Everything Else In Bodybuilding

45: 10 Tips For Your First Prep Part 1: Picking The Right Category

Welcome back to the show! Today I’m starting a new series where I share 10 tips to help you better prepare for your first competition. The first tip I'm sharing today is to pick the right category. I break down each of the categories in detail to help you better understand what they are, the goal of each of the categories, and help you better determine which one fits you best.

Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation.

Additional Resources:
-Want to learn how to pose for NPC, OCB, or Fitness Universe? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com
-Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com
-NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com
-Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com

Key Takeaways:
*The Bikini Category (3:15)
*The Men’s Physique Category (4:30)
*The Wellness Category (5:50)
*The Figure Category (7:52)
*The Women’s Physique Category (9:21)
*The Classic Physique Category (12:30)
*The Bodybuilding Category (16:05)
*Pageant style shows and their categories (16:20)

Welcome back guys! Just me here on the mic again today with a new podcast series I’m doing that breaks down my top 10 tips for all you new people thinking about doing shows. This is also a great refresher for you veterans too. A lot of you new people probably stumbled across this podcast after a lot of bumps and bruises while combing through all the nonsense out there trying to figure out this thing called bodybuilding.  My federation is better than yours. Our federation is better because we are natural. My federation is the most prestigious. My federation is the most glamourous. You will hear me say over and over that the best federation is the best option for YOU. This is the most exciting and one of the most expensive hobbies you will ever take part in. So regardless of which federation you choose, today, I’m going to talk about the first of my 10 tips to help you better prepare and feel more confident for your first prep.

Starting with the different divisions. There are so many to choose from it can get confusing. You’ve got bikini, wellness, men’s physique, figure, classic physique, open bodybuilding, women’s physique, and then you have other divisions that are more glammy like fitness model, model, muscle model, and so on. Knowing where you best fit is important because it can be discouraging to spend all the time an money preparing for a show only to place really low in a category for no reason except your body was better suited for a different category. 

So let’s start with the bikini, men’s physique, and the wellness divisions. Bikini is looking for an athletic amount of muscle and a proportionate physique. The amount of muscle required in the bikini division is the least amount you are going to see on a bodybuilding stage. This is usually where people start when they are new to training and bodybuilding, and especially after a weight loss transformation. You will see the bikini competitors in non drug tested federations leaner and more muscular than drug tested federations so if you are brand brand new you might want to make note of this. It can get confusing when you start looking at pictures. In fact, I saw a social media post recently of a side by side competitor photo from a coach who only works with clients training for NPC and IFBB shows, which are not drug tested. The “before” photo of his competitor looked like the “after” photos of what many new competitors look like when competing for the first time on drug tested bikini stages.  So this might help you put things into perspective when I say the look of bikini is different in drug tested versus non drug tested organizations, but it’s still the least amount of muscle required among all the different categories.

Men’s physique is the entry level division for the men’s categories and requires the least amount of muscle compared to the bodybuilding division, so this is a perfect starting place for men who have had a significant weight loss or those who are somewhat new to training and are hitting a stride with their workouts. The biggest stand out with men’s physique is the tight abs and a dramatic shoulder to waist ratio, so make sure your 6 pack is showing and you know how to flare those lats. There has been a dramatic upswing in the amount of men’s physique competitors coming to me to learn how to pose and who are over 50 and looking to do their first show. It’s a perfect division for you!  My over 50 men’s physique posing clients start off a little shy at first.  In a private session I asked one of my students to do something with hit foot and his initial response was, “I feel like a ballerina.”  I took a screen shot of him and pulled it up for him to see what he looked like with the foot position change and compared it to a screen shot I took of him without the adjustment. His response was not only did he not look like a ballerina, he looked pretty freaking good.  And slowly the confidence blossomed. So, men, you can look strong, athletic, powerful, and artistic at the same time.  Just freaking let go and watch the magic happen.  I won’t let you look like a ballerina, ok?

Wellness is probably the division that confuses people the most. Wellness isn’t an out of shape bikini competitor. Or a soft and thick bikini competitor. Wellness is a division that rewards a very specific body shape and appearance. Wellness is for women with trained physiques that are structurally lower body dominant. Many women are confusing this category because they are assessing their body when they are carrying excess body fat and thinking that this is their structure. Remember, I said wellness is looking for a trained physique. In layman’s terms, you need to be muscular. So assessing your physique when you are leaner is important. For example, me, I’m nowhere near contest shape right now and am loving lifting heavy and getting stronger. I have a boootay right now. And some thick legs too. If I wear shorts I got a little SWISH going on with my quads as they sweep past each other with every step.  My fat distribution is lower body dominant at the current moment. But if I drop 20lbs and show my trained physique this is not the case. Structurally I am quite symmetrical. When I drop weight the symmetry shows. So you can’t be analyzing your body in the off season when it’s not looking as trained and detailed.  I’m seeing a lot of symmetrical bikini girls thinking they are wellness and doing some super squatty posing to create more lower body dominance. I don’t advise doing this. I advise you get an honest assessment on your structure and best category from the beginning so you can start posing and learning better stage presence for the category you want to score your best in.  Feel free to post in my Everything Else in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders group on Facebook and ask more questions on this.  It’s a free group where we have conversations on all of these episodes and all things bodybuilding.     

Moving on to the more muscular categories like Figure, Women’s Physique, Classic Physique, and Bodybuilding.

Starting with Figure. Figure is looking for a trained, symmetrical, physique.  Figure was designed originally to provide another option for Fitness competitors who were required to do an athletic performance as part of their scoring.  Many fitness competitors didn’t want to have to do the routine that included things like strength holds, flexibility, gymnastic tumbling, dance, and more. Many suffered injuries.  So figure was born and it was meant to look a fitness competitor. Over the years it has evolved into being a division that looks for a very specific style structure. A wide shoulder to waist ratio. Very trained physique with visual cuts in the quads and detail in the hamstrings. Broad shoulders with dense caps to them. And of course tight abs and a small waistline. You don’t develop this type of physique with 2 years of training. So the figure division is for very athletic women who have many years of training under their belt and are symmetrical, not lower body dominant. But don’t be scared by the description of capped shoulders and quad cuts. The posing that is required for the figure division is meant to dramatize these features on you. The poses are not shapes we stand in in everyday life. In fact, I remember my friend Shelley calling me a “sleeper” because when I stood normal I look unassuming and small. But when I flared my lats and flexed, poof, I look like a completely different person, and joked that I looked like a flying squirrel. So don’t be intimidated by this division. It’s a great option for those who have developed and carry more muscle.

Women’s physique is a relatively new division that was started because the bodybuilding division in the non drug tested federations evolved into having an extreme amount of muscle, yet women still loved the concept of bodybuilding poses. I started in the bodybuilding division.  My foundation is bodybuilding. And I will always love bodybuilding poses and I love teaching all of it to men and women in my weekly virtual posing classes and 1 on 1s.

But with the evolution to an extreme look in the bodybuilding division in non drug tested federations, popularity decreased and there was even a time that the women’s bodybuilding division was removed completely from the Olympia competition, which is the largest bodybuilding competition the world, until die hard women’s bodybuilding fan Jake Wood bought the show and brought it back.  Women’s physique became widely popular when it first started and Dana Lynn Bailey won the first Olympia in 2013. She has since gone on to become a mega star. The distinct difference between women’s physique and the bodybuilding division is the amount of muscle and definition of the competitors, although over the years, since about 2017, this line has blurred in the non drug tested federations, and if you ask me, women’s physique is barley recognizable from when it first started.   It’s super super lean and very muscular now.. 

The posing is also distinctly different with women’s physique competitors being required to do muscularity poses with open hands rather than with closed fists. Both divisions do not require women to wear the high heels like you have to wear in the figure divisions. 

Since it’s inception, drug tested federations have adopted the women’s physique category and over time its popularity trumped the popularity of the women’s bodybuilding division and now some federations don’t even have women’s bodybuilding anymore and their most muscular division stops with women’s physique. This is not the case everywhere though. Some drug tested federations don’t have women’s physique at all and still have bodybuilding, because again, the initial adoption of the division was because there was a need for it in non drug tested federations where the jump in muscle from figure to bodybuilding was significant.  This is not the case in the drug tested -  also called - natural bodybuilding. The evolution in the natural bodybuilding federations that added the division was based on popularity of the look with the open hands and style of posing.

In addition there are federations that have physique style posing where they do require you to do them in high heels, which can be super fun. So there is merge of the concepts in some places as well.  I love teaching the posing for these divisions. In fact I have a weekly virtual posing class every Wednesday night at 6pm EDT for women’s physique, bodybuilding, classic physique, men’s physique, and the division with heels called Fit body.  Come learn to flex and look like a badass ladies!  Go to weeklyposing.com for more info.

Next up the men’s classic physique division. The reason for the creation of this division is similar to the story I just shared about women’s physique and bodybuilding. The open men’s bodybuilders in the non drug tested federations became what is called “mass monsters.” These competitors are still hitting 300lbs in their off season!  Not every one wants to carry this amount of size or do what is required to obtain this amount of size.

People starting comparing the look of Arnold and the guys from the golden area of bodybuilding and saying how aesthetic bodybuilding used to be.  From this was born the classic physique division and the first Olympia was in 2016 with Danny Hester claiming the first title. Although since then the current champion Chris Bumstead has gone on to be debatably the most popular bodybuilder in the world right now. 

