Preparing for a bodybuilding competition?
The last days before your D-day are the most crucial!
Lifting heavy, mindful eating with nutrition, and stacking the right supplements is most needed.
This blog will detail all the dos and don’ts to smash through the challenges of a bodybuilding competition.
And when you finally manage to succeed, a clean and cut look will mesmerize the audience and the judges.
So, let’s get to the following guide on how to prepare for a bodybuilding competition to get ahead.
First Understand the Requirements of the Bodybuilding Competition
Earlier, the sport of bodybuilders was different. The stage had bodybuilding phenomena like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, and Mike Katz. There wasn’t much categorization and specialization.
But nowadays, the sport is categorized and divided by gender, competition level, and even height. Apart from that, judges have their own criteria, which begin with muscularity.
- The top male categories include sports models, classic physiques, and bodybuilding.
- In terms of male divisions, there needs to be a strong difference between how big and dense the physique of the participant is compared to a bodybuilder.
- Also, the individual muscle group should be more visible than other participants.
This entirely depends on the muscularity you develop over the course of competition preparation.
Of course, this requires months-long training, diet preparation, nutrition, and supplement stack.
To finally win a show knowing how to prepare for a bodybuilding competition is crucial. It is all about details, which judges focus on to mark your body.
The only way to prepare for the contest is by emphasizing your bodybuilding training, diet, and nutrition.
How to Prep for a Bodybuilding Show: Workouts and Training Module
Preparing for a competition is all about taking your physique to a whole new level. Dedication, effort, and hard work should be at another level during this time.
It requires more than a perfect workout plan for a bodybuilding competition. Some tips and tricks may help. But, at the end of the day, it is your motivation and commitment that pays off.
So, here’s how bodybuilders prepare for competition with respect to workouts.
#1. Right Coach
The training for a bodybuilding competition is different from a regular workout-training program. It requires sheer commitment irrespective of everything.
So, sticking to the diet, nutrition, and workout is important. On top of that, proper professional guidance is a must-needed.
Thus, it is crucial to select the right coach because he can guide and support you throughout your journey.
#2. Training Program
When it comes to preparing for a competition, a perfectly developed physique is important. Moreover, your individual muscle tissue should make an impression.
In general, participants ditch full-body workouts to focus on split workouts as it helps enhance particular muscle groups.
YOU MIGHT ENJOY: Workouts to Grow Calf Muscles
The bodybuilding-training program is more intense than normal to provide a perfectly sculpted body.
#3. No Single ‘Right’ Way to Train
A bodybuilding competition-training program isn’t something exclusive. You don’t need fancy training equipment or an expensive schedule.
The basic requirement is your dedication, commitment, and perseverance.
If you are looking for one shortcut to get it, there is no such possibility. The key is to focus on high reps and moderate weights before your competition. Also, consistency is important.
#4. Breaking the Plateau
Training is a complicated thing. Even after being consistent with your workout program, at some point, you may notice no difference.
This means you have hit your plateau. You need to break it off to progress your results.
In this case, progressive overload becomes highly imperative. It means increasing the challenge of your existing workout by adding reps, weights, and harder exercises.
In other words, progressive overload is all about intensifying your existing workout routine to improve results. Training programs for competition should be planned considering these discussed factors.
The mentioned tips may help grab the most from your training plan for competition.
Now, the guide on how to prepare for a bodybuilding competition must include tips for diet and nutrition.
How to Diet before a Bodybuilding Competition?
The human body depends entirely on food for fuelling and growing. The right nutrition can take your physique to a whole new level. Thus, for competition, your diet requires extra nutrition.
A very short time remains for the upcoming contest when you begin your preparation.
So, a pre-planned bodybuilding show prep diet is a must, but other aspects require your attention as well.
Here are some tips for a bodybuilding prep diet.
#1. Clean Bulking
The time before the competition is very less. You need to get massive while getting those perfectly sculpted abs. Now, the only option available at your hand is clean bulking.
A high-protein diet with low fat and sufficient carbs fuels your workout while boosting muscle growth.
On top of that, it prevents further fat accumulation.
The heightened protein consumption replaces existing fat with lean muscle. Plus, clean bulking is the smartest dietary move for competition.
If you ask experts, how do bodybuilders prepare for a show, they will share details of why clean bulking can give you an edge.
ALSO READ: Difference Between Clean Bulk and Dirty Bulk
#2. Honesty is Important
Everyone begins from a different point with a different body shape. Most bodybuilders follow a 16-weeks bodybuilder diet for competition. Planning a 16 or 8-week contest prep diet accordingly is important.
At that time, participants usually have sufficient lean muscle. All they need is to lose body fat to get that perfect cut look.
Honesty is important in the first place as it helps you start from the right point with the right approach.
Ultimately, the results will also be as per expectation. Moreover, being honest helps your dietician custom-made a bodybuilding show prep diet that can work.
#3. Food Prep is Challenging But Worth It
A bodybuilding diet for a competition is challenging because it requires a healthy meal prep. Planning your meals with the right ratio of carbs, protein, and minimum fat is tough.
Of course, the emphasis is to get a nutritious diet to support your workout requirement without cutting the nutrition.
If meal prep is a huge trouble, take different services online. Or you can plan your meals as per your nutritional requirements.
#4. Focus on Healthy and Nutritious Food
When it comes to a bodybuilding competition diet, caution is necessary. The duration of the contest to take place is short.
So, the emphasis on your nutrition is important.
Whatever you consume, ensure that they are healthy yet nutritious. They should be low calorie, high in protein, and low carb with minimum fats.
Consuming junk foods can setback your progress. Also, limiting your cheat days is crucial to prevent any unforeseen outcomes of diet.
