Everything Else In Bodybuilding

The #1 thing you need to do on stage at a bodybuilding show is present yourself to a judging panel for consideration on how well you meet the judging criteria for the category and organization. You aren’t doing a workout for the judges. You aren’t food prepping for the judges. You are 100% performing on stage. Making this connection from the beginning and preparing for the expectations of the show day itself will ensure that you avoid scoring lower than you should and instead you receive your highest possible placement at your show. Tune in as I elaborate more on what it takes to prepare your posing and stage performance for show day in part 3 of my new 10 part series, "10 Tips For Your First Prep." Want to chat about the episodes with other listeners? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for an OCB show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com/ocb -Getting ready for a NPC show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com/npc -Ready for the next level? Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -Justing starting to learn how to pose? Come to my beginner posing class on Sundays on Zoom (called Posing Mechaincs)! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *Posing is an add-on service (3:08) *Watching Posing tutorials vs creating the poses yourself (4:30) *Standards in bodybuilding versus other sports (6:00) *Four common posing and stage presence skills people want to learn and an estimated timeline on how long it takes to achieve these goals (7:20) *Upcoming posing clinics (11:45) --Transcript-- Welcome back guys! Today is part 3 of my new series called 10 Tips for your first prep and it’s all about the #1 thing you need to do on stage on show day…and that is to pose and perform in front of a judging panel for consideration on how well you meet the judging criteria for the category and organization.  Most people focus on the training and nutrition component to get their physique ready. And then underestimate the importance of presentation on show day. When people first learn about bodybuilding and are encouraged to give it a try, it’s likely because they have a great physique or had a really great body transformation.  It’s not because they randomly hit a front double bicep and someone said, man that front double was awesome man, you should give bodybuilding a try. Or you were standing in line at Starbucks holding a bikini back pose with your feet apart, glutes high, and ordering a triple grande mocha loca frappacino latte and someone tapped you on the shoulder and said, man you have amazing mobility in your lower back, you should give bikini competitions a try. When you were introduced to bodybuilding it had nothing to do with posing and everything to do with your physique. In addition, if you are going to hire someone to help you prepare for a show, you are likely going to hire a nutrition and training coach first. Posing is the afterthought.  Your training and nutrition coach might offer some posing assistance too as an add on as well. Like the last minute impulse purchase you made but didn’t know you needed after waiting for 15 minutes in the check out aisle at the TJ MAXX store. For me just the other day I grabbed socks that I didn’t know I needed. The time before it was chocolate with hazelnut pieces from Belgium that I never heard of but were freaking amazing and didn’t last long in my house.  I put the candy in a bowl on a table and every time I walked by the bowl there was a huge dent in the amount of candy in it. Apparently my husband liked them too. Who would’ve known. TJ Max check out aisles are full of things you didn’t know you needed. So when you start in bodybuilding you are aware it’s a physique driven sport but when you look into things a little further you realize that there is a presentation component to bodybuilding too.  So you start looking up posing tutorials, you start following people that are actively competing, and you might even attend a show too.  Then it occurs too you that there is a lot more that goes into preparing for a show than just training and nutrition.  This epiphany occurs at different points for everyone.  I’ve had people attend my virtual posing clinics who are a week or two from their first show and think one clinic is going to be enough to prepare their posing and stage presence. And then they learn that looking at a tutorial or a photo is a lot different than recreating the poses themselves.  Being able to move and shape our bodies in the unusual shapes required in bodybuilding poses requires a lot of mind body connection. Sometimes there are areas of our body that we don’t have a connection to, like for example, the lats. There are divisions that require you to have your lats engaged in a certain position in your poses. This engagement is absolutely critical. But sometimes people aren’t able to make this connection with their body and can’t recreate the pose. I always say there are two reasons people aren’t engaging their lats in their poses. One is a simple fix and requires a specific execution style that they so far learned backwards. And the second requires a literal mind body connection change. In my 12 years of teaching men and women how to pose, the #1 most common reason people started coming to me was for this one thing, to engage the lats. I had some students back in the day nickname me the lat whisperer. I have it down to a science now and if you don’t have lat engagement it takes about 2-3 weeks to get it. And then after that it’s all about improving the engagement.  If you are showing up to a posing clinic a week or two before your first show and you are one of those people that needs to build a mind body connection to lat engagement, you are not going to be prepared on show day. Plain and simple. But now you know better for the next show. Things like this happen because no one emphasized to you the importance of learning how to pose. Posing was an add on to the service you were given so it is perceived as being of less importance. You wouldn’t find this in any other professional sport. Football or baseball there are different coaches for different aspects of the game. The needs of a linebacker are different than the needs of a quarterback.  The needs of a pitcher are different than the needs of a catcher. There are different coaches that specialize in these different positions of the game because the level of competition is that much fiercer in these sports. Every little detail and skill can make or break you even being considered to be on a team.  In bodybuilding, the stakes aren’t as high as they are in other sports. In bodybuilding when you win a pro card the only thing most people earn are the opportunity to spend more money to compete. Even as a pro you pay entry fees to compete.  In other professional sports you get paid to play. In bodybuilding you might get some free supplements or become an affiliate for a company you purchase products from versus in other professional sports you can earn major endorsement deal opportunities.  You have to be that top 1% in the bodybuilding industry with a million followers to get any paid endorsement deals. And you don’t even have to compete to get these endorsements if you have the following and industry reach.  When the stakes aren’t as high, the standards aren’t as high.  In bodybuilding posing, which is the #1 most important thing you have to do on show day, it is still an add-on service for many coaches.  Which means you will learn the basics, but you won’t learn how to be great.  You will learn average skills.  My students learn skills from basic to advanced and there is an order in which they learn these skills. Let’s take four example goals that students have come to me with and I’ll break down the timeline on how to achieve these goals. In fact, I’ll take four of the most common reasons people have stated they are attending my virtual posing clinics. I ask every person that attends my clinics why they are there and here are four of the common answers and an estimated amount of time it will take to learn the proper skills to achieve the goal. First one: I don’t want to look like an idiot on stage Well, you are at my clinic so you are already not going to look like an idiot. So BOOM done. Second one:  I don’t know how to make the poses look flattering on me.  No matter if you are a bikini competitor, classic physique, figure, wellness, women’s physique, men’s physique, or bodybuilder, you will learn the poses for your category and proper execution that day of my clinic.  That is step one. Making them look flattering requires more practice and refinement and that happens at my weekly classes just by coming to them and practicing with the rest of the students on a consistent basis. You can do a lot in 4 weeks, but a good 8 weeks of practice will help you feel much more comfortable in your poses. And then to become really good, you need consistent practice year round, like what we do in my weekly virtual posing classes, where you build upon what you already know and learn more advanced skills. Third reason people say they come to my clinics: I don’t know how to transition from pose to pose and make it look flowy and natural. The first thing you need to do is learn the proper execution of the poses first and stop f

In today's episode Vassilios and I discuss what it takes to increase your confidence when you are new, after situations when results do not meet your expectations, or coming back from self perceived failure.   Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for a NPC show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at https://learntopose.com/NPC -Getting ready for an OCB show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next *OFFICIAL* virtual posing clinic at https://learntopose.com/OCB -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW weekly class for new people beginning to learn how to pose (Posing Mechanics)! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *Internal vs external validation (4:34) *Vassilios experience with Battle of the Bands in LA for the Ozzfest (6:45) *Michele’s parent’s 50th wedding anniversary grand entrance (10:15) *New competitors hyper focus on details to feel more confident (13:45) *Your WHY dictates your attitude (18:50) *Practice builds a knowing which builds a confidence (22:15) *How self imposed pressure affects confidence (27:28)  

