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That Ever-Elusive Pro Card

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Originally published on mensphysique.com on Friday, 09 August 2013

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-life-inspiration-and-dedication/8988-that-ever-elusive-pro-card.html
Pro Card (1)
There have been many occasions in which I have heard a freshly nationally ranked NPC competitor declare that he or she will hit the national stage and easily snap up an IFBB Pro Card. While I applaud the competitor’s enthusiasm and drive, I cannot help but snicker to myself when I hear such a statement. Honestly, if it were that easy to earn a Pro Card, there would be Pros populating the country in droves. Alas, there are only a finite number of Pro Cards given out each year, and the competition for them is fierce.

I will often see competitors who have made such a declaration months later who are shocked that they have not yet achieved Pro status. They mention being stunned, frustrated and dejected, and often will state that they are considering leaving the sport altogether. Let me tell you something: I stepped on the national stage fourteen times before I earned my Pro Card.

There certainly were times that I was discouraged, and there were moments during which I had pondered the possibility of walking away from the sport. Yet I kept getting back on the stage, improving my game each time and proving to myself that I was strong enough to overcome the roadblocks that kept Pro status at bay. Thankfully, all of my dedication and stubbornness finally paid off, but it was a long and arduous journey.

I think it is very important to bear in mind how competitive national NPC bodybuilding contests are. There are over 100 national qualifying NPC local contests across the nation each year, with some events in large metropolitan areas bringing in more than 100 competitors in each of the most popular divisions (Men’s Physique, Figure and Bikini). Since only the top five competitors in these divisions are given national qualification, such contests can be brutally competitive.

These nationally qualified competitors then hit the national stage, usually competing against an average of thirty other competitors (there were a record 72 competitors in one Men’s Physique class in 2011) who are considered the best in the nation. So what makes you think you can easily snap up a Pro Card? You may prove me wrong, but it is foolish to boast that you will easily get one from your first foray into a national NPC contest.

By no means am I trying to discourage anyone from competing. What I hope to do is to encourage competitors to be realistic yet unrelenting in their pursuit of personal excellence as they reach for Pro status. It is always a good idea to talk to the judges after a contest to obtain valuable feedback. It is also important to look at your contest photos, especially the comparison photos. If there are changes which need to be made, make them before you hit the stage again. Most importantly, do not get discouraged. Good things come to those who persevere!

Posing Essentials For NPC Figure And Bikini Divisions

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally posted on RxGirl on Sunday, 17 February 2013. The original post was published with white text on white background, so the only way to read it on the site is to highlight the text. To make things easier for everyone, I have copied and pasted the article here for you to read.

http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/7521-posing-essentials-for-npc-figure-and-bikini-divisions.html

Figure Front
With so many ladies vying for top placings at NPC local and national shows, a primer on how to pose is essential. When I serve as trophy girl at Jon Lindsay’s contests, I notice a lot of girls who do not have a clue on how to pose and who clearly do not know how to display their hard-earned physiques to their best advantage.

I have broken down posing essentials by division, describing each mandatory pose as well as transitions. I also STRONGLY advise you to do the following:

1. Watch videos on YouTube of competitors who have done well at competitions at your level, whether it be local or national.
2. Practice, practice, practice! Schedule regular practice sessions so that you are comfortable with walking, posing and doing comparisons. Practice IN YOUR SUIT AND HEELS in front of a mirror! It makes a huge difference when you pose in the outfit you will be wearing onstage. You will be able to see the lines of your body when you practice in your suit and the heels will shift your center of gravity as well. In addition, you will be able to break in your shoes before contest day. It is also helpful to have someone shoot some video footage so that you will have feedback on how you look when you pose.

FIGURE:
With the Figure Division, the steps taken are very small and the hips are kept level in an effort to preserve the competitor’s symmetry. Figure poses are defined by a close foot stance.

Quarter Turns = Mandatory turns, front, sides and back. In side posing there is a slight torso twist. Make sure to hold each pose for two seconds (“one one thousand, two one thousand”).
FRONT: Feet and legs together, can turn toes out and turn knees out slightly to accentuate quad sweep. Keep hips slightly bent, stretching out abs, lifting chest out and engage your abs and quads. You will also flare out your lats. Arms will be out to side and forearms and hands graceful and relaxed.

