Many people avoid entering a natural bodybuilding competition because they believe they must be extremely large or have many years of weight-training experience. These are common misconceptions often created by supplement advertising, social media influencers, YouTube videos, and mainstream bodybuilding magazines that primarily showcase professional, non-drug-tested athletes. This portrayal can be misleading for individuals who are interested in drug-free bodybuilding and realistic, achievable physiques.
When you compare a drug-tested bodybuilding show to a non-tested competition, the differences in physiques are clear. At local natural bodybuilding events, you will see a wide variety of body types, muscle development levels, and conditioning. Athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) typically carry significantly more muscle mass regardless of division. This contrast is especially noticeable in women’s divisions, where enhanced competitors often display muscle size beyond what a natural athlete can safely and realistically achieve.
Conditioning and body fat levels also differ greatly between tested and untested competitions. Enhanced athletes tend to appear extremely lean and highly defined. In contrast, natural competitors achieve a lean, athletic look that emphasizes proportion and overall presentation. As natural athletes reduce body fat, muscle detail becomes more visible, creating the appearance of greater size and density without excessive bulk. OCB Natural Bodybuilding competitions are structured into categories, each with its own standard for muscle definition and conditioning, ensuring fair and consistent judging criteria across categories.
Contrary to popular belief, it does not take decades of training to step on a natural bodybuilding stage. When an athlete becomes leaner, muscle separation and detail increase, making the physique appear larger and more muscular. Many natural bodybuilders look like everyday people in regular clothing but transform dramatically on stage with proper tanning, posing, and professional lighting.
A common mistake among first-time competitors is focusing too heavily on building size while neglecting conditioning. In reality, more contests are lost by athletes who arrive too heavy and not lean enough. Bigger is not always better in drug-free physique competitions. Success comes from balance, symmetry, conditioning, and overall presentation rather than sheer muscle mass alone.
The ideal natural physique includes muscle development (muscularity), low body fat (conditioning), and symmetry (balanced proportions). Judges evaluate the overall look of the athlete based on the standards of each division, not just one physical trait. In OCB competitions, symmetry and proportion are primary judging criteria, with muscle size and definition playing supporting roles depending on the category.
Another misconception is that competitors must reach a specific body fat percentage before starting contest prep. The judges of not ask you what you weigh or your body fat percentage. It’s all about how you look and pose on stage relative to the other athletes. In truth, the key factor is allowing enough time for fat loss and proper preparation. Some athletes may need 8–12 weeks, while others may require 24–32 weeks or longer. Conditioning expectations vary by division—bikini and men’s physique require a different level of leanness and muscle size than figure, classic physique, or bodybuilding. Each category within OCB Natural Bodybuilding has a distinct look and development standard, allowing athletes of many body types and experience levels to compete successfully in a truly drug-free bodybuilding organization.
The bottom line is there is something for everyone. For a full breakdown of categories, classes and what is offered at events please review the guidelines here: OCB Amateur Guidelines (ocbonline.com). It is best to select a category on your individual body development then what you like best. For example, a male competitor may love bodybuilding, but due to genetically narrow hips, small waist, and natural tendency to be lean a better fit may be men’s physique. As that competitor fills out and adds more mass overall, they can gravitate into the bodybuilding category. In this sport you are never stuck in one category permanently, and as competitors develop or refine the physique it is not uncommon to see them move from category to category.
What does it take to compete? All it really takes to compete is the desire! One commonly heard comment at shows nationwide by first-time competitors is “I waited too long; I could have done a show years ago. I feel like I missed out on a lot of opportunities.” The reality is that you don’t need a certain any experience or a certain amount of mass. The second most common remark is “I wish I had gone to see a show first, I feel so lost here!”
If you’ve never attended a drug-free contest, you definitely should watch some of the OCB YouTube videos here: Official OCB – YouTube The absolute best way to get a feeling for a show is to watch one. The OCB organizes shows twelve months per year; however, the more active period is between April and November. It will help you tremendously if you watch an event live to get an idea of how the show is organized and judged. Furthermore, you can identify what “look” the judges awarding. To find an event near you please go here: Click to see a schedule of amateur body competitions (ocbonline.com)
When doing your research, be sure you’re looking at amateur level events rather than those at the professional level. Also, make sure you are watching competitions for the federation you chose to enter as each federation has different judging criteria for physique and presentation. Online photos and videos will show comparison rounds during pre-judging and individual presentations and awards during finals. By studying individual presentations, you can get an idea of the normal level of conditioning and development that is typical for each category.
If you are a first-time competitor, compare yourself to other “novice” or “debut” division competitors. Some of the videos you come across will feature professional competitors who comprise only the top 2% of all natural athletes. If people only studied athletes in the top tier of the sport, and used that as a benchmark, very few people would ever set foot on stage! Before making a decision, be certain that your comparisons are being made at the appropriate level.