The natural organizations have different opinions on this division. Some natural organizations say that classic physique IS natural bodybuilding and don’t see a need to adopt it. And other natural organizations have included the division because of its popularity all over the world and created their own distinct judging requirements for this division that separates it from the bodybuilding division.  It’s a very fun division because the posing styles are more artistic. I’m seeing a rise in popularity of this division among the young bodybuilders who love the posing style. Plus you wear classic style shorts and not the banana hammock you need to wear in the bodybuilding division. So if you are a proportioned, trained athlete who loves bodybuilding poses, this is a great option for you. My best suggestion for you guys is to have an honest conversation with yourself about your best angles, shapes, and really focus your posing your body to accentuate all of this. I work on this a lot in my weekly group virtual classes too. In fact there is such a desire for this division from OCB competitors that I had to create a whole separate class.  This class runs on Sundays at 12pm eastern. Go to learntopose.com and scroll down to the ocb class to find out more info.

Ok so let me summarize all of this for you. A quick way to choose the right division is to assess how much muscle you have.  Bikini and men’s physique are for those who are new or newer to training with a couple years under their belt; however, in the non drug tested federations this is still true but you might need a few more years of training to build the muscle that they tend to reward there.   

Figure and wellness are for those with more trained physiques and with more years of building muscle under your belt. Wellness is just as trained as Figure except where you carry your muscle is more lower body dominant than in the figure division.

Men’s classic physique and women’s physique are spin offs of the bodybuilding division and have gained popularity over the years for their uniqueness in posing styles and the celebrity of athletes like Chris Bumstead and Dana Linn Bailey who really helped expand the popularity of these divisions worldwide. These divisions require more muscle and more leanness in body fat compared to the bikini, figure, wellness, and men’s physique categories, but not as much as the bodybuilding divisions.  So if you have been training for quite a long time and love the idea of muscularity poses, classic physique and women’s physique are great options. 

And the bodybuilding division, is the most extreme of all divisions, and requires your body fat to get down to extreme levels to showcase all of your muscle and detail.

Besides all of these bodybuilding options are organizations that provide a completely different style of competition that is more pageant like than what you get with a standard bodybuilding show. You might really enjoy lifting and want a fun goal.  Or you have had an incredible weight loss transformation and you want to be judged more on your uniqueness not how well you fit within a specific bucket of criteria, or how tight your glutes are, or how lean you are.   You want to celebrate and showcase your uniqueness on stage and be scored on that. You want more stage time and not be spun around in a circle 1 or 2 times and then shuttled off stage. You want to wear costumes and design something fun that showcases your personality and style. You want more focus on how glamorous the stage looks and the best lighting for your moment on stage.  If this is you, there are options for you. 

Fitness Universe and Musclemania are the longest running organizations for this style of show. It was originally a television show that was on mainstream ESPN back in the day. The men’s options include physique, classic, and Model. The women’s options include Model, bikini, and figure. The judges are modeling agencies, actors, choreographers, and other industry experts. You are 100% scored on your uniqueness. And the look is not extreme.  You don’t have to have the most etched glute and hamstring tightness on stage to win.  This is a perfect option for those who want a fun fitness goal without the extremeness of a bodybuilding show. Come to one of my official virtual posing clinics to learn more about the categories. More info at learntopose.com and scroll to the clinic section

The WBFF is also more of a fitness meets fashion show but they are under a lot of heat lately for their judging and financial practices. They just made a huge announcement about many changes happening in 2024 with their scoring and judging practices.  They have a bikini, fitness model, wellness, and the figure category for the women and a male model and muscle model categories for the men.  Similar to bodybuilding organizations, the amount of muscle rewarded in the categories is what makes each of them distinctly different. What makes the organization unique is there is more than just a swimsuit round for most of the divisions.  Theme wear or evening wear are required as well, which can be super fun for people.  They do reward a more muscular physique so this is definitely a glamorous organization but you have to have some muscle too.  The bikini girls aren’t ripped but they do have full round quads. The fitness model girls have cuts in their quads. The figure girls are super jacked.  The men’s categories are lean too with the muscle model being simply just more muscular than the model category.  The biggest difference between this organization and a regular bodybuilding organization is you better be able to work a stage.

There are also theme wear divisions like this in the INBA/PNBA and the OCB even has a glamour division they just added to a couple of their shows too. These divisions are an add on to the bodybuilding style shows so the show experience isn’t like a tv show like the Fitness Universe and Musclemania, but the divisions are still super fun for those looking for more than just a standard bodybuilding experience.

So as you can see there is something for everyone.  If you love to perform and the idea of theme wear excites you, there are options for you. If you would rather stick a needle in your eye than wear a costume, there are more traditional options for you too.

But for the most part, even if you are competing in a pageant type show or a traditional bodybuilding show the difference between the categories is….yup, you guess it…. The amount of muscle you carry and how lean you need to get to be competitive.  The difference in the categories from federation to federation is their interpretation of acceptable muscle and level of leanness for each category with the drug tested federations rewarding less muscle and leanness than non drug tested organizations.

Ok guys I hope this help you weed through all the different options there are out there. Share this with your friends that are competitors or thinking about competing. Help spread the word and even consider leaving a review!  If you want to continue the conversation in our private group, come join the everything else in bodybuilding insiders Facebook group. Also, I have upcoming virtual posing clinics for competitors preparing for NPC, OCB, and brand new clinics for the Fitness Universe organization coming up. You can find out more info on all of them and my weekly virtual posing classes by going to learntopose.com I’ll be back later this week with another weekly discussion episode with my husband Vassilios. Talk to you then!

44: Weekly Discussions with Vassilios and Michele: How To Know You Are Ready To Do A Show

This week Vassilios and I discuss how to know when you are ready to do a show and how it relates to Vassilios’ experiences as a touring and signed artist. We discuss the different divisions, expectations, peak week, where to start if you are new, and a healthy mindset in and around competing.

Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” on Facebook and come join the conversation.

Additional Resources:
-Getting ready for a OCB, NPC, or Fitness Universe show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com
-Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com
-NEW COMPETITORS - weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” that breaks down all the poses! http://www.weeklyposing.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com 
-Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com

Key Takeaways:
*Expectations when competing (3:45)
*Being ready for the Bikini division (10:05)
*Being ready for the Figure and Men’s Physique divisions (15:19)
*How Vassilios knew he was tour ready and how it relates to bodybuilding (16:25)
*Being ready for the Bodybuilding, Classic, Women’s Physique, & Wellness divisions (22:10)
*Peak week (26:15)
*Where to start if you are new (28:25)
*A healthy Mindset in and around competing (36:00)

 

43: Switching Federations: What Are The Rules?

Welcome back guys! Just me on the mic today addressing the question I get all the time about what the rules are on competing in multiple organizations.  Can you? What happens if you do? Tune in to find out.

Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation.

Additional Resources:
-Getting ready for a OCB, NPC, or Fitness Universe show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com
-Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com
-NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com
-Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com

Key Takeaways:
*My background on this subject (3:40)
*Why people want to switch between organizations (6:30)
*An overview of the rules on switching organizations (11:10)
*Why some of my virtual posing clinics are official and some aren’t (13:15)
*Why where you hold your Pro card status matters if you want to switch organizations (14:55)
*Virtual posing clinics at learntopose.com (17:33)

--TRANSCRIPT--

Welcome back to the show guys! I hope you have been enjoying listening to the men’s perspective on bodybuilding and fitness with the addition of my new weekly discussion episodes with my husband Vassilios hosting with me.  He and I will be back again later this week with another episode. We also record these live every week in the Everything Else in bodybuilding podcast insiders Facebook group in case you want to watch these episodes and participate in the discussion in real time.

But today it’s just me here sharing some of my thoughts on a topic that I think is very important for those who wish to compete in more than one federation.  Over the years the bodybuilding industry has changed a lot and more and more federations have popped up giving people new opportunities to compete in their local area. There are also the federations that have grown into empires with a large pool of participants and a large number of shows around the country and world. 

With this many organizations and opportunities to compete, I’ve had many people ask me what are the rules on changing federations? I’ve mentioned it before that many coaches will align with a particular federation and only coach athletes for shows within that federation. Some coaches will only coach athletes for drug tested federations because of their strong belief in natural bodybuilding. Some coaches will only coach for NPC because they believe that their federation is the only one of value in the bodybuilding industry. And some don’t care where you compete and will coach you anywhere you wish to go.

This is relevant for posing coaches too. Many stay in their lane and coach for the division they competed in themselves. Some will only coach for the federation they competed with. There is nothing wrong with specializing in one area. For example, when I was searching for an orthopedic for an injury, I had to weed through the orthopedics on the office roster to find a doctor that worked on the area of the body I needed help with. Just like in bodybuilding there are specialists within specialists.  This is very common.

I consider what I personally do uncommon because because my speciality is posing for ALL bodybuilding federations and all men and women divisions. I work with hundreds of athletes a year and this year alone I’ve taught posing for athletes in over 10 federations.

My current roster includes men and women bodybuilders, classic physique competitors, wellness competitors, figure competitors, bikini competitors, men’s physique competitors, women’s physique competitors, fit body competitors, glamour, and the list goes on. In any given day I will switch between all the divisions by the hour. And my virtual group classes will include anywhere between 3-5 divisions in one hour.

