November 2, 2015

I AM ENOUGH. Lauren Zulli

I Am…

My name is Lauren and I am a sustainability, health and wellness advocate who lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Nutrition, fitness, yoga, and meditation are more than just a passion of mine – they are my lifestyle. And while this lifestyle sounds intriguing, boasting healthfulness and the promise of positivity, it can also be filled with an intense drive for competition and over performance which sometimes can lead to inner dialogs of “I am not good enough.”

Driven.

I was always a driven kid. I remember at the age of 9 thinking how beautiful of a gift it was to have a body and a brain that afforded us the power to do anything we could think of. I made a promise to myself that I would hone my mind and body to the best of my abilities. One year later my quest for achievement and performance started to truly grow as I taught myself how to play soccer. I watched this desire for challenge, to learn, take different shapes over the years throughout grade school, high school, college, even as a professional. Like a soap bubble floating through the air – I continued to expand my skillset and hone my abilities in sports, academia, intellect, even in the spiritual dimension.

Purpose.

Every minute of every day was filled with “work.” In December 2013, my mother passed away. I suddenly became aware of my mortality; I withdrew from life, living in my head questioning past decisions, my “purpose”, and my plan for the future. At first I could not even stomach the idea of going to the gym or my job without knowing what my “purpose” was. The things I thought defined me as a person no longer seemed to make sense. I continued to practice yoga as it was the only place I felt safe and where everything in life seemed perfect.

Mindful.

Six months after my mother passed I had a colleague at work share with me his wife’s experiences in bodybuilding. The dedication, the mindfulness in training and nutrition, the act of competition. These were all very familiar themes for me and felt wildly comforting to think about after having no drive for life for the first half of 2014. In that moment, I felt compelled to know more. With eyes wide open, no expectations and with no real knowledge, I reached out to Heather. Soon after our first email transaction I was back in the gym and trusting a process that I knew nothing about. Intuitively I knew that if I just showed up and did the work that it would all work out in the end. There were many days I didn’t feel that way, I thought I’d lost myself, that I was grasping at straws, but there was still a bit of calm even within those infinitesimal moments of time.

Aware.

I was fortunate enough to have two successful shows where I took first in all categories I competed in. Yet, there was still an unfulfilled feeling, a lack of self-celebration. A few weeks after my second show I was practicing yoga, when one of my teachers said something that felt like I was hearing for the first time: “You are enough.” Those words landed on me like a hammer but what was released from the impact was tension; tension that’s had a grip on me my whole life. Finally, after 6 years of practicing yoga, I started to become highly aware of my life and the increase of challenging journeys I’ve donned. I could start to see how I fooled myself at times to think that I was moving in flow with life and that I was not “trying” to achieve anything. I started to see that over the years I didn’t think I was ever enough and that I was never satisfied with what I achieved making the desire to reach a state of self-love unachievable.

I AM. Enough.

I am enough, right where I am, with nothing to prove. This was a game changer. Learning to trust and love myself exactly where I am has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done and also the most rewarding. It trumps any soccer scholarship, any degree, and any competition won. I now look at my aspirations in a new light, as a way to expand my experience rather than another unfulfilling notch under my belt to fill my ego. Since competing I’ve made major shifts in my life to find a balance of self-acceptance without the need to achieve. If I choose to compete again, I know that I will be doing so with the right mindset, one that will allow me to accept and honor myself regardless of the outcome.

Heather Owen No Comments awareness, challenge, driven, figure competition, Figure Competitor, mindfull, success, train hard, unfulfilling, unfullfilled

October 7, 2015

Build Muscle While Losing Fat : Fallacy or Fact?

Is it possible to build muscle while shedding fat simultaneously as an unassisted physique athlete or even someone just wanting to recomposition their body?

By “unassisted” I mean not using muscle building anabolic supplementation, aka, steroids. By “physique athlete” I mean any person undergoing a contest prep for a physique competition including you women in bikini, figure, fitness and physique divisions. And, by “any person wanting to recomposition their body” I mean any person who is dieting and working to get in shape to lose fat, gain muscle or “tone up” as some women like to say.

If you google search the subject of recompositioning or build muscle while burning fat, you will get a plethora of articles making opposite claims. So here you go, based on my experience, research and asking around to several reputable, experienced, successful contest prep coaches, this article is what I have come up with.

In this post:

The Holy grail: optimal goal to build muscle while burning fat, aka recomping
Some say fallacy?
- Muscle growth
- Fat loss
Competitors in contest prep
- Studies showing muscle loss
Who on this earth can recomp?
- The Noob vs The Experienced
  - muscle building rate potential
- Muscle gain rates
- Gender
- Training Program
- Genetics
Recomping How To
- Diet slow
  - Studies showing recomp is possible
- HIIT
- Macronutrients
- Sleep

Is it entirely possible to build muscle and shed fat at the same time? There are many factors that come into play here. Let’s dive in….

The Holy Grail

Losing fat and gaining muscle, aka body recomping, or recompositioning is the ultimate goal when getting fit.

It actually is entirely possible BUT, yes, there is a but….

…. there are variables that must be considered like age, gender, genetics, training experience, program and diet.

Some say fallacy?

There are people who say that recomping is a fallacy and here is why. Muscle growth and fat loss are two contradictory processes. One is anabolic (building) while the other is catabolic (breakdown).

Muscle Growth

Muscle growth happens when protein synthesis rates are greater than protein degradation, also known as being in an anabolic state to build muscle. This requires energy to build thus you must be getting enough energy and nutrients through your diet. ( For a detailed explanation on how muscle grows see this article on rapid gainz.)

When you diet, in other words, being in a caloric deficit, your body is in a catabolic state- breaking molecules down for energy. Based on this, recomping is a falsehood. Why would anyone think that you can build muscle while in a catabolic state and your body is breaking down molecules like fat (fatty acids), carbs (glycogen) and protein (amino acids) to be utilized for energy? Well, before we get into this, lets talk about fat loss.

Fat Loss

In order to burn fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit. So, you must be eating less calories than your body needs on a daily basis. Dieting is great to shrink that waist line but it doesn’t go without consequences over time. ( For some serious details, see 3 Reasons Why it’s so Hard to Get and Stay Lean and What to do About it. ) The big issues while creating a caloric deficit through exercise and calorie restriction manifests itself in hormonal compensation creating a catabolic (breakdown) environment (ref 1, & 4). Here are a few key players:

Cortisol (stress hormone) = increases
Testosterone ( muscle building hormone) = decreases, yes ladies, this is significant for you too
Thyroid (metabolic regulation) = decreases
Leptin (satiety hormone) =decreases

When the above hormones are at levels causing alarm systems to go off in your bod, it will not want to be preserving muscle, an energy expensive tissue, when its trying to keep you alive. Your body does not know you are dieting for a bodybuilding show, it thinks you just might die! These hormones listed above are the very hormones you need to maintain and build muscle thus fueling the fact that recomp is not possible. Oh but there is more….

Competitors in prep

Pro Figure – Mandy Embury 2015

Let’s first take a look at competitors that diet for 12-20+ weeks to shed fat to single digits and hit the stage as buff as possible during a contest prep.

If you are in a contest prep trying for those single digit body fat percentages as a natural athlete, you may be on the road losing muscle.

A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2001 tracked 5 female bodybuilders in contest prep over 12 weeks and were compared to 5 athletic woman of similar body composition not trying to lose fat and hit the stage.

The 5 female bodybuilders lost an average of 12.76 lb/ 5.8 kg of weight and 5.6% body fat going from 18.3% to 12.7%.

9.72 lb/ 4.42 kg of the weight loss was fat
3 lb/ 1.38 kg was lean body mass (muscle)

Conclusion– dieting caused muscle loss along with fat loss.

Another study published in the Australian Journal of Science and Medicine of Sport found a similar conclusion. This study took 3 elite male bodybuilders in contest prep. These bodybuilders lost an average of 4% body fat. Of that:

9.72 lb / 4.42 kg loss was fat
4.62 lb / 2.1 kg loss was lean body mass (muscle)

Conclusion– dieting caused muscle loss along with fat loss.

teamwilsonbb.com

Cliff Wilson of Team Wilson bodybuilding, had tracked two of his natural male bodybuilders with blood panels and body fat tests and found that testosterone levels decrease 70-77%, cortisol increased 100% and found one male to have lost 6 lb of lean body mass and the other to have lost 14 lb of lean body mass. The large difference in muscle loss can be attributed to genetics, age, training experience, length of contest prep and how much they had to loose. Again, these hormone imbalances are detrimental to muscle preservation and fat loss but will inevitably happen for a short time during prep.

Based on the above, it seems pretty bleak for the natural physique competitor to, at the very least, maintain, if not impossible to build muscle while in a negative energy balance. But, not so fast. It is possible… but for who and under what circumstances?

So, who on earth can build muscle and lose fat at the same time?

Let’s take a look at various factors that will affect your ability to be able to build and lose all at the same time.

The Noob vs The Experienced

If you are a noob, aka newbie, aka a person that has done little to no weight training, you my friend are one that will reap the best benefits of recomping with a good nutrition and training program. When a noob starts to train hard their body will undergo changes much faster than an experienced fitness buff. If a newbie can strength train with a half way decent diet, they will be able to shed fat while building muscle.

A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology took trained and untrained men over a 21 week period monitoring strength, hormones and cross sectional areas (CSA) of the quad muscle. They found that there was a 20% increase of maximal force and a 5.6% increase in muscle CSA in the untrained athletes. In the trained athletes, they found a 3.9% increase in maximal force and a 1.8% increase in muscle CSA.

Untrained athletes= 20% increase in strength and 5.6% in muscle.
Trained athletes = 3.9% increase in strength and a 1.8% increase in muscle.

Conclusion-Newbies have the best results at much faster rates than an experience trained athlete.

An experienced weight lifter of 3-5+ years has most likely met his or her genetic potential. It becomes a much harder fight to really put on 1 or 2 lb of muscle per year. Below are some tables showing muscle growth potential according to years of training experience. Keep in mind, these values are for men as women should expect about half the potential rates.

Lyle McDonald- muscle buidling potential

Above: Lyle McDonald muscle growth potential model for men. He says women should expect about half the amount of muscle growth potential.

Above: Alan Aragon muscle growth potential

Gender

As stated above, female weight lifters will experience a much slower rate of muscle gain due to having testosterone levels MUCH lower than men’s. (See also, Don’t Lift, You’ll Look Like a Man!). Women have on average about 42.5 ng/dl where men on average have about 700 ng/dl. That’s a big ol difference!

This also has implications on muscle loss rates by gender.

Females are much more likely to retain more muscle than men when in contest prep as shown in the studies mentioned in the above section Competitors in prep.

Training program

Your workout program is also a key factor for building muscle, especially in experience weight lifters.

A beginner and the genetically elite can get a way with lifting each muscle group 1x per week. The genetically elite will build no matter what they do as will the noob. But, as time goes on, adaptations occur and muscle building slows. Working a program where lifting volumes in various rep ranges has been shown to be more advantageous to muscle growth. Utilize daily undulation periodization has been shown be superior to a linear program.

Listen to a great podcast by Layne Norton on this subject Periodization with Dr. Mike Zourdos and check out Project Mass a Training Overview by Dr. Wilson.

Genetics

Genetics will play a large role in your capacity to build muscle, at what rate and how well you keep it during a time of caloric deficit.

The genetically elite have the perfect shape and symmetry for the optimal physique. They can put on muscle easily with most programs and keep that muscle better during periods of dieting.

Yes, this isn’t fair. I am unfortunately one who is NOT among the genetically elite but oh well. I just have to work harder!

Recomping how to

Preserving and building muscle at the same time as shedding fat is not super easy and the muscle growth you can accrue during a time of dieting will be much slower than a traditional bulk, but none the less, a natural bodybuilder in contest prep needs to preserve all the muscle she or he can get!!! Here’s how.

Diet Slow!

A study published in the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences, dieted 24 athletes. Half dieted slowly with a body weight loss of .7% where their energy intake was reduced 19% below maintenance calories . Essentially, dieting at a rate of 1 lb per week weight loss. The other group dieted more quickly with a 1.4% body weight reduction and an energy intake that was reduced by 30% of maintenance calories. This group lost an average of 2 lb per week.

Slow diet group, 1 lb/ wk =

Body weight decreased by 5.6%
Body fat decreased by 5.5%
Lean body mass (muscle) gain of 2%

Fast diet group, 2 lb/ wk =

Body weight decreased by 31%
Body Fat decreased by 21%
Lean body mass (muscle gain) 0%. Remained unchanged

Conclusion= dieting to lose 1 lb per week actually built muscle mass while losing fat as opposed to dieting to lose 2 lb’s per week. Also, the 2% increase in lean body mass for the slow diet group may seem like nothing but 2-4 extra pounds is actually quite a bit of muscle when you hit the stage lean! Recomp achieved!

