Everything you need to know about bikini competitions
One thing that competitors tend to underestimate is how crucial posing and stage presence are in your placing.
Your overall presentation is a HUGE part of whether or not you place.
My first show I completely blew my posing. I definitely recommend getting a posing coach and practice, practice, practice.
I have just begun working with posing coach @sassyandclassyposing ! Follow her on Instagram and check out a clip of my posing practice 🙂
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Hi Friends!
It’s been a long time since my last post unfortunately, but I’m back and going to make a sincere effort to keep my posts more consistent!
I just wanted to update everyone with my progress.
My last show was August 2014, Muscle Beach! After this show (My first ever) I gained 15 lbs in two weeks. 0_0 This was a result of the fact that I didn’t reverse diet out. I continued to consistently gain about 2 lbs a weeks until I reached an all time high for me (135 lbs at 5’2”). Then I plateaued.
I was a complete GLUTTON after my show. I was eating very few meals.. averaging 2 meals a day. They would be HUGE portions, often fast food, tons of dairy, always ending in excessive dessert. I was drinking coffee with cream and sugar (EVEN though I prefer black coffee). I was eating candy before bed just because I could. I wasn’t even enjoying my food anymore. I was drinking every opportunity I got.
I was unhappy with the mirror. My face and arms looked fat for the first time in my life. My only way to get back was to start another show prep.
So here I am 8 weeks out from my first show! I plan to do 3 back to back. May 2nd, May 16th, and May 23rd! yay!
I am back down to 118 lbs, and ideally plan to weigh about 110 at my show date. Last years show, I weighed 103 and felt too skinny.
Here are some pictures of my progress and my next post will shed some light on my current training schedule, cardio, and diet!
Thanks for reading!
Choosing a bikini is a very important part of preparing for a bikini competition. I would recommend allowing yourself at least 8 weeks before your show when placing an order for a bikini. Most of the time you will receive your bikini two and half weeks after you purchase it. However, I recommend leaving time to make sure it fits right, looks right in person, and in case anything else goes on you want to leave time to order a new one.
Cost of bikinis can range from $100 to $600 and sometimes more or less depending on crystals, seller, and connectors.
When I first saw the cost of bikinis I thought that it was an outrageous rip off. But realized soon after that it is actually reasonable. Even if you buy a plain bikini and add Swarovski crystals yourself, you will spend about the same because the crystals are very expensive. A pack of about 12 is five dollars. I needed like 20 packs to cover my bikini.
My three favorite sellers of bikinis are Kristal Bikinis, Ravish Sands, and Ingrid Romero Bikinis.
My first show bikini was from Kristal Bikinis. The color was powder blue and the price was $175. Then I spent an extra $120 on crystals from A.C. Moore and bedazzles it more. This was the end result:
Ravish sands has very high quality bikinis as well and many pro bikini athletes wear these.
I like Ingrid Romero bikinis because they are unique.
I received my Kristal bikini in 2 weeks from purchase. She was very prompt with my emails. I paid through pay pal. I gave my bra size and waist measurements.
Choosing a color is very hard for me. I really love reds, blues, and pinks. I have heard that judges favor red. What it comes down to is what you love in the end. Choose a color that compliments your hair, skin, and eye color. Ask your friends, family, whoever for their opinion, but in the end your must love it!
This topic is crucial to recognize when you chose to compete in a bikini competition. THERE WILL BE NEGATIVE OPINIONS ABOUT YOU.
Bikini competitions are relatively new and many people are ignorant. The NPC Bikini division wasn’t developed until 2009. This is the first year that the Olympia is on TV. There is little understanding for female bodybuilding. Bikini was introduced to appeal to the girl who wishes to look less muscular and more feminine. There is a focus on beauty and stage presence as much as there is on physique. For that reason, the bikini division has a lot of backlash and many think that it is not a serious category.
What people don’t understand is that it is just as difficult to achieve. There is just as much hard work put into it and it is just as admirable of an achievement. The difference is the end goal of what you want your body to look like.
There are still weeks of meal prep, hours a day in the gym, emotional and financial struggle involved.
While training for my first competition, I experienced first hand how much people will criticize what you are doing. I don’t know if this is because it is a “bikini competition” or simply because you are doing something extreme that draws attention.
While many people don’t intend to be criticizing you, it is easy to let these remarks get to you.
Here are some of the comments I can remember:
While sitting at a family party, everyone is eating lasagna and mashed potatoes and other delicious foods. I am eating grilled chicken and asparagus out of Tupperware. I am offered some food and I politely decline. “Jenny can’t eat she’s competing to look hotter than other girls in a bikini.” It was after that comment that I thought to myself, “what am I doing?” I was NOT enjoying my food. He was right. It was all to look better than other girls in a bikini on stage. How shallow and pathetic is that? I was missing out on good food and times with family. But I knew that wasn’t my purpose and I shook it off and kept eating.
