First Figure Competition in 2 wks, tips/advice, please

[januaryanna]

Hey y'all! I'm a personal trainer but am trying to do a figure competition on my own - I've been getting a little advice from another trainer at the gym where I work, but I feel awkward since I'll be competing in the same competition as 3 of his clients (different weight classes).

I'm getting really close to my first figure competition and I'm getting nervous. If anyone who has done this can give me some tips for my following questions:

How many coats of fake tan should I put on? And when? Do I use less on the 'rough' areas(elbows, knees)?

Check in is Fri night, pre-judge is 10 am Sat, show Sat 6 pm. When should I shave? I have apprx. 20 hrs before I get sexy stubble. I should shave before fake tan, right? But when the fake tan (see above question)?

Should I pump in the room before? If so, how long and with what percentage of normal lifting weight?

I'm doing a competition that doesn't involve a T-walk, so are my poses just just walk out, side, back, side, front, walk away?

How long should I freeze in each pose?

What should I be eating day of?

Should I cut out sodium completely 1 wk before?

Should I cut out/down on water a few days before?

Er, so I think I'm starting to freak out a bit more now having written all this . . . Please, somebody help . . . THANKS!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

[daviess]

How many coats of fake tan should I put on? And when? Do I use less on the 'rough' areas(elbows, knees)?
can't help you on this one,
i used jantana, but lots of info if you try the search option in the forums.

Check in is Fri night, pre-judge is 10 am Sat, show Sat 6 pm. When should I shave? I have apprx. 20 hrs before I get sexy stubble. I should shave before fake tan, right? But when the fake tan (see above question)?
dont shave after fake tan, it could irriate your pores, and mess up your tan.
i shaved the day before. but exfoliated with a salt scrub everyday for a week. i really recommend a scrub. make sure if you scrub the oils are washed off well the night b4 a fake application. and no oil based lotions b4!!!

Should I pump in the room before? If so, how long and with what percentage of normal lifting weight? ive heard pump ups are best 10 min b4 you go on stage

I'm doing a competition that doesn't involve a T-walk, so are my poses just just walk out, side, back, side, front, walk away? you could check the website of the organization your are competing with, it will tell you the poses, and what they judge you on, eyc

How long should I freeze in each pose? about 3 seconds (long count), but someone else may have a better answer

What should I be eating day of?[look for posts on carbing up, i have a good thread on it wheni asked the same Q. how far out are you? if you have time it is best to do trial runs with carbs, to see how your body responds. some people need more or less than others. i wish i would have done this..[/i]

Should I cut out sodium completely 1 wk before?no. you do a sodium load than taper it down, read layne nortons article in the sticky

Should I cut out/down on water a few days before?read laynes article, and my thread i asked the same Q

Er, so I think I'm starting to freak out a bit more now having written all this . . . Please, somebody help . . . THANKS!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!
i feel you! haha
i was in your exact place a cpl weeks ago,
first comp,
no trianer...
you will do great! it is all a learning experience.

[/QUOTE]

[Italianangel]

Answers will vary as we all tend to do this a bit diff, but here are my answers.....they follow your questions.

Originally Posted by januaryanna

How many coats of fake tan should I put on? And when? Do I use less on the 'rough' areas(elbows, knees)?

I use dream tan, and if you get a nice base tan you can just use dream tan #2 and look great, but if you don't tan, many will use 3 coats of a pro tan type product, dream tan has one too.......they go Wed color, thurs rinse, color, Fri rinse, color then Sat rinse and dream tan. Don't use soaps or anything that is not for the product or you can go green, this includes shampoo etc.

Check in is Fri night, pre-judge is 10 am Sat, show Sat 6 pm. When should I shave? I have apprx. 20 hrs before I get sexy stubble. I should shave before fake tan, right? But when the fake tan (see above question)?

I try to do it 24 hrs before or you get the pores darkened by color......so 20 hrs before would be your need I would think.....anything closer and you could get dark pores from them sucking up more color.

Should I pump in the room before? If so, how long and with what percentage of normal lifting weight?
its hard to tell when you will be on exactly, some shows are good, well run and on time so you know for sure you can count on stage call time, but try to keep track of who is on and who is next - classes I mean, so you can pump up 10 mins before and have some sugar to get the viens out......note the number of competitors and round, if you are on after routine then you can estimate according to the class, number of competitors and the round it is that is on before you.

I'm doing a competition that doesn't involve a T-walk, so are my poses just just walk out, side, back, side, front, walk away?

They usually let you know the day of show and before you hit stage, but normally there are some X's to hit and it can vary as to how many and if you show back and front or just front for some and back and front for the last X.....it all depends on show format so you have ot ask the promoter. IF you tell me the show I may know the style and can detail more for you.


How long should I freeze in each pose?

until they tell you to relax.

What should I be eating day of?

oatmeal, steak, no salt but you can have potato, anything yo KNOW won't bloat you.....easy on teh water, go sips, but don't do NO water and or no carb the week prior or you go flat.

Should I cut out sodium completely 1 wk before?

I do, there is enough in my veggies. but I know salt swells me and I never really do eat a lot of it normally so you have to go by your body too.

Should I cut out/down on water a few days before?
no less than a liter the night before. Sips day off.

Er, so I think I'm starting to freak out a bit more now having written all this . . . Please, somebody help . . . THANKS!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

All the best, you will do fine!!
LInda

[VenomXL]

Daviess is pretty spot on considering she just went through everything you asked about.

The best advice i can give someone doing all there own prep is, write out your plan in advance. AND STICK TO IT! The biggest problem you will face are the mindgames going into the last week, you will want to change everything and adjust this and that only hurting yourself in the end. Write it down stick to it no matter what, and try to stay sane

[januaryanna]

Thank you so much! I feel better with some advice under my belt now. I'll start the ProTan (we're not allowed to use dream tan) on Wed and just rinse after the applications each day . . . I guess I wash the hair in the sink ?

I know what you mean about trying to change things! I wrote down workouts and food plan for the next 1.5 weeks till the competition to try to stay consistent but I'm finding it isn't enough food - I dropped a pound again on accident. Crap! People are now telling me I look too thin. I'm scared to slow down my workouts, scared to eat too much, but also scared to drop more weight. Uh-oh . ..

The competition is an 2007 NPC MAX MUSCLE Arizona Open National Qualifier by Miles Davis. I'm excited! I can't wait, but honestly, I think I'm really ready for it to be over . . .

[vickinicole]

hey i went to the show, how did you do?