Need advice on this girl I'm training with..

[HWMuscle]

Figured this would be the right palce to put this....

So this girl came up to me at the gym and asked if I compete..bla bla bla and she wants to compete very bad...So now we train together a few times per week and I help her with everything I can(diet/workouts etc). But to be honest I'm not too smart when it comes to womens fitness......

She wants to do figure....But she is 5ft and about 113lbs.... She is in great shape, has alot of muscle tone, abs, nice bis and tris even has traps... Her legs seem a little thick, but they are muscular and shredded..I'm guessing she is around 13%bf....She looks better IMO than every other girl at the gym, but I want to make sure she can do figure.

So my question is.....does she sound like a future figure competitor or something else? is that more of a bodybuilder or fitness build?? Ill try and get some pics up soon....

[SallyAnne]

Could you post a few pictures?

[HWMuscle]

Lol , ya...I will get some tonight when we train....

[SallyAnne]

The direction figure is taking right now is a little softer - you are saying she's muscular and shredded - so this is why I ask for pictures. Light weight bodybuilders compete in her weight range, so I'm curious to see how muscular she is. It sounds like she's in great shape.

[SallyAnne]

..also - we have a physique critique forum where only fig/fitness/bb judges can respond. If you'd like (after you post photos) I can move this thread there so you can get an idea of what the judges think.

[HWMuscle]

I mean she's not overly muscular, and still natty etc....But she definitely gets alot of compliments at the gym...In my opinion she has some great potential!

Shes still a small girl though, ya know? But just built like a little tank...Her upperbody looks like it would be good for figure, but her muscular legs kind of overpower the top...Thats why I'm confused... Because I know she doesnt want to bodybuild....so I've been telling her to go easy on the legs and focus on some other things she lacking.....But ya, I will get some pictures up asap....

And the critique forum sounds like a great idea Sallyanne, thanks for the help so far...

[SallyAnne]

I mean she's not overly muscular, and still natty etc....But she definitely gets alot of compliments at the gym...In my opinion she has some great potential!

Shes still a small girl though, ya know? But just built like a little tank...Her upperbody looks like it would be good for figure, but her muscular legs kind of overpower the top...Thats why I'm confused... Because I know she doesnt want to bodybuild....so I've been telling her to go easy on the legs and focus on some other things she lacking.....But ya, I will get some pictures up asap....

And the critique forum sounds like a great idea Sallyanne, thanks for the help so far...

maybe some of our figure women - and the judging panel - can help with bringing the legs down.

[tammyp]

i am 5 foot and competed at under 115 as bber. everyone structure is different so its hard to tell by just a discription.

pics would be great! i take care of the physique crititque section and if she is a bit shy you can block out her face.

as a judge i will tell you, soft is the look. though i prefer the harder look of a few years ago. if shes in that good of shape now she may be ready to hit the stage in a few weeks.

[HWMuscle]

i am 5 foot and competed at under 115 as bber. everyone structure is different so its hard to tell by just a discription.

pics would be great! i take care of the physique crititque section and if she is a bit shy you can block out her face.

as a judge i will tell you, soft is the look. though i prefer the harder look of a few years ago. if shes in that good of shape now she may be ready to hit the stage in a few weeks.


Well thats the problem, she doesnt want to bodybuild...just do figure and "Oxygen magazine" type stuff... I dont want you all to get the wrong impression though and think she is super jacked, I'm sure she looks great to most people on here..In no way is she ready for the stage, but I think she has a ton of potential...I'll put some pics up soon.

[~gymdiva~]

you know I never understood women that say they don't want to compete as a bber when their body is just naturally built for that....wanting to do fitness I could see but what's the difference in competing b/w the two unless you're serious about wanting to obtain a pro card....do some women (and I am in NO way saying this is the case with your friend) think if they step on a bbing stage that something seeps up through their feet and turns them into a man? I think it's always beneficial to do what makes you happy as a competitor but if it's just b/c you don't want a bbing label on you I think that's silly....

[tammyp]

espcially with the figure criteria now. alot of figure girls cant lift anymore..its sad.

[Suzanne]

Pictures would really help she is prob in really nice shape but 113 at 5' isn't super jacked prob just about right for off season figure

before i competed i was 120 lean at 5'1" and would not say super jacked at all more like fit and tight with muscular shape

i see nothing wrong with people wanting to do figure if they prefer it maybe she doesn't like the super shredded look or maybe she doesn't want to flex/pose etc

just like i never really felt i fit in figure some don't fit in bbing even though they may have the muscle to do lw bbing

[HWMuscle]

you know I never understood women that say they don't want to compete as a bber when their body is just naturally built for that....wanting to do fitness I could see but what's the difference in competing b/w the two unless you're serious about wanting to obtain a pro card....do some women (and I am in NO way saying this is the case with your friend) think if they step on a bbing stage that something seeps up through their feet and turns them into a man? I think it's always beneficial to do what makes you happy as a competitor but if it's just b/c you don't want a bbing label on you I think that's silly....


I agree with you. I know a quite a few women who compete in bbing and fitness and there is only one I know who I guess is not as "feminine" as the others, but she looks really awesome, she's happy as hell, a cool chic and I'm proud of her...

