Undergoing a successful bodybuilding contest prep, if done correctly, can be an extremely rewarding experience. The individual motivations that inspire a competitor to step on stage may vary, but at its core, there is a desire to challenge your mind and body. Before deciding to compete, I would advise a competitor to evaluate their life and current circumstances and make sure you have the time and resources to invest to this endeavor.

As you may know, a contest prep is an intensive endeavor that will affect nearly every facet of your daily life. I do not say this lightly and I do not say this to be discouraging either. All in all, my objective is for you to be realistic and well aware of the realities of a successful prep. Due to the rigorous nature of a contest prep, time is critical. You simply do not want to be in a position of not having enough time in your hands. Further, while you can opt for an aggressive deficit to meet your deadline, this tactic will likely be more detrimental to your metabolic health than a more conservative-to-moderate deficit. All this to say, the length of a contest prep depends on a variety of factors, including your current body composition and how “far off” you are from your your stage weight. As a rule of thumb, however, I recommend a contest prep season to be a minimum of 12-weeks in length.

Perhaps an underwhelming but truthful answer to the question— it depends. Another truthful statement is that we are often our own worst critics, so it is possible to be overly critical and lack objectivity. The necessary level of musculature varies extensively from division to federation. For example, while it is possible your physique would be adequate for a natural show, it is also very likely that same physique will not be as competitive in an NPC show. Nonetheless, a lot depends on your expectations and goals for your bodybuilding contest prep. On my end, I will always be honest and communicate to a prospective client if I believe a contest prep would be the next natural step or if the client would likely benefit more from a proper off-season.

Contest prep can be a daunting expense. Particularly for girls, there is often a laundry-list type of checklist one must comply with before stepping on stage. These expenses include a membership with the competing federation, a bodybuilding suit, tanning, heels, makeup, travel (if needed), etc. In terms of coaching services, I do offer a financing option and only require 50% down payment to get started. In sum, competing is a wonderful experience but one that does require adequate financial means. That being said, there are ways to curb expenses and be as efficient with your money as possible. If you are competing on a budget, my advice would be to prioritize expenses. Do you NEED the fanciest/most extravagant heels? No. Do you NEED proper guidance? Probably. The decision of how to prioritize will largely depend on the competitor and what they value.