Common Bikini Prep Myths (and Why They Don’t Hold Up)
This post is part of The Ultimate Bikini Prep Guide – check out the full guide for more!
As a long-time coach, I’ve fielded inquiries and questions from a wide range of men and women looking to compete. What’s clear is that the perception a lot of aspiring competitors have does NOT match the reality of either getting ready for a show, stepping on stage, or what happens after.
These aren’t stupid questions or ideas, it’s just the old adage – you don’t know what you don’t know until you know it. Or maybe I just made that up – but it rings true. It’s especially true for bodybuilding because this is such a weird thing compared to most other athletic or competitive endeavours.
Let’s bust some myths.
Why Bikini Prep Is Surrounded by Myths
It’s important to start by figuring out where a lot of this misinformation comes from.
Some of it clearly are just the preconceived notions we have based on our own biases or apirations/hopes.
I’ve been there too – as an amateur musician, I had ideas of what it would be like before going out to play live for the first time. Seems glamorous and fun right? The reality is spending a lot of time and sweat hauling your heavy-ass gear (I play keys) up the fire escape to set up and play for a collection of people that, most likely, aren’t there to hear you but rather have a meal or some drinks, and you HAPPEN to be there. You make very little, have to break it all down and load the car back up and then likely wake up on time for work the next morning (no matter how late you were out playing).
Reality sucks – but there’s still a good side to everything as well.
A lot of bad information exists from people who write posts like this one, too – well meaning ‘coaches’ or other competitors who may have very outdated information or are painting with a broad brush. This was my experience, so yours will be like this too.
And there are also levels and layers to this. Hearing about prep from Mr. or Ms. Olympia is going to have basically zero relevance to a first-time competitor. Different worlds.
And to be clear, prep itself has changed a LOT in recent years, and for the better. Many people are still following outdated tactics and strategies that will fundamentally create a different experience for them than you might experience after reading up from kick-ass resources like this.
Myth #1 – “You Need to Be Perfect to Get Stage-Ready”
Perfection vs Consistency (They’re Not the Same Thing)
Let’s be clear, perfection is certainly great and I don’t have any problem with that even being the expectation going into prep, but I’m not sure I’ve ever coached someone through a “perfect prep” where literally every day was textbook execution.
Shit happens.
You’ll get sick. A flat tire makes you miss a workout. Forgot a meal at home and had to find a swap. Unexpected travel makes you turn in a 5 day stretch that’s only about 80% compliant to your plan.
That’s ok. I’d much rather someone have a plan and system in place that encourages perfection and makes it easy to execute on a day-by-day basis, and then be ok and able to adapt when something comes up.
Why All-or-Nothing Thinking Backfires in Prep
Those expecting perfection long-term through prep will invariably fail at some point, and I’ve worked with people who have a flawless 7 weeks, then eat a single Hershey’s Kiss and want to pull out of prep because they think they’re screwed beyond belief.
If that seems silly, well…it is. But also this is what your brain can do during prep.
You can’t be all-or-nothing in bodybuilding. Aim for “all” (perfectly on plan) but be able to pivot and make good choices in the moment when an unexpected situation arises.
Myth #2 – “More Cardio Is Always Better”
How Cardio Became the Default Problem-Solver
“More cardio” is always an easy lever to pull as a coach, but that doesn’t make it the right one.
Most competitors are ambitious people willing to put in the work. Often willing to do whatever it takes, and many (most, in my experience) will say that to their coach, giving the coach cart blanche to go HAM on cardio and caloric restriction.
Sometimes this works. It depends on the person. Sometimes more cardio IS the answer.
The context of the whole prep and how you – the competitor – is feeling really matter here.
Personally for my own prep, I like more cardio – I keep the intensity lower and grind out a good chunk of minutes, and this lets me keep my calories a bit higher which sustains a higher level of training performance.
But ‘more cardio’ because someone is ‘stuck’ in terms of fat loss can absolutely be the wrong move.