Another study done on track athletes had some interesting results noting that body recompositioning is possible. 15 track and field athletes were split into two groups. One group took in about 300 calories below daily maintenance levels and the other group decreased daily calories by 750 below maintenance for 4 weeks. Both diets were aiming or a slow weight loss… 1 lb or less per wk.

The group in a 750 calorie deficit

Body weight decreased an average of 4.84 lb’s
Body fat decreased an average of 3.74 lb’s
Performance increased
- 20 meter sprint improved .04s
- Counter movement jump improved by 2 cm

The group in a 300 daily calorie deficit

Body weight – negligible change
Body fat decrease- negligible change
Performance-negligible change

( exact numbers are not listed in the abstract and I do not have access to the full article :/)

Conclusion– Both groups were dieted slowly at 1 lb per week weight loss or less which showed muscle sparing results. The group with the larger calorie deficit, enough to actually lose weight, maintained muscle and improved performance. Calorie deficits don’t automatically mean muscle loss will happen. Also consider the fact that these are experienced athletes where muscle growth rates are not as great as untrained athletes AND, these track athletes were doing HIIT type cardio with the sprints and jumps, which leads me to my next point.

HIIT!

HIIT is an acronym for high intensity interval training. Its short, it’s fast, it’s hard as hell! HIIT is a great cardio type to build or at the very least, maintain muscle mass (much like the track athletes above) while trying to lose fat. Benefits of HIIT include:

Ramps up metabolism for hours after the HIIT session (ref 10)
Sessions are short and only a few times per week
Less time in a catabolic state (muscle breakdown)
Recruits all muscle fiber types (ref 9)
HIIT retains and/ or builds muscle (ref 6-8)
HIIT may be Anti-Aging (see Its Not Nice to HIIT! )

HIIT works like this; you sprint all out, as fast as you can go for 20-30 seconds, then slow jog or walk for 60-90 seconds, then repeat for the allotted number of intervals (interval times vary per program). You should reach your max heart rate by the 2^nd or 3^rd interval and on. I aim for 170-180 bpm (beats per minutes) but it may take 1-2 intervals to get your heart rate up there. then, viola! 10 – 15 minutes and you are done! But the post calorie burn keeps on going for hours! Bonus!

Also see: Its Not Nice to HIIT!

Macronutrients

-protein, carbs, fats-

Nutrition is of the utmost importance when trying to recomp a physique and build muscle. Getting in the correct ratio of nutrients will help to optimize protein synthesis (build muscle) as well as improve performance and recovery.

The following is a typical diet set up for those looking to improve performance and muscle mass.

Protein: Take in about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. See The Ultimate Get Fit Girls Guide to Protein for details and references.

More protein has shown to not have more benefits than the amount listed above (ref 17 & 18) and, getting in enough protein will help to spare and build muscle mass. If you don’t get enough protein while dieting, your body will break down muscle for the amino acids.

Fat: Take in about 20-30% of your calories from fat. About .2 -.5 grams per pound of body weight.

Carbs: Fill in the rest with carbs. Maximizing carbs is important as they fuel your muscles and your performance!

Track your daily intake and make adjustments as needed. Timing nutrients, specifically carbs and protein around your workout during a period of dieting, especially during a contest prep will help to fuel your workouts and build muscle.

A ketogenic diet approach can also be taken. A true ketogenic diet is a diet comprised of 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs. For a person eating 2000 calories per day, they would be eating, 166.7g fat, 100g protein and 25g carbs. The goal is to “fat adapt” the body where your body is depleted of its glycogen stores (carbs) and must utilize ketone bodies converted in the liver from fatty acids (fat) for energy. This diet uses fat as its main fuel source, not carbs.

It usually takes 2-6 weeks for a person to enter a state of ketosis and can feel low on energy and performance may suffer. Once in ketosis, energy levels and mental clarity increase. If you are a highly active athlete, you will need to do a cyclical ketogenic diet where you carb up 1-2x per week. This is a super general overview of a ketogenic diet so please research this before doing it! (see links below)

Benefits of this diet include eating lots of bacon :D, low to no cravings, and evidence showing fat loss benefits while building muscle (ref 19, 20).

Dr. Jacob Wilson PH.d., CSCS has done research on ketosis and found benefits with fat loss and muscle building. Check out his article on the Ketogenic Diet Frequently Asked Questions.

Also check out the works of Lyle McDonald such as The Ultimate Diet 2.0 and The Ketogenic Diet: A Complete Guide for the Dieter and Practitioner , or a book by Dr. Di Pasquale called Anabolic Solution for Bodybuilders .

There are also many prep coaches utilizing keto in the last stage of prep successfully to lean out and get shredded such as Team Gorman. Check out Johns’ article Is Ketogenic Dieting Bad for Natural Athletes?

Sleep!

Sleep in HUGE for recovery! If you are getting less than 6-7 hours of sleep, you may be hindering that goal of muscle building and fat burning all together! Recomposition fail!

Sleep deprivation can actually cause muscle loss (ref 11 & 12) and decreased testosterone (T) levels (ref 13). Yes ladies, again, this does affect you! Not only does a sleep deprived beast mode gym rat have lower T levels but also lower growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels (ref 14). All very important to building and maintain muscle.

Aside from hindering the muscle building area, fat loss is also slowed or halted all together when sleep deprived. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine took two groups of people in a moderate caloric deficit. Group 1 slept about 8.5 hours per night and group 2 got about 5.5 hour per night on average. They found that group 1 lost 55% more weight and kept 60% more lean body mass than group 2 (ref 15).

Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep consistently (ref 16).

Take Home

It is entirely possible to build muscle while burning fat simultaneously. Many factors come into play for body recomping to be successful such as gender, experience, genetics, diet, training program, rate of weight loss, sleep and nutrition.

References

1) Cangemi R¹, Friedmann AJ, Holloszy JO, Fontana L. Aging Cell. Long-term effects of calorie restriction on serum sex-hormone concentrations in men. 2010 Apr;9(2):236-42. Epub 2010 Jan 20.

2)Van der Ploeg GE¹, Brooks AG, Withers RT, Dollman J, Leaney F, Chatterton BE. Body composition changes in female bodybuilders during preparation forcompetition.Eur J Clin Nutr. 2001 Apr;55(4):268-77.

3)Withers RT¹, Noell CJ, Whittingham NO, Chatterton BE, Schultz CG, Keeves JP.Body composition changes in elite male bodybuilders during preparationfor competition. Aust J Sci Med Sport. 1997 Mar;29(1):11-6.

4)Pasiakos SM¹, Vislocky LM, Carbone JW, Altieri N, Konopelski K, Freake HC, Anderson JM, Ferrando AA,Wolfe RR, Rodriguez NRAcute energy deprivation affects skeletal muscle protein synthesis and associated intracellular signaling proteins in physically active adults.J Nutr. 2010 Apr;140(4):745-51. Epub 2010 Feb 17.

5)Juha P., Arto Pakarinen, Markku Alen, William J. Kraemer, Keijo Häkkinen. Muscle hypertrophy, hormonal adaptations and strength development during strength training in strength-trained and untrained men. European Journal of Applied Physiology. August 2003, Volume 89, Issue 6, pp 555-563

6)Plowman, S., A., Smith, D., L., Exercise Physiology for Health, Fitness, and Performance, 2007, 42-43p.

7) Godfrey RJ¹, Madgwick Z, Whyte GP.The exercise-induced growth hormone response in athletes. 2003. 599-613.

8) Juul, A., Jorgensen, J., O., L., Growth Hormone in Adults: Physiological and Clinical Aspects, 2000, 33-35p.

9) Physiol, A., Muscle fiber recruitment and the slow component of O2 uptake: constant work rate vs. all-out sprint exercise, 2011

10)Motta VF¹, Aguila MB, Mandarim-De-Lacerda CA. High–intensity interval training (swimming) significantly improves the adverse metabolism and comorbidities in diet-induced obese mice. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2015 Feb 10.

11)Dattilo M¹, Antunes HK, Medeiros A, Mônico-Neto M, Souza Hde S, Lee KS, Tufik S, de Mello MT.Paradoxical sleep deprivation induces muscle atrophy.Muscle Nerve. 2012 Mar;45(3):431-3. doi: 10.1002/mus.22322.

12)Scrimshaw NS, Habicht JP, Pellet P, Piché ML, Cholakos B. Effects of sleep deprivation and reversal of diurnal activity on protein metabolism of young men.Am J Clin Nutr. 1966 Nov;19(5):313-9.

13)Leproult R¹, Van Cauter E.Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men.JAMA. 2011 Jun 1;305(21):2173-4. doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.710.

14)Mônico-Neto M¹, Antunes HK, Dattilo M, Medeiros A, Souza HS, Lee KS, de Melo CM, Tufik S, de Mello MT.Resistance exercise: a non-pharmacological strategy to minimize or reverse sleep deprivation-induced muscle atrophy.Med Hypotheses. 2013 Jun;80(6):701-5. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2013.02.013. Epub 2013 Mar 13.

15)Nedeltcheva AV¹, Kilkus JM, Imperial J, Schoeller DA, Penev PDInsufficient sleep undermines dietary efforts to reduce adiposity.Ann Intern Med. 2010 Oct 5;153(7):435-41. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-153-7-201010050-00006.

16) National Sleep Foundation. How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?

17) Phillips SM, Van Loon LJ. J. Dietary protein for athletes: From requirements to optimum adaptation. Sports Sci. 2011;29 Suppl 1:S29-38.

18 )Lemon PW, Tarnopolsky MA, MacDougall JD, Atkinson SA. J Appl Physiol. Protein requirements and muscle mass/strength changes during intensive training in novice bodybuilders. 1992 Aug;73(2):767-75.

19) Jabekk PT¹, Moe IA, Meen HD, Tomten SE, Høstmark AT.Nutr Metab (Lond). Resistance training in overweight women on a ketogenic diet conserved lean body mass while reducing body fat.2010 Mar 2;7:17. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-7-17.

20) Moreno B¹, Bellido D, Sajoux I, Goday A, Saavedra D, Crujeiras AB, Casanueva FF. Comparison of a very low-calorie-ketogenic diet with a standard low-caloriediet in the treatment of obesity.Endocrine. 2014 Dec;47(3):793-805. doi: 10.1007/s12020-014-0192-3. Epub 2014 Mar 4.

August 18, 2015

My Current Bikini Workout Routine- off season 2015

I am currently working towards more of a bikini body and moving away from the figure physique (See Divisions Explained for more info on that). This means I need more booty and less back and quads!

by Liquid Spectrum April 2015- Figure division

I wanted to share my current workout routine. I am planning on competing fall of 2016 in the NANBF contests in the Twin Cities area. In the past, as briefly stated above, I competed in the figure divisions of the local NPC and NANBF shows.

You can see a few examples of my figure workouts here:

2x a week workout- My Figure Girl Workout- my workout – push pull

1x a week workout to accommodate my shoulder issues: Cut Phase Workouts week 1).

Although my body may have a better shape for figure if more muscle was packed on my shoulders, I have to think about the longevity of my joint health. The constant beast mode heavy lifting (which I loved BTW) caused continued shoulder pain despite my efforts through massage, chiropractic work, impeccable posture and physical therapy. You can read more about that in my post 4 Smart Ways to Balance Your Bikini Body– correct and prevent muscle imbalances.

by Liquid Spectrum April 2015- bikini division

At any rate, I really enjoy competing and truly enjoy training competitors so I had to stay in the game! Thinking about the health and longevity of my shoulders and neck I decided to focus on the bikini division…..Bikini bod here I come!

My shoulders have been very happy with this program. I have been doing a lot of plyo work and high rep lifting as I don’t need to build more mass in my back, shoulders and legs. I do need to bring my booty up a bit and decrease a little size in the other areas as you can see in this bikini pic. I crossed over last year and entered both figure and bikini divisions as my musculature was very inbetween last season.

Back to my workout routine! I like to do a 3 week rotation where the format of weeks 1-3 are similar but incorporate different exercises that work the same muscle groups. That way, when I hit week 4, I start over at week 1 and try to improve what I did on week 1. I find this helps greatly with motivation and boredom in a program.

Improvements can be small like doing 1 more rep, resting less or increasing weight. The whole routine may seem a bit overwhelming to look at but as I stated before, the format or muscle groups worked doesn’t change, just some of the exercises. And, this keeps things interesting.

If you do happen to try this workout, make sure you use your head! (and of course the usual, see a a physician before you start any workout program as this is written specifically for my abilities and goals… and so and so forth.)

I do 4 sets of most things but, if that is too much physically or you don’t have enough time, do only 1 set or 2 sets and build from there.

Click below for a PDF file, or continue scrolling down.