My guest today is IFBB Pro League Head Judge, and Mr Olympia & Arnold Classic Judge, Becky Clawson, who chats with me about the NPC and IFBB organization as a whole, each of the men and women divisions, the judging for each of the divisions, pro cards, drug testing, and so much more! Today’s episode continues the series that spotlights each of the organizations in bodybuilding and what makes them special and unique. Tune in for a full well, rounded picture of the NPC and IFBB! Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for an NPC show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at https://learntopose.com/npc -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW weekly class for new people beginning to learn how to pose (Posing Mechanics)! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *Meet Becky Clawson (2:32) *Is the judging process the same for the NPC and IFBB locally and internationally? (8:20) *Why Becky thinks you should compete with the NPC/IFBB (11:55) *What do “natural” vs. “not natural” shows mean in NPC and IFBB (14:14) *How to get your pro card (16:40) *Why doesn’t the NPC and IFBB drug test all of their shows? (23:04) *A breakdown of each of the different men and women divisions (27:23) *Biggest change Becky has seen in the sport (43:56) *Why is the IFBB pro card so sought after and does Does Becky believe it gives an advantage in life (47:41) *Does the IFBB have standards, expectations, and certain “looks” they go for and want to see on stage (posing, suits, hair, stage walks, etc)? (52:25) *How does the NPC and IFBB score their athletes in each of the divisions (and do the scores change?) (53:47) *How do you become an NPC and IfBB Judge and learn how to judge? (1:04:30) *Does the NPC and IFBB require you to use certain coaches, suit designers, makeup, wear specific hair, etc.? (1:09:57) *What division does Becky think is the most difficult to judge and least difficult to judge? (1:16:45) *Becky’s favorite competitor of all time across all divisions (1:18:03) *Will there be any new divisions added to the NPC and IfBB coming up? (1:20:10) *What’s next for Becky? (1:21:08)  

Bodybuilding is about sculpting our bodies into muscular works of art. Instead of a tangible sculpting tool, to unveil our masterpiece for a contest, we prioritize losing body fat and preserving as much muscle as possible. Bodybuilding is far beyond general weight loss and the expectations surrounding preparing for a show should be set accordingly from the beginning for best results.  Tune in as I elaborate more on getting lean in part 2 of my new 10 part series, "10 Tips For Your First Prep." Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for an OCB or NPC show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW Class for new people beginning to learn how to pose (Posing Mechanics)! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *Bodybuilding often means being hungry (2:50) *There are those who struggle to keep weight on (3:38) *The "sorority of suffering" (5:00) *The new weight loss pills (7:15) *What is "bodybuilding lean" (8:13) *The process of getting lean for a bodybuilding show. (9:18) --Transcript-- What’s up guys! I’m back again with part 2 of my new series where I break down in detail 10 tips for your first prep. If you listened to part 1 you are well versed on the different categories there are in bodybuilding and now know how important it is to choose the right one since what you are being scored on will differ depending on the category. Today I’m going to talk about what it means to get lean for a show and how hunger is often confused with leanness. Food, including excess food, or the opposite, hunger, are a major part of what makes bodybuilding unique. For the average person, if you are preparing for a bodybuilding show, there will come a time when you are going to have to just be hungry.   But there is a difference between being hungry and actually starving. We are not starving when doing a bodybuilding show. Everything we are doing is our own doing and choice. There is a fridge with food in it, even if it’s not for you, it’s still there. You can still eat it. There is choice. Starving would mean you have no food and limited access to it. There is this sorority of suffering out there that loves to be overly dramatic about how hungry they are in their prep. Hunger when preparing for a show is your own will. And it’s part of being a bodybuilder for many, and it’s part of what it takes for many to get really lean.  And in my opinion most of the people complaining about how hungry they are, don’t look lean or very close to contest ready.  More on this in a minute. First let me put in perspective that there is also a group of people who can’t keep weight on and in order to grow muscle they have to eat excess food beyond what their hunger tells them in order keep the weight on. We all know people like that, and it may be you too. They are always lean and struggling to put on size, and never do cardio.  So again, they are lean, but they aren’t complaining about being starving. In order for them to be lean and muscular, they have to eat more food and be mindful of calorie expenditure. The extreme to this is with the IFBB open men’s bodybuilding division. Their struggle in bodybuilding is that they have to eat an extreme amount of food in order to keep the mass on. 4x Mr Olympia, Jay Cutler, used to wake up in the middle of the night to eat or he would drop too much weight.  Derek Lungsford just announced last week he is withdrawing from the 2023 Olympia after a year of preparing for this show because he has been throwing up food and can’t keep it down, despite trying to force it down even after vomiting. He is having stomach issues and is now prioritizing his health and not the contest. He believes that once he gets things figured out he will be back to focusing on bodybuilding again. So there are two types of people, those who have to put extra effort into keeping weight on, and those who have to put extra effort into taking weight off. Those who have to eat a lot to keep weight on, you don’t really hear complaining from them on the internet. Those who are a part of the sorority of suffering are those who are being drama about having to be hungry while controlling their calorie intake to drop weight.  And they are also those who tend to not come close to being lean enough for a show, complain a lot about how hungry they are their entire prep, stuff a luggage size bag with junk food to eat the minute they get off stage, continue for the next week to eat like an asshole after their show, and then gain a ton of weight after the show, and blame their weight gain on “metabolic damage.” This behavior is all over the internet and gives bodybuilding a bad name. Some people are legit hungry from bad coaches with protocols that include 800 calories, white fish, and gobs of cardio, which you guys have heard me talk about in one of my first podcast episodes on what I call the death of credibility. But for the majority of people who have to control calories to get lean for a bodybuilding show and are not a part of the sorority of suffering, I think most new people get into bodybuilding with grandiose expectations on weight loss and underestimate how long it really takes, and how much consistency you need to have following the protocol, in order to get bodybuilding lean.  Personally, when I want to drop weight, I know that for about the first 4-6 weeks I am not going to see any positive reinforcement from my efforts to lose weight. I have to keep my head down and stay consistent, and just not think about it. During this time I’m always hungry too. Plus I love food. Besides bodybuilding, I would say eating good food is one of my favorite hobbies in life.  There is nothing like a good meal.  I don’t like complete junk though. I like real good food. And I’ll pay good money for it too.  After all the years of bodybuilding I learned some foods aren’t worth the calories or some foods are just a chemical shitstorm that I don’t want to put in my body.  But real good food. I’ll travel for it. So when preparing for a show or even just trying to lose the 15 pounds I’ve been telling my husband I plan to do for a few years now, amazingly good meals go away.  And that makes me sad. Plus, I know that I just have to be hungry and pull out some of my tricks from my competition toolbox to help me suppress my appetite. So the process of getting lean is really not that fun for me until the freaky shreds appear.  Until then, it’s freaking boring. So I understand how controlling hunger is what makes weight loss a challenge for anyone, not just a bodybuilder. And tackling this issue is big business. You guys have all probably heard of the new weight loss drugs that are flying off the shelfs across the country. Drugs like ozempic for example. I will be launching a separate podcast here shortly all about these drugs and fat burners and pre workouts too. Vassilios and I recorded it live last week in our Facebook group Everything Else in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders at our Thursday 1pm EDT show.  Come join the conversation if you haven’t yet.  This one caught a lot of attention in our group. In summary, these new weight loss drugs control hunger. That’s pretty much it. If you have a medical condition like type 2 diabetes or severe obesity then these drugs would be considered a medical intervention.  For the rest of society, they are, in my opinion, not needed and do more harm than good. Especially if you are a bodybuilder, one of the side effects would be especially detrimental to you. I explain it all on the recent show we did and again you can check it out in our group or stay tuned here because I will be launching the audio here shortly. So what is bodybuilding lean and how do you get there?  The goal of being bodybuilding lean is to be able to view the shape and detail of your muscles under the surface of the skin.   In order to do this, your #1 goal is to drop body fat while trying to preserve as much muscle mass as possible. The lower your body fat, the more detail we will see in your muscles. How much muscle you have and the detail we want to see will depend on your division, with the bodybuilding division requiring the most visible muscle, and the bikini and men’s physique divisions requiring the least amount of size and detail of all the categories.. Regardless, at a minimum, for women, no matter what your division, you need to make sure your abs are tight and your glutes and hamstrings are tight. Whatever body fat you need to be for this to happen will be uniquely you.  For men, same thing, you need to make sure at a minimum your abs are shredded for all your divisions. Again, whatever body fat you need to be to get there will be uniquely you.  If you are in divisions that require more muscle, these same suggestions apply and are an understatement because you will need to show additional detail, which likely means you need to be even leaner. So it’s not a magical scale weight or a dress or a pant size. It’s a specific look. Your first prep is a quest to discover your muscle in all is glorious detail for the first time. It’s hard to say how long it’s going to take to get you there.  I highly suggest you stay open minded about the literal show you are doing.  If you want to pick a division a

