Competing in a bodybuilding competition is an exciting, exhilarating and fulfilling experience. It takes determination, dedication and just plain hard work. And, unless you plan on becoming a professional, all you can hope for is a trophy. Ah, but what a trophy!

 When you stand on stage, holding a rigid "relaxed" pose and hear the announcer call your name as Champion in your Class or Winner of the Overall Competition, it's mighty sweet. You savor the moment and forget all about what it took to get there.

While the training is the same for the NPC (National Physique Committee), S.N.B.F. (Supernatural Bodybuilding and Fitness), National Gym Association (N.G.A.), the World Natural Sports Organization (WNSO) and other natural organizations, the competitions are different in one major area. The NPC is not drug-tested and the other federations are drug-tested.

I train as a "natural" athlete. I have competed successfully and placed high in both types of contests. So, the first thing you must decide is, if you are planning to train to enter a bodybuilding competition, are you going to do it drug-enhanced or drug-free? As I said, the training is the same, while the competition is decidedly different. While it is obvious which I prefer, I will not take sides in this article. I am going, instead, to talk about training to enter a competition, including tips on diet, workout plans, tanning, posing, grooming, contest day preparation and family considerations during training.

Deciding to Compete

If you are in reasonably good shape and work out regularly, at least four-times-per-week, you can be prepared to enter your first contest within a year. I trained five-days-a-week for 10 months to get ready for my first contest. You need that much time in order to gain the lean mass your body needs to sustain itself as you enter the fat-burning/cutting phase of your diet, about 13 weeks before your contest.

If you want to compete as a Middle Weight, (165-185 lbs.), for instance, you might need to be around 195-200 lbs before you begin your cutting phase. The reason is simple. When you go into the cutting phase, your body loses about one pound of muscle for every three pounds of fat.

For my first contest, I weighed 154 lbs on January 1. When I stepped onto the stage on March 19, I weighed a ripped 136. I was the lightest Bantam Weight. In fact, I was too light. The Bantam Weight limit is 143 lbs. Off season, I bulked up with lean mass to about 165 lbs and came in at around 142.5, near the top of the weight class for the next year's competitions.

So, the first thing you need to do, after deciding to enter a contest, is to pick a contest 10-12 months in the future and decide in which weight class you want to compete. Then, see where you are now and where you need to be on contest day. At that point, you can plan your diet.

To make sure this is something you really want to do though, you should attend a bodybuilding competition in your area. It's the best place to learn about the sport. You can pick out who is really ready to compete and who needs to do more work. Depending on whether you go to a drug-tested show or non-tested show, you will also see how huge some of the men, and even some of the women, who use steroids and other illegal muscle enhancers look. You can decide if that's the direction you want to go or not.

Competition Diet

Once you decide you want to compete, you must make a complete change in your life style. Bodybuilding is a life-style sport, much like ice skating, marathon running, competitive snowboarding, etc. Bodybuilding takes a lot of time in the gym and a lot of time in the kitchen. Competitive bodybuilders build their lives around their workouts and their meals, which during daylight hours average once every 2 1/2 hours. It's also expensive, calling for large amounts of protein each day, at least one gram for each pound of body weight.

Here is a typical diet for a bodybuilder who is trying to put on lean mass several months before a competition:

• Breakfast: Three egg whites (protein) and one whole egg + one cup of oatmeal
• Mid-morning: Protein shake (two scoops) in 8-12 oz of water Lunch: 8 oz of steak, or chicken, or fish + 8 oz of sweet potato + cup of vegetables
• Mid-Afternoon: Protein shake (two scoops) in 8-12 oz of water
• Dinner: 8 oz of steak, or chicken, or fish + two cups of vegetables

Throughout the day, you need to drink between 1/2 and one gallon of spring water. This diet is designed to put on about a pound of lean mass a week. Lots of protein, lots of carbs and little fat. I'll talk about how the diet changes as you get closer to your competition later.

Supplements

I said earlier, bodybuilding is an expensive sport. It's not as expensive as a bass boat with all the accessories, but it's close. In order to help your body use the fuel you put in (food and drink) and to take advantage of your workouts to build muscle, you need a good supply of supplements. I won't go into brand names or lead you to any supplier, but here are some of the supplements you should consider:

• Protein Powder: Check the labels. Some are designed as meal replacements, some for lean muscle mass gain, others for general growth, some for fat loss and some for heavy-duty muscle building. One caution, check the labels for additives.
• Glutamine: Increases muscular growth, offers a muscle pump while training, helps retain lean muscle tissue, reduces muscle soreness, helps increase fat loss.
• Creatine: Allows you to train harder with greater intensity and recover faster. It aids in increasing your weights and number of reps and reduces your rest between sets. Great energy boost.
• Flaxseed/Fish Oil: Fat is necessary in your daily diet for the manufacture of hormones, proper brain function and joint lubrication. Eliminate fats completely and your muscles shrink dramatically, and your energy and strength levels go with them. Enter Flaxseed and Fish Oil. Usually in capsule form. They act as solvents to remove hardened fat, support muscle growth and fat metabolism.
• Multi-vitamins: Everyone's vitamin needs are different. Hard-training athletes need more vitamins and minerals. Getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals is equal in importance to protein and carbohydrates. There are lots of other supplements on the market today. But, if you use these five, along with good workouts and proper diet, you are going to achieve the growth you desire.

In the next installment, we'll talk about some suggested training regimens and preparing for a contest.

Scott "Old Navy" Hults is a retired US Navy captain and an NFPT Personal Trainer Natural Master Professional Bodybuilder who in 2004 began preparing to enter his first bodybuilding contest -- at the age of 61. He continues to compete successfully and  judges at numerous competitions throughout North America.

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