The Hidden Costs of Excessive Cardio
First up, some people just legitimately do not have the time. A lot of coaches prescribing heavy cardio come from the ‘if you want it bad enough, you’ll do it’ school of thought, which presumes infinite time and resources on the part of their client. Sometimes it’s just not doable.
When you combine high cardio with a harsh caloric restriction, you’re just begging for a big dip in training performance which can lead to great muscle loss over the course of prep. THIS should be the biggest you face – retaining muscle, not losing fat.
Your recovery is likely to be impacted as well, and it can create a mental drain also which can lead to some compliance issues in some people also.
When Cardio Actually Makes Sense
If someone isn’t doing a lot of cardio, then clearly they can work in more. How much is “too much”? This varies from person to person. I think it’s wholly reasonable to ask someone to do cardio every day (25-35 minutes a day). I don’t often start there with clients, but if you plan to compete I think expecting (and being ready) to perform cardio daily is reasonable.
I’ve had people reach out to me for coaching who are 12 weeks out, way behind in terms of conditioning, and they’re doing cardio 2x/wk. That’s an easy call. Step it up.
If you’re already doing an hour a day, more is rarely going to be the answer. But it always depends. If someone is feeling “ok” and performing well on their lifts, and they’re rate of fat loss is kinda “meh” – not toally stuck, but could be faster…I’d certainly at least consider adding some more!
Myth #3 – “If You’re Not Miserable, You’re Doing It Wrong”
Bodybuilders wear suffering as a badge of honor.
We work harder than everyone else.
We’re bad asses
Most people can’t do this
That’s all often true, but it’s a contest to see who looks best on stage, not who had the hardest prep.
If you’re in a business where you sell things, you might be presented with evidence that raising your prices makes a lot of sense. “But I might have fewer sales!” Yeah, is the goal to have more sales or to make more money?
Don’t lose sight of what we’re really aiming for here.
Many people suffer their asses off during prep and finish dead last. Some people win shows after relatively easy preps.
You need to be disciplined. You need to be committed. Consistent. Persistent. Resilient.
Suffering isn’t a requirement. Although yeah…you still may. A little.
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Myth #4 – “You Have to Eat Like Everyone Else to Be Competitive”
Why Copy-Paste Meal Plans Are So Appealing
Oh lordy this is a big one. Many people think that in prep, your diet narrows down to like 6 foods and you have to eat that. The number of people I’ve reformed from “I eat fish 6 times a day” diets into eating real food is significant.
You don’t even HAVE to eat the same foods every day, although this is a level of restriction I do recommend – especially early in your career.
Following a set, predictable meal plan reduces work and decision fatigue and also provides consistent data and makes signs and trends (visual and how you feel) easier to notice and make adaptations based on.
Food variability should be restricted. Food choices don’t need to be too narrow.
Hit your macros. Aim for whole, unprocessed foods. Eat to feel good and perform well. That’s enough.
Starting Point, Metabolism, and History Matter More Than Menus
What’s much more important is knowing where your body is before prep. Don’t hire a coach expecting to jump straight into prep if you haven’t already been following a plan with a decent level of consistency. You will almost certainly NOT be lean enough by show day because it takes time to figure out where your body needs to be in terms of energy in and out.
Yes there are formulas and calculators to determine this. No they do not work. Your entire life history goes into determining how functional (or not) your metabolism is. Calculators can’t take that into effect. It HAS to be trial and error, by definition.
And therefore boilerplate meal plans are worthless. If you find one online, it might work. It might not. If it doesn’t, what’s your next move?
How Comparison Keeps This Myth Alive
Of course social media let’s us all obsess over what other people are doing and competitors love to share their foods posts (FDOE or full day of eating posts are quite common).
You see someone who looks amazing, you see what they eat, and draw a direct line of cause and effect between those two things.
Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that.
You’re not that person, and eating like them won’t make you that person. Now of course we KNOW that, right? But when scrolling and looking for dopamine hits, our lizard brain kicks in and we make stupid decisions that the rational side of our brain knows are stupid.
Click here LINK to read more about comparisons in bodybuilding and how to avoid falling into that trap.
