Bodybuilding

How to Prepare for Natural Bodybuilding Competitions

Natural bodybuilding competitions refers to bodybuilding competition without muscle enhancing drugs or anabolic substances. In other words natural athletes who choose to build their body with all-natural have to stick to a regimen of well structured bodybuilding diet along with some performance enhancing supplements like whey protein, creatine & l-glutamine.  

There are several different categories that can be entered during natural bodybuilding competitions. It is important for the participant to be aware of each category and be prepared. These may need special outfits and some definitely require specific poses to show of certain muscle groups. Preparation for these individual events is key.
While some individuals are strictly interested in obtaining muscle for aesthetics, for most people, this isn’t an interest. Instead, you’re more interested in knowing what health benefits weight lifting will have for you…

Far too many people overlook the many health and fitness benefits that weight training has to offer, and because of this, experience problems down the road with their body such as decreased bone density, a slowed metabolic rate, increased stress levels and other negative consequences that are associated with constant stress.

Increased Bone Density

Weight lifting, being one of the best weight bearing exercises you can do, will increase your bone density and help ward off osteoporosis or stress fractures in the future.

Many people think running is the best exercise for increasing bone density, but this isn’t necessarily true. If the truth is told, running actually promotes muscle breakdown in the body, while weight lifting, being an anabolic process, helps to promote the building of tissues.

Therefore, weight lifting is going to be much better at preserving your bone mass, not to mention it’s far less impact than going for an hour run

The main idea behind natural bodybuilding competitions is that whoever has the most strengths and least weaknesses, or whoever presents a well-rounded muscular physique and excellent symmetry at the same time wins. There are 7 mandatory poses that display all the muscle groups wherein contestants will be judged. Criteria for judging usually include muscle separation, conditioning, muscle mass, presentation or how well the athlete poses and, at times, audience impact.

Some of the events include special performances which require a lot of charisma and style. Natural bodybuilding competitions is a sport highly involved in other social affairs as well. Winners or champions are usually invited to be spokespeople for programs or products.

Natural bodybuilding competitions require a lot of preparation which often results to mental and physical fatigue. Strict dieting and intense routines are used by every serious body builder to hopefully get to their target weight. This is the time when daily caloric intake is counted accurately and special natural supplements bring out the best definition and condition possible.

Athletes need to make sure that water gets to their muscles and not under the skin to prevent a flat and smooth appearance. Other preparations include practicing for a performance (if required), tanning and shaving.

How to Qualify

The IFBB is the top pro body building federation in the world. To become a pro, one should enter a NPC USA competition. There are 6 weight classes in the NPC Men's National Championships namely the bantamweight, lightweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, heavyweight and super heavyweight.

The winners of each class may request professional status. Pro aspirants may enter the IFBB World Championships, wherein winning a class makes a contestant eligible in the pro ranks. The same applies for the IFBB North American Championships.

There are qualifying contests to make one eligible to join the NPC Championships. The most prestigious pro body building contest of all is the Mr. Olympia, followed by the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic. Only top-ranking pros in qualifying contests can earn invites to these major events. Winners or those in the top ranks are considered to be the best in the world.