- Research and Interview your prep coach before you hire them: prepping is an expensive sport to begin with, you want to make sure that your coach is someone who will give you their time and are experienced in the industry. You also want to make sure you mesh well, if you don't feel comfortable with them, then do not waste your time. You will be in constant contact with your coach for the next few months so it is crucial to feel 100% comfortable with your coach. DO NOT HIRE the cheapest coach possible to save money- with the time and money you put into the sport you want to make sure that you get results from your coach. Prep coaches for a 12-16 week prep typically range from $800-$1500 but you can expect to pay more for longer preps, workouts, etc.
- Show Registration and Organization Memberships: Once you have chosen a show you need to purchase an NPC card. These are a yearly membership card to be able to compete in NPC shows for the current year. The membership fee per year is currently $125.00. Then once you get your card you can register for the show of your choice, show registrations range anywhere from $125-$400 depending on the type of shows that you do. National shows are more. NPC is a ladder that you basically work your way up. Each competitor starts in the same place at a local National Qualifier show. Once you place Top 2 in a National Qualifier show, you are then able to move onto national level shows. There are Jr. Level National Shows and National Shows. Jr Level National Shows allows the 1st place winner in every category to get their IFBB pro Card, a title that many NPC competitors aspire to be. In National level shows, top 2 in every category get their IFBB pro cards.
-Travel Arrangements: Most NPC shows require a mandatory check in and weigh in the night before the show and then the following day the actual show happens. For national shows, the structure is a bit different. However in any case, travel costs also need to be accounted for when competing. Hotel accommodations, flights, car rental etc all need to be taken into consideration when looking into a show. Those costs quickly add up as well so make sure you budget accordingly for travel. For national shows expect to spend between $1000-$1500 on travel alone, unless you are lucky enough to live near the show.
- Show Registration and Organization Memberships: Once you have chosen a show you need to purchase an NPC card. These are a yearly membership card to be able to compete in NPC shows for the current year. The membership fee per year is currently $125.00. Then once you get your card you can register for the show of your choice, show registrations range anywhere from $125-$400 depending on the type of shows that you do. National shows are more. NPC is a ladder that you basically work your way up. Each competitor starts in the same place at a local National Qualifier show. Once you place Top 2 in a National Qualifier show, you are then able to move onto national level shows. There are Jr. Level National Shows and National Shows. Jr Level National Shows allows the 1st place winner in every category to get their IFBB pro Card, a title that many NPC competitors aspire to be. In National level shows, top 2 in every category get their IFBB pro cards.
-Travel Arrangements: Most NPC shows require a mandatory check in and weigh in the night before the show and then the following day the actual show happens. For national shows, the structure is a bit different. However in any case, travel costs also need to be accounted for when competing. Hotel accommodations, flights, car rental etc all need to be taken into consideration when looking into a show. Those costs quickly add up as well so make sure you budget accordingly for travel. For national shows expect to spend between $1000-$1500 on travel alone, unless you are lucky enough to live near the show.
-Budget for food and supplements: Food and supplement costs can add up quickly. As the staple ingredients for any prep diet is protein. Expect to pay $80-$100 a week on fresh meat in order to obtain results that you need. (This budget is estimated on a female competitor- male competitors can be more). Protein powder, vitamins, thermogenics, etc are all additional costs and I make a monthly budget for about $300 for my supplement costs during prep.
-Food Prep: Food prep will become a ritualistic part of your week. You will live out of Tupperware containers and I recommend investing in a portable cooler, sixpack bag, fitmark bag, etc. Any sort of portable cooler to carry your meals around with you. I personally prep my food 3 times a week. You will also need to invest in a good quality food scale to measure your food accurately. It will become a norm to bring your food with you and it makes your prep much easier always having your food within reach so you can eat your meals consistently.
-Food Prep: Food prep will become a ritualistic part of your week. You will live out of Tupperware containers and I recommend investing in a portable cooler, sixpack bag, fitmark bag, etc. Any sort of portable cooler to carry your meals around with you. I personally prep my food 3 times a week. You will also need to invest in a good quality food scale to measure your food accurately. It will become a norm to bring your food with you and it makes your prep much easier always having your food within reach so you can eat your meals consistently.