Yes, in one of my classes, I will manage, teach, and provide value to men and women in 5 divisions at ONCE.  Wonder how I provide value to so many? Well you have to come and see. Right now in one of my classes that has 5 divisions, most of these students have been in the classes for 9 months. Those who leave tend to come back. And many tell their friends and teammates about the classes.

So my speciality is very specific in that it’s posing for all of bodybuilding, but it is much broader than what you are going to find anywhere else.

The reason I say all of this, is because my experience means I know all the different nuances among the federations.  And today I’m going to share my thoughts on some dos and don’ts and spoken and unspoken rules when switching between federations.

Let me first say that there are two very different paths you can take in bodybuilding. One path is drug tested federations like the OCB, WNBF, INBA/PNBA, Musclemania, Fitness Universe, USBF, and so on.

And the other path is the non drug tested federations like the NPC/IFBB and the WBFF.  Some people are surprised to hear that WBFF is not drug tested. It is in fact not.

By the way just because you compete in a drug tested federation doesn’t mean everyone is honest. There have been many people caught using banned substances in drug tested federations. The INBA/PNBA even has a “wall of shame” where they will put your picture on their website to make sure everyone knows you are banned from their federation for lying about drug use.

And just because you compete in non drug tested federations doesn’t mean you are on drugs. I’ve competed and won shows in the NPC and competed on the WBFF pro World stage too.  I am 100% natural. You can absolutely compete in these federations if you are drug free.  I think the biggest issue today with people coming into the sport is that these non drug tested federations have a different interpretation of acceptable amount of muscle.  So it’s not that you can’t compete there, it’s a question on whether you will be COMPETITIVE when you compete there. 

This is one reason people switch between federations.  If you look at the amount of muscle on the figure, women’s physique, classic, wellness, and open bodybuilding competitors in the IFBB, which is where you compete when you get your pro card in the NPC, and compare it to the amount of muscle in a federation like the OCB for example, you will see there is a dramatic difference in overall size and hardness of the muscles.  I think it’s safe to say that if you are a pro in any of these divisions in the IFBB you are on a completely different path than the OCB.  In my opinion, you cannot build the amount of size these people carry without drugs.  Unless you are that 1% of the population like 5x Figure Olympian champion Cydney Dillon who claims to be a natural athlete.

Which leads me to the bikini and men’s physique categories. These categories were introduced to bodybuilding as more entry level divisions for those who are new to the sport and don’t have the years of training and muscle building behind them to be competitive in the other categories. Originally the descriptions of these categories even said “beach body.”  Adding these categories was the boost bodybuilding promoters needed because it dramatically increased the amount of people capable of competing in shows. Which increased registrants and audience attendance. This goes for all bodybuilding federations.

The beauty of these divisions has made it possible for people from all walks of life, all ages, to have an incredible physical transformation and compete in a show as a way to showcase it.  In fact, the largest growing age group reaching out to me for posing assistance are men and women over 50. It’s a beautiful thing to hear their stories and how many of them always wanted to compete but things never aligned in life to do so until now.

So where do they go?  Where do they compete?  NPC non drug tested? Drug tested?  A lot of them compete in BOTH.  Because from a physique and acceptable level of muscle standpoint, as an amateur, and let me be clear that this is an an amateur, there are much more people capable of being competitive in either drug tested or not drug tested federations on the local and national level. Once you get to the pro level with the non drug tested federations, it’s a different conversation because the level of muscle and leanness is on another level. But locally as an amateur, you can absolutely do well in either federation if you are a bikini or men’s physique competitor.

Many new to competing look to see what shows are offered in their local area.  With NPC being a very large federation they have thousands of shows around the country. Not every drug tested federation has competitions in every state like the NPC does. In fact many drug tested federations have a presence in a specific region of the country. So if you are in a state that doesn’t have shows offered, especially if you are new, you are not likely to want to pay for airfare, car rental, and additional hotel time just because you want to do your first show. So most people compete locally at first.   

Which brings me to the rules on switching federations.  Many new people to bodybuilding compete and win their pro status very quickly in the non drug tested federations but for various reasons want to compete with other organizations besides the one they are a pro in.  These reasons range from: wanting more stage time, not feeling like they are ready to compete with the pros yet, and many competitors who get a master’s pro card (which is a pro card for those in a category over a certain age), are disappointed to see the number of shows offered to master’s only pro competitors is very limited, and they want to compete more.

Can you do this?

Overall as an amateur you can do whatever you want. And I encourage you to get on stage more than once for more experience.  Plus you worked really hard to get on stage for your show, why would’t you want to do more than one after all that work?  The day goes by so fast.

However, once you get a pro card, the rules as a professional in each organization are different. And you have to read the fine print.  Or feel free reach out and ask me or ask in our podcast insiders group.

In general, if you get a pro card in the NPC and become an IFBB pro, you are discouraged from competing elsewhere.  You sign contracts when competing too.  IFBB is very restrictive. 

In fact, I have judged for 4 federations in the bodybuilding industry. A couple years ago I reached out to the NPC district chairman in my region and offered to judge the local NPC shows in my area. I was asked to provide a resume so I did. I described my experience as both a head judge and a panel judge for multiple organizations, a champion competitor in the NPC, my decades of experience, and so on.

The response I received was black or white. I was told that if I wanted to judge for the NPC then I can no longer judge for any other federation.  This was just judging you guys. You don’t make a living judging. In fact you get paid pretty much just gas money when you judge a show.  You are a judge because you love the sport and want to give back to it. Which was my intent. Needless to say, I decided not to judge for the NPC and to instead give back to NPC competitors by continuing to help with their posing and choreography with the business that I own and operate full time and make my living with. 

I am proud of being versatile in the bodybuilding industry and love that in the past year alone I judged the Fitness America and Musclemania weekend in Hollywood last November, head judged for the WNBF pro am show in NY, and judged multiple pro am shows for the OCB too.  Not one of these three federations ever asked me to not judge anywhere else.

In fact, I have the honor of doing the official OCB virtual posing clinics every month. Marjorie and Sully both thank me for doing them and tell me how much they appreciate what I am doing for their athletes. They tell me they appreciate me. They feel that what I do is a service to their athletes.  And they know I teach and judge for other federations. 

In addition, I’m about to launch official virtual posing clinics for the Fitness Universe and Musclemania organization too, beginning October 1st. Fitness Universe is nothing like the OCB organization.  Competing in OCB and Fitness Universe is nothing like the other. They are completely different so they aren’t competitors if you ask me.  Regardless, each owner knows I teach across all federations for my full time job and they both believe that what I provide their athletes is a great service to them.

I do also have NPC virtual posing clinics going on monthly right now, but they are not official, and, as you probably guessed, this is because I teach for other organizations. They provide the athletes in the NPC the exact same in value and education custom to the federation. In fact, one of my previous NPC clinic attendees said she learned more in 15 minutes at my virtual posing clinic than she did at an in person event run by the organization.  So if you are thinking of competing in any of these organizations I highly recommend you start with one of my virtual posing clinics. I have them all listed on my website learntopose.com if you scroll down to the services section.

So again, what you can and cannot do once you are a pro or working professionally within an organization depends on the organization.

Many competitors fear they will lose their pro card if they compete elsewhere.  If you are an IFBB pro, you will be discouraged from competing elsewhere.  As an amateur, no one is going to prevent you from competing at a NPC show if you ran across the street and did an OCB show.  Again, it depends on amateur versus pro status.

Now let’s talk pro status in the natural federations. The OCB had a rule that if you were an OCB pro and you competed in a non drug tested federation you would no longer be eligible to compete as an OCB pro. A large number of athletes reached out the OCB and voiced their concerns that they wanted to compete locally so they didn’t need to fly to compete and there were NPC shows in their area. Last year the OCB heard the athletes and removed their rule. So going forward as an OCB pro athlete you can compete where you want and not risk losing your pro status.

A large number of other drug tested federations have actually signed a pact amongst each other that allows you to compete as a pro in their federation no matter where you received your pro status. A pro is a pro to them.  So you are not discouraged at all to compete in other federations.  They don’t care.

Other federations will discourage you from competing elsewhere but don’t make a big stink out of it and disallow you from coming back. They prefer that you not win a show and take money and to leave, but that’s not a requirement.

The three main pro federations that draw a line in the sand once you become a pro are the IFBB, WBFF, and Muclemania/Fitness Universe.   You do risk your pro status when you leave and compete elsewhere. You will have to re-qualify for it.  But again this is the pro level where you are now competing on stages and, with the exception of Fitness Universe and Musclemania, you are earning money within that organization.  Once you start earning money things change.  Up until that point as an amateur you can pretty much do whatever you want. Some coaches will say you can’t cross over but that’s really just their opinion and people being drama.

Alright guys I hope you found this episode helpful. Let me know by commenting, liking, and subscribing to the podcast! Head on over to the everything else in bodybuilding podcast insiders group on Facebook and join the conversation too.

And if you are getting ready for a show and want to learn how to pose and be competitive on stage in your category, I have official virtual posing clinics for the OCB every month, next one October 7th. and, beginning September 30th, I’m starting back up my NPC virtual posing clinics too, and finally one more big announcement, on October 1st I will be hosting my first official Fitness Universe virtual posing clinic. Fitness Universe is great for those interested in trying a federation with production like a tv show and divisions that include male and female model.  A list of all clinics can be found on my website learntopose.com in the services section. Alright I’ll be back later this week with my husband for our weekly discussion.

