The Biggest Prep Mistakes First-Time Competitors Make
Every first-time competitor thinks the hardest part of prep will be the diet. It’s not.
The hardest part is managing your expectations, your emotions, your comparisons, and your decision-making for months straight.
After YEARS of competing as a Pro Bikini athlete — and now years of posing coaching and promoting the Fit Show — I’ve seen some patterns.
Most first-time competitors don’t fail because they aren’t disciplined.
They struggle because they don’t know what they don’t know.
If you’re preparing for your first show, here are the biggest mistakes I see — and how to avoid them.
1️⃣ Starting “Prep” Too Late
This is by far the most common mistake.
Many athletes decide they want to compete and look for a show date, and then count 12-16 weeks back from it and decide that’s when they’ll start “prep” with a coach.
Here’s the reality:
Building muscle takes MONTHS and years, not weeks.
True conditioning takes time, especially your first time around.
Rushing prep leads to unnecessary stress, hormone imbalance, and burnout.
Your first show should be about learning and building confidence — not trying to crash your way to stage-ready in 12 weeks.
Better approach: Give yourself more time than you think you need. The extra runway reduces stress and improves results. Start looking for a coach to start an “improvement season” or “pre-prep” with as soon as you think competing might be in your future. You can’t expect a coach to learn your body within a short 3-4 month period when a show is on the line. Start early and build a foundation to even start a prep with.
2️⃣ Underestimating the Importance of Posing
You can build an incredible physique — and still place lower than expected if you don’t know how to present it. Posing is not just “walking and smiling” and hoping the judges see the hard work you’ve put into your physique.
It’s:
Knowing the proper poses, transitions, and angles for your division based on the judging criteria
Stage presence defined by radiating confidence
Highlighting strengths and hiding weaknesses
Posing on stage is all about creating the illusion of a perfect physique. The judges are looking for your flaws as soon as you hit the stage. Many first-timers wait until the final 6 weeks to start practicing. That’s a big mistake.
Better approach: Practice posing early and consistently. Find the right posing coach to work with you, one who KNOWS the judging inside and out. Film yourself. Attend workshops where Pros and Officials will be to get feedback. Treat it like training — because it is.
3️⃣ Comparing Themselves Daily
Prep already challenges your mind. I’m honestly so glad social media wasn’t as prevalent when I first started competing. Instagram had just begun, but no one was posting about their bodybuilding or prep journeys on there or Facebook because it was still low key the weirdest thing ever. LOL!
But then as a Pro Athlete, there was social media everywhere and competitors posting about their prep and progress. I admit there were several times I got totally caught up in checking to see who all would be at my show that I’d be competing against. And seeing one shredded pic after another would disrupt my mindset. I remember prepping for my first Pro Show of the 2016 season and watching the gram, taking screenshots to send to my coach saying “Look at her abs! She has shredded abs already this far out!” He would always laugh and calmly reply “Is this an Ab show or a Bikini show?”
And then we’d of course show up to the show and of course everyone looks pretty good standing next to you backstage, but the stage lights are undeniable, you can’t hide much of anything there. I’d look at the stage pics of us in the comparison lineup and think “Why in the world was I so worried about her? Stressed myself out for nothing!”
With that being said, photos are snapshots of perfectly angled and flexed bodies. You will see:
Leaner athletes
Bigger athletes
Faster progress
Different timelines
If you compare daily, you will spiral daily.
Remember: You are seeing highlight reels — not full context. Turn it off or unfollow anything getting in your mind during prep.
Better approach: Stay in your lane. Focus on YOUR progress and check-ins. Trust your coach and the process. Comparison is the fastest way to lose joy, in life and in this process.
4️⃣ Ignoring Recovery & Sleep
When calories drop and cardio increases, recovery becomes more important — not less. First-timers often think: “I’ll just push harder.”
But chronic exhaustion leads to:
Increased cortisol
Poor training performance
Mood swings, feelings of hopelessness and burnout
Better approach: Never underestimate the power of SLEEP. Protect your sleep. Prioritize recovery.
5️⃣ Not Budgeting for the Full Cost of Competing
This one surprises people. Competing isn’t just: Coaching, Food, Gym membership, and show registration.
It’s also:
Competition Suit
Heels & Jewelry
Spray Tan
Hair & Makeup
Organization Membership Fees (in addition to show entry)
Travel expenses
Financial stress mid-prep can take a mental toll.
Better approach: Budget early. Plan ahead. Remove unnecessary stress.
6️⃣ Making Their Entire Identity Around The Show
This one matters most. It’s easy to let prep become your entire personality. Your schedule revolves around it. Your conversations revolve around it. Your emotions revolve around it. Every waking thought for weeks, or months on end, revolve around your 15 seconds on stage.
And then show day comes… And it’s over.
If your identity lives only on stage (or in prep), “post-show blues” can feel empty.
Better approach: Compete because you want to grow — in various aspects of life, not because you need validation. Define specifically what success means to you before stepping on stage. Set goals other than just your placing – including learning ways to use the discipline and organization you’ll gain in other areas of life, connect and network with other like-minded women you’ll meet through this process and backstage, and so much more. “Winning” can have more than one meaning – find those exact meanings for you.
7️⃣ Expecting Perfection
Your first prep will not be perfect. You will make mistakes. Accept that and use every prep as a learning experience for the next one.
You’ll:
Question yourself
Feel flat & weak some days
Feel way behind other days
Have moments (or days) of doubt
That’s normal. Prep is a process of learning your body — not mastering it overnight.
The Real Goal of Your First Prep
Your first competition is not about becoming elite. You won’t have the look, knowledge, or insight as a Pro in your first season or first few seasons.
It’s about:
Learning the sport
Building discipline & organizational skills
Gaining stage experience to build confidence
Understanding yourself and your body
Growing mentally and emotionally, in addition to physically
If you walk away more confident, more self-aware, more resilient, and with more badass girlfriends — you won.
Final Thoughts
The competitors who last in this sport aren’t the ones who rush or put pressure on themselves to “win” every show or prep.
They’re the ones who:
Take the long view
Stay coachable & open to learning
Protect their mindset
Compete with intention & a higher purpose in mind
If you’re preparing for your first show, know this:
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be intentional.
And when you step on stage at the Fit Show, you’ll be stepping onto a stage built to honor the work you’ve put in. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished because less than 1% of the human population can do what you’re doing/did!
Ready to Compete the Right Way?
Athlete resources, workshops, and guidance are available to help you avoid these common mistakes and prepare with confidence. If you’re thinking about competing this season, start with education — and give yourself the best possible experience from day one.
Once you register for the Fit Show, you’ll have access to several resources including a Prep Checklist, to help you navigate every aspect along the way. 💜