Vassilios and I discuss what it means to us to live a bodybuilding lifestyle and share our own personal fitness tips and tricks we utilize every day. Guess what.. we also went to <<< Dairy Queen.... >>> :)  Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for an OCB or NPC show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW Class for new people beginning to learn how to pose (Posing Mechanics)! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com   Key Takeaways: *Our gym obsession (4:00) *Our interpretation of a bodybuilding lifestyle (5:50) *Bodybuilding then and now (13:45) *We went to Dairy Queen (19:25) *Protein as a secret weapon? (25:30) *Additional Tips (30:00) *Getting Lean (36:25)    

Welcome back to the show! Today I’m starting a new series where I share 10 tips to help you better prepare for your first competition. The first tip I'm sharing today is to pick the right category. I break down each of the categories in detail to help you better understand what they are, the goal of each of the categories, and help you better determine which one fits you best. Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation. Additional Resources: -Want to learn how to pose for NPC, OCB, or Fitness Universe? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *The Bikini Category (3:15) *The Men’s Physique Category (4:30) *The Wellness Category (5:50) *The Figure Category (7:52) *The Women’s Physique Category (9:21) *The Classic Physique Category (12:30) *The Bodybuilding Category (16:05) *Pageant style shows and their categories (16:20) Welcome back guys! Just me here on the mic again today with a new podcast series I’m doing that breaks down my top 10 tips for all you new people thinking about doing shows. This is also a great refresher for you veterans too. A lot of you new people probably stumbled across this podcast after a lot of bumps and bruises while combing through all the nonsense out there trying to figure out this thing called bodybuilding.  My federation is better than yours. Our federation is better because we are natural. My federation is the most prestigious. My federation is the most glamourous. You will hear me say over and over that the best federation is the best option for YOU. This is the most exciting and one of the most expensive hobbies you will ever take part in. So regardless of which federation you choose, today, I’m going to talk about the first of my 10 tips to help you better prepare and feel more confident for your first prep. Starting with the different divisions. There are so many to choose from it can get confusing. You’ve got bikini, wellness, men’s physique, figure, classic physique, open bodybuilding, women’s physique, and then you have other divisions that are more glammy like fitness model, model, muscle model, and so on. Knowing where you best fit is important because it can be discouraging to spend all the time an money preparing for a show only to place really low in a category for no reason except your body was better suited for a different category.  So let’s start with the bikini, men’s physique, and the wellness divisions. Bikini is looking for an athletic amount of muscle and a proportionate physique. The amount of muscle required in the bikini division is the least amount you are going to see on a bodybuilding stage. This is usually where people start when they are new to training and bodybuilding, and especially after a weight loss transformation. You will see the bikini competitors in non drug tested federations leaner and more muscular than drug tested federations so if you are brand brand new you might want to make note of this. It can get confusing when you start looking at pictures. In fact, I saw a social media post recently of a side by side competitor photo from a coach who only works with clients training for NPC and IFBB shows, which are not drug tested. The “before” photo of his competitor looked like the “after” photos of what many new competitors look like when competing for the first time on drug tested bikini stages.  So this might help you put things into perspective when I say the look of bikini is different in drug tested versus non drug tested organizations, but it’s still the least amount of muscle required among all the different categories. Men’s physique is the entry level division for the men’s categories and requires the least amount of muscle compared to the bodybuilding division, so this is a perfect starting place for men who have had a significant weight loss or those who are somewhat new to training and are hitting a stride with their workouts. The biggest stand out with men’s physique is the tight abs and a dramatic shoulder to waist ratio, so make sure your 6 pack is showing and you know how to flare those lats. There has been a dramatic upswing in the amount of men’s physique competitors coming to me to learn how to pose and who are over 50 and looking to do their first show. It’s a perfect division for you!  My over 50 men’s physique posing clients start off a little shy at first.  In a private session I asked one of my students to do something with hit foot and his initial response was, “I feel like a ballerina.”  I took a screen shot of him and pulled it up for him to see what he looked like with the foot position change and compared it to a screen shot I took of him without the adjustment. His response was not only did he not look like a ballerina, he looked pretty freaking good.  And slowly the confidence blossomed. So, men, you can look strong, athletic, powerful, and artistic at the same time.  Just freaking let go and watch the magic happen.  I won’t let you look like a ballerina, ok? Wellness is probably the division that confuses people the most. Wellness isn’t an out of shape bikini competitor. Or a soft and thick bikini competitor. Wellness is a division that rewards a very specific body shape and appearance. Wellness is for women with trained physiques that are structurally lower body dominant. Many women are confusing this category because they are assessing their body when they are carrying excess body fat and thinking that this is their structure. Remember, I said wellness is looking for a trained physique. In layman’s terms, you need to be muscular. So assessing your physique when you are leaner is important. For example, me, I’m nowhere near contest shape right now and am loving lifting heavy and getting stronger. I have a boootay right now. And some thick legs too. If I wear shorts I got a little SWISH going on with my quads as they sweep past each other with every step.  My fat distribution is lower body dominant at the current moment. But if I drop 20lbs and show my trained physique this is not the case. Structurally I am quite symmetrical. When I drop weight the symmetry shows. So you can’t be analyzing your body in the off season when it’s not looking as trained and detailed.  I’m seeing a lot of symmetrical bikini girls thinking they are wellness and doing some super squatty posing to create more lower body dominance. I don’t advise doing this. I advise you get an honest assessment on your structure and best category from the beginning so you can start posing and learning better stage presence for the category you want to score your best in.  Feel free to post in my Everything Else in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders group on Facebook and ask more questions on this.  It’s a free group where we have conversations on all of these episodes and all things bodybuilding.      Moving on to the more muscular categories like Figure, Women’s Physique, Classic Physique, and Bodybuilding. Starting with Figure. Figure is looking for a trained, symmetrical, physique.  Figure was designed originally to provide another option for Fitness competitors who were required to do an athletic performance as part of their scoring.  Many fitness competitors didn’t want to have to do the routine that included things like strength holds, flexibility, gymnastic tumbling, dance, and more. Many suffered injuries.  So figure was born and it was meant to look a fitness competitor. Over the years it has evolved into being a division that looks for a very specific style structure. A wide shoulder to waist ratio. Very trained physique with visual cuts in the quads and detail in the hamstrings. Broad shoulders with dense caps to them. And of course tight abs and a small waistline. You don’t develop this type of physique with 2 years of training. So the figure division is for very athletic women who have many years of training under their belt and are symmetrical, not lower body dominant. But don’t be scared by the description of capped shoulders and quad cuts. The posing that is required for the figure division is meant to dramatize these features on you. The poses are not shapes we stand in in everyday life. In fact, I remember my friend Shelley calling me a “sleeper” because when I stood normal I look unassuming and small. But when I flared my lats and flexed, poof, I look like a completely different person, and joked that I looked like a flying squirrel. So don’t be intimidated by this division. It’s a great option for those who have developed and carry more muscle. Women’s physique is a relatively new division that was started because the bodybuilding division in the non drug tested federations evolved into having an extreme amount of muscle, yet women still loved the concept of bodybuilding poses. I started in the bodybuilding division.  My foundation is bodybuilding. And I will always love bodybuilding poses and I love teaching all of it to men and women in my weekly virtual posing classes and 1 on 1s. But with the evolution to an extreme look in the bodybuilding division in non drug tested federations, popularity decreased and there was even a time that the women’s bodybuilding division was removed completely from t

