Competition day preparation

So much goes into competing. It's not just the training and diet but the prep and planning of your life and food as well as fitting it in around family, career etc, it requires a lot of dedication, motivation and willpower from bulking to leaning down and then show day. After all the hard work getting to the show it's important to prepare as best you can for show day, here are a few tips I've picked up...

Posing

• Plain and simply, get help! There are workshops out there, you should go to at least 1!
• Practice every day! For as long as you can.
• Get someone to video you so you know what you look like and where you need to improve.
• Watch youtube to see how it should be done.
• Practice in your shoes (if you’re female).
• Practice in your stage bikini.

Suit and shoes

• Think hard about what colour you feel most confident in and what colour you usually like to wear and what suits you.
• Think about your skin tone and hair colour.
• I find blondes look good in pinks and bright blues, brunettes suit darker colours like reds, dark greens navies.
• Look online at other contestants and see what girls who look similar to you look good in
• I got my bikini and stage shoes from www.selinabikini.co.uk. They were very helpful and delivered when they said they would.
• Check your competition show website for rules on shoes. Some don’t allow platforms for example.

Tanning

• A couple of weeks before show day start exfoliating the skin with a non-oil based exfoliator.
• Always moisturise, otherwise tan will patch. Use a non-oil-based moisturiser.
• DON'T moisturise on tanning day but DO exfoliate.
• Get a professional team to tan you! For my first show I tanned at home and I can honestly say I won’t be doing that again! I had to stand in the nude in my garden while my poor sister tanned me with a spray and foam roller. She did a great job but man it was hard work and patched a bit. Also took forever to dry!

• Get very loose clothing for after tan and show day, it rubs off easily.
• Sleep in your baggy clothes once the tan is on.
• You can’t wash your hair yourself on show day, so either get someone else to do it or wash it before you get your tan on.
• Shave arms and legs 24 hours before tanning.
• If you do it yourself make sure you only tan your face lightly, otherwise your foundation will patch!

Makeup

• Take the stress off and get a professional to do it. You may as well, you’ve spent a lot of money and time getting here, enjoy your day. Personally, I prefer to do my own makeup as I know I do it well and I quite enjoy doing it...it's up to you :). 
• Use a thick and dark foundation BUT not too dark (I like Mac), don’t try and completely match your makeup. Build up the colour with a bronzer.
• Put on quite a bit of makeup as the stage lights wash you out but don’t overdo it.

What to bring

• Your stage suit.
• Your stage shoes.
• Music and earphones.
• Magazine.
• Phone charger.
• Light dressing gown or t-shirt.
• Flip flops.
• Lightweights or bands to pump up before the show.
• Sewing kit just in case.
• Spare stage outfit.
• Camera.
• Lots of food - ask your coach what you should be eating. Some like to eat sugars and some don’t.
• A small bottle of dry white wine for a bit of confidence.
• If you’ve done your own tan, remember to bring it with you. I’ve seen some disasters at shows!
• Spare makeup for touch-ups.
• Hair spray and hairbrush.
• Bikini Bite - sticks your bikini in place so no riding up or down ;-)
• Tissues in case your makeup runs.

Competition day don'ts

• Don’t wear deodorant - it messes with your tan.
• Don’t wear perfume - it messes with your tan.
• Don’t drink much fluid.
• Don’t pump up to early.
• Don’t hideaway. Get out there, chat with other like-minded people, take pics with other contestants. It’s usually a long day so I recommend making friends!
• Don’t worry! Enjoy it and be confident! You’ve worked hard to get here!

Good luck!

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