Continuing from last post, I will record my competition day story here. In overall, it was good experience for me to join this event despite insufficient preparation time. I will share my experience here so that this post will help other people to join the competition first time especially for foreigners.
Competition venue
Competition venue for Thailand Southern Bodybuilding Championships was at Central Phuket Floresta in Phuket town.
At the competition day, I walked to the venue from my hostel about 3km. On the way, I got one rice, 4 eggs, Snickers and Halibo for carb loading before stage but these were not enough. I should have purchased more in advance. Before going up to the stage, I ate up all food so I was super hungry.. hehe.
At first, I went to Jetts fitness Central Phuket to check my body weight. I confirmed that my weight was 73kg only, this can pass below 75kg limit for me so I took rice 165g and 4 egg white for breakfast meal. It was lucky that my franchise gym is located near competition place. There was no locker room nor backstage near show stage so I could use locker in gym to keep my valuables.
Time schedule of competition day
Below is the time schedule of competition day 1. Day 2 schedule is also same but only for category held is different.
- 09.00 – 10.00 Registration
- 10.00 – 10.30 Rules and Regulations assemble
- 10.30 – 12.00 Weight in
- 12.00 – 13.00 Lunch
- 12.30 – 13.00 Warming up
- 13.00 – 16.00 Pre judging for 9 categories
- Men’s Athletic Physique up to 170 cm
- Men’s Athletic Physique up to 175 cm
- Men’s Athletic Physique Over 175 cm
- Men’s Bodybuilding Master age 45 years and above
- Men’s Fitness Physique Open
- Women’s Fitness Physique Open
- Men’s Sport Physique up to 170 cm
- Men’s Sport Physique up to 175 cm
- Men’s Sport Physique Over 175 cm
- 18.00 – 18.30 Opening Ceremony
- 18.30 – 21.00 Final Round for 9 categories
- Men’s Athletic Physique up to 170 cm
- Men’s Athletic Physique up to 175 cm
- Men’s Athletic Physique Over 175 cm
- Men’s Bodybuilding Master age 45 years and above
- Men’s Fitness Physique Open
- Women’s Fitness Physique Open
- Men’s Sport Physique up to 170 cm
- Men’s Sport Physique up to 175 cm
- Men’s Sport Physique Over 175 cm
09.00 – 10.00 Registration
Around 9:30, I headed for competition place from Jetts Fitness. Shopping mall is still closed so I had to ask security staff how to enter the building for registration.
Mall still closed at 9am.
Walking on escalator to reach 3rd floor.
Seems I am on the right way!
At the end of 3rd floor in front of food court, I found event stage and audience seats. I thought game was held in event hall but actually it was just an open event space inside shopping mall.
Food court areas invaded by full of Macho guys, hahaha.
Showing passport and vaccination record, I had to sign on the registration paper, finding my name on it. In my class, Men’s Sport Physique up to 175 cm, total 12 persons’ name was listed on the document but actually only 9 participants competed on the day.
Other person seemed no show since there is no registration fee nor penalty for not coming. Event staff told me that over 175cm class has only 4 persons so if I joined this class, I could be automatically top 5 finalist to be awarded, 555. Well, that’s good but I cannot extend my height in few hours, hahaha.
Got stamp on wrist after registration
Registration desk
This is what I got from staff at registration. Event pass for athlete and one supporter for each participants is distributed.
Discount coupon can be used in food court in the mall, haha.
And face shield which you need to wear on the stage. Don’t forget to remove plastic film on both side.
Removed protection film a bit in advance.
Next to registration counter, there is staff selling some necessary items for competition such as tanning oil, bodybuilding pants and paint roller for tanning oil.
They sell 2 types of tanning oil, 700THB and 900THB. Staff told me one bottle of 700THB is enough for one person so I got this by cash.
Actually half bottle was fine for Physique class competitor. For bodybuilding, you need one whole bottle to paint also on legs.
