fine for the girl/guy, but it sucks for those that paid $$ to see a comp.

Listen to Kim. She knows her stuff.

[megdaig]

Hence why I ask for more opinions on here from other women who have done bikini comps. I'm also curious to know why most trainers and coaches say you need 12-16 weeks to prep for a bikini competition which would put me in the right amount of time but that's not enough time for me even though I'm eating and training perfectly

12 to 16 weeks is for a competitor that is coming out of the off-season 8 to 10# from stage weight, who has been through the diet before so they know what glitches they can expect to run into, not someone with excess weight to lose.