So i attended a figure workshop on February 2nd. It was a 8 hours long and well worth it in my opinion. There were about 23 girls there, one is training to be a bodybuilder and she is in her 40s. Everyone else were going for figure. As a matter a fact, there were a good bit of women that were in their 40s that looked really great! The youngest there was 17, there were a good range of ages for sure. I was kind of nervous at first, because I didn’t really know anyone there and didn’t know what was expected there. After time, everyone was very friendly and we introduced ourselves. There were some that were not in top shape, but had already committed to a show. That was a eye opener for me as i at the time did not commit to a show, you know debating and stuff. That just showed me that i needed to get on it. There were 2 pros hosting the figure workshop as well as some judges and the promoters. One of the pros that attended is Valerie Brown-Stephens and the other one i believe was Kathy Neighbors. Alright so here are the notes i took while at the workshop. I hope that you can get something out of this as well 
MAKING WISE DECISIONS:
- Watch out for sleazy/phony photographers. You have an *image* to protect. Research them before selecting them for any photo shoots. Some may approach you after a show and want a photo shoot. Good idea to take a laptop with you to the show you are doing so you can research them there.
- Finding the right show. Physique wise, look at previous photos for the shows for that federation and see what is the best fit for you.
- Know how to represent! Learn to WALK in your shoes (clear heels)!
- Start off with a regional show (great for beginners.) A good idea to get experience with regional show and get the “feel” of things before doing a national show. You will feel more confident
- Novice show - can’t qualify for pro
- Open - can qualify for pro card (these are specific for the federation i’m going for)
- Sports/Themewear. Make sure you get into that character and that the music you choose matches the theme.
JUDGES NOTES/TIPS:
- Talk to the judges after the prejudging/show to get feedback.
- Respect your fellow competitors!
- When walking, look natural and confident.
- Look at the judges and audience…and always smile! Helps with stage presentation. Practice peripheral vision (don’t look at the x’s where you are supposed to stop at)
- Practice wearing your shoes BEFORE the show!
- THE TOTAL PACKAGE MATTERS! The girl next to you could be more fit that you, but if her presentation and confidence aren’t there, that could greatly affect her chances.
- Coral your nervousness!
- Use the entire stage, flow with it! Don’t try to rush off the stage, be calm.
- Prejuding: (morning) - all decisions by judges will be made at this time! Thats when the actual judging happens. Make sure your makeup, hair and everything is the best it can be.
- Night show: Just for the crowd mainly. Judges have already made their decisions at this point. (this may be different with other federations.)
- Jewelry: Something moderate is good.
- Sportswear/Themewear: STAND OUT (in a positive way of course)! Make sure your body is visible and not entirely covered up.
FINDING SPONSORS/PROMOTING YOURSELF
Ask around at local businesses for their support. Examples: Health clubs, doctors, churches, do a bake sale even. If you get more than one, that is ok and even better! Things you could ask of them for help:
- Entry fee for show
- Food expenses
- Supplements
- Monetary
- Exchange services for sponsorships
What this does in turn for the business:
- Positive exposure
- Tax deductible
Write a Bio/Sponsorship letter (50 words or less):
- Showing your goals
- Expenses
- Shows you are planning to do
- Cover letter
- Pictures
- Comp history if any
- Distinguish yourself creatively
Other tips from the judges:
- Go to bigger shows like the Arnold for motivation!
- Be ready for ANYTHING! (photo shoots, etc. that could come up)
- Promote the company that is sponsoring you! (wear a shirt with their logo on it, advertise!)
- Send thank you notes to sponsors. Be grateful.
- Never disclose contracts to others regarding sponsors.
Tanning
EXFOLIATE FIRST!!
- Before applying your comp tan, you must exfoliate. Use a washcloth with exfoliation. Wax ahead of time if preferred and at least 1 day before tanning. Wax/shave entire body for tanning to be applied better. Several recommended using an electric razor and one lady uses her husband and sweared by it. Moisturize (after exfoliation) before applying tan. Don’t wait until the last minute!
Pro Tan - Most common used, applies evenly. Not recommended to be used on face. You can apply as many coats as you want, but someone really needs to help you apply it. Use a blowdryer to help dry tan. A good idea would be to start the a Wednesday before a show so you know how the tans turns out. No time for disasters on show day!
