Category Competitions

Trying To Get Into Fitness Modeling?

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Natalie Minh CollageThough I have modeled for the majority of my life, I didn’t become involved in fitness modeling until after I turned 43. As I approach my 47th birthday I realize more and more how intimidating and confusing it can be for an aspiring fitness model to navigate through the industry and know what will propel their careers instead of putting them on a path of wasted time, effort and money as they try to make themselves known. I truly wish I had a guide like this http://tinyurl.com/aoeabbr to help me when I was revamping my modeling career! This guide is INVALUABLE if you are serious about embarking on a fitness modeling career.

Many aspiring fitness models ask me questions about the best way to direct their efforts. Now there is a fantastic and comprehensive guide which takes all the guesswork out of the process. I am so fortunate to know the author of this guide and have worked with her on numerous projects over the years. She has been kind enough to extend an offer to my friends and clients which will save you all the headaches you could be dealing with if you do not have such a great guide to lead you on your path to fitness modeling success.

Click here http://tinyurl.com/aoeabbr to take advantage of this amazing offer, and remember to use code STACEYNAITO to get special pricing!

New Contest Prep Site Launched! Please Check Out CutCurves.com!

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If you are ann NPC Bikini or Figure competitor, or you are THINKING about competing, please check out my newly launched contest prep site! I have a full menu of services, so if you just need assistance on posing, or if you need comprehensive coaching, I am here for you ladies! If you are new to competing, it is important to realize that a lot of details go into looking your best onstage:

PROPER TRAINING FOR YOUR BODY TYPE AND THE DIVISION
PROPER AND STRUCTURED MEAL PLAN
PROPER SUPPLEMENTATION
PROPER SUIT CUT AND COLOR
PROPER ACCESSORIES
APPROPRIATE STAGE MAKEUP
WELL APPLIED SPRAY TAN

On top of this there are countless other details which are easy to overlook if you are already overwhelmed with the pressure of competing.

I will guide you through the entire process so that you won’t need to worry about those little details. Programs are delivered via email so you do not need to live locally in the Los Angeles area.

http://cutcurves.com

I Don’t Glisten, I SWEAT!

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Just in case there are people out there who think I don’t hit it hard at the gym, let’s get one thing straight: when I go to the gym, I work my tail off. Once I have entered the gym, my game face is on. Within five minutes of my lift I am sweating like a pig, moving rapidly through the exercises with no more than 30 seconds between sets. I am not afraid to make my physical efforts known via occasional grunts and yells. This is because I lift HEAVY, or I move so quickly from one exercise to another in a superset that I always create an intense workout vibe which has me out of breath and feeling my muscles work.

It always bugs me when I see ladies at the gym who are covered in makeup, with cute little outfits that they must adjust so frequently that their rest time between sets often extends beyond five minutes. There are reasons why I wear the message tanks that I do. I don’t want to be bothered with chit-chat or lose my focus on what I need to do at the gym. When things get really intense I will drip sweat all over the benches (and YES, I wipe this up with disinfectant). I don’t wear makeup and my hair typically goes up into a utilitarian ponytail. The image I posted here is a rare one with my hair down. I often finish my routine with a sport bra and tank which are soaked through with sweat. I don’t care if I look like I ran a marathon. That’s the idea. I like looking like I just kicked my own butt. Because I just did.

So if you are looking for a pretty princess at the gym, you won’t see her anywhere near me!Gym Sweat

Competing On a Budget

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Find original post at:  http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/6778-competing-on-a-budget.htmlpiggy bank - Copy

Several weeks ago I calculated the total amount which has been spent by my sponsors and by me on all costs associated with the half dozen national qualifiers and the thirteen pro qualifiers I have competed in since 2009, and almost fell over in my chair.  I am by no means blessed with disposable income so I can honestly say that my drive to compete has required a tremendous amount of financial and personal sacrifice.  However, I realize that many of you prefer to keep expenses to an absolute minimum, so I offer a number of suggestions on how to meet the financial demands of competing without putting undue strain on your wallet.

  1. Set a specific competition budget and stick to it.  I have a separate “show fund” in which I set aside money for competitions and am well aware of what I can and cannot afford.  I know competitors (and I admit I have foolishly pushed myself to the limit in the past) who have paid a show entry fee then later came to the realization that they could not afford the other expenses for the event and had to back out of it.  Once a budget is set, it is important to limit oneself to the number of competitions which will keep one within budget.  This can be challenging, especially when one is on a mad quest to chase a national qualification or pro status.

