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Bikini competition
BonyCastro
Posts: 110 Member
Hello! I have decided to enter a bikini competition. Does anyone have any experience? Any tips ? Pros, cons? How low is ur body fat? How long you been training? Thanks!
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Replies
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Most women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.0
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Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordingly
Most women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
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summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
bad *kitten*!0 -
Thanks Summerkissed! I want to do it for fun too! Im 35 with 1 kid and I am in the best shape of my life! Thanks for ur advice!0
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Most women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I thought this was a place for Support?0 -
summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.0 -
summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?0 -
Somebody's mad.
I have no experience with bikini comp's (God help the poor soul's eyes that witnesses that) but from other competitions I'd suggest doing the first as a one-off. Focus on enjoying the event and getting some experience rather than trying to win right off the bat; then using that to prepare more appropriately for the next one.
I'm not saying not to prep for it, just not to stress out about it.0 -
summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.0 -
Somebody's mad.
I have no experience with bikini comp's (God help the poor soul's eyes that witnesses that) but from other competitions I'd suggest doing the first as a one-off. Focus on enjoying the event and getting some experience rather than trying to win right off the bat; then using that to prepare more appropriately for the next one.
I'm not saying not to prep for it, just not to stress out about it.
^^this
If you enjoy it, it doesn't matter if you don't make it to pro levels. And if you do make it to pro levels, then it's just icing.0 -
summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
Oh, so the word naturally isn't really a good word to use for what you're trying to get across. Got it.
But now I'm curious why never having been out of the average weight groups affects this?0 -
summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
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summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
Me? Not at all. I think it's great when someone wants to compete. I know women tend to rush into competing before they are ready and I know that sometimes women pick a category that doesn't fit how they are built. I do think it's sad that judges discriminate based on age in the bikini category and place younger women higher, but many judges have personal biases for scoring no matter what the category.0 -
@summerkissed - Haha - I was going to suggest she message you!
@usmcmp - Not correct. Competitions include different age groups to compete against - per summerkissed
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summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
So if you aren't going to win, don't compete? That's all I'm getting from you. Yeah, it's a competition, but so is a marathon, 5Ks, etc. Should we tell everyone don't even bother because you aren't young, fit, etc enough to get it done? No use going in for the experience if it isn't a sure-ish win?
Oh.0 -
PikaKnight wrote: »summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
So if you aren't going to win, don't compete? That's all I'm getting from you. Yeah, it's a competition, but so is a marathon, 5Ks, etc. Should we tell everyone don't even bother because you aren't young, fit, etc enough to get it done? No use going in for the experience if it isn't a sure-ish win?
Oh.
That's not what I meant, but I see that other people read into my comment.0 -
Do I dare get involved in this thread?0
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A subtle point that some people need to realize... There's a difference between competing and being on stage. If you want to really compete, get a coach and have some legit experience behind you. If you want to be on stage, then prep to whatever extent is reasonable for you, then enjoy the experience.0
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PikaKnight wrote: »summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
So if you aren't going to win, don't compete? That's all I'm getting from you. Yeah, it's a competition, but so is a marathon, 5Ks, etc. Should we tell everyone don't even bother because you aren't young, fit, etc enough to get it done? No use going in for the experience if it isn't a sure-ish win?
Oh.
That's not what I meant, but I see that other people read into my comment.
There's a way to say things such that it comes across as managing expectations, and there's a way to say things that comes across as bitterness and dashed dreams.0 -
PikaKnight wrote: »summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
So if you aren't going to win, don't compete? That's all I'm getting from you. Yeah, it's a competition, but so is a marathon, 5Ks, etc. Should we tell everyone don't even bother because you aren't young, fit, etc enough to get it done? No use going in for the experience if it isn't a sure-ish win?
Oh.
That's not what I meant, but I see that other people read into my comment.
There's a way to say things such that it comes across as managing expectations, and there's a way to say things that comes across as bitterness and dashed dreams.
What in the world are you talking about?0 -
summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
Hey, I've been over weight!!! Until I was 30 I'd never had an 'athletic" Body nor was I fitness minded!! I also put on 33kg with both my pregnancies......you have no idea what you are talking about!! I hope your not one of those that looks a woman in awesome shape and think it's all genetics!!!! Cause F$&k genetics this was all me!!!0 -
summerkissed wrote: »summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
Hey, I've been over weight!!! Until I was 30 I'd never had an 'athletic" Body nor was I fitness minded!! I also put on 33kg with both my pregnancies......you have no idea what you are talking about!! I hope your not one of those that looks a woman in awesome shape and think it's all genetics!!!! Cause F$&k genetics this was all me!!!
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summerkissed wrote: »summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
Hey, I've been over weight!!! Until I was 30 I'd never had an 'athletic" Body nor was I fitness minded!! I also put on 33kg with both my pregnancies......you have no idea what you are talking about!! I hope your not one of those that looks a woman in awesome shape and think it's all genetics!!!! Cause F$&k genetics this was all me!!!