SIDE STAGE RIGHT: Feet and legs together. You will twist your torso slightly toward audience while keeping a slight bend at the hips. Place front arm slightly behind you and back arm in front of the body and make sure those hands are graceful! Engage those abs! You will be looking stage right and NOT at the judges, but be sure to smile and keep your chin up!

BACK: Stand with feet and legs together with your bodyweight shifted onto your toes. Stick your butt up and out to smooth out your hams and glutes, and tighten your hamstrings and glutes. Whatever you do, do NOT squeeze your glutes together or you’ll enhance ripples and other imperfections back there. Make sure to engage your entire back and flare your lat region while also keeping shoulders extended to sides to enhance their caps. Tighten upper arms with a very slight bend in the elbow, but also keep forearms and hands relaxed and graceful, with your hands within a few inches from your hip line. If you have long hair, you will need to move it to the front so that you can display your back fully.

SIDE STAGE LEFT: Feet and legs together. You will twist your torso slightly toward audience while keeping a slight bend at the hips. Place front arm slightly behind you and back arm in front of the body and make sure those hands are graceful! Engage those abs! You will be looking stage left and NOT at the judges, but be sure to smile and keep your chin up!

TRANSITIONS: Transitions are even more difficult to master as they should look graceful without losing your body lines as you do so. You can transition one of two ways:
1. Step slightly forward and to the right with your left foot, slightly crossing in front of right foot. Pivot one quarter turn to the right on your left foot, then plant right foot into next pose.
2. Step to the right with your right foot, then pivot body one-quarter to the right as you step with left foot and then hit your pose.

With both methods, you need to make sure that the arm which faces the audience should be held behind you slightly so that you are not covering the side of your body. This is also known as “opening up” the arm.
STANDING ON THE DIAGONAL: You will stand at the diagonal with a slight twist to the waist so that your upper body is angled more toward the audience while your lower body is angled towards the center of the stage. Make sure to hold the arm that is close to the audience out to the side so that your body lines are visible. Your other hand can rest on your hip. Also make sure that no matter how you stand that your competitor number is visible! The entire time, you should be keeping everything tight and smiling!

BIKINI:
The Bikini Division is defined by larger steps and a shifting of weight onto one hip during the front pose and turns in order to increase the illusion of an S-curve. The standard front and back poses involve a wide stance with feet wider than shoulder width apart.

Half Turns = mandatory turns, front and back. Make sure to hold each pose for at least two seconds (“one one thousand, two one thousand”).
FRONT: Stand with feet wider than shoulder width apart and angle one hip slightly back. This increases the S-curve in your torso. Stretch out abs, lift chest out and pull shoulders back. You can place your hand on the hip that is angled back, while the other arm can hang gracefully at your side.
Bikini Front
BACK: Stand with feet shoulder width apart or wider and stick your butt up and out to smooth out your hams and glutes. I always tell my contest prep clients to think of themselves as cats in heat, with their butts high up and an exaggerated curve in the low back to emphasize the roundness of the glutes. Whatever you do, do NOT squeeze your glutes together or you’ll enhance ripples and other imperfections back there. Your upper body must be completely upright – do not hunch forward! Most girls will place their hands on their anterior thighs for extra stability while holding this position.

Another position which is very popular in this division is to stand with one foot crossed in front of the other, while popping that butt up in the air.

TRANSITIONS: The cleanest bikini transitions are similar to a salsa pivot turn.
1. Step forward with the leg that is further back on the stage.
2. Step slightly forward with the other foot and pivot to the other side so you are facing to the side of the stage. In other words, if your first step was with the left foot, you will step with your right foot and pivot to the left so you are facing stage left. When you transition from front to back, pop your butt out towards the audience to enhance its fullness.
3. You will then do a two step sequence so that your feet land in your next pose stance.

STANDING ON THE DIAGONAL: This is the same as for Figure.

This is not meant to be a full primer but is designed to provide basics for ladies who are new to competing in figure or bikini. I always stress the importance of watching videos because they yield valuable information on how to pose.

Now get out there and strut your stuff!