 

  1. Look for a sponsor. I have had competitors ask me how to obtain sponsorship and who also lament the fact that it is exceedingly difficult to land sponsorship from a supplement company.  My response to this is that sponsors can come in all forms!  Here are some suggestions for potential sponsors:

 

Fans

Friends and family

Business associates

Fitness clothing companies

Smaller supplement companies

 

The trick to asking for sponsorship is to graciously ask for assistance in paying for an event.  Remember that even a small amount will help.  I have competed at events which have been sponsored by a number of entities, with the tan covered by one, entry fee covered by another, flight by yet another, etc.

 

  1. Stick to nearby contests.  It makes sense to compete within your geographic area if you are trying to keep costs down.  If you are competing at local and regional events, make sure these events are within reasonable driving distance from where you live.  National-level events are much trickier since they are fewer in number and take place in very specific areas.  If your budget allows it, you may consider competing at pro-qualifiers provided 1) your budget allows it, and 2) you limit the number of pro-qualifying events you enter.

 

  1. Stay with friends.  If you are considering competing at an event which is far from where you live, consider asking friends or family who live near the venue if it is possible to stay with them.

 

 

  1. Purchase a used competition suit.  Many competitors will retire gently used suits and put them up for sale.  This is a great way to get a suit without breaking the bank.  Keep in mind that you should determine whether your body is similar to the competitor who has worn the suit, as this will greatly affect how the suit fits YOU.

 

  1. Bling out your own suit.  A competition suit encrusted with crystals can range from several hundred to thousands of dollars and can really kill a competition budget!  A great option is to purchase a plain suit then purchase crystals, beads or sequins from wholesale supplier online, then apply the embellishments yourself.  Please refer to my article on How To Bling Out Your Own Suit for more details on how to do this.  By choosing this option you will save a considerable amount of money.  In addition, you can customize your design, making your suit truly one-of-a-kind.

 

  1. Do your own makeup.  Out of the eighteen competitions I have been in, I only had my makeup professionally done four times, and that was in 2009 and 2010.  Since then, I learned how to apply makeup for the stage and as a result, have saved a significant amount of money.  Please refer to my article, Perfect Stage Makeup for pointers.  Also make sure to PRACTICE a couple of times before the contest so that you don’t wind up with a disaster on the big day.  There are plenty of great tutorial videos on YouTube which will walk you step-by-step through makeup application for a smoky eye.

 

 

  1. Do your own hair.  Generally speaking, you really don’t need to get too fancy with your hairstyle.  For figure and bikini, either flatironing for a sleek look or adding big, soft curls will look nice onstage.  Fitness, women’s physique and women’s bodybuilding may necessitate putting some hair up if you have hair that is long enough to get in the way of your routine.  Make sure to use either smoothing serum for flatironed styles or hairspray for curls so that things stay in place.  However, do NOT make your hair so stiff that you cannot gracefully move it off your back during your back pose.

 

  1. Apply tanning solution yourself.  This is a tough one, since I always have my tan done professionally.  However, if you are truly on a tight budget, it is certainly possible to apply tanner yourself.  The only limitation will be when you need to tan your back.  There is a tool which you can purchase called Xen-Tan Hard To Reach Back Applicator which does a decent job of evenly depositing self-tanner on hard to reach areas if you aren’t able to find someone to help you apply your tanner.  This clever device is available at a number of sites, including Neiman Marcus, Zappos, 6 PM, Amazon and Ulta.  I merely chose the Ulta site because that is where I purchased mine. http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2242675&productId=xlsImpprod4141877&navAction=push&navCount=1&categoryId=cat90022

 

Make sure to apply a thin, even layer and allow to dry before applying the next layer.  The number of layers you will apply will depend on your base skin tone and the brand of solution you decide to use, but you should plan on applying two to five coats of color.

 

As for the solutions which I consider the best for stage, I love Jan Tana High Definition Color and Liquid Sunrayz.  Bronze Angel by Dream Tan is also great.  Some people love Pro Tan so this brand may also work well for you.  However, I personally cannot use this product as it fades immediately on me, hence my hesitation with this particular brand.

 

I hope these tips will enable you to compete at the shows you have your eye on! Best of luck!

Booty Building Superset Routine

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Find original post at:  http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles.html?start=36

If I had given into my natural genetic setpoint which gave me a relatively flat booty due to my Japanese ancestry, I would never have transformed my posterior into what it is today.  In recent years the quest for a round butt has been one of the most highly coveted physical attributes for women.  In keeping with this highly sought goal, I am providing readers with a superset routine which will create the full and curvaceous look which fills out a pair of jeans nicely and turns heads in a good way!