I was obese for a few years and overweight for more than that. I'm now a competitive bodybuilder. I hold zero negative feelings about people who are in shape or who want to compete. It's definitely not about genetics because my entire family on both sides going back a few generations is at least overweight if not obese.0 -
BonyCastro wrote: »Thanks Summerkissed! I want to do it for fun too! Im 35 with 1 kid and I am in the best shape of my life! Thanks for ur advice!
Go for it then!!! It's an absolute blast I'm just deciding wether I want to do it again next year! Just getting on stage is winning in my books
@carolgrn
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OP, my suggestion is to actively seek out people who have competed. This thread was a good start but I'd also suggest visiting a site like the female section of bodybuilding.com where there are several active competitors. Here's a link to a recent discussion about competing in bikini.0
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summerkissed wrote: »summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
Hey, I've been over weight!!! Until I was 30 I'd never had an 'athletic" Body nor was I fitness minded!! I also put on 33kg with both my pregnancies......you have no idea what you are talking about!! I hope your not one of those that looks a woman in awesome shape and think it's all genetics!!!! Cause F$&k genetics this was all me!!!
I was obese for a few years and overweight for more than that. I'm now a competitive bodybuilder. I hold zero negative feelings about people who are in shape or who want to compete. It's definitely not about genetics because my entire family on both sides going back a few generations is at least overweight if not obese.
So why all the negative comments?
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summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
Me? Not at all. I think it's great when someone wants to compete. I know women tend to rush into competing before they are ready and I know that sometimes women pick a category that doesn't fit how they are built. I do think it's sad that judges discriminate based on age in the bikini category and place younger women higher, but many judges have personal biases for scoring no matter what the category.
Judges definitely have biases in all categories... politics. Truth.0 -
#YNBQ0
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summerkissed wrote: »summerkissed wrote: »summerkissed wrote: »Just do it have fun!! Find a reputable coach not one that's going to starve you then add endless hours of cardio....trust me do your research as 80% of the coaches are crap!!! Go to the free posing classes held by most federations, buy a plain bikini and bling it up yourself....but most of all have a great time doing it!!! Each federation has different guidelines for bikini one federation I know of doesn't allow visible abs, others they are a requirement so pick your devision accordinglyMost women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm 37 and 2 kids and I bring it to the plate of the younger girls lol but they do have bikini devisions for 'old' women (bikini momma)....not that I've ever entered one lol
I'm not saying it's impossible for an older woman to place well. I've seen a few women in their 40's hold their own in the bikini category against young women. They were built very petite and naturally lean.
What is "naturally lean"?
Someone who has never been overweight or obese. A person who has almost always maintained body fat at an athletic percentage.
Hey, I've been over weight!!! Until I was 30 I'd never had an 'athletic" Body nor was I fitness minded!! I also put on 33kg with both my pregnancies......you have no idea what you are talking about!! I hope your not one of those that looks a woman in awesome shape and think it's all genetics!!!! Cause F$&k genetics this was all me!!!
I was obese for a few years and overweight for more than that. I'm now a competitive bodybuilder. I hold zero negative feelings about people who are in shape or who want to compete. It's definitely not about genetics because my entire family on both sides going back a few generations is at least overweight if not obese.
So why all the negative comments?
They weren't intended as negative. It was the information that I've been asked a lot by women who want to compete. I could have padded it with other stuff, but it's the most frequent questions I get. They want a year of lifting before competing. They want a good trainer in their corner. There are fees and expenses to consider. They will not make money in their first show or their first year. I could have worded the part about bikini judging and picking an appropriate category different.0 -
Most women who compete in bikini should have at least a full year of lifting experience. You will want a trainer and eventually a posing coach. Competing is very expensive and only the professionals make money from winning competitions. Younger women generally do better in the bikini category than women 30+.
I'm pretty astounded seeing this coming from a Mod. But ANYWAYS.
Doing shows is one of the most unique experiences you will ever have, and if you are committed to it, it can be very rewarding. My last show (granted, I am Figure) I was around 9% body fat. My cut was 12 weeks of carb cycling diet-wise and I did 15-20 minutes HIIT cardio after my lifting session each day.
Prior to competing I had been lifting for a little over 3 years, but I've competed with girls who started 6 months before the show. A benefit of doing bikini is that the judges aren't looking for as much muscle definition as Figure, they're more looking for an "in-shape" physique over one of a girl who's been hitting the weights for years.
I agree with those who said to use a reputable coach, there are many out there that will half starve you, chain you to a treadmill and call it a day while they collect your money. It wouldn't hurt to ask how many competitors they've previously worked with and ask for some pictures of their competitors (hint- if those girls look emaciated, run!)
While I won't deny that it is expensive to compete, it's not impossible to do if you aren't rich. Stoning your own suit, doing your own tan (ProTan is around $10 a bottle compared to ~$100 at the show for professional spray tans), and doing your own hair/nails will save you a ton. A posing coach is beneficial, but YouTube and videoing yourself is your best friend when it comes to posing also. Be sure to research the poses for the association you're competing in as they all differ slightly.
Most importantly, HAVE FUN. Backstage the day of the show is one of my favorite places to be. The atmosphere is one of camaraderie in most of the shows I've done- I've made friends with many girls that I've competed with. Just keep in mind you aren't doing this to pay the bills and have a good time 0
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