Katie Bergstrom NPC Las Vegas USA's 2010 Week 10

16.8%
129 lbs
1650 cals
5 days cardio 35 mins

So far so good this week, I feel focused and on track! Diet and training are great! My carbs are lower right now so it's important that I drink TopForm's pre workout drink to get me through my workouts and help with the pumps and energy! I am starting to do cardio twice a day right now. I am not going to complain yet because it's only 20 mins in the a.m. and 30 mins after I train.

Lately, I have had many people ask about sample diets, cardio and training programs, to get an idea of how to prep for a figure competition. I thought I would blog about it for anyone who is interested.

Typically, prepping for a figure competition can take 12 - 18 weeks, depending on your starting condition. The main things that you need to prep for a figure competition are:

1) Training program
2) Diet
3) Cardio program

You are going to need an experienced coach to write the above for you and to provide ongoing guidance and changes to those programs. Make sure that you research the coach. They should have experience in prepping figure competitors and/or even have their own experience with competitions. The above programs should be catered to you and your body and should be adjusted accordingly.

The training program that you follow should be focused on building your weak areas and also sculpting the desired figure physique. A nice v-taper, full delts, tight/small waist and tight glutes are the main physical traits needed for figure... a symmetrical X-frame. Leanness, without deep striations and full muscle bellies are desired. Your training program should focus on sculpting these areas, while toning the body overall.

Diet is KEY to competing in figure and in any type of physique competition. It can make, or break you at a competition. Anyone that has dieted differently, for multiple shows can tell you that. What you put in your mouth will show up on your body, when you are up on that stage, under the bright lights! You can end up too smooth, too lean, too flat, etc. It is very common to eat the same meals, at the same time, every day for a period of a week, or more. There are also other ways to diet, which vary your meals daily... carb and fat intake are changed each day. You may have high, medium and low days and many times these are scheduled along with your training program, to take advantage of the higher carb intake on the heavier and harder training days.

Last, is the dreaded cardio. Unless you are a cardio bunny at heart, you may dread this part! I like to lift and am not fond of cardio at all! But, it is a must to stay lean and prep for competition, especially if you have a body type like mine. If you are considering competing, I can attest that purchasing a cardio machine for your home is so worth it! Any amount of time that you can save, during prep, is worth it. In any case, due to my body type, I do up to 2 hours of cardio per day to prep for a show (1 hour twice a day). I can build muscle, but have a hard time getting lean enough, so this amount of cardio works for my body best. That is not to say that everyone needs that much. Many can just do 30 minutes twice a day and be in tip top shape for the stage and some less, or somewhere in between. It all depends on where you start out at and how your body reacts to the combination of the diet, training and cardio. Your coach can help you determine that.

Now, the timing of your cardio is also important, so you utilize the best time to burn fat, but also spare muscle. The first session should be done first thing in the morning, while the last should be done either after training in the evening, or before bed. Just stay focused on your goal, while you are on that cardio machine sweating... it will make you work harder and stay motivated!

There are many other things that go into competing, in addition to the main areas of prep above. You need to practice your presentation daily, so you can walk and pose with grace and confidence. There are coaches that can help with this and there are also DVDs and videos that you can purchase, so you can practice at home. Watching clips of past competitions is also very helpful.

Suits, tan, hair, makeup, jewelry, shoes and nails are all a part of making a good impression on the figure stage. Look at photos from competitions, talk to your suit maker about suggested colors, get your hair and makeup done by a professional at least once before your show and learn how to do it yourself, if you cannot afford to have someone do it at your show. Coaches can also sometimes recommend looks and people that can help you with these things.

Well, it is alot of information and although I did not provide alot of detail, you get the overall idea of what goes into figure competition prep. Because of all of the above, it is very important to get help from a coach, or someone that has had experience with all of this. It is not something you can just go into blind and do a fad diet, or not eat at all! If you want to succeed, every single thing I mentioned above must be paid very close attention to. I am so thankful for my trainer, I have used him for almost 2 years and I couldn't ask for anything more. He keeps me in check each week and gives me the confidence and motivation I need through the whole contest prep.