-Time Management: Most competitors do fasted cardio daily during prep. Expect to get up an hour or more earlier to get your fasted cardio in before you start your day. Also expect to spend 1-2 hours at the gym to get your workouts in for the day and some athletes have additional PM cardio that they are required to do as well. So daily on top of everything else you have going on, I would set aside at least 4 hours to spend on cardio and working out, also additional time to practice posing. You will have to give up family and friend outings, late nights and really structure out your day in order to be successful. It is 100% possible to do a prep while working full time, etc. I use to go to school full time, work full time and prepped and was able to successfully prep for each of my shows.
-Gym Membership: If you don't have one, are you sure your ready to prep? You need to have access to a gym and cardio equipment daily for the next 3-4 months. Memberships range from $15-$50 monthly on average. (Standard gym estimates, not additional higher end gyms)
-Stage Clothing: Male competitors have a bit of a break on this one as their suits typically cost about $50. Female suits are much more expensive. Once you determine your category your going to compete in you need to order a suit. Suits are typically ordered 8-10 weeks out depending on who you go through. The suits are made to fit your body. Suits are a touchy subject with some, suits needs to be appealing to the eye, match your complexion and also not be overly flashy that they take away from your physique. I have seen suits from $80 all they up to $5000+ , on average for newer competitors I would expect to pay $400-$500 on a suit. Many suits can be used again and again and altered, bedazzled, etc. Just make sure that the suit is good quality, the last thing that you want is to get a suit that breaks right before you go on stage (and yes I have seen that happen). If you are unsure about how to go about this contact the company you are thinking about going through and they will walk you through the steps to send in your measurements, etc.
-Tanning: Every competitor male and female is required to get tanned before going on stage. Tanning is typically done the night before the show as a base coat and the final coat is put on a few hours before show time. You are also glossed up minutes before going on stage to accentuate your physique in the stage lighting. I would highly recommend going with the tanning company that is sponsoring the show. It not only is convenient, the company will offer touch-ups and help make sure your tan holds and looks its best the entire show day. At least a week before show the skin needs to be prepped in a ph balancing soap to ensure your skin will hold the tan and it also avoids turning your skin green after tanning is applied. Also it is recommended that you shave your entire body before you receive your base coat (yes I said entire body) this means back, ass, hands, arms, legs, stomach, anything that has hair, SHAVE IT. I promise you it makes a hell of a difference when your tan sets. The tanning company will also send you directions on how to prep your skin. They also tell you not to use any skin products a day before your tan (i.e. lotion, deodorant, make-up) as this can mess with the ph of your skin. Another crucial note. Tanner stains clothing and sheets so you also need to make sure that you have shitty clothes that you don't mind getting ruined to where over your tans. The clothing also should be light to prevent any sweating. A sheet needs to purchased as well (especially if you are staying in a hotel) if you get tanner on the hotel sheets you will get charged a hotel cleaning fee. So save yourself the struggle and get a sheet to avoid damage. A VERY IMPORTANT TIP: Once your tanner is on, hover above all and any toiler seats when you are going to the bathroom, you do not want a toilet ring around your ass when you are on stage, it is very hard to cover up. Tanning for local shows typically run $130-$150 (which includes a base tan and final coat).
-Make Up and Hair: This is for the female competitors. Your body is going to look its best so your face and hair need to as well. If you have the confidence to do stage hair and make-up well, then by all means save yourself some money and do it. If you are like me, who have no ability to do hair and make-up you need to hire a make-up artist or get a friend who has experience to do it for you. Get your nails done or at least throw on some polish as well. Nude nails with tanning stains on stage DO NOT look appealing. Hair and make-up typically run about $130-$160 for a show additional $25-$35 for nails. Another crucial tip when you choose a hairstyle, many females who where their hair down for stage forget to move their hair when they are posing for their back mandatory poses. Make sure you move your hair, you are hiding your muscles behind your hair. If the judges cant see your muscles then they cant judge you on them. If you are someone like me who doesn't want to worry about covering my muscles up, get it done in an updo.