I don't understand why girls are scared to bbuild..I can't speak for other guys, but I think a girl w/ muscle is hot!

I should be gettin pics from her very soon, so we can see what stage she belongs on.....She wants to do a local show about 6 weeks away..so we'll see what you all think....

[HWMuscle]

I cant figure out how to upload these pics...she sent em to me, I saved them on a image hosting site and when i press "insert image" and put the link in, it shows up as a red "x"...any suggestions?

[debbiebramwell]

I cant figure out how to upload these pics...she sent em to me, I saved them on a image hosting site and when i press "insert image" and put the link in, it shows up as a red "x"...any suggestions?

hmmm want to try to send them to me [email protected] and I will see if I can upload for you

[HWMuscle]

I'll do that now....Thanks Debbie

[debbiebramwell]

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[debbiebramwell]

I would love to see a back shot. Her legs look great and she can diet them down. Shoulders in the pics look like they can use more roundness(easy to fix) Waist is a little wide but will come in more with diet and the right suit will help. Focus on Shoulders and lats.

[HWMuscle]

Cool, so now that we got the pics...What type of competition would best fit her bodytype?....Keep in mind shes only been training a few yrs and is only 22 y/o...And these pics really dont do her justice...In the gym her legs pop out and she looks alot more muscular...i might snap some pics of her at the gym tonight......i just had her send me these quickly to get something up here...

Thanks alot for posting those Debbie!

[musclemilf]

ah, to be 22 again....

She looks like she should BB. Just sayin

[sassy69]

I think could be either bb or figure - so has a choice in which way she wants to go for first show. I agree w/ Debbie - a little wide in the waist as the ideal dieted down shape is X (or Y for figure), and needs more width and rounding in the shoulders & delts. The rounding often comes w/ dieting down, but the width is also what will help make the waist appear narrower on stage (both BB & figure are a lot about proportion). Quds look like there's some nice shape there but dieted down might lose some of the fullness, so in my mind, allows either BB or figure. And that's not to say she can't try figure for a show just to get the feel for it and can always bump up to BB.

That side pose to me implies she can do figure nicely, but the front pose, the issue is a little w/ the width of waist for overall proportion.

Mind you these are all opinions based on a couple of photos. Not everyone looks "ideal" for either bb or figure just off the bat - i.e. w/ no particular diet or training or degree of leaness in mind for either - so this is just going from where she is and what she might look like leaned out. So I think its more about her choice and I hope none of the commentary here is taken as negative. Everyone starts w/ what God gave them + the work they've done and how their bodies tend to develop. No one says you have to do whatever competition category just because you have a certain shape. I"ve seen many people alter their shape w/ training - but it is a matter of time and what you find interesting. Many prefer figure because it doesn't have the "maleness" connotation. For me, I could give a rat's ass what connotation BB has - I find figure deathly boring and gives me no creative outlet w/o the posing & posing routine of BB. I have no particular desire to become the biggest BB on the planet, but have never been a small person and I like lifting heavy too much to give it up for a "softer" look on stage.

[tammyp]

id say figure..her arms and delts are not big enough for bbing IMO. cute..good start for her. diet should only be 8 to 10 lbs off

[HWMuscle]

Thanks for all the input...I am showing her everything you are writing and it's helping her alot and giving her a very clear view of what she needs to work on......

So pretty much we've come to the conclusion she needs to bring her stomach in and tighten it up, round out her delts more, maybe just cut up the legs and try not to lose much size and definitely work on her lats..

There is a show in 6 weeks that she would like to do..she asked for my help in the prep for it..But besides training I'm not much of a help...I'm a 240lb bodybuilder LOL. What do I know about this stuff ? haha......

Should I get her on some Clen to help lose some excess fat? She asked about it......and what kind of diet should I have her on? Low carb, high protein? Any other input would be appreciated....You all have been awesome! Thanks.......Man , I'm a good friend huh? lol

[sassy69]

6 weeks is cutting it pretty tight - does she have a suit and shoes & know how to pose? What is her current diet, training & cardio?

[Sledge]

Looks like she has some good quads on her.

[debbiebramwell]

Explain to her prep is usually 12-16 weeks. 6 is not enough time to get her ready. I would do the gym work first then pick a show where she diets for at least 12 weeks. She also needs to find someone to help her pose and she needs to spend plenty of time with her presentation.

[Suzanne]

I wouldn't recommend dieting someone if you don't know how to do it. Overdieting over cardioing can mess up metabolism and females endocrine systems are much more sensitive to screwing up the thyroid.

you really need to know where her cals are now

[sassy69]

A big thing of what we're saying is to do the show you are prepared for, not trying to force yourself to meet a show date that you won't be prepared for. It takes 3 weeks for a body to respond to a change in diet, so that only leaves you w/ 2 weeks to actually get it to work, and a last week for water manipulation / peak week.