This week Vassilios and I discuss how to know when you are ready to do a show and how it relates to Vassilios’ experiences as a touring and signed artist. We discuss the different divisions, expectations, peak week, where to start if you are new, and a healthy mindset in and around competing. Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” on Facebook and come join the conversation. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for a OCB, NPC, or Fitness Universe show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW COMPETITORS - weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” that breaks down all the poses! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com  -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *Expectations when competing (3:45) *Being ready for the Bikini division (10:05) *Being ready for the Figure and Men’s Physique divisions (15:19) *How Vassilios knew he was tour ready and how it relates to bodybuilding (16:25) *Being ready for the Bodybuilding, Classic, Women’s Physique, & Wellness divisions (22:10) *Peak week (26:15) *Where to start if you are new (28:25) *A healthy Mindset in and around competing (36:00)  

Welcome back guys! Just me on the mic today addressing the question I get all the time about what the rules are on competing in multiple organizations.  Can you? What happens if you do? Tune in to find out. Want to chat about the episodes and be a part of our weekly podcast group gatherings? Search for the group called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” And come join the conversation. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for a OCB, NPC, or Fitness Universe show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *My background on this subject (3:40) *Why people want to switch between organizations (6:30) *An overview of the rules on switching organizations (11:10) *Why some of my virtual posing clinics are official and some aren’t (13:15) *Why where you hold your Pro card status matters if you want to switch organizations (14:55) *Virtual posing clinics at learntopose.com (17:33) --TRANSCRIPT-- Welcome back to the show guys! I hope you have been enjoying listening to the men’s perspective on bodybuilding and fitness with the addition of my new weekly discussion episodes with my husband Vassilios hosting with me.  He and I will be back again later this week with another episode. We also record these live every week in the Everything Else in bodybuilding podcast insiders Facebook group in case you want to watch these episodes and participate in the discussion in real time. But today it’s just me here sharing some of my thoughts on a topic that I think is very important for those who wish to compete in more than one federation.  Over the years the bodybuilding industry has changed a lot and more and more federations have popped up giving people new opportunities to compete in their local area. There are also the federations that have grown into empires with a large pool of participants and a large number of shows around the country and world.  With this many organizations and opportunities to compete, I’ve had many people ask me what are the rules on changing federations? I’ve mentioned it before that many coaches will align with a particular federation and only coach athletes for shows within that federation. Some coaches will only coach athletes for drug tested federations because of their strong belief in natural bodybuilding. Some coaches will only coach for NPC because they believe that their federation is the only one of value in the bodybuilding industry. And some don’t care where you compete and will coach you anywhere you wish to go. This is relevant for posing coaches too. Many stay in their lane and coach for the division they competed in themselves. Some will only coach for the federation they competed with. There is nothing wrong with specializing in one area. For example, when I was searching for an orthopedic for an injury, I had to weed through the orthopedics on the office roster to find a doctor that worked on the area of the body I needed help with. Just like in bodybuilding there are specialists within specialists.  This is very common. I consider what I personally do uncommon because because my speciality is posing for ALL bodybuilding federations and all men and women divisions. I work with hundreds of athletes a year and this year alone I’ve taught posing for athletes in over 10 federations. My current roster includes men and women bodybuilders, classic physique competitors, wellness competitors, figure competitors, bikini competitors, men’s physique competitors, women’s physique competitors, fit body competitors, glamour, and the list goes on. In any given day I will switch between all the divisions by the hour. And my virtual group classes will include anywhere between 3-5 divisions in one hour. Yes, in one of my classes, I will manage, teach, and provide value to men and women in 5 divisions at ONCE.  Wonder how I provide value to so many? Well you have to come and see. Right now in one of my classes that has 5 divisions, most of these students have been in the classes for 9 months. Those who leave tend to come back. And many tell their friends and teammates about the classes. So my speciality is very specific in that it’s posing for all of bodybuilding, but it is much broader than what you are going to find anywhere else. The reason I say all of this, is because my experience means I know all the different nuances among the federations.  And today I’m going to share my thoughts on some dos and don’ts and spoken and unspoken rules when switching between federations. Let me first say that there are two very different paths you can take in bodybuilding. One path is drug tested federations like the OCB, WNBF, INBA/PNBA, Musclemania, Fitness Universe, USBF, and so on. And the other path is the non drug tested federations like the NPC/IFBB and the WBFF.  Some people are surprised to hear that WBFF is not drug tested. It is in fact not. By the way just because you compete in a drug tested federation doesn’t mean everyone is honest. There have been many people caught using banned substances in drug tested federations. The INBA/PNBA even has a “wall of shame” where they will put your picture on their website to make sure everyone knows you are banned from their federation for lying about drug use. And just because you compete in non drug tested federations doesn’t mean you are on drugs. I’ve competed and won shows in the NPC and competed on the WBFF pro World stage too.  I am 100% natural. You can absolutely compete in these federations if you are drug free.  I think the biggest issue today with people coming into the sport is that these non drug tested federations have a different interpretation of acceptable amount of muscle.  So it’s not that you can’t compete there, it’s a question on whether you will be COMPETITIVE when you compete there.  This is one reason people switch between federations.  If you look at the amount of muscle on the figure, women’s physique, classic, wellness, and open bodybuilding competitors in the IFBB, which is where you compete when you get your pro card in the NPC, and compare it to the amount of muscle in a federation like the OCB for example, you will see there is a dramatic difference in overall size and hardness of the muscles.  I think it’s safe to say that if you are a pro in any of these divisions in the IFBB you are on a completely different path than the OCB.  In my opinion, you cannot build the amount of size these people carry without drugs.  Unless you are that 1% of the population like 5x Figure Olympian champion Cydney Dillon who claims to be a natural athlete. Which leads me to the bikini and men’s physique categories. These categories were introduced to bodybuilding as more entry level divisions for those who are new to the sport and don’t have the years of training and muscle building behind them to be competitive in the other categories. Originally the descriptions of these categories even said “beach body.”  Adding these categories was the boost bodybuilding promoters needed because it dramatically increased the amount of people capable of competing in shows. Which increased registrants and audience attendance. This goes for all bodybuilding federations. The beauty of these divisions has made it possible for people from all walks of life, all ages, to have an incredible physical transformation and compete in a show as a way to showcase it.  In fact, the largest growing age group reaching out to me for posing assistance are men and women over 50. It’s a beautiful thing to hear their stories and how many of them always wanted to compete but things never aligned in life to do so until now. So where do they go?  Where do they compete?  NPC non drug tested? Drug tested?  A lot of them compete in BOTH.  Because from a physique and acceptable level of muscle standpoint, as an amateur, and let me be clear that this is an an amateur, there are much more people capable of being competitive in either drug tested or not drug tested federations on the local and national level. Once you get to the pro level with the non drug tested federations, it’s a different conversation because the level of muscle and leanness is on another level. But locally as an amateur, you can absolutely do well in either federation if you are a bikini or men’s physique competitor. Many new to competing look to see what shows are offered in their local area.  With NPC being a very large federation they have thousands of shows around the country. Not every drug tested federation has competitions in every state like the NPC does. In fact many drug tested federations have a presence in a specific region of the country. So if you are in a state that doesn’t have shows offered, especially if you are new, you are not likely to want to pay for airfare, car rental, and additional hotel time just because you want to do your first show. So most people compete locally at first.    Which brings me to the rules on switching federations.  Many new people to bodybuilding compete and win their pro status very quickly in the non drug tested federations but for various reasons want to compete with other organizations besides the one they are a pro in.  These reasons range from: wanting more stage time, not feeling like they are ready to compete with the pros yet, and many competi

