My Heart Life

People that follow my stuff know I generally write about nutrition, supplements, training, and other topics that are more science based than subjective topics, such as what is covered in this article. I decided to shuck my science geek persona, and write on a topic I know will be helpful to thousands of would be and wanna be fitness models.

As well a known “hard core” science based no BS writer, why I am writing what some will perceive as a “fluff” article? Over the years I have gotten hundreds, perhaps thousands, of gals that ask me via email, letters, or in person “how do I become a fitness model Will? You have been in the business a long time, surly you of all people should know.” I get this from newbies and I get this from women that have been at it a while but have been unable to “break in” effectively.

The fact is, I have been in the fitness, health, and bodybuilding biz a long time, and though I am known as a science and nutrition based “guru” type, I have trained many a fitness athlete, and judged fitness and figure/bikini shows for the NPC, Fitness America, Fitness USA, and other federations as well as given marketing and business advice to all sorts of athletes, including fitness models. So, it’s not as far fetched as it might seem that I am going to use this space to cover a non scientific topic, which is, how one goes about being a fitness model.

This article will be useful to both experienced and novice types looking to “break in” to the biz. If you are already a professional and successful fitness model, I am sure you may still glean some useful information from this article.

First the bad news, there is no one way to become a successful fitness model. There is no single path or magic secret. There are however some key things a person can do to greatly improve their chances of “making it” in the fitness biz as a model, and perhaps using that success as a launching pad to greater things, such as movies, TV, etc.

Several of the top fitness models (Trish Stratus and Vicki Pratt come to mind but there are many others) have gone onto careers in entertainment of all kinds. Bottom line, though there is no magic secret to being successful as a fitness model, this article will be about as close to a blueprint for success as you will find.

“Do I need to compete?”

This is a question I get asked all the time and it’s not an easy one to answer. In fact, the answer is (drum roll) yes and no. The person has to deicide why they are competing in the first place to answer that question. For example, do you need to compete if your goal is to be a successful fitness model?

The answer is no. Many of today’s well-known fitness models have never competed, or they competed in a few small shows and it was clearly not part of their success as fitness models. However, competing does have its potential uses.

One of them is exposure. At the upper level shows, there will often be editors, publishers, photographers, supplement company owners, and other business people. So, competing can improve your exposure. Also, competing can make sense if you are trying to build a business that is related to your competing or will benefit from you winning a show.

For example, say you have a private training gym you are trying to build. Sure, having the title of say Ms Fitness America, or winning the NPC Nationals and being an IFBB pro, will help your reputation and the notoriety of your business. There are many scenarios were it would help to have won a show for a business or other endeavors.

On the other hand, it must be realized that winning a show does not in any way guarantee success in the business end (and it really is a business) of being a fitness model. The phone wont ring off the hook with big offers for contracts. Also, it’s very important to realize that it’s common that the 4th or 6th or 8th place finisher in a fitness or figure show will get more press than the winner. Why? Though the winner might have what it took to win that show, it’s often other gals the editor, publishers, supplement companies etc, feel is more marketable.

I have seen it many times where the winner was shocked to find she didn’t get nearly the attention she expected and other girls who placed lower have gotten attention in the form of photos shoots, magazine coverage, etc. Something to keep in mind when you ask yourself the important question “do I need to compete and if so, why am I competing?” Answer that question, and you will know the answer to the heading of this section. Winning a title of some sort can be a stepping stone, but it is not in itself any guarantee of success in the fitness industry. It’s like a college degree; it’s what you do with it.

Now. If you compete for the fun of it, then by all means go for it, but the above is focusing on competing as it relates to the business aspect of being a fitness model.

Right body, wrong federation?

Ok, so after reading the above you have decided you are going to compete, or will compete again. If you don’t plan to compete, you can skip this section. The biggest mistake I see here is so many gals have the right body for the wrong federation. Each federation has its own judging criteria and a competitor will do poorly simply because they didn’t bother to research which show would be best suited for them.

I will give you a perfect real world example of this. Recently I judged a show whose criteria for the figure round was the women should be more on the curvy softer side with some tone, vs. being more muscular and athletic with less bodyfat that other federations might allow. At this show one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen came out. She was very proportional, great muscle tone, lean, and athletically shaped with narrow hips and waist and wider shoulders. How did she do at this show? She didn’t even place in the top ten!

Why? Because she was not what we were instructed to look for and didn’t fit the criteria. After the show I informed her that she looked great, but this may not the federation for her. I told her she had much more of an NPC type body, where a little more muscle, athletic build, and less bodyfat is rewarded.

The following week I was judging an NPC fitness, figure, and bodybuilding show and there she was. How did she do? She won the entire show with all judges voting her number one unanimously.