Explaining to the woman I babysit for that I would be competing again. She says, “Oh, Jenny! I only feel comfortable telling you this because I love you. You were too extreme! Your body doesn’t like that! I wanted to shove a cheeseburger down your throat and tell you to be happy! Don’t do this to yourself again.” This time I could only laugh to myself. What does this woman know about my body? In fact, I was very happy during training. I had more energy and felt healthier than ever before in my life.
Other people would tell me that my face looked so much better “fuller”. Some would tell me that the whole thing was “sexist”. People would say that I looked too thin.
There were times that I would question my reasons for competing. I would wonder if I was seeking attention. I would wonder if it was unhealthy and I was obsessed.
Here is the quote that I use to keep me focused:
“It’s not about a trophy, a placing, or a prize. It’s about setting goals and surpassing them. It’s about discipline, dedication, willpower, reaching deep down and finding strength that you didn’t even know you had. It’s about structure and putting in work and following the plan. It’s science and I’m a living experiment. It’s about being better than my former “best” and proving to myself that I can achieve this. That’s why I do it & that’s what it’s all about.”
I saw this quote on Instagram from another bikini competitor and couldn’t think of anything better to describe what I do and why I do it.
This next competition I will focus on this message. There are two ways of competing. You can tell people. I do this because it holds you more accountable to your actions. Or you can stay private. This is good because you avoid discouragement from these comments. Both take strength. Choose what is best for you.
How to Find Balance After A Competition
Okay, so I’m about to give advice on a topic that I have come nowhere close to mastering myself. However, I wish that someone had been there to give me this advice after my competition came to an end last August.
This topic is finding balance or going back to a more realistic and healthy lifestyle.
(An example of my over-eating next to a friend’s frozen yogurt):
After my show, I was so over thinking about what I eat and decided that I wanted a couple months of not caring whatsoever. Instead of going back to the way that I used to eat before competition prep, I found myself over indulging and feeling guilty. Not only did competition prep slow my metabolism and shock my body, it changed the way I think of food entirely. The reintroduction of sugar at such excess so quickly caused me to gain weight rapidly. The first week after my show I was 7 pounds up from my stage weight.
(2 Days Out from My Competition):
While this had other girls I knew that competed back in the gym quickly and watching what they ate again, I knew it was normal and still didn’t want to fret. The morning after my show I was up three pounds from water alone. I knew that I was a little too skinny the day of my show and I was not worried.
I continued to eat processed foods and sugar. I felt very differently about food than I ever had before in my life. It was as if I was always worried that I wasn’t going to have the chance to eat something again. I was ordering food constantly even when I was full to the point of sickness.
(Both Icecream Cones Were Mine):
My second week after my show I was up an additional 9 pounds. My weight before competition prep was 115 lbs. My stage weight was 104 lbs. Two weeks after my show I weighed in at 120 lbs. I got myself back into the gym but couldn’t change the way I thought about food.
I felt myself being extreme. Healthy to me was Grilled chicken plain with a cup of asparagus six times a day. I felt like if I wasn’t eating that than I might as well be eating a double cheeseburger, box of donuts, and carton of ice cream.
I still struggle on a daily basis to find a balance between competition prep dieting and a normal lifestyle. Here are a few tips I can give to anyone transitioning from competition life to off-season:
SHOW DAY!! Packing Checklist
The day is finally here that you have spent anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks training for. When my show day finally came around I was panicked. I had no idea what to expect. I definitely recommend attending an NPC show before competing in one. I didn’t however, and everything went smoothly!
The morning started at 6 am. I had my makeup done at home. My hair was blown out the night before so all I did was touch ups. I met my coach at my gym and we went over together to the competition site (Monmouth University) and checked in at 7am.
I chose to wear my bikini under my sweats. I had flip-flops on until I got backstage in which I switched into my heels.
Here’s what I packed:
The True Cost of Competing When considering competing in a NPC show, cost is definitely something to consider. I always had heard that competitions were expensive, but never would have imagined how much I would spend on my first show. Here is a list of my costs and some tips on how to minimalize yours.
Why Compete in A Bikini Competition?
I have always been jealous of those people who can achieve their ideal body without having an end goal. I have always been most dedicated when a vacation or party is coming. However, the difference between a competition and a party is usually I just try to get skinny for a party whereas a competition forces me to focus on the muscle groups I want to improve and is the most pressure to achieve my “perfect” body.
If you are interested in a career in fitness or fitness modeling, NPC competitions are great places to meet people who could potentially point you in the direction of your career. Competing in a show also gives you great credentials as a trainer and you could market yourself as a competition trainer and help train others with the experience you’ve gotten from competing.
Have you ever wondered what the absolute best your body could ever look would look like? What potential does your body have under the most disciplined circumstances? Those pictures of perfect bodies that you have been jealous over… could you obtain that? While stage physique may be near impossible to maintain, wouldn’t it be nice to see and have pictures of?
My favorite part of competing is the sense of purpose you have. You are a part of something, you are working towards a goal. Every day the thing you are held accountable for your actions.
When you finally accomplish this goal you will feel like anything you set your mind to is possible. You will be on a high of self-confidence and it will open the door to the idea of planning, goal-setting, and future achieving in all aspects of life.