Many wonder how much they should aim for as a stage day goal weight when entering a bodybuilding competition in order to be competitive.
While this is hard to answer and it might surprise some, we are going to go over it in a more detailed manner to help you define a goal of where you should be at when it comes to show day.
Recommended Reading: How to Train for a Bodybuilding Competition
How much do you need to weigh on a Bikini Competition Show Day?
Introduction: What You Need to Know about Weight Requirements for Female Bikini Competitors
This section will give you the information that you need to know about weight requirements for bikini competitors.
The minimum weight requirement for female bikini competitors is….. drum roll….ZERO. NADA. That's right!
While this may surprise you, it's true.
When it comes to competing, they never weigh you at your show before you compete because it is not about weight at all. In fact, it is about appearance that you are judged on.
When you stand up in line against the other competitors during your show, they place you against other girls who are around the same height as you for your height class.
Then later on, they will do an overall winner for that division.
So in other words, their is no weight requirement for the female bikini competitor, but there might be some who need a goal and something to aim for by show day.
Let's break it down and what you should be aiming for...
What the Judges are Looking for
You will need to know which federation and division you plan on competing in to help give you an idea of what you need to achieve as a bodybuilding competitor.
Each one is going to be slightly different in terms of looks, posing, suits, and overall appearance.
A lot of the federations have great guidelines with pictures for what you will be judged on and are looking for.
The best part? They even have pictures of past competitors on their websites so you can see exactly what you need to be aiming for!
My advice is to really look at the rules, pictures, and past competitors to truly get the whole picture.
Now with this being said, how will you know if you are on the right track and if you need more time before stepping on stage?
How To Calculate Body Fat Percentage For A Competition Show Day
While I never recommend going based off of weight alone, one of the better tools can be your body fat percentage.
The reason being is that everyone holds weight differently and those who have only been strength training for 1 year is going to weigh and look different compared to someone who has been training for 3 years plus!
Your body fat percentage for competition show day can help to give a better view of the progress you are making.
There are a ton of ways to calculate this and some are more accurate than others.
The most important part is to be consistent at using whichever method you decide to choose. Using different methods will give you different answers.
10 Ways to Calculate your Body Fat Percentage
I recommend when tracking your progress that you do it once a week weighing yourself and checking your body fat percentage.
Your body fat will not change as quickly as weight can fluctuate, so it is important to be consistent with your training and nutrition if you want to see more consistent results.
When it comes to bikini, wellness, or even figure all of them have varying levels of conditioning needed to show the judges what they are looking for.
Bikini is going to be only slightly softer compared to wellness. Where figure has more definition (muscle striations) and size compared to wellness.
If you have already looked at winning competitors, you probably have already caught onto this. However, the goal always is to come in lean enough to show your hard work that you have put in.
So what are some super basic averages for body fat percentages?
|
Bikini |
12-15% |
|
Wellness |
10-13% |
|
Figure |
9-12% |
As I am sure you noticed is that they overlap. This is because EVERYONE will look even different based on their body fat percentage and what they use to measure it.
These are not the end all be all in order to step on stage. Remember that there are NO requirements for weight or body fat in order to step on stage.
What is the Best Way to Lose Weight For a Bikini Competition?
One of the most common questions that people ask is “how do I lose weight fast?”
When it comes to losing weight there are a lot of different options. Losing weight for a bikini competition is different than losing weight for your health.
Ideally you want to have a healthy diet and exercise plan in place already which will help you lose body fat and build lean muscle before entering a competition.
Of course more than 70% of your weight loss and change in body composition will be from your nutrition so it is important to have a body building nutrition plan that is geared towards the current goal you are working towards.
Someone who is building lean muscle is going to be eating differently compared to someone who is cutting body fat.
Conclusion: You don't need to focus on the scale!
Focusing on the scale will only lead to disappointment and burn out later on.
You are trying to achieve an overall appearance when entering a bodybuilding competition based on what the judges are looking for.
Look at rules and past winners to get a great idea of what you need to achieve.
Need help to know if you are on track? We got your back!
Top Knot Strong specializes in helping first time competitors step confidently on the stage.
Sarah creates a completely custom plan for you in order to be competitive and takes the guesswork out of it for you so you can spend time on what is important.
Schedule a free 15 minute consultation today to get started!