Conversely, if your body type tends to be more rounded and toned, but with a little more bodyfat, wider (but not fat!) hips, you may be better off competing in say the Fitness America Pageants. If you are going to compete:

(1) find out exactly what the judging criteria is for that federation and

(2) go see those shows as a spectator for several different federations and see which one your physique, style, etc will fit into best.

(3) You have to decide if you truly have the athletic abilities to compete in a fitness competition (which requires a routine) or a figure/bikini competition.

I often see women who would do well in a figure show but really don’t have the athletic abilities do the routines required to be competitive with other athletes in the show. Some shows will allow you to do both competitions and some wont.

Build muscle, build strength, and do it naturally: Find out more at http://www.bodybuildingrevealed.com Will Brink is a well known health/fitness/bodybuilding author and researcher who has published all over the world. He runs the highly popular web site http://www.BrinkZone.com.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/so-you-wanna-be-a-fitness-model-a-guide-to-success-part-1-1579356.html

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Many seniors find once they reach retirement age that they finally have the time-and, if they planned well, the money-to do the things they’ve always wanted to do, whether that be travel around the world or take pottery classes at the local community college. Unfortunately, while their minds may still be sharp as a tack, their bodies are just starting to let them down in a multitude of little ways; aches, pains, arthritis, etc. These physical limitations will only get worse with time. That’s the bad news.

The good news is, senior exercise can prevent many little health problems that would otherwise be an annoyance at best, and possibly even life-threatening at worst. From the time a person is over 50, exercise should play a guiding role in arranging their schedule. Fifty is no longer “old age;” why let your body think it is?

If you are looking towards retirement, or perhaps already retired, you should look into finding senior exercise programs that match your level of fitness and challenge you to do a little more than before. As with 20- and 30-year-olds, there’s a fine line to walk between challenging your body and damaging your body. This is where a senior exercise program or a personal trainer can come in handy. If you live in a large city, chances are good that your local community center will have

But suppose it doesn’t? Alternately, suppose their “senior exercise” programs are geared towards people who are less physically fit than you are, or more fit? If you find yourself in a situation where the exercises are too challenging, you should explain the situation to the instructor and see if s/he offers gentle or “beginners” programs, or if s/he can recommend someone who does. Know your body’s limits. Exercise that’s a little more strenuous than you’re accustomed to prevents health problems; exercise that’s much more strenuous can cause them. You don’t want to damage your body trying to keep it healthy!

On the other hand, it may be that the exercise program isn’t strenuous enough. If that’s the case, you might consider quitting, unless you enjoy the chance to be around other seniors. There is something to be said for the health benefits of sharing activities with other people.

In either case, however, if you want to make the most out of senior exercise-or if your local community center doesn’t offer a senior exercise program-then you may find yourself on your own. If that’s the case, you may benefit from a senior exercise video. These videos range in difficulty from the very easiest exercises to some that are quite strenuous. You should have no problems finding one to suit your needs. There’s rarely any “one size fits all” solution for elderly exercise; seniors, like every other age group, have a wide range of physical ability.

Seniors should never overlook the most basic of activities; walking is a gentle, repetetive exercise that helps keep you fit and healthy. If you’re able, consider climbing stairs several times a day. The longer you climb stairs, the longer you’ll be able to climb stairs. Senior exercise equipment may also be a good choice for you. It’s typically more gentle on joints and bones than other forms of exercise equipment. Or, try a senior exercise chair, if other forms of senior exercise equipment seem too strenuous.

Exercise for women over 50 should take into account the softening of their bones. Even if you don’t suffer from osteoarthritis or osteoporosis, there’s still a good chance that your bones are losing density. Your exercise program must realize that, and make protecting your bones a primary focus.

Whether you’re just walking around the block or you’re actively engaged in an intense senior exercise program at your local community center, you cannot afford to overlook the importance of exercise. Studies have shown that elderly exercise can help prevent a multitude of health problems.

Half an hour to an hour of gentle senior exercise seven days a week, for example, may help prevent heart attacks and strokes. It can also help prevent or even cure depression, especially (but not only) if you can find a good senior fitness program to join. Exercise helps keep blood sugar stable, and can often help prevent diabetes, or keep your diabetes under control if you already have it. And these are only a small sampling of the health problems that senior exercise can help treat or prevent! The list could go on for several pages.

The simple fact of the matter is that for people over 50, exercise is even more important than for younger people. Using your joints and muscles is the best way to keep them useable. Just as an engine will “freeze up” when it isn’t used, your body needs regular exercise in order to be able to function properly. In short: keep moving if you want to be able to keep moving!

Read more about testament and pensjon at http://viover60.noArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/senior-exercise-for-the-young-at-heart-1080734.html

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