What To Bring To Your First National Show Besides Your Physique

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on mensphysique.com on Monday, 07 May 2012

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-news-the-newest-in-mp/5580-what-to-bring-to-your-first-national-show-besides-your-physique.html

So you competed in a national qualifier and got your qualification…fantastic! But now you may be wondering how to prepare for a national level show, what to pack, and generally what to expect at the national level. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen competitors who are newbies to the national circuit and have that deer in headlights look. They are completely stunned by the magnitude of a national show and intimidated by all the other nationally-qualified athletes who, for the most part, look amazing. Quite frequently these new competitors have no idea what to pack for a show outside of their local region and end up scurrying all over the place trying to procure the items they neglected to pack.

In light of this, here is a list of essential items to pack for a national level NPC/IFBB show, along with explanations. If you go to a national show fully prepared, you won’t have to deal with the stress of having forgotten something.

Board shorts (at LEAST two pairs, in case something happens to your main pair)
Dark towel (you don’t want to get tanning solution on the hotel towels because the hotel will charge you to replace them!)
Dark t-shirts (these make great pillowcases at the hotel)
Umbrella (you never know if it might rain)
Close-toed shoes
Flip-flops
Driver’s license or other ID
Cash for incidentals, cab fare
Basic toiletry items (toothbrush and toothpaste, moisturizer, hair gel, deodorant, razor)
A good skin scrub – sugar scrubs are much gentler on the skin than salt scrubs. Make sure the container is leak-proof and place in a Ziploc bag for extra security. If this is being packed in a carry-on bag, make sure the container is 3 ounces or less.
Touch up foundation or bronzer for your face to match up with airbrush color on body
Baggy pants with NO elastic at waistband
Loose brushed cotton or flannel button-down long-sleeved shirt
Socks (your tanned feet will stain the sheets!)
Underwear
Enough changes of casual clothes for the time that you will be at location
Nice outfit in case you feel inclined to go out to celebrate after finals
Diuretic (if your coach advises it)
Food – make sure to pack extra food. You can freeze your food then pop it in the microwave as you need it.
Supplements
Safety pins
Moist wipes – travel pack size

If you map out your packing strategy you should be able to remember to pack all the essentials.

Competing On A Budget

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on RxGirl.com on Sunday, 14 October 2012. The original post was published with white text on white background, so the only way to read it on the site is to highlight the text. To make things easier for everyone, I have copied and pasted the article here for you to read.

http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/6778-competing-on-a-budget.html

Figure top 5
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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

Pro Bikini gals backstage
8. Do your own hair backstage. 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.

9. 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!

The Fledgling: The Men’s Physique Division (Revised)

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on mensphysique.com on Tuesday, 10 April 2012. In light of the fact that the Men’s Physique Division has now been around for four years, I have appended an extra section to the original article, but have made no changes to the body of the article which I wrote back in 2012.

http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-news-the-newest-in-mp/5364-the-fledgling.html

This weekend we are looking at only the second ever MP PRO show to hit the stage. The NPC and IFBB were quite wise to establish the Men’s Physique Division. However, it is the baby of the bunch amongst divisions (alongside Women’s Physique) and will endure growing pains for a period of time before standards are clearly defined. The newly minted IFBB Men’s Physique Pros have the opportunity to legitimize and strengthen the division not only by how they continue to condition their bodies, but also by how they conduct themselves within the IFBB and how they choose to brand themselves within the mainstream.

Every division has struggled to define standards in its early days and has also battled naysayers who have tried to undermine its rigors and distinguishing characteristics. Men’s Physique is no different. However, it is not constructive to balk at the direction in which the division is moving, or complain about which men are and are not attaining pro status. If there are suggestions which you would like to offer in order to shape or strengthen the division, make your voice heard as one filled with positive energy and enthusiasm. But don’t create friction and end up irritating the very officials who have made it possible for you to step on stage and compete.

It is true that it can be tricky to determine if one should come in leaner, beefier or softer for a show since judges from various regions may have ideals which may differ from one another. Remain consistent with what your genetics lean towards, but study the pros and see what it is about their physiques or presentation which set them apart from the rest of the competitors.

