Ever wonder what it takes to compete as a figure competitor? It's not just shiny suits and blonde hair. There is a lot of planning and preparation just to get the competition stage. Then there is the tactical maneuvering required the day before and the day of the competition.

Look for advise from those that have competed. Learn from other's mistakes so that your 12 to 20 weeks of preparation are for not.

For many at the local and regional shows, the athlete's meeting is the night before the show. Definitely bring your suits and your food to cover you for at least four hours to include wearing comfortable shoes and clothes. And bring LOTs of patience. 

The local shows don't separate the figure, fitness, and bodybuilding athletes, so often times, you have to wait for all the bodybuilders to weigh in before the actual meeting starts. At the national level, the figure and fitness girls are kept separate or are included with the female bodybuilders. At this level, there are two meetings to choose from; the information is provided first, and then the weighing and measuring is done. So once you've checked in and had your stats recorded, you can leave.  This helps us so much!

Questions to ask would include what the judges expect to see in your posing, what they allow and don't allow.  Each state is different, unfortunately, and not all follow the national rules.  See if someone will demonstrate the actual poses they expect to see.  Ask about jewelry, hair pieces, and other adornments.  See if you are able to go to the stage and stand on it, walk around on it, and practice posing on it.  Ask about oils and glitter...what's allowed, what's not (if using oil, please be aware that fitness girls must do routines, and fitness/figure girls must walk in heels).  Find out what order the suits will be in and then be aware that judges tend to change their minds.  See if you are able to examine what the backstage premises are like; if not, ask if there are mirrors, bathrooms, good lighting, if the guys are separate from the girls, etc., etc.

If the meeting is at night, hightail it home and finish up tanning, packing and cooking (usually, this should be done even before the meeting), double checking you have everything for the entire day of judging, practicing some posing, getting much needed rest. Being on your feet causes you to hold water in your legs, so keep that in mind.  If the meeting is before the morning show, get backstage and familiarize yourself with your surroundings.  Pick out a spot to set your stuff down, introduce yourself to others around you, and rest.

Follow your trainer's orders in terms of eating and pumping up. Some girls pump up; some don't.  Don't deviate from what your trainer says. You hired that person for a reason.

Don't get into your suit too early.  It never fails: as soon as the suit goes on, you have to pee five million times, and then you regret wriggling into it and applying the Bikini Bite. Bring a book, a walkman or an iPod, or just joke around with the other girls and wait for your height class to get called. 

You can do one of two things with your hair and makeup: hire a hair stylist and make up artist or do it yourself. If you hire an artist, be sure they are reliable and will be at your hotel room at an early scheduled time. Most of the time, they will not be allowed backstage. In fact, spouses, trainers, family members, hair stylists, the man on the moon...none will be allowed backstage.  You can get disqualified in some states and at some shows if someone is found backstage that is associated with you. Find out about this in the meeting.

Be sure you've tried the hair stylist or makeup artist ahead of time or have seen definitive photos from friends who have actually used the person. It would be awful to try someone out blindly and look in the mirror and be devastated with the results. If you do it yourself, go to a make up counter that has the make up you like such as MAC, Bobbi Brown, or Laura Mercier, and have them do a practice session on you. Put a small sample of your tanning product on a conspicuous place (inside of the forearm, lower stomach, inner thigh) and show the person at the make up counter so they can match foundation, bronzer, etc. Also bring a swatch of your suits' fabric to pick out eye shadow and lipstick choices.

Get back to your room as soon as you are off stage from prejudging. This is one advantage to being in the host hotel.  You have meals to eat and sleep to get.  The only reason not to be in your room is if you've agreed a photo shoot or heating up your meals. 

Follow your trainer's advice for this time period.  They say you don't get judged at night, but the judges are still looking at you, and it would be awful to lose a couple of extra points because you flattened out, spilled over, etc.

If you're twenty minutes away, get home and then plan to leave for the contest venue so that you arrive a good 30 minutes before they say you need to be there.  Do not leave anything to chance (i.e., traffic accidents to slow you down, oversleeping, etc.).  Be sure to touch up make up, hair, and apply tan before stepping on stage, and find out which suit will be used for the evening show.

Some contests have food backstage for when the competitors are finished with the show; some plan after parties; sometimes the girls plan things, and sometimes you're so exhausted and you have photo shoots early the next morning that all you want to do is eat and get a good night's sleep. Plan accordingly!

Most shows don't end until 11 or 12 at night, and a lot of restaurants aren't open.  Always pack goodies and bring extras for the girls around you. (Comradery goes a long way.) Others tend to do the same.  You can also have family members buy something ahead of time and bring it to the show and have it waiting for you when you get off stage.  If you have another the following week and can't have a cheat meal or the photo shoot the next day is too important, then I have an extra meal packed.

Good luck!