This week my husband Vassilios and I discuss coaches in bodybuilding and now to best weed through all the noise and confusion when it comes to choosing or parting ways with one. Come join the conversation and be a part of these weekly LIVE episodes in the group:  “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!”. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for a NPC or OCB show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com  -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *Professionalism in the music industry vs bodybuilding industry (3:20) *Expectations in the music and bodybuilding industries (9:00) *Tips when shopping for a coach (13:58) *When to fire your coach (21:35) *Red flags to watch out for (30:45) *Final thoughts (42:00)  

Welcome to my new weekly podcast series that includes discussions on various topics in and around bodybuilding with my husband Vassilios Metropoulos. These topics were chosen from suggestions made by the listeners in the "Everything Else" in Bodybuilding Facebook group.  Come join the conversation and be a part of these weekly LIVE episodes in our group! The group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!”. Additional Resources: -Getting ready for a NPC or OCB show and want to learn how to pose? Register for the next virtual posing clinic at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Join my weekly posing classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com  -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *Welcome to our weekly discussions! (2:15) *Meet Vassilos (4:15) *Post tour blues vs post show blues (10:00) *Preventing post show blues: goals (18:00) *Preventing post sow blues: nutrition (24:20) *Preventing post show blues: mindset shifts (38:00) *Listener responses to why they are competing (49:00)

Welcome back guys!  I had a thought today that I really felt the need to put out there for you all to consider. Not everyone wins a show but no one should feel like a loser. Tune in to hear my thoughts on this and come join the conversation in my Podcast Facebook group! The group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” to discuss episodes and follow the podcast tour as we travel the USA promoting the show. Additional Resources: -Want to feel fully prepared on stage at your competition? Jump on my weekly posing practice classes at http://www.weeklyposing.com -NEW weekly posing class called “Posing Mechanics for all men and women divisions” now available on Sundays! http://www.weeklyposing.com -FREE posing tutorials for Figure, Bikini, Wellness, and Men's Physique competitors at www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at shop.killitwithdrive.com  -Want to WIN your next competition? I can help! Learn more at: www.posingwinsshows.com Key Takeaways: *Why are you doing a show (2:47) *Our existence is 100% in our head (3:52) *There can only be 1 winner (5:50) *There is more to celebrate than a trophy (7:15) *Examples of attaching to the transformation not the trophy (10:46) *My weekly virtual posing practice classes (13:15) —Transcript— Welcome back! It feels really great to be here. Its been a minute, huh? Well there is so much to still talk about so plan for more episodes coming. I’m also going to start bringing my husband on here for the male perspective of things which I think is going to add a really great layer to the show. Let me start this episode by saying.. Bodybuilders are really hard on themselves. I talk about this to my posing students all the time how there is a switch that happens at about the 4 week mark from show. You all get freaking crazy. You start mentally stacking all kinds of nonsense. “I’m not lean enough.” “I don’t think I’ll be ready.” “I’m not this, I’m not that.”  This kind of self sabotage happens all the time. It’s very common in new people to bodybuilding because you don’t know what to expect from competing and you are putting yourself out there in public in a way that you likely have never done before. The truth is you are never going to feel like you are ready if you hyper focus on being ready. Let’s talk about why you are doing this show in the first place? Maybe you had a really awesome body composition change and decided to make a bodybuilding show your next goal. Maybe you have been thinking about doing a show for 20 years and finally got the courage to go for it. I’m meeting a lot of people who are coming to me for posing assistance in their late 50s which is really awesome. Maybe you were an athlete and you want a new goal to keep you motivated in the gym. Or maybe you were encouraged by the people at your gym to try a show and you figure what the heck you’ll try it out. Regardless of why you decided in the first place to do a show, at some point you will realize you are about to be on stage in your underwear wearing orange paint and posing in front of a live audience for a group of 5-7 people to then analyze your appearance. As you get closer to the show day, the anticipation becomes greater and greater. It’s almost as if the long process to the stage is a slow peel of a bandaid. Like if you were physically ready the minute you decided to do a show you might run out on stage and be much more confident than you do when you have months of time to obsessively think about the show day and sink further and further into your head. Do you realize that this existence is something you have created in your head?  That you are stressing your own freaking self out?  I’ve had people reach out to me and say that they are thinking about a show but their cortisol levels are high. First off what does that even mean. What barometer was used to measure your cortisol levels. Although there are people with medical issues, sure, but most of you are responsible for your own stress and it’s because of the things you choose to focus on. Our existence is 100% in our head. It’s a perception. Everything that has happened to you in the past is stored away in your head. Everything that will happen in the future is also in your head because it is all just a visualization and a possibility. No matter how bonkers it is, it is ALL possible. Your current state, the NOW, is your reality. How do you want to spend this reality? Do you want to spend it obsessing about the zero.185 pounds you gained that you can’t snap your fingers and change in this moment. Obsessing about these magical body fat numbers that really mean nothing in a bodybuilding contest that is based on an aesthetic not a number. The constant comparison of yourself to others you see on social media who have completely different bodies, are in different stages of life, and are possibly even enhanced in a way from PED use which means you won’t likely look like them unless you are enhanced too.  Is this how you want your existence to be? Would you want to hang out with you? Steve Reeves was a professional bodybuilder in the 1950s who was considered to have one of the most perfectly proportioned physiques. If you know his history you might also know he went on to be a Hollywood super star and played iconic roles like Hercules. Steve is a legend. So is Arnold for his one of a kind physique. Bodybuilding was all about rewarding incredible physiques. These people became legends because they were far above average and had a uniqueness that was untouchable in their time. Their physiques were really special and iconic. Arnold and Steve weren’t without competition though. There were many people that wanted to be considered legendary too and gave them a run for their money, but in the end, there can only be one winner. One legend. One icon.  There can be only 1 winner in each category at a bodybuilding show. If you don’t win, does that mean you suck? No, it just means someone was better that day and it’s an opportunity for you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and continue working on improvement. You were the best version of you that day. Next time you can be even better. If you have nothing to work towards you have no goal. Having no goal is boring. I am a part of some fitness groups on social media that have a lot of new people to bodybuilding. I see a lot of posts about their contest prep and some even post show. This one post the other day was from a girl who was obsessing about her placement. She placed 4th and after obsessing about the 3rd place person’s physique and overly analyzing this other person, she concluded that she should have beat her, and because she didn’t, she felt insecure and upset about it. OMG you guys there is a reason there are 5-7 judges on a panel. The goal of the judges is to find a consensus however, judges most of the time don’t vote unanimously. Because of the differences between the judges scores you can place a spot up or down just by how the numbers fell. This is a subjective sport. Which leads me to the point of this podcast episode. I realize it’s been a minute since my last episode and I promise I will be coming back more regularly. But this thought I had today was one I really felt the need to put out there. I wanted to say it loudly that there has to be more to celebrate when competing in a bodybuilding show than just a 1st place trophy.  Only 1 person is going to win that day and if it’s not you, you can’t let it lead to your demise. The 5 people judging a show should not have that much control over your inner joy and value. Step on another stage or compete in another federation and the scoring will likely be different. One group of people is not the end all be all. Many of you are putting yourselves out there in public in a way you have never done before. That is incredibly courageous. Many of you have never been on stage except maybe that moment you walked across a stage to receive your high school diploma in front of a large audience.  Many of you have spent years taking care of everyone else and finally decided to do something awesome for yourself that can also be incredibly fun. Many of you who are former athletes have a platform where you can continue being an athlete for the rest of your life if you approach things in a mindful way. And most of you are about to discover that with your hard work and perseverance you can mold your body into a shape and appearance that you never thought was possible.  You did that. Why not let yourself live in this space. Let yourself have it! If you watch Arnold’s documentary on netflix you will see that Arnold didn’t just build an incredible physique, he built a mental toughness and a confidence that helped him achieve things far beyond just his Mr Universe and Mr Olympia titles. When you start to train, I mean really train, not just go through the motions at the gym and rush through the reps to get the workout done, when you really start to train, you start to build a new conversation with yourself. When you start to see the physique changes and know you did that, you start to believe that you can do more things. When you get closer to your contest and you experience the challenges in getting your body stage ready, you realize you have a higher will power and inner strength that will change your perceptions forever. When you push your strength training, mindfully of course, and push through the pain, you learn your pain tolerance is much higher than you ever thought possible.  So much that I remember a couple years ago I had pain in my stomach that wouldn’t go away but I told myself I would just sleep it off and see if it goes away on its own. The next day the pain got to the point that when I stood up, my body said, NOPE, and I went straight back down. It was only at that level of pain that I called

