What To Expect On Your Bikini Competition Show Day (Part 3)
Hi guys, welcome to the third part in the series of What you can expect on Show Day. This is especially useful if you’re a first time Bikini Competitor, considering venturing into bodybuilding bikini, or just looking to be more prepared for your next show.
If you haven’t already read our first two blogs in this series, I highly recommend checking out What to expect on your bikini competition show day (Part 1) & What to expect on your bikini competition show day (Part 2).
We primarily touched on the essentials you need to get sorted out before the show. In this blog we’ll be diving into the actual Show Day itself.
Check Ins
Check ins are usually on the day of the show and at the venue where you’ll be competing in. This is the first chance you’ll have to see the stage set up for a bodybuilding bikini competition, the seating arrangements, and the vibe, so take it all in! You’ll meet other competitors, perhaps people other athletes you recognize from Instagram, so mingle and have fun!
Food
It’s usually a light form of carbs, like rice cakes, or something easily digestible. The choice of carbohydrate will depend on your prep coach assessing your final check in physique, as well as what time you will be competing on stage. The goal is to peak right on stage, so trust your coach and trust the process till the finish line!
Pre Judging
First and foremost, Enjoy it! The show goes by so far and if you’re all worked up about it, you will miss the experience of what bikini bodybuilding is all about! I know it is a serious thing, all the hard work of prep culminating into this moment you’ve been building towards. But juxtaposed to that, the best advice I can give is to take it all in. Take pictures, videos and celebrate your moment!
In layman terms pre-judging is when the judges are trying to see what you look like compared to the rest of the field. You’ll be compared according to your Height Class, and you’ll be doing your individual posing routine.
Pro Tip: Make sure you display your number tag (which is placed on your competition bikini bottom) on your dominant posing side facing the judges so they can clearly see your number. Judges will be judging several competitors, and they’ll only remember you by your number.
Make sure you learn your number by heart, so when judges call your number to switch positions you will be able to confidently maneuver the stage. We highly recommend watching a few bodybuilding bikini competition videos of the federation, division and class you’re competing in, so you know exactly what happens on stage as well.
Important Tip: Even though pre-judging is to determine if you’ll be in the final rounds, Placing should not be why you’re competing. Do it for you and for your own goals, and longevity in the sport!
Finals
If you get a call out during pre-judging that means you’ll be in the finals of the event. This means you’ll have a few hours to head back to your hotel, airbnb, or home (if it’s in your home-town) to recharge. We highly recommend just staying at the venue and watching a live stream of the event while you recharge your carbs and stay primed for the finals. You do not want to be late to the finals of your division showdown.
And again, all I can say if you’re in the finals (or not) enjoy it! Ironically, for me, prejudging is far more stressful as you fight for your placement amongst so many athletes, the finals just comes down to putting on your final best display!
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t win, this is not what bikini bodybuilding is all about. Not to go on a philosophical deviation, but it’s the journey or the process that makes it worthwhile. And the judges do take serious notes of athletes who compete in the spirit of good sportsmanship and will remember you in your next shows as well!
