Anyone who is interested in exercise and fitness, you may eventually want to try your hand at bodybuilding. You may want to move on to fitness competitions. You want to impress others with your body.
So what exactly do you do? What are the guidelines for fitness competition training?
We want you to be prepared for your fitness competition.
We’ve put together this guide to help you prepare.
Table of Contents
The Guide to Fitness Competition Training
It takes a lot to get your body in shape for a fitness competition. You need to be dedicated to this lifestyle so that you can succeed in the competition.
Here’s what you have to do:
1. Get Some Rest
The very first thing you need to do is give importance to rest. When preparing for a fitness competition, you may be motivated to overwork yourself.
But an important part of exercising is resting. You need to be taking gaps between each set and each exercise at the gym. You should also make sure that you get at least eight hours of sleep each night.
Consider therapy to rest your muscles so they do not get damaged. You should look into the pros and cons of sauna use in case you want to consider it as an option.
2. Set a Schedule
You need to set a strict schedule of when you will work out, when you will eat, and when you will rest.
Simply doing it on the allotted days is not sufficient. You have to stick to specific times. For example, you may prefer to work out for an hour early in the morning before going to work. Or you may prefer to work late at night when the gym is practically empty. Regardless, you should stick to a set schedule of when you will work out and at what times.
The same should go for when you will eat your meals and when you will rest. Stick to this schedule and try not to compromise at all if possible.
3. Find a Lifting Partner
You shouldn’t go to the gym alone. Find a lifting partner who can hold you accountable and can make sure that you are pushing yourself to the max.
They are there to spot you when you are doing the heavy liftings, such as deadlift or bench press. They can also make sure that your form is correct and can help you if you might injure yourself.
They can keep a record of your exercises to make sure you are following your routine.
4. Choose the Best Gym
While you may be satisfied with your current gym, we encourage you to do further research on whether your gym is indeed the best.
You want a gym that has as much equipment as possible. If resting facilities such as a sauna or a massage parlor exist in your gym, then this is a great added bonus. You also want one that is not too crowded at the time that you wish to go.
You want to make sure that the gym and its equipment are well-maintained. If possible, choose a gym that is as close to your home as possible. This forces you to go to the gym regularly and not have the excuse that the gym is too far away.
5. Drink Water
You need to drink as much water as you can each day. The standard practice is to have at least one gallon per day. Depending on your goals, you may have to exceed this.
We suggest speaking to a qualified nutritionist to decide how much water should be drunk. Make sure you always take your water to the gym with you. Make sure to drink your water between your sets and between exercises.
Even when you are not thirsty, you should be drinking water.
6. Focus on Nutrition
Muscles are built in the kitchen as the old adage goes. You should, once again, consult a nutritionist on what the best meal plan is for you.
You should have, as a bare minimum, one gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight. You should also prepare your meals beforehand. If you are going to eat at a restaurant, make sure you research the nutritional value of your meal beforehand.
If the restaurant cannot provide you with a calorie count and the macronutrients to go with it, then you should skip the restaurant.
7. Track Your Progress
It isn’t vain to take a picture of yourself at the end of each day. This is the best way to track your progress. At the end of each week, you should look at all the photos together to see how you are progressing. If you aren’t achieving your desired results, then you’ll know that changes to your exercise and/or diet plan need to be made.
You should also measure yourself. Measure your waist, your quads, biceps, glutes, etc. Make sure that you are working toward your desired result.
You should also make sure that you weigh yourself on a daily basis and keep a written record of how much you weigh at the beginning of each day.
8. Focus on Losing Fat
While you may need to gain weight to gain muscle, you also need to make sure you are not gaining any unwanted fat.
Your first focus should be on losing fat before you put on any extra pounds. Make sure that you do not indulge in carbohydrates and sugars that can cause you to gain fat.
Avoid “cheat” meals while preparing for your fitness competition as well.
9. Consider a Trainer
Finally, you should consider a personal trainer or coach to prepare for a fitness competition.
Even if you are a seasoned athlete, having someone who has trained others for fitness competitions are ideal to help you prepare. They can provide you with advice and tricks which you may otherwise not have.
Check if your gym allows personal trainers or has a personal training service of their own.
See You at the Competition
Now that you know the rules of fitness competition training, we wish you all the best. We hope you’ll be in a future competition in the near future.
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