MEMBERSHIP FEES:
All bodybuilding organizations require a membership fee for all competitors. In The OCB, membership dues are good for one year from the date of purchase and help to cover operational costs incurred by the organization. Membership in the OCB can be obtained here: Natural Bodybuilding Contests | Physique Contests – OCBonline.com The amateur membership is what you would select, professional memberships are only for athletes that have attained professional status by winning a qualifying event. The amateur membership in the OCB will not automatically renew, so if you choose to compete again after the one-year period has expired, you will need to purchase a new membership.
REGISTRATION FEES:
To enter a contest, competitors must submit an entry form and pay an entry fee. The entry fees help to cover the costs of producing shows, which include facility rental, awards, hiring event staff, etc. If crossovers, (i.e., entering more than one class) are permitted, an additional crossover entry fee will apply. A crossover fee is usually a little less than the cost of entering the first division. Even though it will cost you a little more to add crossovers, we highly recommend that you enter as many classes as possible. You have trained for so long that you might as well go for as many awards as you can!
POLYGRAPH & DRUG TESTING:
Some drug free organizations, such as the OCB, require competitors to pay for polygraph testing. Others will only urine test an overall champion or spot test a certain percentage of competitors. The OCB believes in 100% screening of all competitors for PED use, so all competitors will be to take the polygraph screening. If an athlete is awarded a pro qualification a urine drug test is collected, The OCB promoter covers the costs involved with collection and urinalysis testing.
TANNING, HAIR & MAKE-UP:
Most events will offer a for-hire onsite professional tanning service and hair/make-up artist. Should you choose to hire the professionals, you will need to make a reservation in advance. For some federations you must use the vendors contracted for that event. In the OCB it is not necessary to book any of these services through the event promotion, these are offered as a convenience only.
STAGE PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY:
Most events will offer professional stage photography and video for an additional fee. If you think you may want professional photography or video, it is best to purchase it during athlete check-ins. This will ensure that the photographer and videographer focus on getting the best possible shots of you. If you purchase afterward, you may not have much of a selection from which to choose. For the OCB this is again a convenience so you can get good quality photographs and video.
When selecting a natural bodybuilding competition, athletes often look first at location and timing—and for good reason. Choosing a contest that is geographically close and fits your training schedule can reduce travel costs, simplify logistics, and help you peak at the right moment. However, convenience should not be the only factor. The quality, reputation, and athlete experience of the federation you choose can have a major impact on your success and enjoyment of the sport.
Before registering for any event, competitors are encouraged to seek recommendations and reviews from other natural athletes. Honest, unbiased feedback can reveal important details about organization quality, judging transparency, venue conditions, and overall professionalism. Social media groups and online fitness communities are excellent resources for gathering first-hand experiences. While some negative comments may stem from personal disappointment with placings, consistent and verifiable concerns—such as poor lighting, disorganized scheduling, or low-quality awards—are worth serious consideration when choosing a federation.
Many athletes ultimately choose events hosted by OCB Natural Bodybuilding because of their reputation for professionalism, athlete support, and consistent drug testing standards. OCB contests are known for being well-organized, competitively fair, and welcoming to both first-time and seasoned competitors. Even larger OCB shows that feature pro-qualifying divisions are designed to be inclusive rather than intimidating, with dedicated debut and novice classes, as well as multiple age-based divisions that allow athletes to compete on a more level playing field.
Each contest provides a detailed list of available categories and divisions, helping athletes find the best fit for their physique and experience level. Common OCB categories include:
Bodybuilding
Classic Physique
Men’s Physique
Women’s Physique
Figure
Wellness
Bikini
Not all federations offer the same range of categories, which is another reason many competitors prefer OCB events. Categories are further divided by age groups (such as Teen or Masters 40+) and experience levels (Debut, Novice, Open). When divisions grow large, they are often split into height or weight classes to ensure fair comparisons. Judging smaller, evenly matched groups improves accuracy, fairness, and athlete recognition.
OCB competitions also frequently allow crossover entries, giving athletes more stage time and additional opportunities for awards. For example, a 42-year-old first-time male bodybuilder may qualify to compete in Debut, Novice, Masters 40+, and Open divisions within the same category. This flexibility maximizes value for competitors and enhances the overall contest experience. While some federations restrict crossovers, OCB events are widely appreciated for offering reasonable options that benefit athletes.
Choosing the right natural bodybuilding federation is about more than proximity—it’s about fair judging, professional organization, inclusive divisions, and athlete-focused policies. For competitors seeking a credible, drug-tested, and well-structured competitive environment, OCB contests consistently stand out as a top choice in the natural bodybuilding community.
For competitors committed to true natural bodybuilding, understanding the difference between “drug-tested” and genuinely drug-free competitions is critical. Not all events that advertise themselves as “natural” actually conduct thorough or consistent testing. Some shows may promote drug-free standards yet perform little to no verification, while others may only require athletes to be substance-free for a short period of time. The term drug-free can vary widely between federations and may mean:
6 months substance-free
1 year substance-free
3–7 years substance-free
Lifetime natural status
Because definitions and enforcement differ so greatly, athletes and coaches should always confirm how testing is performed, how often it occurs, and what the disqualification policies are before committing to a contest.