See you later!

42: Weekly Discussions with Vassilios and Michele: Hiring and Firing Coaches

This week my husband Vassilios and I discuss coaches in bodybuilding and now to best weed through all the noise and confusion when it comes to choosing or parting ways with one. Come join the conversation and be a part of these weekly LIVE episodes in the group:  “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!”.

Additional Resources:
-Getting ready for a NPC or OCB show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com
-Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com
-NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com 
-Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com

Key Takeaways:

*Professionalism in the music industry vs bodybuilding industry (3:20)
*Expectations in the music and bodybuilding industries (9:00)
*Tips when shopping for a coach (13:58)
*When to fire your coach (21:35)
*Red flags to watch out for (30:45)
*Final thoughts (42:00)

 

41: Weekly Discussions With Vassilios And Michele: Post Show Diet And Mindset

Welcome to my new weekly podcast series that includes discussions on various topics in and around bodybuilding with my husband Vassilios Metropoulos. These topics were chosen from suggestions made by the listeners in the "Everything Else" in Bodybuilding Facebook group.  Come join the conversation and be a part of these weekly LIVE episodes in our group!

The group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!”.

Additional Resources:
-Getting ready for a NPC or OCB show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com
-Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com
-NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com 
-Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com

Key Takeaways:

*Welcome to our weekly discussions! (2:15)
*Meet Vassilos (4:15)
*Post tour blues vs post show blues (10:00)
*Preventing post show blues: goals (18:00)
*Preventing post sow blues: nutrition (24:20)
*Preventing post show blues: mindset shifts (38:00)
*Listener responses to why they are competing (49:00)

40: Attach To The Transformation Not The Trophy

Welcome back guys!  I had a thought today that I really felt the need to put out there for you all to consider. Not everyone wins a show but no one should feel like a loser. Tune in to hear my thoughts on this and come join the conversation in my Podcast Facebook group!

The group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” to discuss episodes and follow the podcast tour as we travel the USA promoting the show.

Additional Resources:
-Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Jump on my weekly posing practice classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com
-NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com 
-Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com

Key Takeaways:
*Why are you doing a show (2:47)
*Our existence is 100% in our head (3:52)
*There can only be 1 winner (5:50)
*There is more to celebrate than a trophy (7:15)
*Examples of attaching to the transformation not the trophy (10:46)
*My weekly virtual posing practice classes (13:15)

—Transcript—

Welcome back! It feels really great to be here. Its been a minute, huh? Well there is so much to still talk about so plan for more episodes coming. I’m also going to start bringing my husband on here for the male perspective of things which I think is going to add a really great layer to the show. Let me start this episode by saying..

Bodybuilders are really hard on themselves. I talk about this to my posing students all the time how there is a switch that happens at about the 4 week mark from show. You all get freaking crazy. You start mentally stacking all kinds of nonsense. “I’m not lean enough.” “I don’t think I’ll be ready.” “I’m not this, I’m not that.”  This kind of self sabotage happens all the time. It’s very common in new people to bodybuilding because you don’t know what to expect from competing and you are putting yourself out there in public in a way that you likely have never done before.

The truth is you are never going to feel like you are ready if you hyper focus on being ready.

Let’s talk about why you are doing this show in the first place? Maybe you had a really awesome body composition change and decided to make a bodybuilding show your next goal.

Maybe you have been thinking about doing a show for 20 years and finally got the courage to go for it. I’m meeting a lot of people who are coming to me for posing assistance in their late 50s which is really awesome.

Maybe you were an athlete and you want a new goal to keep you motivated in the gym. Or maybe you were encouraged by the people at your gym to try a show and you figure what the heck you’ll try it out.

Regardless of why you decided in the first place to do a show, at some point you will realize you are about to be on stage in your underwear wearing orange paint and posing in front of a live audience for a group of 5-7 people to then analyze your appearance. As you get closer to the show day, the anticipation becomes greater and greater. It’s almost as if the long process to the stage is a slow peel of a bandaid. Like if you were physically ready the minute you decided to do a show you might run out on stage and be much more confident than you do when you have months of time to obsessively think about the show day and sink further and further into your head.

Do you realize that this existence is something you have created in your head?  That you are stressing your own freaking self out?  I’ve had people reach out to me and say that they are thinking about a show but their cortisol levels are high. First off what does that even mean. What barometer was used to measure your cortisol levels. Although there are people with medical issues, sure, but most of you are responsible for your own stress and it’s because of the things you choose to focus on.

Our existence is 100% in our head. It’s a perception. Everything that has happened to you in the past is stored away in your head. Everything that will happen in the future is also in your head because it is all just a visualization and a possibility. No matter how bonkers it is, it is ALL possible. Your current state, the NOW, is your reality. How do you want to spend this reality?

Do you want to spend it obsessing about the zero.185 pounds you gained that you can’t snap your fingers and change in this moment. Obsessing about these magical body fat numbers that really mean nothing in a bodybuilding contest that is based on an aesthetic not a number. The constant comparison of yourself to others you see on social media who have completely different bodies, are in different stages of life, and are possibly even enhanced in a way from PED use which means you won’t likely look like them unless you are enhanced too. 

Is this how you want your existence to be?

Would you want to hang out with you?

Steve Reeves was a professional bodybuilder in the 1950s who was considered to have one of the most perfectly proportioned physiques. If you know his history you might also know he went on to be a Hollywood super star and played iconic roles like Hercules. Steve is a legend. So is Arnold for his one of a kind physique. Bodybuilding was all about rewarding incredible physiques. These people became legends because they were far above average and had a uniqueness that was untouchable in their time.

Their physiques were really special and iconic. Arnold and Steve weren’t without competition though. There were many people that wanted to be considered legendary too and gave them a run for their money, but in the end, there can only be one winner. One legend. One icon. 

There can be only 1 winner in each category at a bodybuilding show. If you don’t win, does that mean you suck? No, it just means someone was better that day and it’s an opportunity for you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and continue working on improvement. You were the best version of you that day. Next time you can be even better. If you have nothing to work towards you have no goal. Having no goal is boring.

I am a part of some fitness groups on social media that have a lot of new people to bodybuilding. I see a lot of posts about their contest prep and some even post show. This one post the other day was from a girl who was obsessing about her placement. She placed 4th and after obsessing about the 3rd place person’s physique and overly analyzing this other person, she concluded that she should have beat her, and because she didn’t, she felt insecure and upset about it.

OMG you guys there is a reason there are 5-7 judges on a panel. The goal of the judges is to find a consensus however, judges most of the time don’t vote unanimously. Because of the differences between the judges scores you can place a spot up or down just by how the numbers fell. This is a subjective sport.

Which leads me to the point of this podcast episode. I realize it’s been a minute since my last episode and I promise I will be coming back more regularly. But this thought I had today was one I really felt the need to put out there.

I wanted to say it loudly that there has to be more to celebrate when competing in a bodybuilding show than just a 1st place trophy.  Only 1 person is going to win that day and if it’s not you, you can’t let it lead to your demise. The 5 people judging a show should not have that much control over your inner joy and value. Step on another stage or compete in another federation and the scoring will likely be different. One group of people is not the end all be all.

Many of you are putting yourselves out there in public in a way you have never done before. That is incredibly courageous. Many of you have never been on stage except maybe that moment you walked across a stage to receive your high school diploma in front of a large audience. 

Many of you have spent years taking care of everyone else and finally decided to do something awesome for yourself that can also be incredibly fun.

Many of you who are former athletes have a platform where you can continue being an athlete for the rest of your life if you approach things in a mindful way.

And most of you are about to discover that with your hard work and perseverance you can mold your body into a shape and appearance that you never thought was possible.  You did that. Why not let yourself live in this space. Let yourself have it!

If you watch Arnold’s documentary on netflix you will see that Arnold didn’t just build an incredible physique, he built a mental toughness and a confidence that helped him achieve things far beyond just his Mr Universe and Mr Olympia titles. When you start to train, I mean really train, not just go through the motions at the gym and rush through the reps to get the workout done, when you really start to train, you start to build a new conversation with yourself. When you start to see the physique changes and know you did that, you start to believe that you can do more things. When you get closer to your contest and you experience the challenges in getting your body stage ready, you realize you have a higher will power and inner strength that will change your perceptions forever. When you push your strength training, mindfully of course, and push through the pain, you learn your pain tolerance is much higher than you ever thought possible.  So much that I remember a couple years ago I had pain in my stomach that wouldn’t go away but I told myself I would just sleep it off and see if it goes away on its own. The next day the pain got to the point that when I stood up, my body said, NOPE, and I went straight back down. It was only at that level of pain that I called my Mom to come pick me up and take me to the hospital. Turned out to be appendicitis. In my head I didn’t think the pain was all that bad. I’ve experienced worse. It was my body that said NOPE.  This is obviously extreme but my point is that pain is also a perception. There is the extreme warning pain like appendicitis that will tell you need to go to the hospital. But the extra rep or two on a leg press machine isn’t the kind of pain that is going to take you to the hospital and require surgery. There was a recent post by Arnold where someone had asked him to take a look at his form on a bench press.  This person stopped at 10 reps. Arnold told this person that he couldn’t tell him about this form because he wasn’t done with the set. Arnold said he had at least 5 more reps in him.

