A guide for competition day must haves

• 1.Resistance bands, not all shows will have a weight section for you to pump up with before you step onto the stage. A good set of resistance bands will ensure you’re able to plump up your muscles to help crush the competition. Bands are easy to travel with, offer extremely versatile muscle movement options, and are very convenient to use in a small congested backstage or athlete holding area.

• 2.Snacks, you can basically have anything BUT liquid. My snack of choice is peanut butter and jelly spread on top of a rice cake. You’ll see most of your fellow athletes munching on something as you wait to take the stage. This is mainly because taking in carbs before you face the judges will help give your muscles a more “full” rounded-out look.

• 3.Book or Tablet, the most surprising part of competing for me was the amount of time I sat back stage waiting for my division to take its turn. Morning Pre Judging can take hours depending on how many athletes are in the show so you’ll need a distraction. Watching a movie or re-reading your favorite book as you wait can also rid away pre show jitters. If you're the nervous kind that built up anxiety could kill your performance.

• 4.Frozen bottle of water, you may think that after months of dieting you’ll crave everything fried or covered in sugar, but from my experience after a day or 2 of cutting water the first thing you’ll want after you step off of stage is the coldest drink you can find. Freeze a few bottles of water overnight and bring them along. By the time your long day of competing is over your water will be ready to be devoured.