This is where the standards of OCB Natural Bodybuilding Organization consistently set the benchmark in the natural bodybuilding industry. OCB contests are recognized for:
Comprehensive banned substance lists that are publicly accessible
Mandatory pre-contest screening, including polygraph testing
Professional urinalysis testing for class winners and overall champions
Transparent eligibility rules and clearly defined lifetime natural standards
Consistent enforcement across all sanctioned events
For athletes and coaches who value fairness, integrity, and equal competition, choosing a federation with rigorous and verifiable drug-testing procedures is essential. OCB events are widely regarded as some of the most trustworthy natural bodybuilding competitions available, offering competitors confidence that they are stepping on stage in a level, drug-free environment. By prioritizing transparency, athlete education, and year-round testing consistency, OCB continues to be a leading choice for serious natural competitors seeking credibility and competitive integrity.
Click OCB Banned Substance List (ocbonline.com) for OCB’s drug-testing policy and banned substance list.
When evaluating natural bodybuilding federations, athletes and coaches should look closely at how drug testing is actually performed, not just whether the word “natural” appears in marketing materials. Different organizations rely on different screening methods, and the effectiveness of those methods can vary significantly.
Many federations depend solely on polygraph testing as their primary screening tool. In these contests, every athlete may be evaluated—or in some cases, only a random selection of competitors. Other organizations use urinalysis as their primary method, but often limit testing to overall winners, class champions, or a small number of selected athletes rather than the entire field. Some federations choose to combine both methods, which generally provides a stronger deterrent and greater competitive fairness.
It is important for serious natural competitors to understand the limitations of urine testing alone. Most banned performance-enhancing substances are no longer detectable in urine after only a few weeks, and standard urine panels typically cannot detect certain substances such as growth hormone. This means that federations relying exclusively on urinalysis may not offer the same level of screening integrity as those that implement multiple layers of testing.
This is why many athletes and coaches view OCB Natural Bodybuilding Organization as an industry leader in drug-tested natural bodybuilding. OCB competitions are structured around multi-layered, year-round testing standards designed to protect the integrity of the stage and the athletes who compete on it. OCB drug-testing protocols commonly include:
Mandatory polygraph screening for all competitors prior to stepping on stage
Urinalysis testing for pro-qualifying class winners, including Open and Masters divisions
Random urinalysis testing at the discretion of promoters and officials
Off-season random urine testing for professional athletes, not just during contest season
Clearly published banned substance lists and eligibility criteria
This combination of universal screening, targeted laboratory testing, and off-season enforcement creates a strong deterrent against banned substance use while reinforcing trust among competitors and coaches. Athletes are not only competing for trophies and titles—they are competing for legitimacy, recognition, and long-term credibility in the sport.
While any form of testing can discourage substance use at local or regional events, federations that implement consistent, transparent, and multi-method drug testing offer a noticeably higher standard of fairness. For competitors who want assurance that they are stepping onto a truly level playing field, OCB contests are widely recognized as some of the most thoroughly tested and professionally administered natural bodybuilding events available.
Pre contest dieting is about burning off body fat, retaining muscle, and displaying the physique to the competitor’s best advantage. Most competitors seem to start anywhere from 8 to 2 6 weeks in advance to get ready for a show. However, contest prep is a very individual process and really depends on how much fat needs to be burned and the speed of the competitor’s metabolism that results in the speed of fat loss. For example, a person needing to shed 20 pounds of fat will need la longer time for dieting than a person who only needs to shed 10 pounds of fat. Other factors involved are speed of the metabolism and levels of various fat burning hormones that can be affected by age, insulin sensitivity issues, and a variety of other factors. In other words, fat loss is never a linear process where you simply plug in a start weight and ending weight and travel a straight-line distance between points. Fat loss is just not that simple and in many contest preps there are unforeseen speed bumps to overcome. The keys to successful contest preparation are consistency and determination along with a positive mental outlook. Don’t get discouraged or panic and then crash diet. The fat loss will come.
If you are embarking on a contest diet for the first time, be aware of what is referred to as the metabolic shift phenomenon. This is when a diet is started and the individual loses 3-5 pounds the first week, and then nothing. This can go on for weeks or months. This is just your body acclimating to using insulin and other hormones to shed fat and not to store it. The metabolic shift is when the body decides it needs to start using stored fat as energy, and insulin and other hormones become more efficient at building or retaining muscle. If during this phase it is easy to continue to cut calories or add activity in an effort to speed things up, or to get discouraged a quit. This is where perseverance becomes key, as long as you do not reduce calories too much your body will eventually shift into gear and results will follow. If you remain patient and focus on consistency, strength improvements or small body changes and not the scale you will get through this initial hurdle.
The fat that surrounds the spinal cord, heart, and vital organs is called essential fat and is necessary to sustain life. The lowest body fat percentage a person can have is their amount of essential fat. Essential fat is approximately 2 – 3% of total body weight for males, and ranges between 7 -10% for females. The difference in levels between genders is due to reproductive and hormonal factors. It is not likely for a competitor to reach the lowest possible body fat percentages though. If competitors can get within a couple percent of the lowest possible levels, they will display unbelievable definition. Most amateur regional level competitors don’t even get that low.