Bikini Workout- August 2015 – GetFitGoFigure.com

In this document, you will see three weeks worth of workouts. The format of each week is the same but the exercises change. I do weeks 1-3, then start over on week 1 when I hit the 4^th week. I try to improve what I did previously by increasing a rep, resting less or increasing weight. I feel this really keeps me motivated to work hard everyday.

I already have very developed leg and back muscles as I was training for a figure body the last two years. I need to decrease size a bit and build a better booty!

I like to incorporate body weight exercise progressions to meet the goals I have to do 1 arm pull-ups, 1 arm push-ups, pistol squats, 1 arm hand stands and a human flag. This will be a very long road!

I do cardio about 3-4 x per week which consists of 1 running day for 3.5 miles and the other days incline walking on the treadmill or stair master. I might even get a HIIT session in there.

Sunday– Run
Monday– Back & Plyo
Tuesday– Hammies & Shoulders
Wednesday– Chest & Arms
Thursday– Plyo
Friday– Legs & Booty
Saturday– Yoga

Week 1

Back and Plyometrics

Horizontal pull-ups 3 x 30 (or jackknife pull ups 3 x 20)

Superset: 4x through

BB Bent over rows 20-25 reps
Platform jumps for 60 seconds (increase height each set)

Superset: 4x through

Wide grip lateral pull down machine 20-25
Jumping lunges (alternate legs every rep) TIME-60 seconds

Superset: 4x through

Seated row machine (narrow grip) 15-20
Wide to Narrow JUMP squats to FAILURE….3 sets

Exercises to failure: choose a weight that will put you at failure. Push hard to the end!

Pull-ups–shoulder width apart-Unassisted or assisted pull-up machine or bands…3 sets

Hamstrings & Shoulders

Handstand- hold for 2 min (progression: crow stands 1 min)

Superset: 4x through

Lying hamstring curl 15-20 reps
DB side raises 15-25

Superset: 4x through

Straight leg deadlift BB 20-25
DB shoulder press, alternate arms, 25-30

Superset: 4x through

HACK squat on machine, feet wide, push through heels 20-25
BB upright rows (lift straight up to chin) wide grip 15-20 reps

Exercises to failure:

Smith machine lunges 3 x 15-20 each side
kettle or DB swing 3x 15-25

Chest , Triceps, Biceps

Incline pushups- 3 x40 (next progression: kneeling pushups 3 x 30)

Superset: 4x through

chest presses with DB 4x 15-20
DB hammer curls 4 x 15-20

Superset: 4x through

Triceps cable push down 15-20
Barbell bicep curl (use EZ curl bar) 3x 15-20

Superset: 4x through

DB overhead triceps extension (seated) 15-20
biceps cable rope curl 15-20

Exercises to failure:

Chin ups – palms toward you (unassisted or assisted with bands or machine) 3 sets
Bench triceps dips (use body weight) to FAILURE. 3 sets

Plyometrics

Superset:

Box jumps 3x – TIME-45,55,65 seconds
TRX mountain climber (feet in handgrips) 3x -TIME-45,55,65

rest for 60 seconds and repeat this 3 times (3 sets)

Superset:

Single leg pump steps ups 3x- TIME-30/30,40/40,50/50
TRX pistol squats TIME-30/30,40/40,50/50 seconds SETS-3

rest for 60 seconds and repeat this 3 times (3 sets)

Superset:

TRX ice skaters TIME-30,40,50 seconds SETS 3
Burpee to reverse burpee TIME-50,60,70 seconds SETS-3

rest for 60 seconds and repeat this 3 times (3 sets)

Exercises to failure :

Assisted pullups (machine) to FAILURE.. SETS 3
JUMP alt lunge alternated w/bicep curl TRX to FAILURE..SETS

Legs & Booty

Superset: 4x through

BB Back squats- slow, pause at the bottom 15-20
Bench alternating single leg step ups 20-25

Superset: 4x through

Barbell or DB lunges (stationary alternating) 20-25
DB/ kettlebell sumo squats 25-30

Superset:3x through

LEG press machine (feet positioned high and wide) 3 x 15-20
Kettle straight leg deadlift (standing on platform) 3 x 20

Exercises to failure:

Weighted hip thrusts to FAILURE…3 sets
Glute bridge 3 x 50 OR (Lying down hamstring curl to FAILURE.. 3 sets)

Week 2

Back and Plyometrics

Horizontal pull-ups 3 x 30 (or jackknife pull ups 3 x 20)

Superset: 4x through

One arm DB bent over rows 15-20 reps
Platform jumps for 60 seconds (increase height each set, if equipment is available)

Superset: 4x through

Cable pull down (aka cable pullover) 15-20
Jumping lunges (alternate legs every rep) TIME-60 seconds

Superset: 4x through

Narrow grip seated cable row 15-20
Wide to Narrow JUMP squats to FAILURE

Exercises to failure:

Pull-ups (palms away from you) –shoulder width apart-Unassisted or assisted pull-up machine or bands)…3 sets

Hamstrings & Shoulders

Handstand- hold for 2 min (progression: crow stands 1 min)

Superset: 4x through

Cable hamstring curl 15-20 reps
Cable side raises 15-20 reps

Superset: 4x through

Cable pull through (glutes) 15-20 reps
DB Arnold press 15-20

Superset: 4x through

Kettlebell one legged deadlift 12-15 reps
BB upright rows narrow grip 15-20 reps

Exercises to failure:

Smith machine lunges 3 x 15-20 each side
kettle or DB swing 3x 15-25

Chest , Triceps, Biceps

Incline pushups (narrow to wide)- 3 x40 (next progression: kneeling pushups 3 x 30)

Superset: 4x through

Incline chest presses with BB 4x 15-20
Single arm DB preacher curls 4 x 15-20

Superset: 4x through

Underhand Triceps cable extension 15-20
Barbell bicep curl (use 20-30 lbs EZ curl bar) 3x 15-20

Superset: 4x through

skull crushers –EZ curl bar 15-20
DB concentration curls 15-20

Exercises to failure:

Chin ups – palms toward you (unassisted or assisted with bands or machine) 3 sets
Bench triceps dips (use body weight) to FAILURE. 3 sets

Plyometrics

Superset:

Box jumps 3x – TIME-45,55,65 seconds
TRX mountain climber (feet in handgrips) 3x -TIME-45,55,65

rest for 60 seconds and repeat this 3 times (3 sets)

Superset:

**Single leg pump steps ups 3x- TIME-30/30,40/40,50/50
TRX pistol squats TIME-30/30,40/40,50/50 seconds SETS-3

rest for 60 seconds and repeat this 3 times (3 sets)

Superset:

TRX ice skaters TIME-30,40,50 seconds SETS 3
Burpee to reverse burpee TIME-50,60,70 seconds SETS-3

rest for 60 seconds and repeat this 3 times (3 sets)

Exercises to failure:

Assisted pullups (machine) to FAILURE.. SETS 3
JUMP alt lunge w/bicep curl TRX to FAILURE..SETS 3

Legs & Booty

Supported squats: 3x 30

Superset: 4x through

BB Front squats- 12-20
Bench alternating single leg step ups 20-25

Superset: 4x through

Walking barbell lunge 15-20
DB/ kettlebell sumo squats 15-20

Superset:3x through

LEG press machine (feet positioned high and wide) 3 x 15-20
Donkey kicks 3 x 20

Exercises to failure:

Weighted hip thrusts to FAILURE…3 sets
Lying down hamstring curl to FAILURE.. 3 sets (or glute bridges 3 x 50)

Week 3

Back and Plyometrics

Superset: 4x through

Reverse grip BB bent over rows 20-25 reps
Platform jumps for 60 seconds (increase height each set, if equipment is available)

Superset: 4x through

Horizontal pullups 15-20
Jumping lunges (alternate legs every rep) TIME-60 seconds

Superset: 4x through

Close grip lat pull downs 20-25
Leap frogs or rocket jumps TIME- 60 seconds

Exercises to failure:

Pull-ups (palms away from you) –shoulder width apart-Unassisted or assisted pull-up machine or bands)…3 sets
Wide to Narrow JUMP squats to FAILURE….3 sets

Hamstrings & Shoulders

Handstand- hold for 2 min (progression: crow stands 1 min)

Superset: 4x through

Cable kickbacks 15-20 reps
Cable front raises 12-15 reps

Superset: 4x through

Seated leg curls- 12-15
DB military press 12-15 reps

Superset: 4x through

Smith machine lunges 15-20 each side
DB rear delt raise 15-20 reps

Exercises to failure:

Glute bridge 3x 30-50 reps
kettle or DB swing 3x 15-25

Chest , Triceps, Biceps

Incline pushups- 3 x40 (next progression: kneeling pushups 3 x 30) Do wide to narrow explosive

Superset: 4x through

Overhead Rope Triceps cable extension 15-20
Cable preacher curl 4 x 15-20

Superset: 4x through

DB flies 4x 15-20 (use machine-pec dec)
EZ bar bicep curl (use 20-30 lbs EZ curl bar) 3x 20-25

Superset: 4x through

DB Triceps kickbacks 20-25
Incline bench DB bicep curls 20-25

Exercises to failure:

Chin ups – palms toward you (unassisted or assisted with bands or machine) 3 sets
Bench triceps dips (use body weight) to FAILURE. 3 sets

Plyometric

Same as week 1

Legs & Booty

Superset: 4x through

Single leg, leg extension machine 15-20
Bench alternating single leg step ups 20-25

Superset: 4x through

Walking barbell lunge with kick back 15-20
DB/ kettlebell sumo squats 15-20

Superset:3x through

DB or BB or smith machine: Narrow squat 15-20
DB or with smith machine -Split squat- back leg on platform/bench 15-20 reps

Exercises to failure:

Weighted hip thrusts to FAILURE…3 sets
Lying down hamstring curl to FAILURE.. 3 sets

Start Over on Week 1

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Exercise programs are very individual and the information provided by this website is not a substitute for a face to face consultation with your physician, and should not be construed as individual medical or nutrition advice. It is intended as sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Heather Owen and her community. Make your own health care decisions based upon research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

http://www.getfitgofigure.com/dynamic-fitness-services/

Heather Owen 1 Comment bikini competition, bikini guide, bikini workout, bulk season, contest prep, cut phase, cut season, cutting, figure competition, figure workout, glutes, in season, off season, show season, workout plan, workouts

August 4, 2015

#1 Best Exercise for a Smaller Waist

crossfitcdr.com

Whether or not you compete in a figure, bikini or physique competition, a small waist is always aesthetically appealing. It contributes to that “x” factor or the hour glass figure associated with a svelte womanly physique.

Due to genetics and bone structure, you cannot control the width of your waist from left to right (narrow iliac crest or hip width) but, you can train for a slimmer waist from front to back.

In my case from the front view, I am as square as a brick. And, in the last season of competing, I found myself waist deep in a dilemma… my midsection from front to back was really developed…. more so than I wanted! Leading up to a figure competition last season, I was told I had a “very developed core.” My abs developed “out” more than they had developed “in.” Having a naturally square body type with a “very developed core” left me far from the smaller waisted, X factor look I wanted and was so important when competing in a figure or bikini competition.

Some Ab Anatomy

Source

As shown in the ab anatomy image above, there are the internal and external obliques, the rectus abdominis and the transverse abdominis (deepest). When your external obliques and rectus abdominis gain size, your waist can appear wider or rounder than you may desire. The key is to control the deeper abdominal layers to achieve a smaller waist line.

Transverse Abdominal Muscle

Source

The transverse abdominal muscle (TVA) is the deepest of the ab muscles and is also known as the corset muscle because it creates hoop tension around the waist pulling in what would otherwise be protruding out. It not only helps that waist line look trimmer but, it helps to stabilize the low back and pelvis as well.

The #1 Best Transverse Abdominal Exercise

Source

Any core exercise that pulls in the belly button is most likely activating the TVA muscles but the best TVA exercise is known as the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM). Get a load of Frank Zane over here who made the vacuum pose famous. He is utilizing the TVA muscles to achieve this posture.

How to do an ADIM:

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat.
Exhale and raise your diaphragm, pull your belly button in and toward your spine.
Try to get your belly button all the way to your back. Hold for 10 seconds and then release. Repeat. Start with 5-10 sets and work over time up to holding sets longer.

Tips: Place an object over your belly button and attempt to lower the object as much as you can. The ADIM exercise is different from flexing your abs because your stomach stays the same size and just tightens when flexing. When performing the ADIM exercise, you want to pull in and reduce the size of your waist.

Check out this video on how to activate your transverse abs for a stronger core and slimmer looking waist:

Once you have mastered the supine ADIM, try it on all fours working against gravity. Check out this video showing a quadruped ADIM progression. First master the ADIM on all fours before moving on to lifting the arms and legs up.

Strong TVA’s create sexy waistlines and stable cores!

… but don’t forget to be good in the kitchen… you won’t be able to see any inkling of the results from these ADIM exercises if your snacking on Twinkies all day!