The more you train, the more you work on stage presence and performing, the more you challenge yourself and put yourself out there, the more you learn about yourself and will become proud of. The first place trophy is awesome, not gonna lie, but the transformation that you will experience is far more valuable.  The trophy will sit on a shelf somewhere and collect dust. your friends and family will be excited for you but over time your show last year is not going to be the conversations you have with them.  You are going to carry YOU around you all day.  The confidence you exude, the motivational attitude you project, these are things you will carry with you every day if you allow yourself to focus on them and they will likely inspire others to want to do better for themselves.

 

A recent men’s physique student of mine came to one of my official OCB virtual posing clinics I hold for the OCB every month. By the way I teach the posing and stage performances for over 10 federations full time every day so it’s an honor to be recognized by a federation for my capabilities, and given the opportunity and the trust to serve their athletes in a very unique way. So this men’s physique competitor comes to my clinic wearing a long shirt and a baseball cap. He is planning to do a show in 8 weeks. He has never posed before and keeps his shirt on the whole time. After the clinic he signs up for it weekly virtual posing classes and some virtual 1 on 1s. 8 weeks later you guys would not recognize him. The confidence, the smile, he is beaming with enthusiasm and pride. After the show for an entire week he was telling me he was still feeling the high and excitement from the entire experience and couldn’t wait to do it again.

This is exactly what I mean about attaching to the transformation not the trophy.

Another example. 50+ women’s bikini competitor. Says she wants to do one show after thinking about it for 20 years. Is naturally very shy when you meet her. In fact when she first started my virtual posing classes she was stiff, her facial expressions told a story of someone thinking way too much and just going through the motions. Two months later after my signature methods of pulling the super star out of you, she walks on stage for her individual routine and you can hear the audience cheering loudly and in the video you can see the judges nudging each other and clapping for her. She said she was doing one show but is now focusing on doing another in the spring. You guys, THIS is the stuff you should be focusing on.

Competing is your chance to be star for the day!

To learn things about yourself you never knew possible. To challenge yourself and have a lot of fun in the process. Your vibe attracts your tribe. You can align with people who are alll about the trophy and pro card, there are plenty of those people all over social media. You can focus on and do things that might not be in your long term best interest for the superficial acceptance of winning. Or you can focus on bringing out the uniqueness in you, the transformation within, and FEELING like a champion both on and off the stage whether you win first place or not.

The transformation is your greater trophy. Being proud of yourself and motivated by yourself is a far better higher vibrational existence than beating yourself up every day over 5 people’s opinions.

Ok guys, thanks for listening!  I appreciate all of you who reach out and tell me you are listening to the show. It’s really great to know! If you are preparing for a show, no matter if you are brand new or a seasoned veteran you should join my weekly virtual posing practice classes so you are fully prepared for show day. I have 5 of them now.  2 Wednesday nights for all federations broken up by category. I have 2 for the OCB on Sundays by invite only to those who attend one of my official monthly virtual posing clinics for the OCB. And the 5th class is brand new. I just launched it on Sundays at 10:30am EST and called Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisors. All federations too. In the Posing Mechanics class I go micro into the proper execution of all the poses. You will also get a great practice session. Surround yourself in the excitement of competing and let me help you with a transformation you will be proud of. Check out my classes at weeklyposing.com Till next time!

39: What Your Family Can Expect From Your Show Prep (...and when to step in)

Hey guys! In this episode, I offer some guidance to the loved ones that will be putting up with you during your contest prep so they are better prepared for the process. Be sure to have them give this episode a listen! 

As always, like/subscribe/and share! And come join the conversation in the private Facebook group for listeners to talk about show topics. The Facebook group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” so head on over there and request to join!

Additional Resources:
-FREE posing assessment and road mapping call at http://www.learntopose.com
-Want to learn skills that will help you look and feel more confident in your posing and transitions from pose to pose? Learn more at:
http://www.weeklyposing.com
-Interested in posing courses and custom made tools? Shop Here: https://learntopose.podia.com
-Want to WIN your next competition? Learn more at: http://www.posingwinsshows.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Wellness, Figure, Bikini, and Men's Physique competitors at http://www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at http://www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at https://shop.killitwithdrive.com/

Key Takeaways:
*An invitation to your loved ones (3:40)
*Gaining an understanding on the overall goal (4:45)
*Red flags to look out for (7:20)
*Various costs involved with competing (9:25)
*How bodybuilding shows are judged and the importance of being prepared for the stage (11:20)
*Stage attire requirements (14:37)
*Heightened Emotions (17:16)
*Who you affiliate with will determine your experience (18:07)
*Drug tested Vs non drug tested federations (19:34)
*Why do people compete in the extreme sport of bodybuilding (22:25)

--TRANSCRIPTION--

Welcome back to the show guys! This episode I hope brings up great conversations between you and your loved ones regarding all things to expect with contest prep. I think the effect of contest prep on loved ones is underestimated and a lot of confusion and unnecessary tension can be avoided with better preparation and setting of expectations. 

I can still remember the last time I told my ex husband I wanted to compete again after a long layoff. We were sitting at dinner at a restaurant and he was drinking beer and I was drinking a glass of wine. The look on his face turned to annoyed and he in short he said he didn’t want to be in a relationship with me if I was going to compete again. He didn’t really mean he wanted a divorce, he was expressing his level of frustration towards life living with a bodybuilder in contest prep mode. 

Contest prep isn’t easy for a competitor and I think it’s often overlooked or underestimated how much contest prep affects the loved ones around you. Depending on how structured you stay on your plan year round, the added focus you will have during contest prep and the additional precision needed with nutrition and overall movement will change the entire 24/7 dynamic of your household. If you are in a division like bodybuilding, classic physique, women’s physique, and even the Figure division, your level of leanness will need to be that much greater, which will require a longer, and more precise prep for your show. The leaner you get, the longer your prep, and the more hyper focused you become, the greater the effect on those around you.  I think it’s important to prepare your loved ones for what to expect while you are preparing for a show and for you to also stay conscious about your attitude and actions during this time.  There is no need to be obnoxious to the people around you for any reason.

So today I want to offer some guidance to those loved ones that will be putting up with you during your contest prep so they are better prepared for the process. 

Hello, loved ones. My name is Michele and I have even competing, coaching, and judging bodybuilding shows for over 20 years. I’m going to be your tour guide today taking you through the process of contest prep with your loved ones so you are better prepared for what’s to come. I also want to provide you some red flags to look out for in case your loved ones get wrapped up in things that could detrimental to their health and well being in the long term.   

I also want to invite you to consider being a part in some of the process of their contest prep. Maybe help out, lend a hand to them in some way, become a part of things they are doing to prepare for their show because you are about to see a level of focus that will consume their day-to-day during the entire process and this might make you feel a little left out. 

For starters, the most important part about contest prep is adherence to a specific nutrition plan in order to get contest lean. The level of precision needed with nutrition in order to get contest lean is dependent on HOW contest lean they need to get. So the first thing you want to do is gain a better understanding what the goal look your loved ones are about to work towards with their physique. Ask them what show they are doing and which category they are competing in and let them show you an example of what a competitor looks like in that category and competition.  There are many different bodybuilding organizations and they all have different offerings. I promise you that the look of the ideal competitor is not the same across all the shows there are available. All bodybuilding organizations have different interpretations on what is ideal for each of the categories too.  So educate yourself on what exactly your loved one is about to embark on with their competition physique goals.

I also suggest you browse through the other categories in the organization your loved one plans to compete in. Check out the different looks there are for the different divisions.  You will notice that each category represents a different level of muscle size and a different level of detail to that muscle.  

If your loved one is new to competing, chances are they are competing in a division that requires a lesser degree of overall muscle and level of leanness. If your loved one carries a lot of muscle, they are likely to be in a category that requires more muscle which will also mean they will need to get a lot leaner than the average person.  The level of leanness in categories with a lot more muscle is far beyond just looking great with six pack abs on the beach.  The hot on the beach look means they aren’t lean enough for a bodybuilding show and will not score well.  To bring ones body fat levels down to the level needed to be competitive on a bodybuilding stage takes a lot of time and effort. They will need to be very precise with nutrition and activity. So if they say they need to get a workout in, they need to get a workout in.  If they have to bring their food to an event you are going to, they need to bring their pre-measured food.  If their face starts to get really gaunt and they no longer have any clothes that fit them, this is normal, and they are not sick or have an eating disorder.  There is a youtube video from my archives where I thanked on camera all of my supporters days out from a competition.  I have always been competing in divisions that required me to get extremely lean so my face in this video looks like a skeleton.  When talking about contest prep the other day to my Mom, she commented on how much of a skeleton my face looked and said she didn’t like it. Of course not, who wants to see their loved one looking emaciated?  But leanness is a part of bodybuilding.  It’s the only way to see the quality of the muscle and the level of detail that was sculpted with exercise.  The level of leanness depends on the category we compete in. If your loved one starts to look really gaunt in the face, they are most likely close to contest ready, and this is nothing to be concerned about.  After the show they will need to put body fat back on and their face will return to normal within a month or so.  

There are some red flags to look out for in their contest prep that I want to make you aware of in case they start going down a path that might become detrimental to their health and well being.  Let me first say that bodybuilding is an unregulated sport. There is no college education that teaches how to properly and safely assist someone with going from hot on the beach good looks to contest shape. Most people out there have experience as their only credential.  With enough experience you can become an expert at something, however, many people out there don’t have the history in the sport to be considered an expert. Just because they look good doesn’t mean they are educated in transforming other people into contest shape. Anyone, even you, can assist others with weight loss.  Just lower their calories and increase their activity and it’s amazing what you can do to someone that was once sedentary.  

