Tag training

Getting Your Ducks in a Row: How To Plan For a Contest

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The number of individuals who express interest in competing has risen dramatically in recent years with the addition of newer divisions such as Bikini, Men’s Physique and Women’s Physique.  This has also resulted in a considerable increase in the competitor pool at the local/regional level, the national level and in the pro ranks.   Sadly, many new competitors have no idea how to prepare themselves for a competition.  I am not talking about the contest prep which a coach would develop for a client, but rather, the financial investment and time management which must be planned out in advance in order to ensure that a competitor will remain on track for the chosen contest date and that there will be no loose ends.

A detailed timeline is especially important for people with hectic schedules.  It certainly helps if you are a good planner and actually augments the focus that is critical to pursuing your goal of being contest ready.  I lead a very busy lifestyle which has me switching roles from physician to model to writer to contest prep coach to trainer.  I also train intensely and regularly five to seven days a week and drag my food everywhere with me.  If I did not have a checklist for each contest I would forget some very essential elements which would only make me anxious as a contest date approached.

 

Here is what I put on my checklist for a competition:

 

1. Detailed Budget for the contest which includes a breakdown of the following:

  • Show entry fees
  • Spray tan
  • Flight
  • Hotel
  • Rental Car or Cab fare
  • Bag fees
  • Gym fees
  • Incidentals

 

2. To-Do List for each item on my budget so I am sure to stay on track with when show registration is due, deposits are due, and when flight reservations should be made.

 

3. Contacts List for spray tan vendors, hotel address, venue address, etc.

 

4. Appointment Sheet so I have all appointment dates and times handy.

 

5. Official Show Schedule 

person-writing-a-list

Make sure to refer to your list often so that everything is in place before your contest date.  Best of luck!

So Very Proud Of My Client Alli Salibian – This Is After 8 Weeks Of Prep With Me

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Alli

My client Alli began training with me on December 17th, 2012 for an NPC contest which will be held on April 13th, 2013. These images show her one week before she began contest prep and how she looked on February 18th after 8 weeks of dedicated training and prep. She will compete in both Open and Masters Figure. This woman is tremendous and I am so very proud of her! She has stuck with her meal plan and training despite having two small children and a very full life. Talk about inspiring!

Posing Essentials for Figure and Bikini

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Please click on link below to read my latest article on RxGirl which covers posing essentials for NPC Figure and Bikini Divisions:

http://www.rxmuscle.com/rx-girl-articles/7521-posing-essentials-for-npc-figure-and-bikini-divisions.html?hitcount=0#.USHT-6WTgz4

Finally got a butt!

This was my 16th competition over four years. I have worked very hard to transform my physique from “average” to “DAMN!”. All the hard work was work it!

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

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DOMSThe New Year has caused many new gym-goers to experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) which may have taken them by surprise. The sad truth is that many people will become so discouraged from experiencing DOMS (usually because they don’t understand why they are so sore) that they will back off from exercising after a brief effort at maintaining consistency. This is one time when welcoming the pain instead of running from the activity that caused it would be most appropriate!

DOMS develops between 24 to 72 hours after physical activity and is considered a normal and common result of activity that challenges muscle tissue. Small microscopic tears actually occur in the muscle fibers, and when coupled with localized inflammation, manifest as soreness. These aches and pains, provided they are minor, are a sign that your muscles are adapting to the activity which caused them to develop in the first place. Rather than shying away from physical activity in the long term, just take it easy for a few days until the pain subsides.

Stretching can speed up the process so that DOMS dissipates more rapidly, as does massage and application of heat and/or ice. Anti-inflammatories can be taken as well, though I tend to lean more towards natural forms such as curcumin and arnica. If the pain does not respond well to natural anti-inflammatories, you may want to take ibuprofen instead. I see a huge difference in the time of recovery in people who stretch when they are experiencing DOMS, as stretching helps to prevent muscle spasms in the affected area.

How To Split Your Weight Training Routine To Avoid Overtraining

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BetterBodyWeightExerciseWith the New Year here, many people have either thought about embarking on or have already begun a weight training program in an effort to either shed excess pounds or improve their overall level of fitness. However, many people have little to no clue about how to split up their routines in order to maximize results while also avoiding overtraining.

Probably the best advice I can give to most people (with competitors the stark exception) is to train no more than four days per week. I also recommend that you weight train for one to two consecutive days, take a rest day, then resume weight training after the rest day. Competitors who are accustomed to hard training are on intense regimens which often include only one or two days of rest per week, which is part of the reason why they are more prone to overtraining.

If you are brand new to weight training, or have been away from it for many years, I recommend a three day full body split in which you will work the entire body during each workout. A good sequence is Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, as is a Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday sequence. This ensures at least one day of rest between workouts.

Three Day Full Body Split:

Monday – Full Body
Tuesday – OFF
Wednesday – Full Body
Thursday – OFF
Friday – Full Body
Saturday – OFF
Sunday – OFF

For those who are more accustomed to working out with weights, I recommend a four day split in which the upper and lower body are worked on separate days with at least one day of rest afterward. An example would look like this:

Intermediate Upper/Lower Four Day Split:

Monday – Upper Body
Tuesday – Lower Body
Wednesday – OFF
Thursday – Upper Body
Friday – Lower Body
Saturday – OFF
Sunday – OFF

Another variation is to split each upper body and lower body workout further so that different muscle groups are worked on different days:

Intermediate Upper/Lower Four Day Split Variation:

Monday – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Tuesday – Quads, Calves
Wednesday – OFF
Thursday – Back, Biceps
Friday – Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs
Saturday – OFF

If there is enough interest, I can provide sample routines which fall within the above split schedules. Simply post a comment on this post so that I know you are interested.

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.

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