Featured image by Kai York

July 8, 2015

4 Smart Ways To Balance Your Bikini Bod! Correct and Prevent Muscle Imbalances

In this post:

2 Types of muscular symmetry and balance
4 Causes of muscular asymmetry
4 Smart strategies to correct and prevent muscle imbalances and asymmetry
My Story

Michele Levesque – fitness model

Symmetry by nature is very attractive. As humans, we are drawn to symmetry as it seems to be nature’s preference. Organisms have evolved symmetrically to allow for optimal balance and function. Take the human body, each side is a mirror image of the other to allow for specific, purposeful and synergistic movement. We have two identical arms, legs, ears, eyes and so on. When this symmetry is discordant such as one leg being shorter than the other, the body becomes off balance and does not function properly. If one muscle is too tight or stronger than its opposing muscle group, these groups will not be coordinated causing stress on the joints leading to structural damage over time or injury to the weaker muscle group.

Nicole Wilkins – 4x Figure Olympia Champion

As competitive bodybuilders (including my focus niche of fabulous people- bikini, figure and physique woman), symmetry is very important on stage and is more important than size.

For both competitive and non-competitive gym rats, symmetry is significant for form and function and should be considered before trying to build for greater proportions.

Two Types of Symmetry

There are two overall types of symmetry:

1) Front to back: Agonist vs antagonist muscle pairs

This refers to opposing muscle groups. For example, the biceps and triceps. When bending the elbow, the biceps (agonist) contracts while the triceps (antagonist) relaxes. These front to back imbalances commonly cause pain that affects the muscles, ligaments, bones and tendons.

List of antagonistic pairs:

• Pectorals/latissimus dorsi—pecs and lats
• Anterior deltoids/posterior deltoids—front and back shoulder
• Trapezius/deltoids—traps and delts
• Abdominals/spinal erectors—abs and lower back
• Left and right external obliques
• Quadriceps/hamstrings—quads and hams
• Shins/calves
• Biceps/triceps
• Forearm flexors/extensors

Symmetry between antagonistic pairs is important to keep bones in the joints centered when in motion. If there is a muscle imbalance in a set of opposing muscle groups problems occur. For example, when one muscle is tighter than its opposing muscle group, the joints will not move properly as tight muscle will be pulling on the joint it acts upon. Take the quads and hamstrings. These two muscle groups perform opposite motions on the knee joint. If the hamstrings are tighter than the quads, extra stress will is placed on the knee joint not allowing that joint to fully extend or move smoothly. This could then stress the quad muscle and cause issues with the knee cap.

2) Right vs left: Contralateral

This type of muscle imbalance is where I have issues, asymmetry between the right and left. The left shoulder or back muscles being larger than the right for example. This is not aesthetically pleasing and should not be overlooked.

You can also include symmetry between the upper body vs lower body. You don’t want to be that chick who only trains booty and forgets about the arms and back! Or maybe you do….

Iggy Azalea twitter post

Jus kidding… this girl got injections…

Okay, back to being serious….

4 Causes for Asymmetry

1) Biomechanical

xlr8utah.com

Biomechanics refers to the structure and function of the body. If the body is not balanced, form and function are hindered. Inversely, if form and function are subpar, the body cannot adapt proportionately or balanced.

Biomechanical considerations that may hinder performance and cause asymmetry and injury include:

Poor posture or form
Poor flexibility
Muscle restrictions due to tension, injury or weakness
Equipment
Apparel such as improper shoes
Vertebrae misalignment
Leg length discrepancy
Lower extremity alignment
Previous or untreated injury

Obviously, the act of not lifting equally on both sides is one cause of asymmetrical muscle development but many factors can cause you to not lift with the same range of motion (ROM) or pressure on each side (I’ll talk further about the latter in #2).

Your conscious and unconscious proprioception (position and self movement) is important to master when lifting. Conscious coordination and proprioception is utilized when performing complex motor activities where unconscious proprioception coordinates posture when sitting, standing or partaking in activities. Understanding where your issues and weaknesses lie is essential to address before training hard for any type of activity. Optimal posture and form, above all is key!!!!

thepowerofposture.net

The majority of the population has horrid posture and our lifestyles at desks and spending our days texting away are not helping matters one bit. Postural awareness throughout the day is a great place to start. Check out Kelly Starrett and his take on posture, sitting all day, texting and overall proper form when lifting.

rightatrium.tumblr.com

Aside from casting proper posture to the wind, the lack of awareness of range of motion for unilateral exercises causes problems. For example, muscle restrictions (tension, weakness, injury) in the right bicep may inhibit the range of motion during a bicep curl causing the inability to fully engage it as you are able to do with the left bicep. This leads to greater strength and size in the left muscle causing left/right asymmetry.

T-nation.com

Also be aware of external factors that could cause biomechanical issues like equipment or apparel. For example, with apparel, the shoes you choose to wear need to be sport specific. Squatting in running shoes places your foot in a different position than if you were bare foot or wearing shoes specifically for lifting. I used to squat in my running shoes until I went barefoot leading me to actually buy myself proper lifting shoes. This made a world of difference for my squat as I could squat deeper and more comfortably bare foot or in lifting specific shoes as I also felt a hell of a lot more stable.

Also considering and addressing previous injuries is especially important to prevent further problems.

2) Neurological

Neurological issues such as differing myotomal patterns or damage to the spine or nerves can cause asymmetrical muscle development.

http://www.apparelyzed.com/

This will mostly affect your strength. We all have one stronger and weaker side by nature but considering that each muscle in the body is supplied by a particular segment of the spinal cord and its corresponding spinal nerve is important to understand with age, injury and activity or lack thereof.
The muscle, and its nerve make up a myotome. If the nerve root is inhibited or damaged in anyway, it will not function correctly causing the muscle to improperly engage.

This is where spinal alignment becomes important. Your spinal cord connects your brain to the rest of your body through the vertebrae up the center of your back.

http://www.sci-recovery.org/sci.htm

If the spinal cord is pinched in anyway, it will hinder the function and circulation that so importantly needs the freedom to run through the center column of your spine to the rest of your body.

The following is a list of vertebrae where segments of nerves connect to muscles in your body:

C3,4 and 5 supply the diaphragm (the large muscle between the chest and the belly that we use to breath).
C5 also supplies the shoulder muscles and the muscle that we use to bend our elbow.
C6 is for bending the wrist back.
C7 is for straightening the elbow.
C8 bends the fingers.
T1 spreads the fingers.
T1 – T12 supplies the chest wall & abdominal muscles.
L2 bends the hip.
L3 straightens the knee.
L4 pulls the foot up.
L5 wiggles the toes.
S1 pulls the foot down.
S3,4 and 5 supply the bladder. bowel and sex organs and the anal and other pelvic muscles.

http://www.rollingryan.com/ & wikipedia.org/

You can undergo myotome testing in the form of isometric resisted muscle testing but for the average person that has no inherent or serious injury or pain, this is probably not necessary.

3) Circulation

Improving circulation and vascularity can aid in fueling muscles. You may find that you have one side that fatigues faster than the other. Make sure to incorporate high rep work with unilateral dumbbell exercises to increase capillary density.

4) Genetics

We unfortunately cannot change our genetics. We may not be able to change our bone structures and the natural proportion of our body such as shorter or longer limbs compared to our trunk or a naturally tiny waist (which I totally lack). Some build muscle faster, better and more symmetrically but, never fear! With a proper workout routine written specifically for you while monitoring your proportions over time will help you maximize what you have to work with.

4 Smart Strategies to Correct Assymetry and Train Symmetrically

1) Do unilateral isolation exercises

Do unilateral isolation exercises with dumbbells as opposed to a barbell or a machine like dumbbell curls, dumbbell chest press, and dumbbell shoulder presses. For the lower half of the body do one legged leg extensions, hamstring curls, calf raises and so on.

2) Start on your weak side

Start on your weaker side, then match the stronger side to the weight and reps of the weaker side. You could also increase total volume on the weak side by adding more sets or reps depending on your goal and severity of asymmetry.

3) Focus on posture and form

Make sure you have proper posture and are using the full range of motion on both sides for that exercise.

4) Address issues with your bod- seek help

Address previous injuries, muscle tension, structural imbalances and flexibility issues! Seek help from a professional if necessary such as a knowledgeable upper cervical chiropractor, massage therapist, physical therapist or personal trainer. Do your research to find the best possible path for you.

My Story

You have all heard the standard advice for every workout or diet program stating that you should see your physician before you start any fitness or diet program… well, that may be true to make sure you don’t have a heart condition or some such thing but otherwise, I think its crap! Why… because my doc can’t tell me squat about my postural issues or take the time to figure out if my skeleton isn’t balanced. I learned how unbalanced my skeletal structural was from my upper cervical chiropractor and my physical therapist. The improperly managed imbalances of my skeletal structure over time is what caused the majority of my issues like a shoulder impingement and over developed muscles on my left side.

After having focused on lifting to compete in figure competitions for the last 2 years, it is now evident how off balance I am. I thought I was lifting with the best possible form and posture as well as symmetry utilizing unilateral exercises as much as possible. But overtime, my whole left side- glutes, back and shoulders (which was always my weaker side) are now bigger and stronger than my right.

left shoulder is larger

Left shoulder and lats are larger than my right

My take on the causes for my assymetry …with a little history

19 years ago I was in a pretty bad car accident causing my neck to take on an unnaturally straight form, much like the neck on the right.

Left: normal curve, Right: whiplash trauma

This severe whiplash trauma causes the loss of lordosis, aka, the loss of the shock absorbing curve in my neck that can hold my head up in a balanced position. When your cervical vertebrae are unable to hold your head perfectly level, your body will compensate. My head sits forward which stresses out my neck muscles, which stresses out my shoulder muscles which stresses out my upper back muscles and so on. Its like if you try to hold a 12 pound weight straight above your head vs straight out in front of you… which is harder?… holding the weight straight out in front. Its like that with my head. My neck muscle are trying to support my head which now sits more forward rather than balanced on top.

In addition to tensed muscles, my top two cervical vertebrae, the atlas(C1) and axis (C2) are usually misaligned or “out.” When these top two vertebrae are not supporting your head in a level position, the rest of your skeletal structure will compensate all to keep your head level. In my case, C1 has been an issue for the last 12 years causing my left shoulder to be higher than the right shoulder, and my left hip to continually be rotated forward causing my left leg to be ¾ of an inch short. Now squat heavy weight over and over on a wonky skeleton and see how your muscles will compensate and develop asymmetrically. I saw chiropractors for the last 12 years as they would crunch away at my hips, back and neck but I never really improved… now I know why. My atlas wasn’t properly adjusted.

http://www.nu-chiropractic.com/

me standing as square and as straight as possible. Pre-upper cervical chiro treatment

Also, C5, C6 and C7 of my neck look like a 70 years olds’. The disks between the vertebra are nearly gone and this worries be greatly because I am only 35! I have a good 50 years at least on my life! How is my neck going to hold up! This freaks me right the eff out! AND, what is it doing to my nervous system which affects my whole body!

Random fact: All land mammals have 7 cervical vertebra, this includes giraffes… so fascinating!

In the case of my shoulders, my right and left shoulders blades do not rotate symmetrical. My left shoulder blade rotates in a way that rubs on my AC which causes major irritation. After 6 moths of lifting 6 days per week. I eventually had to go to physical therapy because I ignored it until it was so bad I couldn’t drive or lift my arm. At that time, I didn’t understand what the actual issue was. I thought my form was spot on and I was doing my best to take deload weeks when needed but when my deload weeks kept getting closer and closer together, I knew I had to do something.

During this time I also starting noticing the asymmetry in my right and left shoulder and lats. My left side was bigger than my right. How could this be, I lifted symmetrically and tried to keep the best form possible….I just didn’t get it.

The only things I could think of that may be causing this asymmetry could be the postural issues are causing me to engage muscle groups differently as well as possible nerve damage from the car accident I was in 19 years ago.

My physical therapist really helped me understand the issues I was having with my shoulders as my posture due to my neck will always be in issue for me. She showed me how to maintain my shoulders by strengthening muscles like the lower trap which I was neglecting and to keep my muscle supple by stretching and seeing a physical therapist. Exercises similar to the thrower ten are helpful.

As far as my lower half goes, I didn’t know my left side was more muscular than my right until I started getting regular massages after my physical therapy was through. My massage therapist noticed these imbalances and this really got me thinking.

A few weeks ago, I switched chiropractors. Over the past 12 years I have seen chiropractors that crunched my neck which would last a day or 2, maybe a week but I had to visit frequently. When I was pregnant in 2009, my mother law gave me some literature from a conference regarding those types of adjustments and how they may cause serious neck issues especially in pregnant woman due to the ligaments being more relaxed and such.