Hey guys! In this episode, I offer some guidance to the loved ones that will be putting up with you during your contest prep so they are better prepared for the process. Be sure to have them give this episode a listen!  As always, like/subscribe/and share! And come join the conversation in the private Facebook group for listeners to talk about show topics. The Facebook group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” so head on over there and request to join! Additional Resources: -FREE posing assessment and road mapping call at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to learn skills that will help you look and feel more confident in your posing and transitions from pose to pose? Learn more at: http://www.weeklyposing.com -Interested in posing courses and custom made tools? Shop Here: https://learntopose.podia.com -Want to WIN your next competition? Learn more at: http://www.posingwinsshows.com -FREE posing tutorials for Wellness, Figure, Bikini, and Men's Physique competitors at http://www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at http://www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at https://shop.killitwithdrive.com/ Key Takeaways: *An invitation to your loved ones (3:40) *Gaining an understanding on the overall goal (learntopose.com There are also entry fees to the contest and travel expenses to factor in, especially if there is a flight and hotel involved. There are also many show day necessities you need to purchase such as specific attire to wear on stage, a very dark tan applied to the skin before the show, and even show day makeup and hair requirements. By the way, the stage tan is not a regular tan.  There is a solution applied to the skin a couple days or even the day before the show that will darken to a level that is quite extreme compared to a regular tan.  This is also normal.  For women, the stage makeup applied and the hair style is also much extra than the regular hair and makeup done on an every day basis. I always joke that my hair and makeup makes me look like a drag queen version of myself.   Because this is a physique competition, the attire for the stage, also called “a competition suit” or “suit,” for short, must be customized to fit to your measurements, which means these suits are often hand made.  The sky is the limit on how much you can spend for a suit, but at the end of the day, the most important thing for any suit is that it fits and flatters. For women, a suit can cost as little as $300 for a hand made suit if you get a Maggie Suits suit and tell her you want a Michele Welcome suit.  My collaboration with Maggie is to make sure that anyone can get a quality suit that fits like a glove that also doesn’t break the bank.  I do not get any affiliate fees for this collaboration.  This is purely to help competitors get a suit for an affordable price.  For men your suits typically are less than $100.  However, if your loved one is competing in an organization that also require costumes, gowns, and tuxedos, this is where things can get super costly.   This is normal.   The suits, hair, makeup, tan and accessories are all normal costs of doing a bodybuilding show and will add up so be prepared for all of these expenses.  Ok so far you’ve learned that being in a relationship with someone competing in a bodybuilding show requires adherence to diet and training, since a competition physique is much leaner and more extreme looking than just being hot on the beach fit.  This adherence to diet and training must also be done over an extended period of time as well to allow enough time to bring body fat levels down to stage ready levels.  You’ve also learned there are many different organizations and levels of muscularity required depending on where people compete.  You are aware that performing on stage is the most important thing, really the only thing, you need to do on show day and all the scoring is 100% opinions.  And you’ve also learned there are quite a bit of expenses involved in competing that requires you to budget for and set aside money. There are a few other considerations to be prepared for as your loved ones get ready for shows.  Some of these considerations I am going to tell you because I want you to be aware of things that might seem like red flags but are normal, and things that might be presented as normal but are actually potential red flags. For one, emotions are going to run high. This is normal. As the process gets further and further into full swing and your loved ones get leaner and leaner, the amount of effort they put in and the changes they will see in their body will affect their everyday mindset. The focus and dedication can be stressful, even if the results are great, because it still take a lot of effort to stay focused day in and day out while also working full time jobs and/or handling everyday family obligations with the household and kids.  Plus getting super lean can be uncomfortable so there might be an undertone of irritability at times from the discomfort. By the way, no matter how lean they get,they will probably still not think they are lean enough.  The mind can play some head games as time goes on and stress levels increase.  Remind them that competing is a hobby and that they are doing everything they can to look and feel their best.     Another thing for you to consider as a loved one watching from the outside in is that who they affiliate with with will influence decisions.  There are many different bodybuilding organizations. There are many different coaches too.  And people are people no matter where they compete and naturally, in any sport, people are competitive.  Some coaches will only train clients for specific organizations. Some organizations will say they are the best and the other organizations don’t matter. Some competitors will think their shit don’t stink because they won a trophy or a pro card. The competitiveness of the sport and the attitudes of those your loved one affiliate with can influence their decisions.  As a loved one looking in from the outside I suggest you remind your loved one that once again bodybuilding is a hobby and on some level should always remain fun and decisions should always be in their best interest, not the interest of the coach, organization, or anyone or anything else. One thing to note on the topic of who your loved ones affiliate with is you are going to see a lot of people walking around sporting team logos at shows.  You will hear things like, “I’m with my team.” “My team is…” This might be confusing for you as a loved one because Bodybuilding is not a team sport.   The individual takes home the trophy, and part of that trophy is their physique.  The team thing is just for fun and camaraderie.  At the end of the day, everyone that competes should make decisions that are best for them, not the team.  I repeat, bodybuilding is not a team sport.  Another major consideration you must know about if your loved ones are competing in bodybuilding is that there are drug tested and non drug tested federations. Drug tested federations are organizations that do not allow performance enhancing drugs and will test their athletes for banned substances and disqualify anyone from competing should any banned substance be found in their system. Some drug tested organizations add an additional layer of testing by also requiring their athletes to take a polygraph test before a show and disqualify anyone that is found lying about taking performance enhancing drugs.  These drug testing measures help weed out those who use performance enhancing drugs to increase muscle size and assist with getting super lean.  Drug tested bodybuilding organizations  believe taking substances to increase muscle and decrease body fat is an unfair advantage in a competition that is scored on muscle size and level of leanness.   Non drug tested bodybuilding organizations do not test for any performance enhancing drugs. Over the past 20 years I have been in the bodybuilding industry I have watched the amount of performance enhancing use in non drug tested federations skyrocket.  The winning physiques of competitors in these organizations has evolved greatly as a result of performance enhancing substances to the point that it is debatable whether anyone who is not using performance enhancing drugs will be competitive in these organizations no matter the division, no matter if male for female.   Because of the common use of performance enhancing drugs, there is a nonchalant attitude towards the use of them.  As a loved one you should question any substance that is recommended to your significant other.  You should also remember that this sport is unregulated and remember what I said about coaches and how many have no formal education on human physiology.  Any chemical that is recommended should be questioned and researched.  Especially anabolic steroids of any kind.  For the women in your life, please hear me today when I say, there is not ONE safe anabolic compound.  Some compounds are said to be meant for women and safe from side effects - that is completely inaccurate.  There is no such thing an an anabolic that has zero androgenic affect (androgenic meaning male characteristics) So any anabolic will run the risk of causing male side effects in women. It will start off subtle but the thing with anabolic compounds is not the acute dose, but the dosage over time, that is the problem. You will hear that there are preferred ones for women because of the lesser degree of side effects with an acute dose, but I assure you, women are very sensitive to androgens and the level of response from taking anabolics is going to be unique to the individual and many of these side effects are permanent.  There are no short cuts to building muscle that don’t have consequences. As someone watching from the outside I recommend you be a part of these deci