As a national level NPC Bikini Champion who has come deliciously close to attaining IFBB Pro Status at three pro-qualifiers, I understand how frustrating it can be to see competitors who may or may not deserve pro status beat you out of that spot. I have competed in the Bikini division since 2009 when the division was incepted and have seen a great deal of progression with respect to division standards. Bikini pros from 2009 look different from the 2010 pros. The pros from 2011 look different from those two groups as well. It seems the quest for a more well-muscled physique is generally more desirable in 2011 than it was in 2009. It is important to consider that the playing field has intensified significantly, and bikini competitors are training differently now than they did in 2009 when it was still a bit unclear as to what the judges were looking for.

I see the same thing happening with Men’s Physique. My belief is that 2012 will bring a higher level of conditioning to the national qualifying shows, mostly as the result of the judges having the good fortune and tough task of judging the IFBB Men’s Physique Pros. This occurred in the Bikini Division in 2010 when the IFBB Bikini Pros brought a higher level of conditioning to the stage.

The lesson here…just let the baby learn to walk and enjoy the progression.

EPILOGUE

Just as I had surmised, the Men’s Physique Division has definitely brought a higher level of conditioning to the IFBB stage. Delt caps have gotten inflated, and some Pro men have attained a degree of muscularity which has some people wondering if it’s time for them to cross over into the bodybuilding division. Here is an example of one prominent Men’s Physique Pro competitor, Sadik Hadzovic, who displays considerable growth in the delts and upper lats from 2012 to 2014:

This is Sadik Hadzovic at the 2012 Valenti Gold Cup where he took the First Place win.

This is Sadik Hadzovic at the 2012 Valenti Gold Cup where he took the First Place win.

Here's Sadik again at the 2014 Wings Of Strength where he also took a First Place win.

Here’s Sadik again at the 2014 Wings Of Strength where he also took a First Place win.

Sadik has beaten the odds and remained at the top of the Pro game for three years now, because he has made changes to his physique which have been consistent with the ebb and flow of the IFBB judging ring. I have immense respect for him and for ALL the Pros out there who represent the division and the sport with integrity and dedication.

How To Bling Out Your Own Suit

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on RxGirl on Saturday, 25 August 2012. The original post was published with white text on white background, so the only way to read it on the site is to highlight the text. To make things easier for everyone, I have copied and pasted the article here for you to read.

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

How to Bling Out Your Own Suit

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 http://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.

Peacock Suit I Blinged Out!

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 (pictured above at the IFBB North American, where I took a First Place finish in Open and Second Place in Masters), 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!

Selecting Board Shorts For The Stage

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Originally published on mensphysique.com on Sunday, 16 October 2011. The text on the original post is all messed up, but I have repaired it here.

boardshorts
http://www.rxmuscle.com/blogs/the-look-skin-attitude-attire-and-persona/4343-selecting-board-shorts-for-the-stage.html

Many men aren’t exactly gifted with the ability to determine swhat looks best on them, especially when selecting board shorts to wear up on stage with glaring lights assaulting them from every angle. Here are a few tips to selecting a great pair for your competition.

1.Make sure to pay attention to proper fit. The shorts should hit low enough in the waistline to flatter your lat spread and make your waist appear nice and tapered. The shorts should also make your rear end look nice and lifted without any excess material creating a sagging or diaper effect. Make sure you don’t go too tight though! The shorts should not ride up your crotch or make the shape of your bait and tackle highly visible! Make sure the rise in the front lies flat and does not bunch up across your lower abdomen. Also make sure the rise isn’t so low that the shorts look like they are about to fall off.

2.Blues, greens, reds and orange tones tend to look nice on stage. Avoid khaki, brown, and dull gray as they tend to look very drab under stage lights. Be careful with white as it can become severely discolored by the spray tan solution.

3.Prints are okay, but don’t go too busy! You can select shorts which have a color blocking on them, or which have a print on them, but don’t go for a very wild pattern. You want the judges to look at your physique, not at the distracting graffiti print splashed across your shorts!

4.Try to find a pair that is distinctive so that you don’t end up wearing the same board shorts as another. In fact, it is always a good idea to have an extra pair on hand at a show in case this occurs.