First Time Competitor Tips!
Here are our top tips we think every first time competitor should know!
We asked our Bikini Boutique Community to help us identify what the best tips are for women looking to compete for the first time. Any tips you wish to add please add to the comments section to help other women on the road to success within the competing journey!
1. Definitely hire a coach for your training and diet. I would recommend anyone to use a coach for the entirety of their prep and if your budget stretches then also to the lead up in your off season before your prep. Take your time to look around and find one that resonates with you and you feel you can trust. Do they have results from previous athletes? How do they present themselves? A good coach will be showing their clients results and you can view these athletes to make your own mind up if this is the look and goal you would like to aspire to. Are they responsive? You want a coach that will reply in a timely manner and not waiting if you have any concerns during prep. You can often tell this by how they respond to your initial inquiry!
2. Get a posing coach! Posing counts for so much of the score so don't slack on any posing tips you can get from any experienced posing coaches! This could be the difference between a placing or no placing, 1st or 2nd place! Many find posing the hardest part, some it comes quite natural so hire someone to help you at least get the ball rolling and check in with them regularly until you have it nailed!
3. Practice posing EVERYDAY! Honestly this is such a great tip because the more you practice the more natural this all comes to you when it comes to show day! You want it to feel effortless to you and not panic about how your posing is come show day. The more you practice the less you will think about it on the day. And trust me you will have enough to think about on the day so it's all about making our day that bit easier and our placing that much higher!
4. Always remember your why! At times during prep it can really be a struggle. Your energy is low, your food is low with cardio and training high it can really test you at times. I always keep thinking to myself that the days I have super low energy and feel s**t that it's all working! This is my body telling me it's working hard shedding that fat so you're not going to feel great. You just have to slug it through on those days and remember tomorrow is a new day and keep thinking why you are doing this! Remember your end goal! It is a privilege to compete and prep so count your blessings on those days because you are actually so privileged to be going on this journey.
5. Trust the process! Be honest with your coach always, and remember as females our weight fluctuates more so, so some weeks the scales may not go the way we want. The best thing to do is trust and not to stress. Stress makes it so much harder for our bodies to work the way we want it to during prep so always remain calm and trust in the process. It works!
6. Book your tan and make up well in advance. These book up very quickly so don't leave these until last minute! There are always links to booking your tan and makeup via the federations website so be sure to do this when registering for your show and feel peace that it's done and booked so you will be all set on the day.
7. Have a show day list! Make sure you plan in advance what to pack for show day. What meals/food do you need to bring? Are you staying in a hotel the night before and need a bit extra or are you traveling up on the day? Get well prepared.
8. Pick the right suit for you! Select the bikini colour and bikini style that will not only suit you and your complexion/the tan/hair/eye colour and physique but also that they meet with the criteria of the federations rules. Some federations require NPC style suits, some require moderate glute coverage and some are quite lenient so be sure to check yourself and with the bikini designer when ordering. At bikini boutique we always ask what federation you are competing with and then give you options that will fit with that specific federation. If you are ever unsure just drop us a DM on instagram @bikiniboutique.uk or email us bikini.boutique@hotmail.com
9. Stop looking at others on social media and comparing yourself! Many girls will look at others competing in the same show as them...please don't do this! It will only effect you negatively and most have their best angles, best lighting and filters on so this is never a true representation of their look! Focus on your own progress and nobody elses. Of course support other girls on their journeys and make friends in the competing world, this will help you especially during prep with someone who is on a similar journey but just leave the comparing and negative self talk behind!
10. Lastly have fun! Enjoy the whole prep journey and of course...SHOW DAY! It is your first show you want to treasure every moment and really enjoy it. Be present and remember even on those hard days of sacrifice remember this final moment on stage will all be worth it!
Thank you for reading, we hope you enjoyed and found it helpful :)
With love...
B.B Community xoxo