Hey guys! After a little time off I am back on the mic today with a brief update on all that I have been up to since my last episode. I also share some insight on some of the things that bodybuilding has taught me over the years and how these lessons and skills have had a positive transfer into my every day life.  As always, like/subscribe/and share! And come join the conversation in the private Facebook group for listeners to talk about show topics. The Facebook group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” so head on over there and request to join! Additional Resources: -FREE posing assessment and road mapping call at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to learn skills that will help you look and feel more confident in your posing and transitions from pose to pose? Learn more at: http://www.weeklyposing.com -Interested in posing courses and custom made tools? Shop Here: https://learntopose.podia.com -Want to WIN your next competition? Learn more at: http://www.posingwinsshows.com -FREE posing tutorials for Wellness, Figure, Bikini, and Men's Physique competitors at http://www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at http://www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at https://shop.killitwithdrive.com/ Key Takeaways *Update on what I have been up to for the past month (1:50) *Bodybuilding teaches you courage (5:00) *Bodybuilding teaches you self improvement (5:58) *Bodybuilding teaches you work ethic (6:44) *Bodybuilding will change how you look at the human body (8:07) *The skills you learn in your off season (10:08) *The power of finding and learning your weaknesses (11:20) *How learning performance skills will reshape you and your confidence (12:10) *Go to weeklyposing.com and let my classes be your secret weapon (13:55)   --TRANSCRIPTION-- What’s up guys and welcome back to the show. It’s been a minute since I published one of my solo episodes so thanks for the patience. A lot of changes have been going o n since January and it actually sparked my thoughts for this episode. As you know if you have been listening to the show that my husband and I toured the USA last year and drove over 20,000 miles promoting my podcast. Our living conditions were quite challenging and it didn’t make for the best environment for consistent workouts, sleep, or teaching my online clients. Since we got back to the east coast in late December we have settled in and really capitalized on all the networking we did last year.  Many new opportunities surfaced for my posing business.  A year ago I created a new way of teaching posing and stage presence that is unlike anything in th e industry. I’ve been fine tuning the structure and processes for the past year and have now really hit a groove.   It’s pretty cool to see my students transforming in ways I don’t think THEY every imagined. And, get this, it’s all virtual.  After making new connections and from networking over the past year, a couple of industry professionals and owners of federations agreed to offer and promote my custom programs to their athletes. What an incredible opportunity!  I mean really. Think about how much trust and faith it takes for a federation to offer my programs to all of their athletes. I don’t take this opportunity lightly. So for the last couple months I have been customizing my programs to each federation that is on board with me. The programs are different for every federation because the federations are different from each other. The athletes have different needs from one federation to another, the judging is different, and there are different divisions in each federation too.  I still have my classes for all athletes at weeklyposing.com that emphasize the fundamentals of posing and help people build better skills so they can overall become better at posing.  These classes have people across all federations which is cool.  It makes for a unique dynamic.  These new classes I built are federation specific so they help you get ready for your show in your federation. For example, I have classes for OCB competitors only on Sunday. I teach bodybuilding, classic physique, women’s physique, men’s physique and figure in one class. And I teach bikini and wellness in the other class. The classes prepare people soup to nuts for an OCB show.  I am building new classes for other federations as we speak.  A new announcement will be coming up very soon on another collaboration. My schedule is rounded out by the on 1 lessons I also teach virtually, and the services I provide my real estate clients too, since I’ve been selling real estate for 18 years and own my owner brokerage. Real estate and teaching posing actually does have similarities. I just spent a couple weeks staging a 6,000sqft home for the market. So I stage people’s physiques and I stage homes to present them their best so my sellers get top dollar for them. I have just now hit a stride with all of this stuff going on and finally have a chance to join you guys here again.  I was thinking the other day how much bodybuilding really changed my life in ways far beyond just the competition.  I think if you start your competition journey for the right reasons and don’t let heavy influence from the popular crowd lead you down a dark path, your life will transform in so many incredible ways. And the benefits compound over time. Like for example, starting with your first show, that adrenaline ride to the stage and the unknown of what to expect as you goo yourself up with stage tan and/or drag queen make up and walk out in front of a crowd in your underwear is a freaking rush.  And if you are in a division that requires a 60 second posing routine choreographed to music you will have even more reason to feel anticipation.  Especially if you haven’t busted a move in 20 years.  Courage is the first thing bodybuilding will teach you.  It takes a lot of courage to do that first show.    Win or lose you did something that is unlike anything else you will ever experience.  It’s like the Tony Robbins fire walking lesson where he has people walk over fire in one of his mass events.  When people walk across the fire, something changes in them.  It’s empowering to know they did something extreme and courageous. A bodybuilding show isn’t walking over fire, but it sure does take courage to apply yourself in a way that requires 24 hour structure to your life for an extended period of time for a one day event that is scored 100% subjectively.  That’s courage. Bodybuilding also teaches you to always want to self improve and do better for yourself.  After the first show the adrenaline rush wears off and you go back to your every day life.  Except you aren’t the same anymore. Something has changed inside of you. The adrenaline rush of preparing for a show might be slightly addictive for one and you might already be planning on your next show before the current show is over. But the biggest change is with your self improvement goals.  You did the first show and hopefully had a lot of fun and enjoyed the day.  But now you are driven to get better.  Maybe better means looking better on stage. Maybe better means improving areas of your physique so you better represent the judging criteria and score better at your next show.  Whatever “better” is you now have created new goals that will keep you motivated and driven to get up and keep going day in and day out.  Another thing that bodybuilding teaches you is pain tolerance and work ethic. Even in a simplistic way bodybuilding does this.  Lifting weights is supposed to be hard. You push your pain tolerance when you feel the burn.  In return, your body builds resiliency from lifting weights by building more muscle.  The dedication to structure and consistency of your workouts helps you build better work ethic too.  You also learn pain tolerance in ways like when you resist temptation to eat foods you might be craving, or just resisting eating in general when you get hungry during contest prep.  Doing hard things makes you more resilient and this carries over into every day life too.  I remember hearing 4x Mr Olympia Jay Cutler talk about his childhood and how he was doing hard labor as a kid growing up working in his family’s concrete business. He was up at 6am and worked till the sun went down and sometimes with headlights on.  There were no weekends off, and after school he was working too. This was normal for him. I’m not promoting hard labor at 11 years old, but what I’m saying is that because he grew up doing harder things than most his perspective on what is hard is far different than the kid who was coddled his whole life and finds it laborious to have to brush his teeth twice a day.  It’s not a surprise that Jay went on to win 4 Olympias. The demands of his youth equipped him for the extreme demands of bodybuilding, like having to set an alarm to wake up and eat during the night or risk losing some of his enormous size. I also think there is something to being said about bodybuilding and how it will permanently change your perspective on the human body and its capabilities. I remember being in absolute awe the first time I saw my abs popping out of my stomach. To know that my hard work did that changed me forever. In good ways and bad. I see the human body in contest shape as a work of art.  It’s like a sculpture to me.  I think it’s absolutely beautiful.  The bad side of this perspective is the years it took me to still find beauty in my physique when not in contest shape. My standards for my physique are permanently higher because I can’t unsee or unfeel what I’ve accomplished many times getting into contest shape. Instead of focusing on being in contest shape, I focus and create physical goals that make me proud of myself instead.  Little things like working my way up to 100lb dumbbell rows. I’m at 95 at the moment and working my way up to 100. Doesn’t see