The above details are related to diet in our guide on how to prepare for a natural bodybuilding competition.
Concentrating on a few details can help give you an edge to achieve last-minute physical goals. At the end of the day, it is your daily nutrition and diet showcasing at the stage.
First-time bodybuilding competition tips related to diet and workout are here already. It is time to explore some general overlooked details. Let’s begin…
Bodybuilding Competition Prep for Beginners: 6 Tips
Most focus on diet and workouts to prepare for bodybuilding contests.
However, a 12-week bodybuilding contest prep requires focusing on other aspects as well. Missing them out would hinder your physique for the competition.
Here’s a list of other things to focus on to get your contest-ready body!
#1. Prepare Yourself Mentally
Preparing for a bodybuilding competition is a long-term commitment. While it appears to be a physical game, it is more of mental hustle to keep going.
The training program, diet, nutrition, and supplementation are heavy for the contest. So, it requires determination to keep going.
#2. Supplements
For muscle building and cutting at the same time, your body requires more than just diet and workout.
Supplementation is necessary additional support to boost muscular strength, endurance, muscle growth, power, and fat loss.
There are many options like beta-alanine, creatine, BCAAs, fish oil, L-leucine, and multivitamin/mineral. Discuss with your coach to get the right nutrition from supplementation.
#3. Hold Poses Longer
Irrespective of your bodybuilding competition, learning to hold your poses is necessary. Begin by holding each posture for at least 10 seconds.
Next week, you need to hold the same posture for 20 seconds, and gradually increase the duration to 30 and even 40 seconds. This would help you onstage to showcase the best pose.
#4. Begin Posing 4 Weeks Out
In terms of a bodybuilding competition, posing is extremely necessary. Winning and losing entirely depend on your posing and tan.
In general, people tend to mess up both. So, it is necessary to begin practicing your poses a month before the actual competition.
#5. No Lotion, Sprays, or Deodorant
Tanning is important to make your abs and muscle tissues pop out. Applying lotion, cologne, or deo can discolor your tan.
When you are backstage, be careful. Hairspray or other product can affect your tan, making it yellow, green, orange, or even discolored.
#6. Practice without Mirrors
Naturally, participants prefer to prepare in front of a mirror to observe their actual performance. However, on the stage, there is no mirror.
Indeed, this makes it important to prepare poses without a mirror to get them right onstage.
Apart from knowing what exercises to do and what to eat before bodybuilding competitions, these tips will help. Getting every detail right is important to get the most out of the efforts invested.
So far, this guide on how to prepare for a bodybuilding competition covers everything. However, what about the final (peak) week before the competition? Time to dig into it…
What Bodybuilders Do Before Competition? Last Week Prep
The last week requires too much to do. Whether your workouts, cardio, diet, meal, or nutrition, everything needs to be contest ready.
It is time to pull it all together to prepare for the final day.
Here’s what your final week before the bodybuilding show should look like…
#1. Cardio
Reduce your cardio session to half. Rest half, and practice your poses for onstage performance. Try fine-tuning your mandatory poses, trying to hold each posture for 5 seconds.
#2. Training
For the final week, train only on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Don’t go for leg days as your legs can take longer to recover.
Do the same workout as the last week, but reduce the intensity. If it was 10, lower it down to 8 or 7.
#3. Supplements
The supplementation should be similar to the rest of the week. However, in the last 2 days, follow your multivitamin, sleep aid, and fish oil.
#4. Diet
During the last week, your diet should be high in protein on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
In contrast, on Thursday and Friday, consume more than 30 to 50 grams of carbs while lowering the protein intake by the same quantity.
This helps get a fuller appearance necessary for the contest day.
#5. Water
During the final week, make water your best friend. Instead of beverages, drink water. Don’t try limiting it anyhow.
Once you have finished your last meal on Friday night, you can prevent having something until the next day.
#6. Sodium/Salt
Many bodybuilding shows go through a complicated sodium stacking and reducing protocol during the peak week. You should skip such practice.
Don’t overuse salt in your food, but don’t completely exclude it from your plate. Just keep it as it is.
#7. Tanning
You should apply at least 3 to 5 coats of premium tanning product during the whole day. This tip is applicable for Friday and Saturday.
The last week before the bodybuilding competition makes or breaks your performance. This period requires most of your efforts and attention.
So, remember the above-mentioned tips to get the most out of the peak week before the contest.
Apart from the guide, participants even ask how long to prep for a bodybuilding show. Let’s get into this.
How Long Does It Take to Prepare for a Bodybuilding Competition?
The prime motive of a competition-ready body is to get a clean and muscular look. This requires two layers of effort.
- First, give attention to your diet to eliminate excess body fat while stacking lean muscle.
- Secondly, the bodybuilding workout program should focus to sculpt your body for the contest.
Usually, a bodybuilding competition diet should need about 2 to 4 months. As said, the high-protein diet should emphasize training the body fat out while elevating your existing muscle mass.
However, the time duration can differ from person to person according to their current stats.
Next, the most important part is your physique which you can shape with long-term training. Your training duration should remain around 12 to 16 weeks.
With this, our guide on how to prepare for a bodybuilding competition ends here. In the end, it is time to wrap up all the key points.
The Final Words
A bodybuilding competition requires months of effort.
From diet to workouts, getting everything right is crucial.
A little mishap can ruin your months-long efforts. Nutrition, eating habits, supplementation, and practice, everything matters.
The blog covered every detail necessary for getting a competition-ready body.
Nonetheless, there is a pro tip for the contest day: wake up early, have some food, try having water after each meal, and relax backstage. Then, get ready to showcase your best version on the stage.
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