Figure and bikini competitors can come in at a wide variety of body fat percentages, largely depending on where and how their body holds fat, as well as the desired look of the competing organization. But generally speaking, body fat levels range from 8-15% for them, not nearly as low as female bodybuilders must go to show adequate definition. Most male bodybuilders will need to attain a lower single digit percentage to do well, but again what one body looks like at 7% may be totally different from another.
When it comes to body fat percentages it is best for the new competitor to disregard the numbers and just diet to the lowest body fat percentage they can attain. Go by the mirror and what your eyes tell you and not a mathematical reading because that may not be “your” best look.
So, is there a way to know roughly how long someone will need to diet to get ready for a show? Well, here is one solid method, but it will not be accurate for everyone and will require some tweaks. First you need to determine your current body fat percentage, not just your body weight. There are a variety of ways to go about finding your fat levels. Many gyms offer body fat testing, and you can also get an inexpensive set of calipers with instructions from various online resources. Calipers (skin fold measurements), bioelectrical impedance (painless electrical current through the body) and near infrared reactance (light absorption and reflection) are the most common methods for obtaining body fat estimates and are available at most health clubs. The commercial sets, such as Accumeasure, use a plastic caliper with a one site measurement and chart to estimate your fat percentage. No matter what system you use the bottom line is that you will arrive at a percentage number and that percentage will give you the data you need to get a rough idea about how much fat you have. A rough idea because all methods of fat testing have errors built into them, and no test is perfect or “exact” and the error may be 3 -8% depending so use the numbers as a guideline or a start point. From there some simple math will get you the data you need to formulate your game plan. Here’s how it works:
In this example, the competitor is a female weighing 152 lbs. She has set a goal to be at 11% body fat for her competition. Say her test yields 18.6% body fat. 18.6% of 152 lbs. is: 0.186 x 152 lbs. = 28.27 lbs., so she currently has about 28.25 lbs. of body fat on her frame. A bodyweight of 152 lbs. – 28.25 lbs. = 123.75 lbs. of lean bodyweight (muscle, water, bones etc.). Using algebra, (who said that stuff would never get used in the real world?) to find to her goal of 11% body fat:
123.75 lbs./ x = 100% – 11%, or simply 0.89, 123.75 = 0.89x, 123.75/0.89 = x, 139 = x, so about 139 lbs. would be about the target 11% body fat. As a check, weight of 139 – lean bodyweight of 123.75=15.25 lbs. of fat, and 15.25/139=10.97% or 11% rounded).
28.25 lbs. of fat now – 15.25 lbs. of target fat = 12.75 lbs. to lose. Now that 12.75 pounds may be enough and produce the ideal look we are after or she may have to lose another few pounds to get to the goal “look”, but the data at least provides a guide. Now losing 1 -2 lbs. per week is a common rate of weight loss to shed body fat while maintaining muscle mass. Losing weight too quickly can come at the expense of losing muscle tissue. Figure on about 1.5 lbs. lost per week for this example. It would take 12.75 lbs./1.5 lbs. = 8.5 weeks of dieting to reach the target body fat level from this starting point. BUT remember, this is never a linear path! There will be obstacles, weeks of perfect dieting that yield less than the 1.5 pounds we seek or even no loss. This is when consistency and patience come in because we do not want to starve and risk a metabolic collapse. It’s common to have weeks of little fat loss, but as long as the progression is down the diet is still a success. So, what do we do to be ready for this? Try adding 25 % more time that factored in. So, the 8.5 weeks becomes 10.5 or round up to 11. And factor in a week to peak (we will cover that in a bit), and you have 12 weeks to be safe.
Note: When dieting, competitors should weigh themselves first thing in the morning each time. Water weight can vary several pounds throughout the day. By recording weights at the same time of day, like first thing upon waking after about 8 hours of fasting, ensures more accurate weight readings when monitoring weight loss from one week to the next.
When you start the diet another key piece of information is what your starting caloric intake is. To find that out simply record everything you eat for a week and weigh yourself every day. If you’re essentially the same weight from day 1 to day 7 then all you need to do is add up how many calories, you have eaten daily over the week and that is your caloric starting point. So, let’s say this same female tracked every morsel of food and put it into one of the many online or downloadable apps such as “Fit Day” and her result was 2,400 calories a day. This would be her base caloric level. Any reduction would result in a deficit and that deficit is what triggers fat loss. A good start would be about a 10% reduction along with an increase in activity, not a huge jump, just an increase. If you start by cutting calories in half and adding 70 minutes of cardio and another 60 minutes of weight training a day you will lose a lot of weight quickly but after 7 -10 days your body will release catabolic hormones that burn lean tissue (muscle) and other hormones that blunt fat loss. So, all the weight lost after that point is at the expense of muscle, not fat, which is why crash diets don’t work for bodybuilding. Why does this happen? 20 million years of evolution. The human body is designed to survive a famine and muscle is not good in starvation mode, so it’s burned first, before fat. So, a 10 -15% starting reduction is good to start the process.