Contest shape is not just a weight loss.  To get body fat levels down to extreme levels is a specialized skill. It takes a long time to do this, and during the process, the body will put up a fight trying to not get that lean.  Plus, the goal is to maintain as much muscle mass as possible in the process and a slower steadier approach is the only way to accomplish this.  The celery juice diet will not accomplish this.  And banning food groups is not necessary to do this either.  There is a science involved with the process of contest prep that factors in not just food but activity, sleep, stress, and hormones, to name a few.  For someone to do contest prep safely and effectively, they need to work with someone who understands human physiology to an advanced degree.  Many people out there do not have this level of knowledge and are coaching others for competition anyways.  Be aware of this.  So I would have a conversation with your loved one about their choice in coach. If they insist on working with the coach bragging about trophies and something called “pro cards” then I suggest keeping a closer eye on their progress.  By the way, a pro card is just an additional award that someone can get that allows them to start competing for money.  It’s not a lot of money and will never be enough to quit a job over and most likely won’t ever cover the costs of competing, but it’s a nice accolade, and is often used for bragging rights.

Speaking of costs, bodybuilding is not an inexpensive sport. It’s really a hobby if you ask me. Maybe a small percentage will achieve greatness on a level that provides them endorsement deals that allow them to bodybuild full time but for 99% of people it will just be a fun and expensive hobby.  I’ve equated bodybuilding to golf in the past because golf is a crazy expensive hobby that people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on and don’t think twice. Bodybuilding might not cost hundreds of thousands like golf does, but it definitely costs thousands of dollars.  Coaching is the number one most expensive part of contest prep.  The better and more knowledgeable the coach is, the more they will charge. Contest prep coaches on average range from $100 per month to $600 per month.  The $600 per month people are the ones that either hold multiple PhDs or are coaches with many years of experience that are sought after, so their prices are reflective of demand.  

Another cost that is equally as important as the cost of a credible nutrition and training coach is learning how to perform on stage.  The #1 thing your loved one will be required to do on stage on show day is perform.  Part of the judging requires them to stand with a group of people on a taped line on stage underneath a bright set of lights where they will be required to do a series of poses for comparison of one another.  The specific poses depend on their category and organization. They will also be introduced individually to the crowd and perform a walk to and from different locations on stage where they will hit some poses along the way.  If they are in the divisions with more muscle they will also have additional muscularity poses and they will likely do a 60 second posing routine choreographed to music.  As you can see, what they do on stage and how well they do it is very important, since everything they do is compared to others and scored. 

There is no timer set up at a finish line that guarantees you are first place if you are first to cross it.  Bodybuilding scores are all opinions.  There is a judging panel that decides who on stage best represents the ideal physique for the category.  How you present yourself can either help enhance your score or cost you higher placements.  Many people have never performed on stage in their lives so some of the difficulty with presentation is the confidence, nerves, and the adrenaline that can make them perform awkwardly.  In addition, the required poses are really awkward shapes with weird contortions.  These shapes are nothing like the movements and shapes we do in every day life so learning to pose and present on stage requires a lot of practice and specific skill development from a professional that not only specializes in the posing and performance requirements for the organization and division they compete in, but someone who is also skilled in teaching people how to perform too.  Just as with contest prep coaches, the lack of regulations in bodybuilding in general means there are performance coaches with different levels of skill too.  Athletes in any sport can be awesome athletes but horrible teachers.  It’s no different in bodybuilding where just because someone is good at posing themselves doesn’t necessarily make them good at instructing and educating. 

Teaching is an art and requires specialized skills. In order to teach someone who normally slips out of a sandal walking down the street how to perform like a show stopper on stage it takes systematic instruction.  Just like with contest prep coaches, you can just add “coach” to your name and get clients. No license required. And this is risky because I can’t tell you how many times I have met a new competitor that says they have been working with a posing coach, and after seeing their posing skills, my true thoughts are that the posing is so bad that I hope they didn’t pay money to this posing coach for the instruction.  I specialize in posing and performance for all men and women categories across all organizations. I actively teach men and women in over 10 organization how to pose and perform on a regular basis. I can tell you that posing can cost 1-3 placements which totally sucks if you factor all the costs that go into competing and how much a waste that money is to get a score that is less than you could’ve gotten if you were better prepared. So don’t let them skimp on posing skills. They absolutely need it to do well on stage.  Check out my services at learntopose.com

There are also entry fees to the contest and travel expenses to factor in, especially if there is a flight and hotel involved. There are also many show day necessities you need to purchase such as specific attire to wear on stage, a very dark tan applied to the skin before the show, and even show day makeup and hair requirements. By the way, the stage tan is not a regular tan.  There is a solution applied to the skin a couple days or even the day before the show that will darken to a level that is quite extreme compared to a regular tan.  This is also normal.  For women, the stage makeup applied and the hair style is also much extra than the regular hair and makeup done on an every day basis. I always joke that my hair and makeup makes me look like a drag queen version of myself.  

Because this is a physique competition, the attire for the stage, also called “a competition suit” or “suit,” for short, must be customized to fit to your measurements, which means these suits are often hand made.  The sky is the limit on how much you can spend for a suit, but at the end of the day, the most important thing for any suit is that it fits and flatters. For women, a suit can cost as little as $300 for a hand made suit if you get a Maggie Suits suit and tell her you want a Michele Welcome suit.  My collaboration with Maggie is to make sure that anyone can get a quality suit that fits like a glove that also doesn’t break the bank.  I do not get any affiliate fees for this collaboration.  This is purely to help competitors get a suit for an affordable price.  For men your suits typically are less than $100.  However, if your loved one is competing in an organization that also require costumes, gowns, and tuxedos, this is where things can get super costly.   This is normal.  

The suits, hair, makeup, tan and accessories are all normal costs of doing a bodybuilding show and will add up so be prepared for all of these expenses. 

Ok so far you’ve learned that being in a relationship with someone competing in a bodybuilding show requires adherence to diet and training, since a competition physique is much leaner and more extreme looking than just being hot on the beach fit.  This adherence to diet and training must also be done over an extended period of time as well to allow enough time to bring body fat levels down to stage ready levels.  You’ve also learned there are many different organizations and levels of muscularity required depending on where people compete.  You are aware that performing on stage is the most important thing, really the only thing, you need to do on show day and all the scoring is 100% opinions.  And you’ve also learned there are quite a bit of expenses involved in competing that requires you to budget for and set aside money.

There are a few other considerations to be prepared for as your loved ones get ready for shows.  Some of these considerations I am going to tell you because I want you to be aware of things that might seem like red flags but are normal, and things that might be presented as normal but are actually potential red flags.

For one, emotions are going to run high. This is normal. As the process gets further and further into full swing and your loved ones get leaner and leaner, the amount of effort they put in and the changes they will see in their body will affect their everyday mindset. The focus and dedication can be stressful, even if the results are great, because it still take a lot of effort to stay focused day in and day out while also working full time jobs and/or handling everyday family obligations with the household and kids.  Plus getting super lean can be uncomfortable so there might be an undertone of irritability at times from the discomfort. By the way, no matter how lean they get,they will probably still not think they are lean enough.  The mind can play some head games as time goes on and stress levels increase.  Remind them that competing is a hobby and that they are doing everything they can to look and feel their best.   

 Another thing for you to consider as a loved one watching from the outside in is that who they affiliate with with will influence decisions.  There are many different bodybuilding organizations. There are many different coaches too.  And people are people no matter where they compete and naturally, in any sport, people are competitive.  Some coaches will only train clients for specific organizations. Some organizations will say they are the best and the other organizations don’t matter. Some competitors will think their shit don’t stink because they won a trophy or a pro card. The competitiveness of the sport and the attitudes of those your loved one affiliate with can influence their decisions.  As a loved one looking in from the outside I suggest you remind your loved one that once again bodybuilding is a hobby and on some level should always remain fun and decisions should always be in their best interest, not the interest of the coach, organization, or anyone or anything else.

One thing to note on the topic of who your loved ones affiliate with is you are going to see a lot of people walking around sporting team logos at shows.  You will hear things like, “I’m with my team.” “My team is…” This might be confusing for you as a loved one because Bodybuilding is not a team sport.   The individual takes home the trophy, and part of that trophy is their physique.  The team thing is just for fun and camaraderie.  At the end of the day, everyone that competes should make decisions that are best for them, not the team.  I repeat, bodybuilding is not a team sport. 

Another major consideration you must know about if your loved ones are competing in bodybuilding is that there are drug tested and non drug tested federations. Drug tested federations are organizations that do not allow performance enhancing drugs and will test their athletes for banned substances and disqualify anyone from competing should any banned substance be found in their system. Some drug tested organizations add an additional layer of testing by also requiring their athletes to take a polygraph test before a show and disqualify anyone that is found lying about taking performance enhancing drugs.  These drug testing measures help weed out those who use performance enhancing drugs to increase muscle size and assist with getting super lean.  Drug tested bodybuilding organizations  believe taking substances to increase muscle and decrease body fat is an unfair advantage in a competition that is scored on muscle size and level of leanness.  