-Posing: The most important part of any show. You have worked so hard to get an amazing physique but now you have to make sure you present it well. Many competitors make the mistake of not getting the proper practice with posing. You only have about 45 secs on stage to amaze the judges. If you do not have your posing nailed on stage it can potentially ruin your chances of placing. Posing can make or break you, you need to make sure you are presenting your best package. A posing coach will ensure that your muscles are shown in the right light. Posing practice is a workout in itself and needs to be done regularly from the beginning of prep to the end of prep. A decent posing costs anywhere from $30-$50 a session, most will do packages. Some coaches are qualified to practice posing with their athletes so if your coach does, that is a great way to save you money. For bodybuilders, physique competitors, and fitness competitors, you have a mandatory routine that has to be presented during finals along with your mandatory poses. So that is also an additional practice that has to be done to a set of music. So all I can remind you to do is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!!
-Stage Presence: Along with posing, when you are onstage your stage presence and mannerism also gets noticed. Make sure you smile and wave at the audience, smile at the judges and smile the entire time you are onstage. Hold confidence and breathe. Typically the stage lights are so bright it is very hard to see the audience so your nerves typically will calm down when you realize you cant see anyone besides the judges when you are on stage.
-Post Show and Reverse Dieting: Typically post show people eat whatever they have been craving. It is an exciting time for pretty much all competitors. The problem is, if you are not working with a coach post show and do not reverse diet you will definitely experience the rebound quite quickly . Your body has been deprived for so long of certain foods and loading them up day after day without slowly incorporating them back in can be detrimental to your health and mentality. Many competitors coming off their first show can put upward of 30+ pounds in a few days. Please make sure you work with someone to reverse diet, you will feel so much better and your body will be so much healthier reverse dieting the proper way. Click here to read more about post show binging and the detrimental affects it has on the body.
So as you can see competing is costly and there is a lot of additional things that go into prep. Once you make the decision make sure you stick with it, budget yourself and enjoy the process. The above is just my personal input on the sport, other individuals preps may vary. Good luck in your fitness journey!
-Posing: The most important part of any show. You have worked so hard to get an amazing physique but now you have to make sure you present it well. Many competitors make the mistake of not getting the proper practice with posing. You only have about 45 secs on stage to amaze the judges. If you do not have your posing nailed on stage it can potentially ruin your chances of placing. Posing can make or break you, you need to make sure you are presenting your best package. A posing coach will ensure that your muscles are shown in the right light. Posing practice is a workout in itself and needs to be done regularly from the beginning of prep to the end of prep. A decent posing costs anywhere from $30-$50 a session, most will do packages. Some coaches are qualified to practice posing with their athletes so if your coach does, that is a great way to save you money. For bodybuilders, physique competitors, and fitness competitors, you have a mandatory routine that has to be presented during finals along with your mandatory poses. So that is also an additional practice that has to be done to a set of music. So all I can remind you to do is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!!
-Stage Presence: Along with posing, when you are onstage your stage presence and mannerism also gets noticed. Make sure you smile and wave at the audience, smile at the judges and smile the entire time you are onstage. Hold confidence and breathe. Typically the stage lights are so bright it is very hard to see the audience so your nerves typically will calm down when you realize you cant see anyone besides the judges when you are on stage.
-Post Show and Reverse Dieting: Typically post show people eat whatever they have been craving. It is an exciting time for pretty much all competitors. The problem is, if you are not working with a coach post show and do not reverse diet you will definitely experience the rebound quite quickly . Your body has been deprived for so long of certain foods and loading them up day after day without slowly incorporating them back in can be detrimental to your health and mentality. Many competitors coming off their first show can put upward of 30+ pounds in a few days. Please make sure you work with someone to reverse diet, you will feel so much better and your body will be so much healthier reverse dieting the proper way. Click here to read more about post show binging and the detrimental affects it has on the body.
So as you can see competing is costly and there is a lot of additional things that go into prep. Once you make the decision make sure you stick with it, budget yourself and enjoy the process. The above is just my personal input on the sport, other individuals preps may vary. Good luck in your fitness journey!
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