Once you decide to begin your dieting for a contest, it becomes more important to know your food intake. You have to be a calorie and macronutrient counter at this point, at least until you gain plenty of experience with dieting down. To determine the breakdown of foods, you can use the online applications or go to a local bookstore and pick up a nutrition or food guide that lists the amount of carbs, protein, fats, sugars, sodium, etc. in foods. Begin dieting by eliminating all the junk food, excess sugars, and foods high in fat from your diet, and piece together your meals using a source of lean protein, a source of complex carbohydrates, and vegetables for fiber and vitamins and minerals. Also pick up a food scale and measuring cups. I do not know how many times I have seen people “guesstimate” 6 oz. only to have them weigh an item and see it is more like 9 oz. When you weigh and measure everything it is easy to cut more calories by simply cutting an ounce here or ¼ cup there.
There is no best ratio of carbs/proteins/fats as it differs greatly from individual to individual. A good place to start would be 50% carbohydrates, 30% proteins and 20% fats, but again this can vary widely based on insulin sensitivity, testosterone levels, muscle mass, etc. Many people do fine with these ratios, others feel they must take in a lower amount of carbs when dieting for a contest. Your body type, metabolism, and number of fat cells in your body (which is hereditary) can affect what works best for you. I suggest doing some research on the subject before you start but understand that a lot of what is talked about on many bodybuilding chat rooms is based on PED using competitors and will not be effect for natural athletes. And avoid some of the hype surrounding the “next great” fat loss trend. Any diet that recommends extremes is likely flawed.
You should be eating frequent meals (4-6), but the portions will become a little smaller the closer to the contest you get. As an example, say your normal food intake averages 3,500 calories per day. When you start dieting, you should maintain that number but use a stricter (cleaner) diet. In many cases simply cleaning the diet will result in some initial fat losses so don’t be too quick on the trigger when it comes to cutting calories. Counting calories serves as a gauge for where to go next. If after the first week you do not experience any weight loss, you should then cut your calories back 10 -15%. After another week you can gauge your progress and take it from there. For example, if you lose 5 pounds in a week, you should add some calories back to your daily diet. Ideally you should try to lose 1 -2 pounds per week. Much more than that would probably be at the expense of muscle, not the fat you want to get rid of. Continue adjusting your calories (or exercise amounts) as needed to continue to lose 1-2 pounds per week up until the week before your show. And remember, there will be bumps in the road so do not make massive cuts or by the end of the diet you will be down to too little calorie intake.
You need to continue lifting weights to send the signal that your body must hold onto that muscle you have built. Keep lifting as you normally do. If you intentionally lift lighter weights, the muscles may adjust to the decreased stress and become smaller, especially since you will be at a calorie deficit from dieting. The goal in contest dieting is to lose fat and retain muscle. Definition in a physique comes from lowering overall body fat so there is less of it between the skin and muscle. You do not really want the muscle to change when dieting, you want it to be shown more clearly, and that happens as fat is burned and skin is closer to the muscle showing more lines (less cushioning masking lines, cushioning meaning fat). You can add some cardio to your exercise program to help with the burning of fat. Cardiovascular exercise burns additional calories and continues burning fat after the cardio session has been completed. As the weeks go by, you can increase cardio session length, if needed, to continue losing 1-2 pounds per week. Figure and bikini competitors (or female competitors in general) may need to do more cardio than males due to slower metabolisms, in part from female genetics, and in part from not carrying as much muscle mass.
Just be aware when dieting that you don’t overdo it. If you do too much exercise without taking in enough fuel (food) your body can work against you. It can go into starvation mode and fight to hold onto fat instead of burning it for energy. You must keep a slight negative caloric balance, not an excessive one. Symptoms of over dieting/exercising are your legs starting to feel heavy when you walk, energy becoming drastically low for longer than a few hours (like for days), strength while working out goes down drastically, and metabolism slowing down (less frequent bowel movements). If these things happen, you are not burning fat as efficiently as you could be, and trying to diet and train becomes harder!
POSING
Posing is essential to presenting your physique at its best. Good posing will help you accentuate your strengths and disguise your weaknesses. You have put forth so much time, energy, and money into your prep. You definitely should not cut corners on posing!
It is highly recommended that you study the mandatory poses for your category. Mandatory poses are the poses required during prejudging (group comparisons). Here are some suggested resources:
Practice your poses in the mirror. Try slight variations of the poses to see what makes your physique look best. Watch your transitions from pose to the next pose and think about what you can do to transition smoothly. Many new competitors are unable to hit a particular pose without having a mirror in front of them to adjust their position. Once you’re comfortable posing with the mirror, try closing your eyes and getting into your position by feel. Once in position, open your eyes and see if you nailed it. If not, practice more without the mirror, and keep working until you’re able to hit each pose by muscle memory. There are no mirrors on stage to help you, so don’t let it become a crutch. If you have a video camera, consider taping yourself going through the poses. You can get a good idea of how you will look on stage when you don’t have a mirror in front of you.
