Fitness Competitions - Try Participating

Participating in a fitness competition in New York requires grueling exercise and diet regimens lasting months prior to the event. While others are dining out and feasting on enormous garbage plates and fried foods, the fitness competitor must stick to a food schedule consisting of 5-6 small meals a day. Carbohydrates are at a minimum, while protein intake is increased with the consumption of lean chicken and fish to help with muscle production. Dark green vegetables are required as well as numerous supplements to help enhance vitamin intake. Participation at a gym with a trainer can take 2, 3 sometimes 4 hours per day. It is a rigorous schedule that requires a determined and dedicated individual.

There are many opportunities to participate or be a spectator at a fitness competition New York, including drug-free shows. Drug free shows are exceptional in that the competitors must take a lie-detector test to determine that they have not, in fact, ingested steroids or other illegal muscle-enhancing drugs. These competitors are proud of the fact that they have sculpted their bodies without drugs.

Fitness events take place every month of the year, and are becoming more and more popular. There are many categories within the bodybuilding and fitness competition fields. Some of them include:

-Figure 35 Short

-Figure 35 Medium

-Figure 35 Tall

-Women's Master

-Men's Master 40

-Men's Novice Heavy

-Men's Novice Middle

-Men's Open Light Heavy

Some of the banned substances for the drug free fitness competition New York shows include Testosterone, in the form of gels, patches and injections), Prescription diuretics (such as Fen-Phen and other weight-loss substances even if they are prescribed by a physician), Clenbuterol, muscle implants, psychomotor stimulants, as well as any substance banned by the Federal Drug Administration.

All competitors are judged on certain aspects. Body Shape may be the most important, and is based on the shape of the muscle groups. What appeals to the judges are rounded muscles, and the skin condition and toning. The competitor must also prove they can present themselves with grace, confidence and poise.

Judges look for overall muscle tone. Whereas in a body building competition, the judges look for striation of muscle, in a fitness competition, judges look for overall separation of muscle groups and a very small amount of body fat.

Charisma, professionalism and appearance are also important in a judge's eye. Symmetry is very important, as judges look for overall harmony of the muscle groups. There should be an equal ratio of leg length to torso length, as well as shoulders to hips, etc. Women in fitness competitions are judged in two-piece designed bikinis and must be in good taste.

Judging for the bodybuilding competition is a little bit different from the figure competition. There are a number of mandatory poses that are judged, including Front Double Biceps, Side Triceps Pose, Side Chest Pose, Rear Double Biceps, Rear Lat Spread, Most Muscular Pose, Overhead Abdominal Pose and Optional Poses.

Whether participating in a fitness competition New York as a contender or a spectator, participation in these events is worthy of awe and admiration at the sheer dedication required to compete.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about fitness competitions in New York [http://newfitnesstoday.info/fitness-competitions-in-new-york-try-participating], please visit New Fitness Today [http://newfitnesstoday.info] for current articles and discussions.