Dream Tan - Pretty color, but messy. Doesn’t soak into skin like Pro Tan (clothes may get stained easier). More of a wet finish.
For both of these or any comp tanners, it is recommended you have a base coat. You can do this by visiting a tanning bed or using a self tanner, but you have to be careful with the self tanners as the outcome of those mixed with the comp tanners may not be what you want. It would really be a good idea to experient with the pro tanners 2 weeks before the show. Being sure you apply them well on the elbows, knees, creases, etc. Also do not use them on your face. You will need a foundation 3 shades LIGHTER than what your pro tan will be (again that is why its recommended you try 2 weeks before show). The tan usually wears off in 3-4 days. Also if you have stretch marks, tattoos, scars or anything else you want to cover up, Dermablend was highly recommended. It can be bought at department stores such as Macy, Dillards, etc.
Bikini Bite - Not a tan, but brought up at the same time. This is used to hold the suit in place (sticky, blow dry). Use on top too and the bottoms on front, just be careful how you apply as you don’t want to mess up your tan. TIP: Pull bottom up and stick!
PRO NOTES/TIPS
Write down mistakes
- Log diet towards comp.
- Mock a contest date if you haven’t set one yet.
- Take photos before comp diet prep and afters.
Start a professional portfolio
- Great for sponsorship
- Exposure
MAKE UP & HAIR (hosted by a makeup and hair specialist)
- Start off with a clean face. Moistorize before applying foundation (remember, 3 shades lighter than your comp tan). Best results when blended with fingertips. Don’t forget to apply to your lids as well as this will help the eyeshadow stay on better.
- CONCEALER - Goes on after foundation. Dab with index finger or pinky finger (less pressure than other fingers).
- Wax eyebrows ahead of time. Like the Wednesday before. Use some color for your eyebrows and instead of using a eyebrow pencil, use a slanted brush applicator with the eyebrow powder to get the best natural looking results.
- EYESHADOW - Lower lid use dark color, crease use medium color, upper part use light color and then dark color on corners. Again since the stage will wash you out, you want to choose BRIGHT colors, even glitter. 3 times than the normal usage is a good rule of thumb.
- EYELASHES - (goes after makeup is done) Fake eyelashes are recommended, but the individual ones are the best and just apply to the top lids. You will have to remove them after the prejuding show and apply new ones for the night show.
- BLUSH - Brush upwards on cheek bones.
- LIPS - Matte lipstick for fuller lips, bright/glossy for less full lips.
- HAIR - Recommended you get it done professionally if possible. Look THE BEST for prejuding.
These are pretty much the notes i took that could apply to everyone else. We had to practice in the shoes and posing for 1 hour. The posing looks easy, but i can tell you from experience its not that easy and will be tiring at first. The back pose is tricky. They showed us not only the poses required for the federation i’m going with, but also the poses for other federations/shows like NPC and Miss Bikini America. It was intersting to try the different posing techniques. The easiest poses were for Miss Bikini America. We also had a guest suit designer that came in to bring suits and shoes. We had the opportunity to try them on and get a discount if we purchased anything. I had put a deposit down on a 2 piece burgundy suit which i got a lot of compliments from the other ladies about the color on my skin tone. I have to admit it was weird changing in front of the other ladies with boobs all exposed…LOL. I will get fitted for my suit come closer to comp time as the designer is local (www.barelyvisible.com). It was also nice to see that a lot of the girls prepped their meals and eating while the workshop was going on and yes good clean food. I just brought a protein shaker bottle with protein. They did have healthy snacks there along with water bottles. Lunch was Boston Market, that was funny too. They ordered baked chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cornbread. Some only had the chicken breast and veggies and some had it all! I of course had the chicken breast without the skin, green beans and the cornbread (hey, i gotta have a carb right?? LOL). I paid later on though, my tummy was not feeling the food :X Overall, this was really a great experience, i got to exchange emails with one lady and got to meet a lot of great bunch of women with the same interests. There was a lot more in the workshop, but i tried to give the best out of this experience. We even had a kickboxing workout at the end of the workshop for about 45 minutes. I will be attending the April show instead of being in it. It will be my first show that i will attend, i will already know some of the girls on that stage and will be rooting for them! July will be MY TIME
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I have a diverse taste in music aight?!
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