This episode continues part 3 the podcast series I am doing called "Meet the Federations." My goal is for you to learn first-hand all the different options there are in the sport of bodybuilding by highlighting people in the different federations and having honest conversations about the federation they know best. Today we are talking all about the WBFF federation and how it differs from all other federations. My guest today, Holly Baxter, has claimed 2 World Championship-level wins in the Natural Fitness Division. She has been competing with the WBFF as a Professional Diva Fitness Model and achieved runner up in the Pro World Championships. In addition, Holly is also a registered dietitian and the co-founder and director of a number of health and fitness related businesses. Expect some golden fitness nuggets dropped during the show.  As always, like/subscribe/and share! And come join the conversation in the private Facebook group for listeners to talk about show topics. The Facebook group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” so head on over there and request to join! Additional Resources: -FREE posing assessment and road mapping call at http://www.learntopose.com -Want to learn skills that will help you look and feel more confident in your posing and transitions from pose to pose? Learn more at: http://www.weeklyposing.com -Want to learn how to pose for your show? Start Here: http://www.learntopose.com/virtualclinic -Want to WIN your next competition? Learn more at: http://www.posingwinsshows.com -FREE posing tutorials for Wellness, Figure, Bikini, and Men's Physique competitors at http://www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at http://www.eeinbb.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at https://shop.killitwithdrive.com/ Key Takeaways: *Meet Holly Baxter (3:14) *Dietician education versus contest prep (10:55) *What it is like to compete in Dubai (14:40) *How Holly’s experience in the WBFF differs from her experience in the INBA/PNBA and NPC/IFBB (18:04) *Diva Bikini Model (29:30) *Men and Women Transformation (31:00) *Male Fitness Model (32:00) *Attire and presentation requirements for each of the divisions (33:00) *Diva Fitness Model (36:40) *Holly breaks down her show expenses (38:00) *The different divisions in the WBFF -  Diva Wellness and Diva Figure Model (47:50) *The judging criteria for all the divisions (56:50) *The Men’s Divisions (1:06:00) *The WBFF and PEDs (1:09:06) *The negative consequences of dieting (1:32:50) *How Holly coaches people how to handle the challenges of dieting for shows (1:46:25) *How Holly manages realistic expectations with her coaching clients (1:49:47) *Does competing in the WBFF provide the most opportunities in the industry (1:54:00) *Holly’s upcoming competition and business plans (1:58:04) Find Holly on instagram as Hollytbaxter and YouTube as Holly T Baxter and online at hbnutrition.com.au

A recent conversation I had sparked my thoughts for today's episode on where I would suggest a teenager consider competing for the FIRST time. Find out why my answer isn't black or white and how if I competed again myself, why my decision would be different than you might expect. As always, like/subscribe/and share! And come join the conversation in the private Facebook group for listeners to talk about show topics. The Facebook group is called “The ‘Everything Else’ in Bodybuilding Podcast Insiders!” so head on over there and request to join! Additional Resources: -Want to learn skills that will help you look and feel more confident in your posing and transitions from pose to pose? Learn more at: http://www.weeklyposing.com -Want to learn how to pose for your show? Start Here: http://www.learntopose.com/virtualclinic -Want to WIN your next competition? Learn more at: http://www.posingwinsshows.com -1 on 1 Training and Nutrition at http://www.killitwithdrive.com -FREE posing tutorials for Wellness, Figure, Bikini, and Men's Physique competitors at http://www.learntopose.com -FREE ebook “5 Things Every Bodybuilding and Fitness Competitor Needs To Know Before Preparing For A Show” at http://www.eeinbb.com -FREE posing assessment and road mapping call at http://www.learntopose.com -Grab your “My Own Motivation” tank top at https://shop.killitwithdrive.com/ Key Takeaways: *What I told a friend whose teenager wants to do her first show (2:10) *What it means to drink the Kool-aid (4:55) *How federations fuel the narrative (5:45) *Social media and PEDs changed bodybuilding (10:10) *PEDs in the bikini division (13:08) *Other ideas for competition goals (19:10) *How factoring in psychology affects my recommendation on where someone should first compete (20:44) *Where I personally would consider competing today and why it might surprise you (24:22)