5 Reasons You Are Not Ready For a National Competition

As I sit here in Pittsburgh at one of the largest NPC national contests I’ve ever witnessed, the North American Championships, I couldn’t help but write this blog.

photo from my last competition in Nov. 2014

Why? Well, one reason only: some competitors were not ready to be here.

From my observations alone, here’s a list of 5 reasons I think some competitors were not quite ready for the big stage just yet.

1. You are broke. Registration fees, hotel, travel, food…the list goes on and on and on. If you don’t have a specific budget allotted to this level of competition, then it’s best to save and wait until you can afford this. Of course plenty have accomplished amazing things on a tight budget (or by using GoFund Me) but wouldn’t it be easier on you if you were financially ready for this type of investment?
2. You haven’t placed in the top 3 or top 5 at a good sized show. This one point can be a little more complicated actually. If only 2 people show up in your class, and you win your class, does that mean you are ready for a national show? In my opinion, the best way to find out is to either do a bigger show or ask for feedback from a nationally accredited judge. She or he would have the eye to let you know if you are ready to step on a national stage or at least the potential to pull it together on time.
3. You are not ready to be in the last callout and take it graciously. I cannot stress enough how important sportsmanship and being gracious is at this level of competition. Sure you were the best athlete to grace the stage at your local show. Hell, there were even articles written about you in your local newspaper. But how you fare out in a stacked class, sometimes with 20+ of the best physiques in the nation is another story. You might just not be the best that day. Take it with grace, and use it as experience for your next national showing.
4. You still have temper tantrums – despite your age. FB posts bashing other competitors, the judging panel, the tanning crew, your makeup artist, your coach…looking mad as hell on stage, cursing and complaining because you didn’t get the placing you thought you deserved…all of those are temper tantrums that you, at your age, shouldn’t be having. See point #3 for some help.
5. You are not ready to hear and accept feedback. This is by far the single most important thing you could ever do for yourself at any level. Accept the feedback from the judges and next time you show up on stage, show the improvements on those areas. Judges actually remember these things. Don’t be nasty or have an attitude when a judge tells you something you were not ready to hear. It’s called feedback for a reason and it’s the only way to learn and grow. It could be quite helpful in competitive bodybuilding and in all aspects of life.

Do you have any other reasons you would add to this list? If so, let me know!