Non drug tested bodybuilding organizations do not test for any performance enhancing drugs. Over the past 20 years I have been in the bodybuilding industry I have watched the amount of performance enhancing use in non drug tested federations skyrocket.  The winning physiques of competitors in these organizations has evolved greatly as a result of performance enhancing substances to the point that it is debatable whether anyone who is not using performance enhancing drugs will be competitive in these organizations no matter the division, no matter if male for female.  

Because of the common use of performance enhancing drugs, there is a nonchalant attitude towards the use of them.  As a loved one you should question any substance that is recommended to your significant other.  You should also remember that this sport is unregulated and remember what I said about coaches and how many have no formal education on human physiology.  Any chemical that is recommended should be questioned and researched.  Especially anabolic steroids of any kind.  For the women in your life, please hear me today when I say, there is not ONE safe anabolic compound.  Some compounds are said to be meant for women and safe from side effects - that is completely inaccurate.  There is no such thing an an anabolic that has zero androgenic affect (androgenic meaning male characteristics) So any anabolic will run the risk of causing male side effects in women. It will start off subtle but the thing with anabolic compounds is not the acute dose, but the dosage over time, that is the problem. You will hear that there are preferred ones for women because of the lesser degree of side effects with an acute dose, but I assure you, women are very sensitive to androgens and the level of response from taking anabolics is going to be unique to the individual and many of these side effects are permanent.  There are no short cuts to building muscle that don’t have consequences. As someone watching from the outside I recommend you be a part of these decisions and remind your loves ones that once again bodybuilding is a hobby and there is no trophy worth ones mental and physical health and overall well-being.  

As a loved one you might be wondering why on earth anyone would compete in bodybuilding.  Why does anyone compete in any extreme sport?  You learn a lot about yourself when you compete. You learn willpower, pain tolerance, structure, and the incredible capabilities of the human body to transform its shape.  It’s a challenging goal too.  Bodybuilding is an extreme sport that requires a lot of time, dedication, and patience.  The things we do to prepare for a show are really just the same things we do the rest of the year, like adhering to a nutrition plan, exercising, but just with more precision, and with a specific goal in mind.  If done right, competing can be done for many decades.  In fact many of the people I work with are in their 50s and 60s. Preparing for a show is only a small part of life but during this time it can change the dynamic of your relationship.  I hope you become involved in your loved ones journey to the competition because your support, trust, and having their back during the process I assure you will mean the world to them. I know from experience the difference this support makes. My husband today is extremely supportive and involved in everything I am doing and that adds a layer of excitement to the experience. I encourage you to do the same for your loved one.

Thanks for listening to the show! As always like, subscribe, and share to others that could benefit from listening.  And don’t forget to go to learntopose.com to find out more information about all the ways I can help with posing and presentation for both men and women in all federations and divisions.  There are some free tutorials there along with information on my signature weekly virtual group posing classes that are an absolute hit.  Again that’s learntopose.com. Till next time!

 

38: Things Bodybuilding Taught Me

Hey guys! After a little time off I am back on the mic today with a brief update on all that I have been up to since my last episode. I also share some insight on some of the things that bodybuilding has taught me over the years and how these lessons and skills have had a positive transfer into my every day life. 

As always, like/subscribe/and share! And come join the conversation in the private Facebook group for listeners to talk about show topics. The Facebook group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” so head on over there and request to join!

Additional Resources:
-FREE posing assessment and road mapping call at http://www.learntopose.com
-Want to learn skills that will help you look and feel more confident in your posing and transitions from pose to pose? Learn more at:
http://www.weeklyposing.com
-Interested in posing courses and custom made tools? Shop Here: https://learntopose.podia.com
-Want to WIN your next competition? Learn more at: http://www.posingwinsshows.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Wellness, Figure, Bikini, and Men's Physique competitors at http://www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at http://www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at https://shop.killitwithdrive.com/

Key Takeaways
*Update on what I have been up to for the past month (1:50)
*Bodybuilding teaches you courage (5:00)
*Bodybuilding teaches you self improvement (5:58)
*Bodybuilding teaches you work ethic (6:44)
*Bodybuilding will change how you look at the human body (8:07)
*The skills you learn in your off season (10:08)
*The power of finding and learning your weaknesses (11:20)
*How learning performance skills will reshape you and your confidence (12:10)
*Go to weeklyposing.com and let my classes be your secret weapon (13:55)

 

--TRANSCRIPTION--

What’s up guys and welcome back to the show. It’s been a minute since I published one of my solo episodes so thanks for the patience. A lot of changes have been going o n since January and it actually sparked my thoughts for this episode. As you know if you have been listening to the show that my husband and I toured the USA last year and drove over 20,000 miles promoting my podcast. Our living conditions were quite challenging and it didn’t make for the best environment for consistent workouts, sleep, or teaching my online clients.

Since we got back to the east coast in late December we have settled in and really capitalized on all the networking we did last year.  Many new opportunities surfaced for my posing business.  A year ago I created a new way of teaching posing and stage presence that is unlike anything in th e industry. I’ve been fine tuning the structure and processes for the past year and have now really hit a groove.   It’s pretty cool to see my students transforming in ways I don’t think THEY every imagined. And, get this, it’s all virtual. 

After making new connections and from networking over the past year, a couple of industry professionals and owners of federations agreed to offer and promote my custom programs to their athletes. What an incredible opportunity!  I mean really. Think about how much trust and faith it takes for a federation to offer my programs to all of their athletes. I don’t take this opportunity lightly.

So for the last couple months I have been customizing my programs to each federation that is on board with me. The programs are different for every federation because the federations are different from each other. The athletes have different needs from one federation to another, the judging is different, and there are different divisions in each federation too. 

I still have my classes for all athletes at weeklyposing.com that emphasize the fundamentals of posing and help people build better skills so they can overall become better at posing.  These classes have people across all federations which is cool.  It makes for a unique dynamic. 

These new classes I built are federation specific so they help you get ready for your show in your federation. For example, I have classes for OCB competitors only on Sunday. I teach bodybuilding, classic physique, women’s physique, men’s physique and figure in one class. And I teach bikini and wellness in the other class. The classes prepare people soup to nuts for an OCB show.  I am building new classes for other federations as we speak.  A new announcement will be coming up very soon on another collaboration.

My schedule is rounded out by the on 1 lessons I also teach virtually, and the services I provide my real estate clients too, since I’ve been selling real estate for 18 years and own my owner brokerage. Real estate and teaching posing actually does have similarities. I just spent a couple weeks staging a 6,000sqft home for the market. So I stage people’s physiques and I stage homes to present them their best so my sellers get top dollar for them.

I have just now hit a stride with all of this stuff going on and finally have a chance to join you guys here again. 

I was thinking the other day how much bodybuilding really changed my life in ways far beyond just the competition.  I think if you start your competition journey for the right reasons and don’t let heavy influence from the popular crowd lead you down a dark path, your life will transform in so many incredible ways. And the benefits compound over time.

Like for example, starting with your first show, that adrenaline ride to the stage and the unknown of what to expect as you goo yourself up with stage tan and/or drag queen make up and walk out in front of a crowd in your underwear is a freaking rush.  And if you are in a division that requires a 60 second posing routine choreographed to music you will have even more reason to feel anticipation.  Especially if you haven’t busted a move in 20 years. 

Courage is the first thing bodybuilding will teach you.  It takes a lot of courage to do that first show.    Win or lose you did something that is unlike anything else you will ever experience.  It’s like the Tony Robbins fire walking lesson where he has people walk over fire in one of his mass events.  When people walk across the fire, something changes in them.  It’s empowering to know they did something extreme and courageous. A bodybuilding show isn’t walking over fire, but it sure does take courage to apply yourself in a way that requires 24 hour structure to your life for an extended period of time for a one day event that is scored 100% subjectively.  That’s courage.

Bodybuilding also teaches you to always want to self improve and do better for yourself.  After the first show the adrenaline rush wears off and you go back to your every day life.  Except you aren’t the same anymore. Something has changed inside of you. The adrenaline rush of preparing for a show might be slightly addictive for one and you might already be planning on your next show before the current show is over. But the biggest change is with your self improvement goals.  You did the first show and hopefully had a lot of fun and enjoyed the day.  But now you are driven to get better.  Maybe better means looking better on stage. Maybe better means improving areas of your physique so you better represent the judging criteria and score better at your next show.  Whatever “better” is you now have created new goals that will keep you motivated and driven to get up and keep going day in and day out. 

Another thing that bodybuilding teaches you is pain tolerance and work ethic. Even in a simplistic way bodybuilding does this.  Lifting weights is supposed to be hard. You push your pain tolerance when you feel the burn.  In return, your body builds resiliency from lifting weights by building more muscle.  The dedication to structure and consistency of your workouts helps you build better work ethic too.  You also learn pain tolerance in ways like when you resist temptation to eat foods you might be craving, or just resisting eating in general when you get hungry during contest prep.  Doing hard things makes you more resilient and this carries over into every day life too. 

I remember hearing 4x Mr Olympia Jay Cutler talk about his childhood and how he was doing hard labor as a kid growing up working in his family’s concrete business. He was up at 6am and worked till the sun went down and sometimes with headlights on.  There were no weekends off, and after school he was working too. This was normal for him. I’m not promoting hard labor at 11 years old, but what I’m saying is that because he grew up doing harder things than most his perspective on what is hard is far different than the kid who was coddled his whole life and finds it laborious to have to brush his teeth twice a day.  It’s not a surprise that Jay went on to win 4 Olympias. The demands of his youth equipped him for the extreme demands of bodybuilding, like having to set an alarm to wake up and eat during the night or risk losing some of his enormous size.