There were also a handful of chiropractors that couldn’t adjust my neck properly… why… they were not addressing the C1 and C2 issues. They were cranking away at my neck, side to side leaving me frustrated. I wish I would have known about upper cervical chiropractors years ago! In just 3 adjustments thus far, I feel more stable, my hip doesn’t hurt as much of my neck pain has subsided. My leg length went from 3/4″ off to 1/8″ off in 2 weeks and is holding. My leg has always been off 3/4″-1″ for the last 12 years every time I went into my previous chiropractors each week and it never improved! This is huge! Now, being able to perform heavy lower body and other compound exercises on a more balanced skeleton is amazing!

pre adjustment _ 3rd adjustment comparison

Left: pre-upper cervical adjustment. Right: after 3rd adjustment and my adjustments were actually holding! Improvement in 2 weeks!

Hopefully over time with a more balanced skeleton and keeping up with massage therapy I will have better muscle engagement and range of motion. I have also incorporated more lower body unilateral exercises to strengthen my right side. As far as my upper body, I am continuing with the unilateral dumbbell exercises but making sure to engage the muscle on my right side properly as well as keeping the best posture with my shoulders. This is difficult due to years of have an unbalanced skeletal structure. It is actually a lot of work to keep my shoulders in the correct position but when I do they don’t click or pop and I feel pretty strong. It also become easier with massage therapy and proper upper cervical chiropractor adjustments (for me anyway).

A side note just to give you more options on some pretty cool non-steroidal, non-toxic treatments…..

Another therapy I am seeking out are prolozone injections in my neck to aid in pain management. “Prolozone is a form of non-surgical ligament reconstruction and is a permanent treatment for chronic pain. Prolozone is a connective tissue injection therapy of collagen producing substances and ozone gas which can reconstruct damaged or weakened connective tissue in and around joints.”

There are two docs in Minnesota that can do this and my treatments will cost $150 per session for 4-6 sessions. It takes about 15 minutes. My Step-Mother in-law has this done on her knees in North Carolina and the treatments were only $50. Other sources say these treatments should only cost about $20… as I think $150 is really over priced for and ounce of oxygen (air essentially) to be injected into my ligaments, its worth it for a permanent non-toxic treatment that works.

Make sure to look up reputable docs that do ozone therapy on the american academy of ozone therapy. website.

This blog is for the sharing of information and not to treat or diagnose illnesses or injuries! Seek professional help for the proper treatments for you! And just plain use your head and do your research.

April 22, 2015

DIY Competition Tan- NO PROB!

This year, I decided to give the DIY tan a try. Last season, my first season competing, I researched the DIY tan as well as having the event tanner company do my competition tan and I was way too nervous last year to try and figure out one more thing in this bodybuilding sport so I had the event tanner do my tans. BUT, I had nothing to fear. Doing the tan myself this year was very easy.

Also check out- Your Competition Tan and What to Expect

In this post:

Written “How To” with a list of needed supplies
Video tutorial- also showing the first coat we applied to my back
Matching Make-up

A competition tan is very different from an everyday local tanning salon spray tan in that a competition tan is MUCH darker and washes off every easily with water.

I opted for the Jan Tana color collection products because those products gave me the best color last year. It costs $80 and will last 2 shows, maybe 3. I have also looked into Dark As and Pro Tan which many people use and seem to be happy with them. Dream Tan has been banned at most shows I have competed in due to the fact that it rubs off too easily and stains everything at the venue.

In this color collection you get:

Skin Prep– use this 1-2 weeks prior to applying your tan to exfoliate. You can also just use a sugar/baking soda mix to exfoliate in the shower instead.

Moisturizing Lotion– this you don’t really need and can use any moisturizer after you show but not the day you put on your tan. No lotions or deodorant the days you apply the tan.

Ultra 1 Color– apply this tan solution the morning of. 1-2 coats.

High Def Color– apply this the night before the show . 1 coat.

(Very dark skin such as African american skin color only need 1, maybe two coats to brighten up skin tone- and is necessary)

Green Away– Use this the day of the show. On some people, like myself, my armpits turn green (which isn’t noticeable on stage) due the pH of my skin or some such thing. Spray this on, blend a little, touch up with the High def color and you are set.

Glaze– oil up before going on stage. Use sparingly!

Directions on using Jan Tana from their site click here.

Do you need this whole collection— no. You can use a mix of sugar scrub and baking soda to exfoliate in the shower instead of the skin prep. You can use your own lotion leading up to the show. You don’t even need both colors. You would just use more coats of the high definition color. I barely used the green away the day of the show. I kept touching up with a little bit of color on my arm pits and blended. Instead of the glaze, you can buy Banana Boat spf 4 tanning oil from Walgreens to use sparingly before you go on stage.

A fellow competitor uses Dark As. She puts 1-2 coats on the morning of the show. Dark As guidelines for use click here.

How To:

You will need:

Rags
Gloves – for the person helping you or yourself
Drop cloth (or just stand in the shower to catch drips from the bottle or spills)
Blue Microfiber Applicator Pads – found in the car detail isle at Walmart or other similar stores. About $1.50 for a 2 pack.
Tan solution

Start exfoliating your skin daily 1-2 weeks prior to your contest.

The day before your show, shower and shave 8 hours prior to applying the first coat of tan. Shaving and then putting on the tan shortly after could cause irritation. Do not put on deodorant or lotions.

That night, the night before the show, you can rinse off in the shower just to freshen up, then apply the ultra 1 color. Use long sweeping strokes. This blends very very well. Putting on a coat takes about 20-30 minutes. Let it dry for about 5-10 minutes. Put on a dark colored long sleeve shirt and pants. Nothing else- no bra or undies. You will sleep in these clothes.

Day of your show, get up and sometime between 5-6 am, apply the high def color:1-2 coats about 30 minutes apart. For figure or physique, you will definitely want to do 2 coats of this. You can do this yourself until you get to your back, then have someone help you. Don’t forget to get all the nooks, cranny’s and creases! Then let dry for 5-10 minutes and you are all set. Put your dark clothes back on, where flip flops and bring gloves and rags to the show for people that may help touch up your tan.

Just remember, your tan will be seen from 10 feet or more away. It may not be perfect from your view if there are dark spots or shave bumps that are really dark, don’t worry. Just get it as even as you can and call it good.

Also, Competition tans are designed to wash off at the end of the night so don’t get it wet! I still wash my hands and may touch them up a bit as a final step before I leave the house to the venue. See Your Competition Tan- What to Expect to figure out how to pee and not splash on your tan… which will happen and you can very easily touch it up!

This video will show you an application of the first coat. A second and third coat will need to be applied to reach the desired color. Otherwise, the stage lights may wash out your skin and your muscle definition won’t be enhanced.

FACE:

I don’t have my face tanned with the event tanner or with DIY competition tan. I like to wash my face the morning of the show as I am very acne prone.

Jan Tana Foundation

Last year I used the Jan Tana foundation with a matching Sephora pressed powder but my face was so incredibly shiny and no amount of powder toned that down. The Jan Tana foundation went on well and blended easily. This year, I opted for the Sophora’s Make-up forever professional Mat Velvet+ foundation in color 75 and its matching pressed powder. Now that worked like a charm! I barely had to retouch all day long. That stuff was shine free and stayed put. It also went on REALLY well and matched the Jan Tana tan perfectly. This make-up may not match other tans as other tans may be more brown. Jan Tana color tends to be more orangish.

Face- Sephora Make-up/ Chest- Jan Tana Competition Tan

I used a bunch of random eye make-up colors that included the darkest browns and greys I could find.

My lipstick color this year was fabulous! I used Elizabeth Arden neoclassic coral 12. I have always been a lip gloss girl which is what I tried for my first 3 competitions and found the color didn’t stay and it just didn’t work well. This year I used the Elizabeth Arden lipstick – man that color was awesome and the lipstick had stay power! I put it on once before pre-judging and once before finals and that was it!

_________________________________________________

Make-up Update:

I found a new line of make-up that I love! AND, its non-toxic with safer ingredients… bonus!

I love this line of make-up. Its really luxurious and safe. Check out thier “never list” of ingredients and shop here: Beautycounter

Beautycounter Tint Skin foundation in chesnut. As stated above, I don’t have my face sprayed with competition tan, I match my foundation to the tan. With any foundation you use, the key is to layer to the desired shade. I also love using the Luster Oil and Dew Skin before applying Tint Skin. Don’t forget to use eye and face primer!

Beautycounter Retractable Brush: Use with the foundation. It works so slick!

Beautycounter Mattify Skin Finishing Powder. Takes care of that extra shine. Great for touch ups during the day too.

Beautycounter Color Sweep Blush Duo– Flamingo/Apricot

Beautycounter Color Pinch Cream in Umber for the cheeks.

Beautycounter Lip Sheer in scarlet or currant for the lips.

Beautycounter Color Shade Eye Duo– Fawn/Night & Pearl/Champagne

Beautycounter Color Outline Eye Pencil in black

Beautycounter Color Define Eyebrow Pencil in medium or dark

Beautycounter Cosmetic Brush Collection. Don’t forget the tools. A good brush can make all the difference in the world when applying your make-up!

They also carry an amazing sugar scrub that you can use to exfoliate to prep your skin in the weeks leading up to your contest.

Lustro Sugar Scrub

What To Expect On Show Day (and the stuff no one tells you about)

By Liquid Spectrum

Its show time! You are now ready to show off all of that hard work and discipline you have been putting in at the gym and in the kitchen. Contest day can be a very long day and a not so glamorous one. You will be sweaty, smelly and oily… and trying to keep your competition tan looking good is a whole other story. You also need to have meals prepared, make sure you have everything on your packing list, you need to know where you are going and what to expect…you need to be ready.

In This Post:

Just Ask
Contest Weekend
- Night Before
- Contest Day
  - Contest Format
  - Contest Day Timeline
    - Pre-Judging
    - Glued & Glazed
    - Gluing Your Suit
    - Pumping Up
    - On Stage
    - Keeping Your Tan in Good Shape
      - Turning Green
      - Tan Faux Pas
      - How to Pee!
    - Finals
    - Show Day Packing List

Just Ask

My first show – NPC Upper Midwest Contest 2014

If you are doing your first show and you don’t know anyone that will be backstage… don’t worry! If you are ever in doubt about what to do, or where to be… just ask someone! As time goes on, the more people you get to know, the more fun it gets. Bodybuilding can be a “small world.” Most people in the biz know’s everyone else in the biz. Make connections and talk to people. You will learn a lot. Your first show can be stressful so set yourself up for success and be prepared.

Contest Weekend

Here’s a rundown of what your show prep and day will look like. The following times are used as an example. Make sure you read through all of the information sent to you by your show promoter so you are in the right place at the right time.

Night before a contest:

You are spray tanned naked…. just so you know!

First spray tan appointment. (or first coat of DIY tanner) See Your Competition Tan- What to Expect
Register/check in:

This will vary depending on the contest. Usually NPC contests have you check in for the show the night before or the morning of. Natural drug tested shows such as the NANBF have you check-in at your polygraph test appointment the week of the show. (note, your entry form for a show must be sent on or before a specific date, usually about 1 month prior). Some contests require you to bring or wear your suit bottoms to check for glute coverage guidelines.

Pack your bag to bring to the show. See packing list
Prepare food for show day.
Go to bed early.

You have a long day ahead. Sleep on old sheets and in your dark clothing so you don’t get the competition tan on your good sheets. If you stay at the hotel, bring your own sheets.

Contest Day:

Contest Format

What will the day look like? Most shows are all in one day. There is a morning prejudging show and an evening finals show OR a running format where the contest will have pre-judging and finals all in one shot. There are some very large shows that may be split into two days.

All classes go on stage in the prejudging segment to be judged. The prejudging show may take anywhere from 3-6 hours depending on number of divisions, classes and number of competitors entered. Then everyone gets an afternoon break (no afternoon break for a running format contest, just intermission). After that, head back to the venue around 5ish for the 6 PM finals show where everyone goes back on stage for individual presentations and class awards. An evening show could last 2-7 hours.

Contest Day Timeline

The following is a typical time line for a contest although, a contest with a running format will not have the 3-4 hour afternoon break between pre-judging and finals, it would be a 15 min intermission.

Pre-Judging Portion

LiquidSpectrum-2-95-(ZF-6209-97090-1-018)

By Liquid Spectrum 2014

4-5 AM: Second spray tan appointment (or 2^nd coat of DIY tan)

6-7:30 AM: Do hair, make-up. (or have it done professionally.) Just before you leave for the venue, put on suit, jewelry etc. Wear clean, loose dark clothes over your suit, wear flip flops. If I know the order of events, I will sometimes put my suit on at the show but, changing room space could be very limited and event order could change. It is best for your first show to be stage ready when you get there. DO NOT glue your suit to your ass just yet. Glue and oil/glaze will be done 10-20 min before you go on stage! Also, avoid carrying heavy bags over your shoulders, you don’t want your tan to rub off. Use a roller bag or carry your bag in your hand.