Show prep is normally 12-16 weeks, including a slow & controlled dial in, mastering your poses & preparing your stage presentation. Not just jumping on stage cuz you dieted down. The show you prepare for will produce better results than the one you decide to do at the last minute. There are no shortcuts to the stage and especially the first show prep brings a person through a lot of stress and to places they've never been in terms of dedication, dieting, etc. Its not just about training. Its about preparing 24/7, doing everything towards those 5 minutes on stage and setting a lot of your regular life aside to accommodate it.

Has she ever been to a show? I'd suggest attending this show you mentioned in 6 weeks and talk to the competitors, see what shapes people w/ comparable height / weight / builds bring to the stage, how they present, and how they are received.

[HWMuscle]

6 weeks is cutting it pretty tight - does she have a suit and shoes & know how to pose? What is her current diet, training & cardio?


No suit and no shoes.. She's never even seen a show, there is one in April that I will bring her to. I explained that 6 weeks is too early, so we might wait till June...

He cals right now are at 1200 or less and she does cardio in the mornings for about 30 mins and lifts with me in the afternoons/night. She eats very clean, About 60-80g carbs a day and about 120g/protein....Does this sound ok?

[HWMuscle]

A big thing of what we're saying is to do the show you are prepared for, not trying to force yourself to meet a show date that you won't be prepared for. It takes 3 weeks for a body to respond to a change in diet, so that only leaves you w/ 2 weeks to actually get it to work, and a last week for water manipulation / peak week.

Show prep is normally 12-16 weeks, including a slow & controlled dial in, mastering your poses & preparing your stage presentation. Not just jumping on stage cuz you dieted down. The show you prepare for will produce better results than the one you decide to do at the last minute. There are no shortcuts to the stage and especially the first show prep brings a person through a lot of stress and to places they've never been in terms of dedication, dieting, etc. Its not just about training. Its about preparing 24/7, doing everything towards those 5 minutes on stage and setting a lot of your regular life aside to accommodate it.

Has she ever been to a show? I'd suggest attending this show you mentioned in 6 weeks and talk to the competitors, see what shapes people w/ comparable height / weight / builds bring to the stage, how they present, and how they are received.


I agree 100%, well said.........I explained this to her and she understood...Again thanks for all the help on this matter...You all are awesome!

[debbiebramwell]

wow , she has never been to a show. That would be first step. If you havent been around the sport then most dont know that prep is at least 12 weeks plus she could use a little work in the gym to balance out her physique. Tell her to join the forum and start learning from the girls. You are a good friend.:)

[sassy69]

I agree 100%, well said.........I explained this to her and she understood...Again thanks for all the help on this matter...You all are awesome!


I'd like to hear what she thinks of the different categories & competition in general after seeing her first show!

[GirlyMuscle]

How did she come up with the idea to compete if she's never been to a show?

[Suzanne]

No suit and no shoes.. She's never even seen a show, there is one in April that I will bring her to. I explained that 6 weeks is too early, so we might wait till June...

He cals right now are at 1200 or less and she does cardio in the mornings for about 30 mins and lifts with me in the afternoons/night. She eats very clean, About 60-80g carbs a day and about 120g/protein....Does this sound ok?

she isn't eating enough food that is a below dieting amount for her
maintenance for her weight is over 1600
carbs too low also

she should not start a contest dieting til she gets herself eating at maintenace for awhile or she is asking for metab problems

[HWMuscle]

wow , she has never been to a show. That would be first step. If you havent been around the sport then most dont know that prep is at least 12 weeks plus she could use a little work in the gym to balance out her physique. Tell her to join the forum and start learning from the girls. You are a good friend.:)


Haha Thanks! Yeah, I'm going to have her join here.....

[HWMuscle]

Yeah, she has never seen a show, but has watched it on youtube and read all the magazines...Thats where she got the idea...After she found out that I bodybuild, i think that helped her get more motivated too....


she isn't eating enough food that is a below dieting amount for her
maintenance for her weight is over 1600
carbs too low also

she should not start a contest dieting til she gets herself eating at maintenace for awhile or she is asking for metab problems


Ok thanks, I'm going to let her know this....It's hard trying to figure out what to do LOL...i think I am going to have her use the same prep coach as me...I just found a guy who is supposed to be really good....So that will help, Hopefully

[~gymdiva~]

hey HW, what state are you in?

[HWMuscle]

hey HW, what state are you in?

I'm between FL and TX:)...But right now I'm in TX...

[~gymdiva~]

ah ok....was hoping you might be here in NC :)

[HWMuscle]

ah ok....was hoping you might be here in NC :)


Been there a few times...Have a friend that goes to Elon too...I like NC, just a little too cold in winter LOL.....How's the bodybuilding/fitness scene out there? In south FL and south TX(both where i live) it seems to be pretty popular...

[~gymdiva~]

HAHAHAHAHA too cold in the winter?????? we don't even have winters here anymore! unless you're in the mountains but they need it for skiing :)

[~gymdiva~]

oh as for the scene, it kind of depends on where you are....there's a budding fitness movement here in the RDU area though which I am LOVING!

[HWMuscle]

Haha well everything is cold compared to the beach!!!! which I love!!! lol.....but ya thats awesome when the fitness starts catching on!!! Have fun with it!!!