I also think there is something to being said about bodybuilding and how it will permanently change your perspective on the human body and its capabilities. I remember being in absolute awe the first time I saw my abs popping out of my stomach. To know that my hard work did that changed me forever. In good ways and bad. I see the human body in contest shape as a work of art.  It’s like a sculpture to me.  I think it’s absolutely beautiful.  The bad side of this perspective is the years it took me to still find beauty in my physique when not in contest shape. My standards for my physique are permanently higher because I can’t unsee or unfeel what I’ve accomplished many times getting into contest shape. Instead of focusing on being in contest shape, I focus and create physical goals that make me proud of myself instead.  Little things like working my way up to 100lb dumbbell rows. I’m at 95 at the moment and working my way up to 100. Doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, but for me, small wins are positive reinforcement and self love.  Today I focus on mini strength goals and embrace the muscle I’m still building in my 40s.

All these qualities you learn from bodybuilding from patience, courage, self improvement, and a change in perspective on what really is hard carries over into every day life too.  Life has its ups and downs, relationships have their ups and downs, and so does work. You become better equipped to handle struggles and have better patience to persevere through them.  Striving for self improvement carries over into career and home goals too.  With bodybuilding you surprise yourself with how much more you are capable of so you don’t settle for mediocre in every day life. Plus you have the courage to go after things and not sit on the sidelines while life passes you by.  Belief in yourself is everything in life. And that self confidence radiates from you.

All of these benefits from competing assume you are working with a coach that knows human physiology and doesn’t starve or over cardio you during your contest prep. It also assumes you aren’t the person banking on winning a pro card in your first show and instead are focusing on ongoing self improvement. And it assumes you aren’t running for the nearest PED dealer before you have even maxed out your genetic potential.

Speaking of genetic potential, it’s not just contest prep where you learn a lot about yourself and your body’s capabilities. It’s also giving yourself time off from competing where you fuel your body and re-structure your training so you can build more muscle where you learn a ton. If you are new to competing listen when I say that your physique right now is not the best it will ever be. It is the best it is right now. If you just started lifting and maybe had a really great transformation, listen when I say, this is the best you are right now.  Not the best you will ever be. Every week, month, and year you train you can continue to make improvements if you apply yourself. Don’t you want to?  Even in my 40s there are things I see in my physique that still need improvement so I custom program my workouts accordingly. Having things to work on keeps me motivated and goal oriented.  If you showed up to your first few shows with the best physique you will ever have, what else do you have to work towards? Plus what’s the rush for? Bodybuilding is one of the few sports where being over 35 and 40 is not old.  One of my posing students is in his 70s and still competes regularly. You have plenty of time to build your masterpiece. After over 20 years I’m still building mine.

You can even look at competing this way too. You can think about getting on stage as a way to find out what areas you need to improve too. It’s one thing to see yourself posing in the mirror or flexing in your hot workout outfit for social media. But once you stand on stage next to other people, that’s where you find out out your strengths and weaknesses. You then take that information back to the drawing board and restructure your program to build up your weaknesses.  Not just in your physique but in your posing and stage presence too. Sometimes the best body doesn’t win on stage because of really bad posing. People underestimate the amount of time it really takes to become great at posing and stage presence. Learning this skill of honest self reflection and identifying room for improvement will also transfer into every day life when you start looking at your life as a whole and looking for ways to self improve.  It’s not such a new concept to want growth, change, and new challenges and pushing past mediocrity.

Learning how to become great at performing will bring out a new type of confidence that will transfer into every day life too. Some of the new people I work with in 1 on 1 lessons try to give me that “this is hard” nonsense before I crack the whip and tell them it’s not hard, it’s just new. Telling yourself something is hard will only engrave if further in your subconscious. Just the other day I bluntly asked one of my students which scenario she preferred. To look dull and forgettable on stage doing what she is currently doing.  Or challenge herself by doing the uncomfortably new things to become a stand out.  Her response was “good point” and then pushed past the negative self talk and put some effort into the skills I was teaching her.

Learning to love constructive feedback and new challenges that push you outside your comfort zone will only help you to become more flexible and open to growth in every day life too.  Changing something about your life whether it’s career or general self improvement won’t seem so cumbersome. Instead of crybaby talk about things being hard, you’ve learned to take a deep breath and tell yourself it’s not hard it’s just new.  Maybe you are going through a difficult time in your life right now where you might deck the person who says “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”  Just like you learned in the later stages of contest prep when you are hungry, tired, but still trucking along and staying the course until your show, you learned that even difficult times will pass and you just have to suck it up and wait it out.  With bodybuilding you learn to sit with the discomfort during these difficult times and wait for them to pass.  If this is resonating with you right now, I promise, you so got this.

Alright guys it’s great to be back on the mic with you again today and I hope you took even one valuable nugget from today’s show. I’d love to hear what that was so feel free to join my group Everything Else in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders on Facebook to chat with me. Also, if you are getting ready for contest prep and want to learn the exact skills you need to become great at posing and stage presence, go to weeklyposing.com to join my classes. As always, if you are listening on iTunes please leave a review to let the podcast people know this show is cool.  I’ll be back again soon!

37: Meet The Federations Part 3: The WBFF with Guest Holly Baxter

This episode continues part 3 the podcast series I am doing called "Meet the Federations." My goal is for you to learn first-hand all the different options there are in the sport of bodybuilding by highlighting people in the different federations and having honest conversations about the federation they know best. Today we are talking all about the WBFF federation and how it differs from all other federations.

My guest today, Holly Baxter, has claimed 2 World Championship-level wins in the Natural Fitness Division. She has been competing with the WBFF as a Professional Diva Fitness Model and achieved runner up in the Pro World Championships.

In addition, Holly is also a registered dietitian and the co-founder and director of a number of health and fitness related businesses. Expect some golden fitness nuggets dropped during the show. 

As always, like/subscribe/and share! And come join the conversation in the private Facebook group for listeners to talk about show topics.

The Facebook group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” so head on over there and request to join!

Additional Resources:
-FREE posing assessment and road mapping call at http://www.learntopose.com
-Want to learn skills that will help you look and feel more confident in your posing and transitions from pose to pose? Learn more at:
http://www.weeklyposing.com
-Want to learn how to pose for your show? Start Here:
http://www.learntopose.com/virtualclinic
-Want to WIN your next competition? Learn more at: http://www.posingwinsshows.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Wellness, Figure, Bikini, and Men's Physique competitors at http://www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at http://www.eeinbb.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at https://shop.killitwithdrive.com/

Key Takeaways:

*Meet Holly Baxter (3:14)
*Dietician education versus contest prep (10:55)
*What it is like to compete in Dubai (14:40)
*How Holly’s experience in the WBFF differs from her experience in the INBA/PNBA and NPC/IFBB (18:04)
*Diva Bikini Model (29:30)
*Men and Women Transformation (31:00)
*Male Fitness Model (32:00)
*Attire and presentation requirements for each of the divisions (33:00)
*Diva Fitness Model (36:40)
*Holly breaks down her show expenses (38:00)
*The different divisions in the WBFF -  Diva Wellness and Diva Figure Model (47:50)
*The judging criteria for all the divisions (56:50)
*The Men’s Divisions (1:06:00)
*The WBFF and PEDs (1:09:06)
*The negative consequences of dieting (1:32:50)
*How Holly coaches people how to handle the challenges of dieting for shows (1:46:25)
*How Holly manages realistic expectations with her coaching clients (1:49:47)
*Does competing in the WBFF provide the most opportunities in the industry (1:54:00)
*Holly’s upcoming competition and business plans (1:58:04)

Find Holly on instagram as Hollytbaxter and YouTube as Holly T Baxter and online at hbnutrition.com.au

36: Advice I Would Give A Teenager Who Wants To Compete In Bodybuilding For The First Time

A recent conversation I had sparked my thoughts for today's episode on where I would suggest a teenager consider competing for the FIRST time. Find out why my answer isn't black or white and how if I competed again myself, why my decision would be different than you might expect.

As always, like/subscribe/and share! And come join the conversation in the private Facebook group for listeners to talk about show topics.

The Facebook group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” so head on over there and request to join!

Additional Resources:
-Want to learn skills that will help you look and feel more confident in your posing and transitions from pose to pose? Learn more at:
http://www.weeklyposing.com
-Want to learn how to pose for your show? Start Here:
http://www.learntopose.com/virtualclinic
-Want to WIN your next competition? Learn more at: http://www.posingwinsshows.com
-1 on 1 Training and Nutrition at http://www.killitwithdrive.com
-FREE posing tutorials for Wellness, Figure, Bikini, and Men's Physique competitors at http://www.learntopose.com
-FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at http://www.eeinbb.com
-FREE posing assessment and road mapping call at http://www.learntopose.com
-Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at https://shop.killitwithdrive.com/

Key Takeaways:
*What I told a friend whose teenager wants to do her first show (2:10)
*What it means to drink the Kool-aid (4:55)
*How federations fuel the narrative (5:45)
*Social media and PEDs changed bodybuilding (10:10)
*PEDs in the bikini division (13:08)
*Other ideas for competition goals (19:10)
*How factoring in psychology affects my recommendation on where someone should first compete (20:44)
*Where I personally would consider competing today and why it might surprise you (24:22)