8 AM: Leave for the venue. Or whatever time is appropriate to arrive at the venue to be on time for the competitor meeting or check in.

8:15-8:30 AM: Competitor meeting. Meetings usually last about 15- 30 minutes. They will give you stage directions, show changes, get missing info from competitors, let you know if staff will glue and oil you or if there are designated areas to do these things yourself as well as other general info regarding how the show will run. You need to be at this meeting and pay attention.

By Liquid Spectrum 2014

9 AM: Pre-judging begins. You will want to make sure you know what classes are ahead of yours and what class is on stage. Some classes can go very quickly and some can take forever! Half the time you feel like you have to hurry up and wait. Every show is different, some run faster than others. When in doubt, just ask the staff. You will need to guesstimate how long you have until you are on stage so you know when to:

Touch up your tan
Eat and/or drink
Fix your hair and make-up
Put on your shoes
Get glued and glazed/ oiled (15 min before stage)
Pump up (lift weights to get the blood flowing to your muscles so they look full)
Then line up when your class is called. KNOW YOUR COMPETITOR NUMBER!

There will be back stage staff running the show. They are there to help you! Ask them questions! You can ask them what classes are on stage and how long it will be before your class is called to line up. Also, don’t be afraid to ask or talk to fellow competitors. In my experience, most people are supportive and helpful. It’s the kind of sport where you are in it together but competing against each other. If you chat and network, you can make a lot of friends and connections. You will see these people at future shows and that’s what makes it fun!

Glued and Glazed (oiled)

Some shows are staffed with people that will oil and glue you and that is what they prefer to keep the mess all in one place. Body building shows can wreak havoc in buildings. Spray glue can get on the floors and walls which is very difficult to clean up. Your show tans can stain walls, venues seats and chairs, toilet seats etc. As the oil can also get messy. If the show is staffed with people to oil and glue you, get in line for this about 15-20 min before you need to hit the stage, but only after you have hit the restroom if needed and touched up your tan.

Some shows are not staffed with people to glue and oil you but they will allow a pass for one person to be back stage with you. That person can help you with that. If you don’t have anyone back stage with you, ask a fellow competitor. Most people would be happy to help you out! Please provide gloves and an old towel for whoever is to touch up your DIY tan or oil you. Also, glue and tan in the designated areas.

Sometimes the event tanner will oil their clients. If you used the event tanner, they will let you know in the info they send you before the show, but again, don’t be afraid to ask.

Gluing Your Suit:

If the show does not have designated staff to glue your suit, do this in the designated areas. There are usually spaces that have tarps or heavy paper taped to the floors and walls. Someone will need to do the back of your bottoms but you can do your top if needed. Gluing your suit is necessary to keep everything in place. You don’t want your suit top to gape in the side pose or your suit bottoms to look like a thong! If your suit bottoms do happen to ride up your well formed gluteals while you are on stage, don’t pick it out. It will look far worse to see you up on stage picking your suit out of your crack. Deal with it. You are already in a skimpy ass suit anyway.. a little more cheek won’t kill anyone! 😀

Back to gluing; Use spray adhesive like 3M spray adhesive or bikini bite spray. Spray the glue onto a fat popsicle stick, away from you toward a towel or the paper taped to the floor/wall, then spread the glue onto the inside seem of your suit, 1” length or less should to the trick.

Hold the suit in place for a minute until the glue adheres well. Taking your suit off after the show may be a challenge for some. The glue may take off the top thin layer of your skin. Only apply what is necessary to hold your suit in place. I have oily skin so this was never a problem for me.

Pumping Up

How to pump up for before stage:

Now that you have been touched up, glued and oiled it’s time to pump up. Usually you will eat a sugary type food or drink right before you hit the stage. To pump up, you will want to use weights, resistance bands or body weight exercises. The venue may provide the weights and bands but having your own resistance bands are best so you are not waiting to use this equipment. You will want to pump up slowly, increasing intensity but don’t over do it. You don’t want to miss your peak. Do 5 sets of higher reps for each body part- shoulders, back, arms and chest. Don’t do legs. Its good to have paid attention to what it takes to pump up your muscles during your workouts 4-6 weeks out to a contest.

Which brings me to a good point… when you are lifting upper body during your workouts prior to contest day, pay attention to the amount of lifting you need to make your muscles look big and full. I think its really hard to tell when you have never done a show and then you are told to pump up before stage… how do I do that? What does that look like?… start paying attention now. It can be subtle but those stage lights will bring out some nice shadows on that lean bod!

Stay in the pump room/back stage area for your class to be called to line up. You can continue to pump up in the line. When your class is ready to go on stage, ditch the bands, stand up tall, smile and walk out.

On Stage

You will be on stage for about 10-20 minutes or more during your pre-judging class. It could be longer if the class is large and competitive.

Anytime you are in the site line of the judges, you need to look your best. During posing lessons, you should have learned what will happen while you are onstage. But here is a run down. You will all walk out in a line. Smile at the judges as you come out. The stage lights are bright so you will most likely not be able to see audience members. Line up on your mark. There are tape marks where you should stand. Hit your front pose and keep smiling and looking at the judges. The head judge will direct you. You will then hear “quarter turn” for figure or “half turn” for bikini. Turn to your next pose.

The head judge may move you around in the line up to compare you next to someone else. Being in the center is ideal. Judges will usually place the top women in the center but this isn’t always the case so don’t be discouraged if you are moved toward the ends. If the head judge calls your number (know your number!!), you will raise your arm, step out of line and switch places with the other person they also called. Walking in front of or behind the line will depend on the contest and they will tell you this at the competitor meeting. Step back into line in your new place and hit your front pose, smiling. Raising your hand lets the audience know who the head judge had called as well as the other woman on stage you are switching with. Hopefully you practiced posing every day because you could be holding a pose for 30 seconds to 3 minutes or more! That’s hard work!

If the class is extremely large, they will have about 5 women stay on the line and the rest of the women walk to line up on a diagonal side stage. When standing side stage, you will stand in a model pose. Then the head judge will call women from side stage to step forward to the front line (know your number!). Once judging is complete, the head judge will thank you and you will exit in your line off stage.

Once the prejudging show is over, you may have a good 3-5 hours to relax… so do just that!!! Lay down, watch some TV, read, practice posing or your T-walk… whatever. If the show has a running format, this will be intermission.

Keeping Your Tan in Good Shape

Turning green:

Some formulas and brands can turn certain people green. One tanning product turned my under arms green. I had to be touched up all day to fix this. Even though I was touched up, I still turned green soon after. This was not seen from the audience nor could I see it in pictures. Products will react differently to different people. If a product turned me green, that doesn’t mean it will turn you green. Bodybuilding can be a series of trials and errors from workouts to diets to competition tans. After having done several shows, I know what works for me and what doesn’t as I will continue learning throughout this process.

In my experience, competition tans can be the biggest pain in the ass of the entire day. If your tan gets wet, it will run. This poses some issues when getting through the night and day with your tan!

First show tan faux pas:

True story #1:

After my first spray tan appointment, which was at the host hotel I was staying in, I went back up to my hotel room to use the bathroom. My husband had just given our two small children a bath so the bathroom was humid and damp, including the toilet. After I sat on the seat, three not great things happened…. I stained the toilet seat, I now had a large white ring on my ass and legs, and pee drops on my upper inside thighs. I freaked! I went back down to the tanner and asked them to touch me up. I was pretty embarrassed but they see this stuff all the time. If this happens, don’t worry, it can also be touched up the next day.

True Story #2:

The next morning at my 2^nd, and very early spray tan appointment I was waiting to get tanned when a fellow competitor came down from her room with her hands covering her face. She looked at us and dropped her hands to reveal a white streak that went from her mouth onto her cheek toward her ear. She had drooled while sleeping. We laughed so hard… together. Then I proceeded to tell her about my toilet ass ring so she wouldn’t feel so bad. Later that morning her family walked by me and called me the toilet seat girl… super :/

How to pee after being tanned…..

Yes, how to pee after being tanned. This is yet another glamorous point about competing. When you sit and pee, urine can splash onto your inner thighs or run down your leg if you haven’t wiped well. There are several strategies girls will take to keep their tan looking good. Many pee into a Dixie cup with a small hole in the bottom holding it close to their body when urinating. For me, I still had to keep pee from running down my leg. I was not a fan of the cup. I was also told to try putting a lot of toilet paper toward the front of the toilet and then hold yourself over the toilet… sort of squatting. I still feared pee running down my leg. What do I do? Are you ready for this, I have two clean, old hand towels and I will do one of two things. Either, hold the towel on my inner upper thighs, straddle the toilet and pee, then wipe and make sure I am super dry. Or, put the towels on the toilet seat and sit with your legs wider than normal, hold the towels up a little so they cover your inner upper thighs. Pee and dry well. Its easiest if your suit bottoms are around one ankle. See, totally glamorous. But hey, when it all comes together, when your sparkly, tanned, oiled, and pumped it will be glamorous on stage!!!

Finals

4-5 PM you should start getting your stuff together to go back to the show, touch up your hair and make–up, put on your suit, dark clothes, flip flops and head out to the pre-show meeting at the venue…

5:15-5:10ish: Show meeting

6 PM: show time.

The finals contest runs similarly to pre-judging. They will run through all the classes. Some shows will have every person in the class go on stage, the head judge will direct a quick round of quarter (figure) or half (bikini) turns. Then the competitors will walk and line up side stage. The winners of that class will be called out to step to the front of the stage and be awarded one by one beginning with 5^th place. Other shows will have everyone in the class line up back stage. Then, they will announce the top five. The top five will come onto stage and line up. They will be award trophies beginning with 5^th place.

At some point in either format of a finals show, they will have a segment where every single competitor walks onto stage individually, gets 10 seconds to pose OR do a T-walk, a short bio is read and the competitor walks off. The promoter of the show will let you know in the pre-show meeting if a T-walk or a 10 second posing session will be done. I like to know this ahead of time so I email the promoter after sending in my entry form for the show (1 month out).

If you win your class, you may need to go back onstage to be judged for an overall award against other competitors in your division that have won their height class. This is the winner of the winners.

If you want judges comments, you can ask them during or after a show or email the promoter and they will send you the comments.

When the show is over, put some shout stain remover on your suit, place it in a plastic bag, pack up your stuff, gather your trophies then … GO EAT!!!! YAY!!!!!!

Show Day Packing List

Competition suit and other costumes (fitness)
1. Many have suggested to me to have this on before I get to the venue. But, I have found this not necessary, especially if you know the order the classes will be judged in.
Competition shoes
Small sewing kit (needle, thread, scissors, safety pins)
Oil/glaze
DIY tanning products if you did not use the event tanner
Spray adhesive glue + fat popsicle sticks for application
Resistance bands
Dark clothing/flip flops (which you should be wearing there)
Make-up
Curling irons
Comb/ teaser brush etc
Hair spray or other products. Dry shampoo is a good mid day refresher.
Mirror
Jewelry
Rags or hand towels for wiping hands free of oil or tan
A stack of disposable Dixie cups with holes in them
1. To pee through- yes weird but you don’t want to splash on your tan! It happens and you can touch it up. I have also used hand towels placed inside of each leg to prevent splashing on my tan.
Ibuprofen
Camera
Cell phone
Music player or a book for down time
Cooler + food + drinks + timeline of what to eat when +napkins +plates/tupperware
Clothing to wear after the show (out to eat/ after party)
Cash
Directions to venue
If you are traveling and staying overnight at the hotel- Old sheets to sleep on. The competition tan gets on everything!

Other things to consider:

Extension cord
Phone Charger
Blanket

Most of the time, competitors are hanging out in hallways. Many will lay out a blanket, spread out their food, mirrors, make-up or just plain lay down and put their feet up!

The bikini girls of Built By Brightman. Gopher State Classic 2015

Also check out:

Cut phase 2014
Build phase 2014
Contest prep 2015 – Calculations and initial plan
My weekly cut phase updates
Competition Guide Articles

April 8, 2015

Your Competition Tan- What to Expect

A competition tan is not like a spray tan at your local tanning salon. Show tans are designed to wash off easily and be VERY dark. If you walked around on a daily basis with a tan this dark you would look like a freak. But, from the audience’s point of view when you are on stage, your tan looks great!

In This Post:

Why do you have to be so dark?
Event Tanner
- Skin Prep
- Why I don’t have my face sprayed
DIY Competition Tan
Problems with your tan
- Turning green
- First show tan faux pas
- How to pee with your tan!
See Also- DIY Competition Tan – NO PROB!

Why do you have to be so dark?

When you are on stage, the stage lights will wash out your color and definition. You need to be dark to accentuate your muscle definition. If you are an African American woman or have very dark skin, you will want a coat of tan to even out and brighten your color.

Event Tanner

Using the event tanner is nice sure fire way to know that your tan looks fab. It will cost around $100 each show. (See Costs of Competing) Once you have made an appointment with the tanner, they will send out instructions on how to prep your skin before your first appointment.