Posing takes a lot of practice to master, and a lot of practice to avoid shaking while posing on stage. Many competitors tremble when hitting poses on stage because they are nervous or because they didn’t practice enough for their bodies to become used to it. It’s never too early to begin practicing your poses and turns. For a new competitor, it’s best to start at least 2-3 months before the day of the show. Shaking takes away from one’s presentation. One trick that can help with this is to make sure your jaw is relaxed. This relaxes the muscles in the neck and prevents shaking a lot of the time. Frequent posing also adds to the hard look a physique attains as you go through the preparation phase.
Let’s review how the show day will go as far as posing in concerned. Most competitions have prejudging or group comparisons) in the morning followed by finals later in the day. During prejudging, you will go through your required poses with the other athletes in your class. Decisions for placements for your class are made at this time, but not announced until finals. Finals are an opportunity for you to present your hard work as an individual and show your creativity. During finals in the OCB, you will perform a t-walk or routine or around 60 seconds of music. Once all of the competitors have performed, awards are presented. Be aware that not all events follow this order. Please check the event registration site or email the promoter to find out what the show format will. In some instances, awards are given out after each category instead of all at the end.
Division overall winners are decided during finals. Overalls occur whenever there’s more than one class in a division. For example, there might be a winner from both a Figure Open A and a Figure Open B class. These two class winners would pose down during finals to determine who would be the Figure Open overall champion.
PEAK WEEK
Carb Depletion/Loading
Some people carb deplete and then carb load the final week before a show. The theory is that once depleted, muscles suck in more glycogen directly afterward and one can look slightly larger for the contest. Carb depletion usually consists of cutting your carb intake and doing many high rep exercises for three days (usually Sun, Mon, Tue for a Sat show). At the end of the third day energy will be low, and muscles should look flat. Then one carb loads for three days taking in more carbs than what their normal diet before the final week consisted of. Cardio or weights are usually not done during this time since it would interfere with glycogen loading. This process can be tough to master though. If you look great first thing in the morning, you may not want to play with carb manipulation and risk messing your look up. Also, for bikini competitors, it is not necessary to manipulate carbs during the final week. Since they compete at a slightly higher body fat level carb manipulation would have a negligible effect on how they look on the day of the show. A bikini competitor may instead choose to carb deplete the final 2-3 days and not load until the morning of the show, to avoid holding water in the glutes. Like other variables (sodium, water) you are looking at subtle increases and decreases. A good rule is a 50% decrease to deplete and a 50% increase to load. So, if a week out you are at two hundred grams a day, decrease to one hundred for several days, then load at 300 grams. Peaking is not about tricking the body; it is about subtle manipulation. There is no magic in peak weak and if you are not ready a week out then nothing the final week will do much, but if you are on point then a proper last week can get you dialed in.
Sodium Manipulation
Some people manipulate sodium levels right before a show to try to keep from retaining water under their skin on contest day, which would make them look softer. The underlying theory is, if you have less sodium, your body will not hold onto as much water, and you will look harder and more defined. It is not that simple though. Other electrolytes (like potassium) factor in. A common misconception with respect to sodium is that you must eliminate it completely. This can cause water retention. If the body does not get the daily minimum required sodium (which is somewhere around 500-1500mg), it will begin to produce aldosterone that in turn retains water in the body. Again, on this one… if you look good first thing in the mornings, you may not want to play with things. If you do manipulate sodium, you should cut it in half, a gradual decrease, not a drastic one. For example, taking in 3000mg daily, then switching to 1500mg the day of and the day before the show.
Water Intake
Thinking one must refrain from drinking water on contest day is another common misconception. Again, a drastic decrease can be harmful. Not taking in enough water can cause water retention, plus dehydration is dangerous. A gradual decrease, IF ANY DECREASE AT ALL, is recommended. So, if you normally take in two gallons per day, cut back to one for contest day. Remember that muscles are made up of a significant percentage of water. If they lose water, they will look smaller and flatter. People who take in too little water often have trouble looking full and vascular. The goal is to not hold water between the skin and muscle, not lose water from the muscles themselves. And if you’re carb loading you must keep the water intake high. The whole purpose is to have the carbs draw the water into the muscle cells with glycogen. If you cut water and carb load it ruins the whole point of the carb load in the first place.
Training Style
The final week you may elect to do no lifting at all. Your work is done. A few days’ rest can refresh you and bring you into the show fully charged. If you do lift in the final days, be careful not to overdo it. If you have reached extremely low body fat levels, there’s higher risk of injury (little cushioning in the joints). One thing you can do in place of the training is pose, pose, pose. Remember, posing can really add to that hard and polished look on stage.
