| This is an article designed to help you work toward | | | | - avoid injury |
| competing in a Ms. Fitness or Ms. Figure contest. If you | | | | - work on different aspects of training/diet |
| are debating the idea of competing then don't debate, | | | | progressively |
| just go for it! Almost anyone can prepare toward a | | | | - avoid overtraining or too many plateaus |
| Fitness/Figure contest and this information should give | | | | - insure success |
| you a great boost toward that goal! It is nice to have | | | | Suits, Posing and Tanning |
| the 2 classes to choose from. | | | | Costumes and posing suits are also going to be |
| When I discuss competition, there are several | | | | judged. Even if they're not part of the formal scoring, |
| obstacles which seem to deter women from | | | | your outfits can make you look better or worse so |
| competing. The 4 biggest concerns I hear are: | | | | keep that in mind. The color of your suit is a big factor. |
| - I can't do gymnastics | | | | With Ms. Figure you have to stick with a solid color for |
| - I am not flexible | | | | pre-judging so you want to pick a complimentary color |
| - I can't jump | | | | that will enhance your physique but not take away or |
| - I could never get that lean | | | | distract from it. Black seems to be very popular. Now it |
| I could never get that lean | | | | has been okay to use a dazzled up suit for night |
| These are all very simple problems to deal with and | | | | shows in Ms. Figure and Bodybuilding. Like the Ms. |
| age has no bearing on anything! I have competed | | | | Fitness women, the Ms. Figure ladies want to have 2 |
| along side many women in their 40's who have won | | | | suits to highlight the morning and night show. Most of |
| or placed very high. | | | | the judging is normally done in the morning show but |
| The Ms. Fitness routine is not judged on what "tricks" | | | | there are times when ties occur and those are the |
| you are able to perform, but rather on how clean and | | | | occasions when you will be judged at night. |
| polished the content is. Ms. Figure has the same focus | | | | Skin tone is also normally judged and affects your look. |
| with a bit more on physique, of course, since this is a | | | | The appearance of looking 'tight' is enhanced by |
| contest where the judges want to see a body in | | | | tanning and coloring. I normally suggest tanning well in |
| between fitness and bodybuilding. Ms. Figure is perfect | | | | advance so that by the last few weeks prior to |
| for those who are not interested in the strength, | | | | competing you don't have to tan which can make |
| flexibility and endurance components of competition. | | | | some people feel drained and considering you're |
| Ms. Figure contestants should recognize that Ms. | | | | already dieting and depleted you don't need added |
| Figure does require that you to be somewhat leaner | | | | stresses. Then you can start coloring up a few days |
| than for a Ms. Fitness competition. | | | | prior to contest. For those of you not familiar, there are |
| Bare Basics | | | | products sold for that extreme tanned look which is |
| Planning Training & Diet | | | | needed on stage to keep from being washed out by |
| Let's start of with planning. You want to look ahead a | | | | the stage lights. The products vary but are made |
| year to 4 months away from a contest date | | | | especially for competition and can be found online at |
| depending on your current level. Training and diet | | | | some bodybuilding sites. I find being tanned then using |
| needs to be periodized toward your contest so that | | | | the coloring product is your best bet. |
| you are prepared and peaked at the right time. I | | | | Skills |
| always suggest doing a few contests the same year | | | | Now you have to assess your skills. For Ms. Figure |
| especially if there are some contests that fall a week | | | | most women are required to do the routine in a |
| apart so that you can get some experience and get | | | | regulation suit and heels although some organizations |
| to utilize everything you worked so hard for. Periodizing | | | | have a figure that is close to Ms. Fitness in the way |
| simply means you plan progressively over time so that | | | | that they can wear a costume and do a high energy |
| you can: | | | | routine but without inverted movements and adding |
| - I can't do gymnastics | | | | poses into the routine. Ms. Fitness uses heels for the |
| - I am not flexible | | | | physique and gown round so here is a skill that is |
| - I can't jump | | | | needed -- practice walking in 4-5 inch heals (I always |
| - I could never get that lean | | | | suggest platform, you may think they are ugly but they |
| Insure success | | | | look the best on stage)! Of course, open hand posing |
| Ms. Fitness wants to concentrate on the outcome of a | | | | (similar to the mandatory bodybuilding poses) must be |
| nice toned and moderately lean physique with out too | | | | practiced for the comparison rounds in Ms. Figure. Both |
| much hardness or striations. Ms. Figure wants to get a | | | | classes need to practice posing for the quarter turns. |
| bit leaner than Ms. Fitness with a bit more muscle | | | | There is a variation of ways to pose but you don't |
| density and hardness yet not as lean, striated or | | | | want to be to stiff. You want to get a balance with |
| muscular as the bodybuilders. Achieving this balance is | | | | your arms to avoid over exaggeration but the line is |
| the trick. Even once your at your best the rest is up to | | | | fine because you do need to strain a little. You want to |
| who is standing beside you and how you all look in | | | | angle slightly but keep heels together, head high, |
| comparison. | | | | shoulders level and back, chest out, exhale to show |
| The type of weight training/cardio and diet depends on | | | | abs. On the side pose some judges like you to look at |
| each individual, some need more others need less but | | | | them and others like you to look straight ahead so |
| everyone needs a different combo and levels can | | | | keep your ears open for the cues. The side pose is |
| vary so programs have to be individualized, you can't | | | | when you want to hike up the hip that faces the |
| train/eat like "everyone else" because it may not work | | | | judges and even lift your heel a tad to give a nice |
| for YOU. Mass produced competitive training/diet | | | | defined leg and glute. |
| manuals made bulk in advance to help you prepare for | | | | Lastly on your back pose you need to bring the lats |
| a contest can work but were not made just for you, | | | | out more for Ms. Figure than Ms. Fitness but in both |
| which means you are getting second best. I am very | | | | cases the shape has to show, and tuck up the tush |
| insistent on making sure all the programming is catered | | | | for a nice tight back end. |
| to each of my clients individual needs but unfortunately | | | | Skills for the fitness routine are a variety of holds, push |
| not all trainers do that which can result in injury or lack | | | | ups, splits and dance. With a minimum of these you |
| of preparation. You don't want to be 'group' trained for | | | | can put together a winning routine. When girls perform |
| contests because the chances of all participants being | | | | 'lacking' routines but still win fitness contest the |
| at the same level has a very low probability resulting in | | | | audience can still see for themselves who the REAL |
| some participants not getting all the attention needed | | | | fitness girls are regardless of the placings - likewise if |
| to be properly prepared. | | | | you see a great routine but the girl has cellulite on her |
| Talent | | | | rear the audience can see it! Unfortunately I have seen |
| Don't have one? Who cares! You can put a routine | | | | Champions who have won contests without so much |
| together with any theme. I have put all types of | | | | as a push up and no flexibility whatsoever but they |
| routines together for Ms. Fitness, Ms. Figure and | | | | had unbelievable stage presence, a clean and polished |
| Bodybuilding that utilize all types of talents from Salsa | | | | routine, or a higher point grade in other rounds. I still to |
| to Martial Arts. Take what you like and enhance it. | | | | this day believe you should go into a contest with |
| Even some ethnic backgrounds can translate into a | | | | strength and flexibility components in your routine but |
| cool routine, so be creative because that always gives | | | | you don't have to be a gymnast to win a Ms. Fitness |
| you points! Here are some theme ideas used in past | | | | contest. |
| fitness, figure and bodybuilding routines: | | | | |