Myth #5 – “I want to win, otherwise I won’t compete”
This is less a myth and more of a misunderstanding of how bodybuilding works.
Let’s define “win” also. 1st in an open class? If you can pull that off in your first show, you’re either a genetic freak, you waited a LONG time to step on stage for the first time, or it was not a competitive show.
First in a debut class? Fair – but in most categories those are still HIGHLY competitive and someone with more experience and better long-term adherence is going to win. Assess your bodybuilding history big picture fairly. Have you been solidly on plan for a year (or 2 or 3) before starting prep? That’s how you win a debut class. Someone else has likely been working just as hard as you, and probably for longer – that’s a huge advantage for them.
Compete for the Right Reasons
Also, what does winning do? Frankly I’ve learned more lessons from the shows where I got my ass kicked than I did from the ones where I’ve won.
In my last show I took 1st in my masters class, and 3rd in the open class. Guess which class lineups I studied the most. Yeah, not the one where I finished in center stage. I picked apart the guys who took 1st and 2nd in the open class to see where I was lacking (to be fair it was a short study session – it was kinda obvious!)
Be ok with showing up, putting your best on stage, and it not being good enough to win. It’s a competition, not a coronation.
Compete to improve, learn more about yourself, test your limits, and enjoy the process along the way. A high placing and some hardware is a nice bonus.
“But I’m really competitive!” – great. Take up tennis or something that’s less subjective. Bodybuilding is one place where you can be “the best” and not win, because someone else will see it differently than you do. You HAVE to be ok with that going in.
Myth #6 – “I’m gonna turn pro and make some money and/or sponsorships”
Outside of maybe 2-3 people on the planet, the only people who earn a living in the bodybuilding industry are coaches. As a competitor? No. There is prize money for the pros, but it’s a pittance. It will NOT be enough to offset how much you spend on prep, and realistically if you travel to a show it probably wouldn’t even be enough to pay your travel expenses.
As an amateur competitor, you will not make money. There is none to be made. It’s a ‘money out’ proposition only, there is no ‘money in’ side of the equation in the amateur ranks.
If you put in your reps and earn a pro card? What you’ve done here is likely just narrow your competitive options, making it more likely that you’ll have to travel greater distances to compete, increasing costs further. And pro shows are – no surprise – highly competitive. Finishing in the (not great) money there is HARD. Expect to walk away with nothing but a good experience.
The Truth About Sponsorships
Put yourself in the position of a marketing person at a company that sells supplements, or makes clothes, or whatever.
Where do you go to find brand ambassadors to act as sponsors?
Yep – social media. Not one person in that position is ever going to the results section of NPCNewsOnline.com to see who won the latest Timbuktu Classic or whatever.
Your show placings do not matter for sponsorships. Your social media reach and your ability to make a company’s brand appealing are what matters.
In bodybuilding, this means a few things:
- Good physique
- Well-produced content
- Hot (sorry, it’s a fact)
- Engaging personality (optional if the first 3 are on point)
If this isn’t you, either make yourself that or forget it. To be clear, this is also part of why I don’t have any sponsorships (no need to troll me, I can troll myself!)
High level pros have loads of sponsorship deals because of their visibility and social reach, which they get from being pros but a lot of pros have limited social media following either because they don’t care or their content sucks – and these people have no sponsorships.
A pro card means diddly crap here if you don’t leverage it strategically.
There are more and more young men and women (especially women) who haven’t even competed yet but are loaded up on sponsorship deals because they understand the game and are playing it correctly.
Why These Myths Are So Tempting — and Why Structure Wins
As you can see, myths pervade every aspect of bodybuilding and this is just scratching the surface.
My biggest advice? Read and learn. The Ultimate Bikini Prep Guide LINK is a great resource to get grounded on the basics.
Talk to competitors – men and women – of different experience levels. Don’t aim to just do what they do, but listen to them and their experiences and soak it all in.
Go to shows and talk to people there. It’s a friendly crowd, we’re all in the same daily grind.
If you’re interested in digging deeper and debunking some of these myths, Bikini Blueprint is a comprehensive course that’s worth checking out.
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