Skin prep usually looks like this:

2 week prior to your appointment:

-Exfoliate every day with a non oil scrub. I used sugar or a sugar/baking soda mixture. I would keep it in a plastic container in the shower and just rub it on after washing up. Mixing it with soap for some lubrication worked well too.

-Moisturize everyday

Week of appointment:

-Continue exfoliating and moisturizing

-Wax 4-5 days before the appointment. Waxing irritates the skin. You want your skin to be fully calmed and recovered before applying competition tanning product.

Morning of first appointment:

-Shave 8 hours before appointment. Shaving too close to getting tanned could cause bumps and irritation. Some tanners suggest shaving all the hair off your arms and back as well as your legs so the tan adheres evenly. The last shower you take before your appointment, you will exfoliate. Then, do not put on any deodorant, lotion or perfumes! Those products will affect the pH of your skin and could cause the tan to turn green. Also, the oily lotions may keep the tan from taking to your skin.

What to expect at your appointment:

You will have two appointments. Usually one the night before the show and the other very early in the morning about 4 hours before your show. When you go to your appointment you will wear no undies or bra. Only loose dark clothes and flip flops. I like wearing a zip up hoodie or long sleeved shirt and old yoga pants. In the summer, this can pose issues with sweating. Turn on the air conditioning in your hotel room or car on the way home. You can do a short sleeved shirt and yoga shorts or something like that but, if you have to sit in the car or on furniture, your tan may rub off and stain whatever it comes into contact with. Sit on a towel if in shorts or a skirt. Bring an umbrella in case it rains, you need to stay dry! If you are doing your own hair, have it washed and dried before your first tan appointment. If having your hair done professionally, they will most likely want your hair washed and dried the night before anyway… so do it before you get your tan on!

When you are called in, there will be pop up booths lined up. Men and women will have separate rooms. You will be directed to step into a booth and then strip completely. Leave modesty at the door because the woman that spray tans you will most likely be standing there waiting or getting her sprayer ready. Your clothes will be set aside, you will be given a shower cap to protect your hair. Let your spray tan person know if you want your face sprayed or not. You will then be directed to stand in different positions to get sprayed. Usually, you will face forward, take a wider stance with your arms out to your sides away from your body. Then you will turn to the side, then the back. You may be instructed to bend over a little so they can spray your butt and legs. Yes, this feels totally awkward to have someone behind you, spraying your ass, while you are naked, bent over slightly. Super glamorous right? Once you are sprayed, you will either stay in your current booth or be moved to a drying booth. Either way, you will have a fan blowing on you for about 10 minutes. When you are dry to the touch you can get dressed and leave. It then takes about another 3-4 hours for your tan to really dry and set. I would avoid carrying heavy bags over your shoulder. The excessive friction could rub your tan off.

Why I don’t have my face sprayed:

I struggle with acne. If I have to go without washing my face for over 24 hours aside from wearing tons of makeup for 18 hours, I will break out!!! Not going to happen. This is what I do. I don’t have my face spray tanned. That allows me to wash my face that night and in the morning. When I wash my face, I have to be careful to no let water run down my arms. I will put on long gloves or make sure to bend way over so any water on my hands will run toward my fingertips, not to my elbows. If you wash your hands, you will take the tan off and they may look a little funny. That is the least of my worries but, gloves helps with this. I can then apply my medicated face lotion and moisturizer, then primer and make up. I bought the Jan Tana foundation to match the tan. It’s a cream type foundation that goes on really nicely. I layer that on until it matches my body well. Then I apply a matching matte powder I bought at Sephora along with DARK eye shadow and blush. You can also have your make-up professionally done. Shows will have make-up artists they promote or you can use any make-up artist you choose. The benefits to using the events’ tanners and makeup artists is that they are there the entire day to touch you up. The make-up artist will be able to match the foundation to your tan.

Having your face spray tanned assures a nice match. But you will still need makeup to match your tan.

DIY Competition Tan

If you chose to do a competition tan yourself, you will need someone to help you put it on every crevice of your body the night before and the morning of the show. Then you may need someone to help touch up during the show.

Some brands include Dream Tan, Dark As, Jan Tana, Pro Tan and Liquid Rayz. Jan Tana seems to give the best color and Dream Tan is usually banned at most shows because it rubs off too easily and stains everything at the venue. Most of these brands will cost you around $50-$80 as will last you about 3 shows.

Allow ample time to order your products (8-10 weeks at least), read reviews and give yourself a sample test run on your leg to see how it works. Use a microfiber buffing pad. You can buy these at an auto parts store or Walmart.

Many people have told me the applicators that come with the DIY tans suck. Skin prep guidelines will come with the product. Tanning products may also have an expiration date on them. If you want to order 3 months or more in advance of your show, I would check to see if the products will expire!

Skin Prep: Similar to above

DIY Competition Tan Video’s

Check out my post: DIY Competition Tan- No Prob! The video is below.

The video below-Not so sure step # 2- putting on the lotion the day of your tan. Usually you shower the morning of your first tan coat and you do not apply deodorant or lotions.

Problems with your tan

Turning green:

Some formulas/ brands can turn certain people green. One tanning product turned my under arms green. I had to be touched up all day to fix this. Even though I was touched up, I still turned green soon after. This was not seen from the audience nor could I see it in pictures. Products will react differently to different people. If a product turned me green, that doesn’t mean it will turn you green. Bodybuilding can be a series of trials and errors from workouts to diets to competition tans. After having done several shows, I know what works for me and what doesn’t as I will continue learning throughout this process.

First show tan faux pas:

In my experience, spray tans can be the biggest pain in the ass of the entire day. If your tan gets wet, it will run. This poses some issues when getting through the night and day with your tan! Read some of my experiences at my first show and then read a section on how to pee with your tan on!

True Story #1:

After my first spray tan appointment, which was at the host hotel I was staying in, I went back up to my hotel room to use the bathroom. My husband had just given our two small children a bath. The bathroom was humid and damp, including the toilet. After I sat on the seat, three not great things happened…. I stained the toilet seat, I now had a large white ring on my ass and legs, and pee drops speckled my upper inner thighs. I freaked! I went back down to the tanner and asked them to touch me up. I was pretty embarrassed but they see this stuff all the time. If this happens, don’t worry, it can also be touched up the next day.

True Story #2:

How to pee with your tan

Also check out:

Cut phase 2014
Build phase 2014
Contest prep 2015 – Calculations and initial plan
My weekly cut phase updates
Competition Guide Articles

Heather Owen 3 Comments bikini competition, competition tan, dark as, DIY, dream tan, event tanner, figure competition, How to, jan tana, NANBF, npc, pro tan, spray tan, video

March 5, 2015

10 Training Tips for the Figure Competitor

What the judges want:

http://sportyafros.com/

Figure competitions are a blend of bodybuilding and fitness. During comparison judging in height classes, woman will line up and do a series of quarter turns to the right (front, left side, back, right side) being judged on symmetry, presentation, and other aesthetic qualities such as skin tone. The “X” factor is important. Shoulders, back, quads and glutes are very important muscle groups to give the “x” type of shape (well formed shoulders and upper back, small waist and shapely glutes and quads). Visible muscle separation but no visible striations is desired. Figure woman are generally in the 5-10% body fat range.

Training Tips:

1) Lift heavy

Pick up those weights girl! Figure girls have amazing backs, shoulders and legs! And for good reason, as mentioned above, it helps create that “x” factor shape. It also takes a long time to really build a lot of muscle for natural athletes (not using anabolic steroids). See also Don’t Lift, You’ll Look Like a Man! Once you have reached your desired shape, size and symmetry, you can change your program to maintain what you’ve got by lifting in higher and lower rep ranges depending on goals. (contact me for a fitness program right for you!)

Lifting in a hypertrophic rep range is a general rule of thumb to build size. For example, squat 4 sets of 8-10 repetitions.

1-5 reps = Strength

6-12 = Hypertrophy (size, heavy)

12+ = Endurance (high rep)

Some programs will have hypertophic rep range days and endurance rep range days. Such as:

Saturday: Shoulders & Back – heavy (refeed day)
Sunday: Legs-Heavy
Mon: Chest & arms – Heavy
Tue: off
Wednesday: Shoulders & back – high rep
Thursday: Legs & Abs -high rep
Friday: Chest & Arms – high rep

Other programs work muscle groups 1x per week with a weaker muscle group worked twice such as shoulders.

3-5 exercises for 3-4 sets in the 8-12 rep range

Day 1: Shoulders (heavy)
Day 2: Legs and abs (quads/ hams/ calves)
Day 3: Triceps + Biceps
Day 4: Shoulders (High Rep 15-20 rep range)
Day 5: Back
Day 6: Chest and abs
Day 7: off

A beginner program may look like this:

3-5 exercises for 3-5 sets in the 8-12 rep range

Day 1: Chest and triceps
Day 2: Off
Day 3: Legs
Day 4: Back and biceps
Day 5: Off
Day 6: Shoulders
Day 7: Off

2) Lift for symmetry

Symmetry plays a very important part to your score when competing. Not to mention it is also more aesthetically pleasing for your everyday look. You must be symmetrical from left to right and top vs bottom. You don’t want a very developed upper body and no leg muscle nor do you want your left bicep to be bigger than your right. Evaluate yourself at least every 4 weeks to stay on top of your muscular development by taking progress pictures and/ or having another person with a good eye to evaluate your progress.

3) Plan enough time to cut

Figure girls need to be lean! When going into a show, you will need to plan enough time to cut 1-1.5 pounds per week, no more. The faster you try to loose weight, the more muscle you may sacrifice. You also run the risk of totally effing up your metabolism! Its easy to get caught up in cutting more and more calories and piling on the cardio but that can be a HUGE mistake and really work against you. See Metabolic Damage

4) HIIT up that cardio!

HIIT is a great type of cardio to burn fat and keep that metabolism reved so you continue to burn cals through the day. Don’t do hours and hours of steady state cardio everyday. It will only slow your metabolism and make it harder to keep that body after your competition. You may see two a day cardio closer to a show but not 15 weeks out. See It’s Not Nice to HIIT on how to use HIIT properly.

5) Don’t skimp on the workouts

If you have 8 HIIT intervals, you do 8 for the allotted time. If you have 30 min of MISS cardio, you do 30 minutes. Not 29 min and 30 seconds…. finish to the end.

6) Follow and track your program

Keep track of all of your workouts so you can see improvement over time. Track your food with an app like my fitness pal and prep your food at least 1x per week. Then make sure you have your food all set the night before. Every bite counts. One extra bite here and there really adds up at the end of the day. So don’t pop that extra piece of grilled cheese sandwich your kids didn’t eat!!

7) Do not cut salt/sodium

This can be a common mistake through the cut phase and/or during peak week to pull water from under the skin and look “tight.” But cutting sodium to very low – zero levels will only have the opposite effect and cause you to retain water.

The kidneys regulate blood sodium levels to very tight ranges – about 140 mEq/L. If you eat more sodium, the kidneys will filter some out and excrete it through your urine. If sodium is reduced, the kidneys will do their very best to conserve sodium by reabsorbing more back into the blood stream and excreting less in the urine. You can see below, in restricted sodium diets, blood concentrations of serum sodium remain unchanged while the hormone aldosterone sky rockets. Aldosterone is trying to conserve sodium and only make you retain water! Not what you are going for!

8) Drink your water!

Drink 3/4 – 1 gallon per day. 2% dehydration effects performance by 20%! Mark a water gallon to help you stay on track.

9) Cycle carbs and refeed

Cycling carbs is usually only necessary around 6-8 from your contest when carbs are getting low. Carb cycling is a helpful tool to keep your body composition moving in the right direction. Cycling carbs isn’t necessary in a bulking season as you are getting plenty to eat throughout the day.

There are many ways people cycle carbs. For example, they may have a drastic low day of 30-50 carbs with low fat and high protein and then high carb days of 150-200 carbs with low fat and moderate protein. Others have a less drastic shift between days such as a 30 carb difference between high, medium and low days.

Refeed meals. When done correctly, you can have them all the way into a show. Refeed and cheat meals are two different things. Cheat meals are one free-for-all meal per week and refeeds are structured meals with specific macros, usually high carb and low fat. See My Contest Prep 2015 for more detailed info and calculations on cycleing carbs and refeed meals.

10) Keep carbs around your workout

Aka nutrient timing means you time your macros around your workout. When you are cutting calories and carbs start getting low, center the majority of your carbs around your lifting session so you have the most energy to get a good workout! See My Contest Prep and Weekly Updates or examples.

One extra helpful tip for the road: have a support group!

