4 Mistakes Beginners Make During Fitness Competition Prep
Entering fitness, physique, or bodybuilding competitions is ideal for you if you are determined to reach your goals and overcome new challenges. While everything looks glamorous on stage, it involves more than just showcasing your athletic physique. Beyond the smiles, confidence, athleticism, and poise are months or years of intense planning, preparation, and hard work.
If you decide to enter this type of competition, remember that you cannot expect to attain your ideal body overnight. You have to be committed to meet objectives. Have an easier time getting ready for the competition by avoiding the following common mistakes beginners make during contest preparation:
Mistake #1: Switching to super-high-rep training
Many beginners think that very high-rep training will help enhance muscles and drop body fat faster, but the truth is it can lead to a loss of muscle fullness and strength and reduced muscle mass. Using selective amounts of intensity techniques and heavyweights during training sessions is best for burning more calories.
Mistake #2: Cutting calories too quickly
It’s tempting to dramatically cut calories to achieve your dream body as fast as possible right after signing up for the competition. While you will eliminate some excess body fat, you will also lose water, stored carbs or glycogen, and even muscle tissue.
Your energy levels will eventually significantly plunge and diminish the ability to work out hard due to aggressive calorie cuts. Worse, you can cause serious damage to your metabolism and stop yourself from making progress when your weight loss plateaus and cutting calories is no longer an option.
Instead of cutting calories too quickly, get started with a small caloric deficit. Eliminate all junk foods and determine macros to find your maintenance level of calories 2-3 weeks before even starting preparation for the competition. A good rule of thumb is to drop 300-500 calories in the first week. This will give more time for your body to adjust healthily and help maintain stable body weight.
Mistake #3: Ignoring the sacrifices
Parties, reunions, and other gatherings often involve drinks and meals. Indulging in your favorite food and alcoholic beverages is allowed during the offseason, but expect competition preparation to challenge your social life. This stage can even affect relationships, especially if your partner, friends, or family do not appreciate or understand your need to eat alone or say no to certain foods. It definitely won’t be easy, but do your best to find the balance between staying committed and not isolating yourself from loved ones.
Mistake #4: Failing to track your progress
Entering this type of competition requires you to give your best, which means tracking progress. Record your measurements, including weight and body circumference measurements. Keep a journal containing training session logs and weekly progress photos. This will serve as your progress report to stay motivated, especially when self-doubt kicks in.
Conclusion
Regardless of the type of competition you are interested in, you need to prepare for months or years before making the final leap and joining the show. Avoid the common mistakes beginner contestants make to increase your chances of winning. Finally, get the proper support for competition preparation by seeking professional training from experts like us.
Award Winning Fitness consists of a team of certified trainers and coaches who can provide you with top-notch fitness competition prep. We offer bodybuilding, powerlifting, strongman, and bikini fitness training programs, including body assessment, nutrition consultation, and more. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you prepare for the competition!