THE ROUTINE

Make sure to move from one exercise within a superset to the next quickly, without rest.  Once you have completed a superset, rest for 30 seconds then begin your next superset.  Complete all sets in Superset 1, then complete all sets in Superset 2, etc.

Superset 1 –

5 sets of the following:

25 jump squats

20 stiff-legged deadlifts with dumbbells

15 stride jump crossovers            How to do: Using a bench or plyo box, place one foot up on bench with that leg almost parallel to floor.  Jump explosively over bench, springing off bench and landing with your other foot on the opposite side of the bench.  Repeat on other side.

Superset 2 –

5 sets of the following:

15 walking dumbbell lunges

20 Butt Blaster

15 prone leg curls

Superset 3 –

4 sets of the following:

20 one-legged dumbbell deadlifts

20 one-legged cable kickbacks

Superset 4 –

20 one-legged leg press (lying on your side and pushing through your heel)

20 plie dumbbell squats holding dumbbell between legs with wide stance and squatting LOW

12 barbell good mornings

How to Bling Out Your Own Suit

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Find original post at:  http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/6387-how-to-bling-out-your-own-suit.html

Peacock Suit I Blinged Out! - Copy

Most of us ladies love the dazzle of crystals and sequins when seen on competition suits, but such embellishments can be pretty expensive, especially when suits are custom made and crystallized by a professional suitmaker.  However, it is possible to bling out your own suit at home as long as you have a somewhat creative hand and a lot of patience.  I have endured the laborious process of applying crystals by hand on three suits.  Despite the fact that this was very time-consuming, it was well worth it considering the fact that I saved hundreds of dollars by crystallizing the suits myself.

You may be wondering where to purchase a plain competition suit.  Good sources are eBay, Jagware,  Suits You Swimwear and Chynna Dolls, or you can have a suit made by a professional suit designer (examples are Passion Fruit, CJ’s Elite, TameeMarie) and then apply the crystals yourself.  Once you have your suit, you can determine what design you would like to apply on the fabric.  You can get ideas from looking at competition images of ladies in suits you like, or you can go to a site like www.Dreamstime.com and select a clip art image.  After this is done you need to make a copy of the design so that it is the appropriate size for your suit, and also make copies of the mirror image so that your suit design is symmetrical.  These prints will serve as templates when you are ready to start mapping out the design.  If you are very artistic, you can sketch a freehand design.

The next step in the process is determining the colors, sizes and quantities of the crystals, beads or sequins you want to purchase for your suit design.  Rhinestone Depot is an excellent wholesale online site for crystals.  I also like Artbeads but the prices are higher.  Make sure when you place your order that you order extra materials just in case some of the crystals pop off.  Generally speaking, you should only purchase flat-backed stones as they are much easier to glue onto fabric and much less likely to pop off.

There are two options available to you with Swarovski crystals when you are trying to decide how to affix the stones to your suit.  Swarovski crystals come in a “Hotfix” variety which already has adhesive on the back, but you will need to purchase the application tool (which looks like a soldering iron) in order to apply the stones.  The other option is to get the regular flat-backed crystals and use a fabric glue such as E6000 or Aleene’s Flexible Stretchable Fabric Glue.  If you are using very small stones, you should have a pair of small angled tweezers on hand to pick up the crystals.  Other supplies to have on hand are toothpicks (for setting a crystal in the exact spot where you want it and for cleaning off excess glue) and a piece of sturdy cardboard large enough to stretch out the fabric in your suit while you are working on it.

To begin the process, line up the crystals on the design which you have printed out.  This will give you a familiarity with the design and also ensure that you have enough crystals to create the design.  You can also place marks on the fabric with a washable marker so you have some guidelines.  Put your suit on the cardboard in such a way that the fabric is completely stretched out.  KEEP FABRIC STRETCHED WHILE YOU GLUE RHINESTONES AND ALLOW GLUE TO DRY!  If not, the crystals will pop off.

Start at one end of the design, placing a small amount of glue on the back of the crystal and then pressing into place. For smaller crystals, you can use angled tweezers and toothpicks to move the crystals into their exact spots.  It is a good idea to switch back and forth from one side to another to ensure your pattern remains symmetrical.

Most importantly, TAKE YOUR TIME!  This will take HOURS and HOURS to do.  Trust me, it really takes a while.  When I crystallized the peacock feathers on the suit I wore in 2011, it took me a total of 38 hours to complete the work.  I had no choice but to keep returning to the project over a number of sessions until it was completed.  Then again, there were over 3,000 crystals, so I created quite a challenge for myself.

Once you are finished, you can celebrate your creativity and rest in the knowledge that you have a one-of-a-kind suit!