It is SO beneficial to have a support group of people that are also training for a competition. If you don’t know anyone, start meeting people at posing sessions or group workouts. You can also join bodybuilding groups or forums on facebook for feedback and advice.

http://www.getfitgofigure.com/dynamic-fitness-services/

Featured pic from http://purelifts.com/not-too-muscular-bodybuilding-competitions-for-female-bodybuilders/

Heather Owen 2 Comments carb cycling, cheat meal, cutting calories, diet, drink water, figure competition, Figure Competitor, HIIT cardio, myfitnesspal, refeed, salt, sodium, sodium depletion, support group, track workouts, training tips, workout

February 15, 2015

Contest Prep Week 6 Update

Weekly Updates Include:

Progress Pics
Changes to diet
Changes to Workout and cardio
Video diary

Also check out:

All Weekly Updates
Cut phase 2014
Build phase 2014
Contest prep 2015 – Calculations and initial plan
Competition Guide Articles

10 weeks to contest

Cut Phase, February 7th-13th 2015

Weight range: 137.8 – 138.2

Weekly low: 137.8

I wanted to hit the low 137’s this week but I missed 4 workouts due to being sick…so, whatev. This low is still lower than last weeks low! That is progress.

Workouts Schedule: Added 5 min onto Sundays LISS session, 1 interval onto Tuesdays MIIT session, and exchanged LISS for MIIT on Friday. I also changed up the rep ranges I am working in as well, see: Workout plan – Week 6 – Contest Prep 2015

Refeed – Saturday: Shoulders + 7 HIIT – REFEED
Med- Sunday: 20 min LISS, Legs and abs (quads/ hams/ calves)
Med – Monday: 20 min LISS, Back + biceps
Low – Tuesday: 7 MIIT + abs
High – Wednesday: 20 min LISS Chest + triceps
Med – Thursday: High rep shoulder day and/or glut + ab exercises- high rep 12-20 + 7 HIIT
Low – Friday: 5 MIIT

Diet: This week I decreased fat grams by 5 grams per day. My printable diet plan: Week 6 Printable 10 Weeks Out

High day: 190g carbs, 120g protein, 30g fat
Medium day: 160g carbs, 120g protein, 30g fat
Low day: 130g carbs, 120g protein, 30g fat
Refeed day: 275g carbs, 120g protein, 30g fat

Feb. 7th, 2015: There is nothing like a litte flu, okay, alotta flu to see a nice decrease on the scale this week! OMG… this weekend my entire household had the flu. I had it the worst. It was pretty much a puke fest and it sucked big time. I am still recovering. hit 136.2 saturday morning but I won’t record that in my weekly lows.

Feb. 10th, 2015: The Plague has swept through our household!

finally eating and now I need gum because I can’t eat whatever I want!……

February 12th: So, I am sick and tired of eating fricken factory farm chicken, its gross. When I make chicken for my Husband and kids, I make a locally raised happy chicken and the flavor is above and beyond this crap I am eating. But, local chickens get expensive! $14 for a little chicken…. yeah. On a better note, I have a posing session with Allison MacArthur (Elite Presentation) this Saturday. With my show being 9 weeks away I have to get posing, like everyday! I am a little behind. I will get on that.

Heather Owen 1 Comment bikini competition, contest prep, cut phase, figure competition, video diary, weekly updates

February 13, 2015

How to Choose a Great Contest Prep Coach + Your Options

When I first started to look into figure competitions, finding a coach was a big deal for me, especially if I was going to drop a large sum of money to have a prep coach guide me through this process. Not all personal trainers are created equal. Many do not have the experience being immersed in the sport of bodybuilding. I did a lot of research before choosing a coach and it really paid off. Read on to find out what your options are and what to look for in a good contest prep coach.

Source: Ahlstrom Fitness Consulting

Contest Prep Coach/ Personal Trainer Options

Having a personal trainer to coach you can no doubt be one of the most expensive parts of this whole journey. What can a prep coach do for you? A knowledgeable bodybuilding coach can formulate and tweak your diet and workouts over the course of your training and prep based on your goals and metabolism. Some can also coach you on posing, buying a competition suit and shoes and other contest needs. But, if you are on a budget, and paying an in-person coach won’t cut it, you have some options.

Online coach: An online coach can provide all of the above services without ever having met you in person. You can utilize skype, spreadsheet sharing, pictures, daily or weekly weight checks , and a lot of communication by email. They will formulate your diet and exercise program and change it regularly based on your weight and pictures you send to them. These coaches will average about $20-$100 per week or monthly payments of $100-400 per month.

As needed: Employ a body building trainer when needed to tell you where your macros should be and what your workouts should look like. This could be 1x per month, 2x per month, 1x every 2 months etc. $50-$175 per session or a package price $200+

Group sessions: Some coaches have group workouts and posing sessions at an affordable cost that you can attend when it’s convenient for you. You can get an expert opinion on your body composition as well as get feedback and tips for workouts or posing. This usually does not include a workout or diet plan. Generally around $30 per session

Jump start: A coach will give you a diet and exercise program based on your needs. Then you direct how you cut macros and add cardio into a show. This will usually cost about $150-300 for a take it and run plan.

Workouts only: You have a personal trainer (online or in person) create a lifting program for you.

Combo or go it alone: Some will have a personal trainer for their workouts and another person do their diet and cardio. If you choose to go it alone, research, research, research. Follow knowledgeable coaches, make a plan and kick some butt. As this latter option is a super affordable one, you won’t have an experienced second party to take a look at your symmetry and body composition desired for placing at a contest. A solution to this; attend some group posing or workout sessions I mentioned above and ask the coach conducting the session how you look.

Six time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates never employed a coach, he says in an interview with London Real. He did his research and then trial and error at the gym doing what worked best for him. Although, contest prep is no joke, I highly suggest finding a good contest prep coach!

How to Find a Knowledgeable Prep Coach/Personal Trainer

If you have decided you would like a coach to help you with diet, exercise or both, you will need to find someone knowledgeable about the sport. There are a lot of great trainers out there but, they need to have experience and knowledge in the bodybuilding world. Dieting to lower body fat levels while keeping your metabolism healthy and formulating a good lifting program are must haves.

Many, many people have had less than ideal experiences with coaches that followed outdated methods, dieted them incorrectly causing serious issues and were unavailable when needed.

Where to look

Great ways to get the ball rolling to find a bodybuilding prep coach are to search online for bodybuilding prep coaches, call your local gyms, find local shows through federation websites and contact the show promoters and just plain ask around. Some gyms will have people that specialize in bodybuilding programs. The more people you contact and talk to, the more you will learn and find the right person to work with.

Ask Questions

Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions!!!!! Some can include:

What is the coaches experience and philosophy as a trainer in the bodybuilding world?

No cookie cutter plans. You want a coach that will write a plan based on your individual needs and goals. Then, tweak the plan according to your metabolic response. A good coach has many “tools” in their tool box, not just 2 or 3 that they use on everyone. For example, you may want to avoid some one that says, “I cycle carbs for everyone at 12 weeks.” Well, that may not be necessary for you. I am not saying this is a bad coach, but a statement like this may be an indicator of a cookie cutter plan.

An ill planned diet and exercise plan can cause physiological problems. Everyone is different and will respond to programs differently. When cutting for a contest, you will be cutting to lower body fat levels. In order to keep you healthy and find a diet type that works best for you, you will need someone with experience. Experience can be more important than someone that has a PHD, although, everyone does have to start somewhere. Just make sure you find a coach that understands all important aspects of dieting safely and aligns with what you are looking for.

Knowing the coaches experience and philosophy can help you figure out if this is the coach for you and if you can work together. If a coach only allows you to eat the 5 magic foods that they feel work, and that is fine with you, great. If you want a more flexible approach (IIFYM- If It Fits Your Macros) that allows you to eat foods you choose but set within the macronutrient guidelines they provide, then go with that coach.

The bottom line – you want to avoid a coach that will give you a cookie cutter approach. They need to stay on top of your program and asses it weekly just for you!

What is their method of diet as well as key aspects of their program?

Key aspects for a contest prep coach should include that fact that they will use the appropriate method or “tool” at the appropriate time in your prep or off season.

“Tools” may include carb cycling, refeed/cheat meals, reverse diet, ketogenic diet, when to lay on the cardio and for how long and so on. These are things that a coach may not be able to tell you up front as they cannot see the future but your history and current metabolic state will be a good indicator of how your prep will go.

It is important, however that the coach diets you slowly, about 1-1.5 lbs per week on average.

A good coach will also make sure your metabolism is in a good place before prepping you. If you come to them eating low calories doing a lot of cardio and want them to prep you for a show in 15 weeks, they may turn you down or tell you to reverse diet up before thinking about a contest prep.

What is their time frame for responding to you when contacted by phone, email, or text? How do they communicate with you to track progress?

A prep coach should get back to you in a timely fashion. I am comfortable with 24 hours. Some are 48. If they don’t respond to you for days or even a week at a time regularly, then you need to find a new coach.

Communicating with your coach can be important when you have questions about diet and schedule changes in your life. Life happens and it is very nice to have a prep coach that can answer your questions within 24 hours. Coaches are busy training other clients as well as having a life of their own. Try and be understanding if they don’t get back to you right away that one time, but always can be a problem! Again, what is important to you. Will they communicate by email, text or phone calls? If they are an online coach, do they also utilize skype or some sort of video chat?

The majority of communication can happen through email. As far as tracking progress, an in person coach will track your weight and body composition. An online coach will need pictures and a daily/weekly weight chart for you.

Do they work with natural athletes or assisted athletes? Or both?

Asking a prep coach whether they work with natural or assisted athletes (athletes taking anabolic supplements) as this can dictate how your program goes. Natural athletes can be dieted differently than those that are assisted. Natural athletes need to be able to maintain muscle when cutting calories where assisted athletes will hold muscle better when dieting, among other methods of contest prep such as peak week.

Asking for references

Asking a prep coach for references can be very valuable. References not only help you to find out more about the coach you are about to pay a whole lot of money for but they can give you insight on their experiences with past coaches, competing and how they have liked or disliked this sport. You can ask the references the same questions about the coach that you ask the coach. And, these references may be valuable resources for you throughout your journey! I had kept in contact with some of the references I had talked to for a few different coaches and they became very important to me for information and support. On a side note, you will also want a coach that boasts the progress of all his clients, not just the winning-est ones.

Presentation

Can your coach help you with suggestions on competition suits, cut and color for your chosen contest? Can they help you with posing? While suits and posing may be more difficult online, it can still be done but not a must have for a good in-person or online trainer. Posing sessions are best done in person. If going with an online prep coach, you can always find a separate posing coach for group or private sessions such as Elite Presentation by Allison, Lenore Theobold or On Track Training.

In closing

The above questions and points are more of a list of things to help figure out all the aspects that need consideration. You may find some things more important than others but the most important things that you should prioritize when looking for a prep coach is their knowledge on a proper diet and workout plan for each individual based on their goals and lifestyle.

Lift on!

Featured image from http://www.prepare1.com/linkedin-ranks-profile-based-views/

Heather Owen 1 Comment bikini competition, contest prep, diet, figure competition, Personal Trainer, physique competition, Prep Coach

I Am…

Driven.

Purpose.

Mindful.

Aware.

I AM. Enough.

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In this post:

The Holy Grail

Some say fallacy?

Muscle Growth

Fat Loss

Competitors in prep

So, who on earth can build muscle and lose fat at the same time?

The Noob vs The Experienced

Gender

Training program

Genetics

Recomping how to

Diet Slow!

HIIT!

Macronutrients

Sleep!

Take Home

References

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Week 1

Back and Plyometrics

Hamstrings & Shoulders

Chest , Triceps, Biceps

Plyometrics

Legs & Booty

Week 2

Back and Plyometrics

Hamstrings & Shoulders

Chest , Triceps, Biceps

Plyometrics

Legs & Booty

Week 3

Back and Plyometrics

Hamstrings & Shoulders

Chest , Triceps, Biceps

Plyometric

Legs & Booty

Start Over on Week 1

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Some Ab Anatomy

Transverse Abdominal Muscle

The #1 Best Transverse Abdominal Exercise

How to do an ADIM:

Strong TVA’s create sexy waistlines and stable cores!

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In this post:

2 Types of muscular symmetry and balance

4 Causes of muscular asymmetry

4 Smart strategies to correct and prevent muscle imbalances and asymmetry

My Story

Two Types of Symmetry

1) Front to back: Agonist vs antagonist muscle pairs

2) Right vs left: Contralateral

4 Causes for Asymmetry

1) Biomechanical

2) Neurological

3) Circulation

4) Genetics

4 Smart Strategies to Correct Assymetry and Train Symmetrically

1) Do unilateral isolation exercises

2) Start on your weak side

3) Focus on posture and form

4) Address issues with your bod- seek help

My Story

My take on the causes for my assymetry …with a little history

A side note just to give you more options on some pretty cool non-steroidal, non-toxic treatments…..

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How To:

FACE:

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Just Ask

Contest Weekend

Night before a contest:

10 weeks to contest