Last Meal
A general guide for how long classes for prejudging take figure around a minute per competitor (so class of five would take around 5 minutes, class of 15 around 15 minutes). You can get a rough estimate for when your class will go on by estimating the time for classes that will go on before yours. Try to schedule your last meal about three hours before you go on, so your belly isn’t bloated. Avoid certain foods that can cause bloating, like high fiber foods (vegetables), or other foods that can influence bloating (pretzels, bagels, ice cream, chocolate). When it comes to vegetables most find that 2-3 days is needed to get rid of any belly bloat or gas from the high vegetable intake pre contest.
Pumping Up
Pumping up should only take about 5-10 minutes. You do not need any longer than that. It is not a workout. You are just doing a couple of light sets for high reps to pump blood into your muscles and make them look fuller. If you have a weak body part, you can pump it to try and balance out your physique more. You can get pumped up just from posing too.
BASKSTAGE ETIQUETTE
Remember you are not alone on stage. Family, friends, and hundreds of strangers are watching you. If you are disappointed with a placement, carry yourself as a professional during and after the awards presentations. After the show ask the judges for feedback. When speaking to them, you may discover their reasoning for your placement. You may understand their decisions more and get helpful insight for future competitions. Everyone in the show worked hard, so do not allow poor sportsmanship to ruin the event for others.
If you have never experimented with getting a competition tan, you can easily be fooled when preparing for your first contest. As you become darker than you have ever been, you may think that you are dark enough. However, when you finally get on stage, you may realize you were too pale. What happened?
The stage lights are very bright. They can wash out definition and make you look much lighter once you get under them. Do not fall victim to this common oversight! Keep in mind that a stage tan for competition is very different than an ordinary spray tan or suntan. You need to be much darker. If you are not dark enough, the judges will be unable to see details in your physique, and you may not place as well.
Almost everyone needs to use artificial color before a show. Even African Americans find that they benefit from adding competition color. Tanning products even out skin tones, add shine, and make muscle detail more visible. Tanning beds are not necessary for the one day that you are on display. Many competitors do use them to get a base tan, but it is not at all necessary.
Any shaving that you need to do should be done several days in advance of applying any tan. Men should shave their entire bodies, and women where necessary. Shaving several days prior to adding competition color is optimal in the event you break out in areas that are unaccustomed to being shaved.
Before tanning, you should be wearing loose fitting clothing that you do not mind being stained. You will also need an old set of sheets to use the night before your competition since you will be sleeping with tanner on your body. It will rub off, but to the best of your ability, try to keep the toilet seats, towels, and bedding at a hotel clean. You may get charged if they are damaged.
You have two choices when it comes to competition color: (1) Make an appointment in advance with the professional tanning service at the event; or (2) apply your own product. Most shows offer onsite spray tanning services for a fee. Using the professional service typically costs more, but it also addresses many common tanning issues that arise. The professional tanner will send you detailed instructions on how to prep your skin for tanning. It is important that you read these directions carefully and follow them. These directions often specify that you should stop using deodorants, perfumes, and certain lotions and soaps before your scheduled tan. You will take your last shower before the first coat of tanner is applied, and following the directions sent by the tanner is vital. Not following these directions may negatively impact the development of your tan or cause a chemical reaction where your tan could turn green.
The professional tanner will usually apply one coat the night before the show, which will allow it to develop overnight. You should not shower or wash off the product. In fact, you will need to keep yourself away from water as much as possible. In the morning, the tanner will usually give you another coat and touch up any areas that are uneven or splotchy. Before you go on stage, the tanner will usually glaze you, or apply a thin sheen to your skin to make it slightly shiny. You do not want this to be excessive; otherwise, you will look greasy.
If you choose to apply your own tanner, you will need some help. This is not a task that you can do entirely on your own. Commonly used products include Pro Tan Competition Color and Jan Tana Competition Color. Although these products are less expensive than hiring a professional, you are taking all the risk. To avoid any mishaps, it is critical that you carefully follow all the directions. Some of these products are applied a few days prior to the contest and some the night before the show. Be aware that these products can really dry out your skin, so if permitted, apply an approved moisturizer before applying tanner. It’s not recommended that you use the spray nozzle that some brands include. They are messy and take much longer to apply the product. Instead, pour the dye in a cup and dip the applicator in it. You will get a thicker coat and cover yourself much faster. While applying the dye, you may wish to stand on an old towel to catch any dye that drips to the floor. When you go to bed for the night, make sure you use old sheets and bedding where you sleep. It will stain. Only if directed, you may need to rinse off excess tanning agent in the morning. If you are light skinned, it is recommended that you apply another coat of dye in the morning on contest day. Once the tanner dries, you can apply a coat of bronzer (ProTan, Jan Tana) over top to make the color darker and more even looking. (Bronzer is intended for use on contest day. It will not make you blotchy like the skin dyes, as long as it is rubbed on thoroughly and evenly). Bronzers darken the skin’s appearance, but do not stain the skin. If you want to be even darker, you can apply a second coat of bronzer on top of the first. Bronzers also wash off afterwards. If you need to even out streaks from sweating after group comparisons, apply another coat of the bronzer prior to finals. Do not apply tanner to your face or neck until the night before to avoid peeling skin in these more sensitive skin areas. Many women opt not to tan their faces at all but choose to use matching make-up instead. It is not necessary to dye your hands, wrists, feet, or ankles until the night before either. Doing so can make those areas more noticeably dark than the rest of your physique. Go easy around the elbows and knees when applying tanning agents or those areas will appear darker due to the skin being more porous. If you choose to use a glaze or oil over your tan, use professional posing products, not baby oil. You do not want to look too shiny and wet. A small amount is all that is needed.
