Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Time Management

After spending countless hours in a gym you'll hear talk about everything under the sun. New comers to exercise and fitness may be over zealous and suddenly feel they would like to do a bodybuilding, fitness or figure competition but have no clue about the ins-and-outs. How hard can it be some will ask? That answer will depend on who you ask and how experienced they are in competing. In truth, there's nothing easy about competing but before making a decision it's necessary to step back and decide how much time you can set aside in order to get lean enough to stand on stage with fifteen other competitors who have sculpted abdominals. If you're wondering how much time and effort is needed to compete here are a few answers to mull over.

Contest Prep

The average contest prep will differ from athlete to athlete. Competitors that maintain a lower body fat can diet for a shorter period of time than someone who is out of shape and trying to build muscle while losing body fat. After a competitor assesses how much time is needed to compete at a satisfactory level the amount of time needed to diet down is commonly between 12-24 weeks.

Food Preparation

Food preparation covers a multitude of areas for a bodybuilding event and is often underestimated until beginning a bodybuilding, fitness or figure diet. Additional time will be needed to cook and pack foods suitable to produce a hard physique since these foods will most likely be different from what you're roommate, family members or significant other may eat. You will also need time to eat six to eight times a day which may be difficult if you are always on the go or work a full time job.

Training

Different athletes have different theories when it comes to weight lifting during contest prep. Some athletes will do two-a-days by splitting body parts while others will do their training all in one session. This will have to be decided by you but regardless you'll have to set aside any where from 30 minutes to an hour for five to seven days a week during contest prep for weight lifting.

Cardio

Depending on the leanness of your body you may need to do a little less or a little more cardiovascular training. Some competitors do as little as thirty minutes a day while others such as IFBB Pro Andrea Watson will do as much as three one hour sessions each day.

Posing Practice

Determining the amount of time needed for posing will vary due to the style and extent of posing. Bodybuilders have compulsory poses they must perform, as well as, a sixty second posing routine that must be accomplished without shaking or cramping. Fitness and figure competitors are required to do mandatory quarter turns which look simple but are difficult. Poses should be held for at least one to three minutes without shaking and in order to get to this level that takes a lot of practice. Practicing poses should be done several times a week and steadily increased as the event draws closer.

Tanning

If you plan to use a tanning bed to draw out water and bronze your skin then you'll have to fit that into your schedule, also. Tanning for twenty minutes at a time, three times a week ,is one hour that has to come from somewhere.