Hi,
It's Friday and even though I don't much attention to the weather I
haven't heard any news about snow in the forecast.
Looking forward to a good weekend and hope you are too.
Saturday will make 8 weeks to Fitness
Atlantic.
This weekend I have two posing workshops. Usually at the workshops the average
number of people attending is 15 people. If each workshop we work with a few "new"
people then the total number of people adds up which is the goal.
Last year we ended up with 150 people in Fitness Atlantic.
That number works very well for production and stage time. When we reach 150 people
the classes are full and the show seems to have the perfect schedule and runs the best.
Two years ago there was 208 people and honestly the show feels rushed with that many.
Don't get me wrong as I'll take 208 any year. That show sold out a week in advance with 1200
spectators while last year we had 1000 spectators the day of the show and that is still a good
number.
When the show is "too big" it becomes too competitive and on one side of that you truly get
people to turn Pro who really can stand on the World stage and be competitive and many
of those people can go into Worlds and make Top 10 or Top 5.
As a competitor a true competitor who considers themselves an "athlete" it is great to be in
and win a competitive big show. The downside is in a big show more and more people don't
make the top ten and top five which means it is likely many of those people will not return
again to enter that show.
The contest part of a show plays such a major role in if people want to enter. Most people
enter shows because they want to win so the smaller the show the happier they seem...
most people can't wait to say they won on
Facebook.
It's hard for anyone to focus on something and just not place as highly as they would have
liked to place. It could be upsetting IF that is the only focus people have is on winning.
What else can you focus
on?
I always tell people to focus on the photography because this is likely the best shape
most people will ever be in is the day of the event. You will be in the best shape of your
life and have Status Fitness Magazine photographers and the Editor there for you to meet.
Most times entering a show is for the challenge and the diet and training are so new to
people. A first-timer goes in much more open minded to
just trying to do well and look good.
Some people simply consider contests are win or lose and nothing else matters so all of the
stage production and incredible venue means nothing to them.
Funny thing is two days ago I was in
another state and handed a girl who competes in figure
shows one of my show postcards. She looks at it and grins and asks why the girl on the flyer
had a Michael Jackson silver glove on and I explain that was because she was in Diva Fitness
Model division. She had no idea what "Theme Wear" was in a show or why it
would be there if
a contest was a straight up physique contest on who is the biggest and most ripped?
There are still so many people this whole fitness show world is completely new to...
they don't even know these things exist. They know of muscular people like Arnold and
stuff like that but never actually been to a show.
My wife Donna watches Dance Mom's on TV and I look at those stages the girls have their
dance competitions and they look like most bodybuilding shows. Most of these contests I
used to attend remind me so much of dance
recitals.
One time talking with Paul Dillett I told him about that and he told me how his daughters actually
go to dance school and his wife Allison puts the kids in dance contests and they are expensive.
Then we talk
about the whole WBFF experience and the venue, the stage and lighting, and
entire production for what the entry fee is and the value is truly there. Finding people who
truly appreciate the entire show experience is a challenge each year when people focus on
simply a "contest".
Only so many first-place trophies get handed out each year at any event so when you take
advantage of the shape your body is in with incredible stage and backstage photos you can
use in so many ways to market yourself. You will look like a superstar regardless of placing.
We are lucky to have some really great trainers/coaches who love the show and promote it
all year on Facebook and Instagram and bring teams of 8, 15, 20 or even 30 people to the
stage. Especially the first time contestant who doesn't know what to expect and the whole
experience is so new to them.
Hope to see you at one of the workshops. Workshops are great! Two hours of posing and
meeting others and it is just $30.
Brian
Rhode Island - 12 noon - 2pm
Sunday 11am - 1pm