Competitor Tip: For something to protect your spray tan and keep it looking great at competitions, check out these protective products: Fitness Wear Collection – Wear & Away (wearandaway.com)
Most promoters communicate well with the competitors, but if you have not received any correspondence within two weeks you should contact the promoter and make sure you did not miss an email. By two weeks out you should know start times, locations, class breakdowns and any other essential information. This will make the final 48 hours far less confusing and stressful. Most shows have a host hotel for check-in. It is not mandatory to get a room at that hotel, but if you have a long drive, it is helpful.
Check-ins are mandatory and this is where you will receive your competitor’s number and any goodie bags, t-shirts or swag a promoter may give out. This is also where the polygraph screening, tanning, makeup etc. takes place. Check-ins have set times so make sure you know when they are. Check-ins will not always follow the same times as tanning, testing etc. so be prepared to be at check-ins for up to several hours, or depending on when you scheduled tanning and any polygraphs you may have to come back. Do your best not to miss any appointments. Tanning, makeup, and drug screening will all have set appointment times, so it is best to try to book them all close together, but always start with the drug screening.
For show day make a list of items to bring to the venue. Food, directions, suit/shorts/posing trunks, a camera, towels, bands or light dumbbells to pump up with, extra clothes and a book to read are all necessities. It is also good to drive to the venue the day before, so you know the location, parking etc. It is not uncommon to have the GPS lead you to the wrong location, or to an entrance that is not open and active. Dealing with that stress as the stage time deadline approaches because you are lost or cannot find parking is not optimal to having a great experience.
At some events there is a lot of down time because they split the prejudging and routine/awards portions. Most OCB events are live judged, meaning a category is run start to finish with no break. This allows competitors to only be on site for several hours and not all day. It is a good idea to get the format of the show beforehand, so you know how to prepare meals.
Most promoters communicate well with the competitors, but if you have not received any correspondence within two weeks then it is a good idea to contact the promoter and make sure you didn’t miss an email. By two weeks out you should know start times, locations, class breakdowns and any other essential information.
Most events allow you to have a trainer backstage, but it’s not necessary. There is a lot of camaraderie at natural shows so you can find someone to lend a helping hand. A trainer can help with the finishing touches like applying oil and making sure you have your number on. It is also noteworthy to mention that they do not need to be experienced. They just need to be trustworthy and have some understanding of what is going on at the event. Let them know what you need and expect from them, and you should be fine.
On show day remember attitude is everything. Go to have fun, make friends, and soak it all in. It is best not to worry about placements as you have no control over who shows up, all you can do is show up in the best version of you possible. If you achieve the notable distinction of making it onto the stage then you have accomplished what less than 0.0001% of the fitness population has, so you have won the battle.
New competitors are under the illusion that bodybuilders always look the way they do on stage. This is absolutely not the case. The term Peaking in reference to competition is the act of achieving your ultimate best on the day of the show. This ultimate is fleeting and can last hours or days and is not your forever body.
Some competitors rebound badly in post contest and have huge weight gains. Others are afraid to add even an ounce of fat and ultimately burn out physically and mentally. Long term dieting is not good for lifetime fitness so you will have to resume a balanced diet and increase caloric intake but do so slowly and wisely. There is a lot of literature, articles and information on how to return to baseline eating and it is different for everyone so it will not be covered here in depth. In short, enjoy a few meals, or days of free eating, and then slowly bring calories back to your pre-diet levels.
Some competitors are one and done, a bucket list item. There is nothing wrong with that at all, you embarked on an arduous task, probably the most difficult athletic endeavor to achieve, and you did it. Enjoy your new body and continue a fitness lifestyle. You can still support the sport without competing and many find volunteering at shows a way to maintain motivation without getting on stage.
Others will get a little taste and want more. For these competitors feedback is essential, but it needs to be honest and relevant. This means you must be honest with yourself as well. So be open to criticism from judges, coaches and other competitors. Don’t just study the photos that you look best in, look critically at the ones where you do not look the best on stage, or in your group. This will help you far more than a friend who will tell you what you want to here, or only looking at what you want to see. To improve is to be critical, able to accept feedback and then set upon making improvements.
Hopefully you kept a training log and have notes to refer back to. Even if you have a coach programming everything for you it is a good idea to maintain your own log. Take before and after photos and use this as motivation and a blueprint to improve. If you keep at it, one day you may be featured on a poster or be interviewed on a fitness Podcast. Just realize, there are no riches in this sport. No large contracts for marketing or product placement. This is about the journey, you against yourself, so use the experience to build a better you and create memories.
Is it worth it? Yes, but only if your strong enough.
