Making The Choice to Start Competing in Bodybuilding

By Phil Sims

Is body building competition on your mind? Are you obsessed about spending 12 harsh weeks in training, burning more calories than you consume? Are you disciplined enough to go the 12 weeks before the contest without missing a single workout or meal? If your answer is YES to any of these questions then you are ready to compete!

How to choose an organization

After you’ve decided that competing is your goal, the next step is deciding on organization(s) to join. Many organizations require a one year membership, complete with a membership card that gets you into all associated competitions in their network throughout the entire year.

These organizations are not pro, nor do they have cash prizes for winners. These are essentially a great way to practice to become pro, and a way to get in. These competitions truly test your will power because the only prize is a trophy and a boost to your ego. The rewards however are well worth the work. Once you’re ready, you can “turn pro” and enter the pro contests. You will need to enter and win a pro-qualifier or come in third in a super qualifier contest to get into a pro competition. The lower organizations are boot camp for becoming pro essentially.

Substances vs. No Substances Organizations

Part of your decision when choosing your organization is what type of organization you are qualified or want to join. A major factor in this is the two types of organizations available: Tested and Non-Tested.

In the first type, tested,  they are very strict about contestants and screen to make sure you aren’t taking certain kinds of substances, both legal and illegal. If your test comes back positive for pro-hormones (legal) or steroids (illegal), they will not allow you entry. The second type is non-tested and these allow anything. The non-tested groups don’t test their entries. The IFBB will let in all substance users of any kind because they don’t test before the competition.

There are several categories of tested organizations due to the nature of what specifically they test for and allow. Some are rigid about not allowing ANY substance, legal or otherwise, while the others allow legal substances like pro-hormones. An example of the first type, limited substances allowed, is the MuscleMania organization. They allow pro-hormones and other products like this, however are strict about not allowing illegal substances like steroids. The INBF on the other hand doesn’t allow either type, legal (pro-hormones) or illegal (steroids).

Before attempting to join any organization, you need to be aware of their rules and regulations, as well as what you’ve taken or are currently consuming. If you’ve taken pro-hormones or similar substances, for example, you won’t be able to sign up with an organization that doesn’t allow them- even if you stop taking them. Many of these products stay in your system for a long time and can come up in a test even after several months of not using them. If the product, however, was legal in the organization at the time you consumed it, and then later banned, you may be able to still enter. Some organizations will also let you in if 5-7 years have passed since you took them, but this is a decision made by each organization individually. Luckily, if you have taken any of these substances in the last 5-7 years, you can still enter the non-test organization until the time passes.

Many people who don’t touch illegal substances still enter non-tested contests specifically because it gives them a competitive edge. People in non-tested shows tend to be bigger and harder to beat when you go the other route, and this gives competitors an ego boost when they win these shows! The problem with this however is that it can look bad when you go to turn pro. Some organizations frown upon people entering the non-tested shows and tend to “judge” them unfairly, so be careful if you’re thinking of going this route. This of course depends on the organization. There is a distinct difference in the look and size of the two (tested and non-tested) competition entries, some would say like night and day.

Once you’re in, now you need to pick a contest to enter

Now that you’ve picked your organization, you have a variety of contests you can enter. Due to the training schedules, and work involved in training and preparing for the contest, you will not be able to enter every single contest given. Your schedule will determine what you can enter and when. Much of your training, including cardio, weight-training, and meal preparation is very time consuming so be realistic in which contests you enter.

Don’t forget that when you’re just getting started there are a lot of things you need to learn such as how to eat, what to eat, and how to prepare for a contest (including diet, workout type, etc…). Learning is one thing, comprehension is another. Give yourself plenty of time to full wrap your head around everything. There will be plenty of competitions available so don’t be in a hurry, you want to learn this right the first time!

You will want to also pay attention to contests that are running. You can attend contests, watching for what you need to know, learn, and do. Take the time to ask questions, truly learn your craft. If you want that trophy your going to have to be the best at it! There is no one correct diet, cardio plan, or tanning product, so learn what is the most popular concepts then try them all, find your niche and exploit what supercharges YOU. You need to learn ahead of time what will be mandatory in the particular contest that you’re training for. Nothing is worse than discovering at the contest that you missed something! Be aware of everything down to the clothing. Make sure you have posing trunks, rolled up shorts can be entered but don’t expect to win anything! Realize that this is ALL appearance, clothing, muscles, poses, Tans, and everything must be perfect if you’re going to win!

Now comes the discipline

Preparation is vital and following through is imperative. Now that you’ve decided to compete, you need to eat sleep and breathe training. You will need to tailor your entire life to your training schedule- nothing is more important. Maintaining your discipline will take incredible strength and perseverance. By molding your life around your training you make this part easier and minimize things that may push you off your schedule!

Some important things to consider are motivating and de-motivating concepts. Watching television, movies, even plays or games all go into your psyche. What you watch should be motivating and something that feeds ambitious mindsets. Movies like Rocky, work out videos, reading as much as you can around training concepts, diet, and winning all help you pump up and motivate you to give that last rep all you’ve got. Your environment must not be toxic. Get your family and friends on board and eliminate anyone in your circle of friends who’s negative, lazy, or whom makes excuses or tries to push you away from your schedule. You need people in your life that will push you towards your goal, not away from it.

Setting all of this up helps you, by eliminating things that often stimulate people to quit, or form excuses that make them give up or at the very least not give it their all. The most incredible motivator should be yourself, however, as it all comes down to you. Keep your mind in good shape by feeding it with good data, always learn all you can, keep your spirit tough, avoid excuses, and keep all toxic substances away from your body.

If you lose a competition, or you have a hard time maintaining your schedule, i.e. you miss a workout, don’t beat yourself up over it, just get right back on the wagon and give it twice the effort to make up for it. Feeling sorry for yourself is self defeating! Turn everyday into a competition, but make it fun like a game. Surround yourself with highly motivated, like minded individuals so you never have to push a rock up hill trying to get others to agree with your mindset.

Competitive bodybuilding is hard, but highly rewarding and uplifting (no pun intended), but it is not for everyone. It takes ironically, a lot of strength both inside and outside, and you can do it. Once you win or even enter your first competition, you will feel the power- empowerment. Knowledge is power but applied knowledge is the true form. Make every day, every second, every competition count!

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