700THB tanning oil is the one I got. I used only half of the bottle this time. I should have kept remaining for next competition but unfortunately I forgot in the rest room of Jetts fitness after the competition. On next day, I come back to the gym but I just knew that cleaning staff already threw away it, haha.
700 THB for BEAT-X
Dream tan is 900THB.
Paint roller can be purchased at home center in the mall
10.00 – 10.30 Rules and Regulations assemble
All athletes were called to gather near the stage to listen to rules and regulation of competition. I thought they prepared for English translator also for foreigners but actually NOT. All explanation session will be conducted in Thai language only so I pretended to understand but actually just sat on the chair for 30 minutes, haha.
Photo session booth
Other guys are listening very well.
10.30 – 12.00 Weight in
Next is weight in process. For this phase, you must wear competition attire. I didn’t wear it so I changed my wear in the toilet. Competitors will be called by each class following schedule.
For foreigners like me, so as not to miss your turn, be stand by the staff to announce the order and appeal to the person to call you when your turn comes. All program is conducted in Thai language only but staff was very kind enough to support a few of foreigners like me. They will escort you by class group.
Stand by near staff not to miss my name called
My class competitors are called.
Weight-in process took place in parking lot outside. Staff will measure your height and weight to check the eligibility. After you pass, you can choose any plate then find your number to show up. If you cannot pass weight limit for the class, you are required to lose weight very quickly then weigh in again.
At this moment, staff told me that I have to shave my legs and arms so after the weight-in, I purchased shaver in supermarket then shaved in the rest room of Jetts fitness. I was really beginner for competition hahaha, I didn’t know that I needed to shave.
My number was 29! Attach number plate to left upper side on your pants.
About one hour before going to stage, you have to put oil on the body.
I also bought this paint roller at Mr. DIY to put tanning lotion on the body. Only 19 THB, haha.
Coconut juice for carb up support. Again, please buy food more than enough before the stage, I got really hungry when waiting for my stage since I prepared only few food items.
Around 12:30 pm, I came back with shaved skin, haha. At parking lot area, Athletic physique class athletes are already putting oil on their body and pumping up for stage show up!
Fully packed with competitors, supporters and more
13.00 – 16.00 Pre judging for the first 9 categories
First class lines up for the stage!
Judges prepares for the show opening.
Posing session of first class.
I was looking around to see other competitors in my class to know how they prepare before going to the stage. At this time, we still have much time so nobody seems started preparation both for oil painting and pumping up.
Each class has only less than 10 people on average. It takes 20 to 30 minutes to proceed each category for pre-judging. I estimated my turn comes in an hour when Fitness Physique open class began, 2 category before my group. Then, I went out to parking lot to prepare for myself.
At parking lot, I tried to put tanning oil but I totally don’t know how to put it on the skin. Other guys are all coming as team so they have supporters to help painting. When I was at a loss, supporters for other teams offered me to put oil on my skin. They are coming from Narathiwat province. Without them, I really cannot prepare by myself so again here I would like to show my big appreciation to them. They are not only helping adding oil on skin, but also giving me some advice on the stage for posing and cheering me up.
impossible to put oil on whole body by myself especially on back!
During Fitness Physique open is on stage, I joined Narathiwat team to do pump up and check oil condition near the exit door to parking lot. This back stage area was very small, full of preparation stuff and some competitors are sleeping on the floor on yoga mat.
Be very careful not to touch mall object to make dirty with oil.
Next class, Sport physique contestants are warming up at the backstage areas near parking lot. When they went to the stage and showing their performance, I also try to see how they perform.
At that time, I was shocked that they were doing free posing one by one around one minute on the stage. I thought that on the stage, we are called per 5 persons then show basic 4 poses, front, right side, back and left side only. I also confirmed this point with my trainer but OMG, my trainer didn’t understand what I said!
Due to this miscommunication, I couldn’t know there would be individual free posing session until show day. I was panic of course, as you can imagine, because I totally don’t know how I do for free posing without preparation. Narathiwat team also tried to teach me how to do some posing but well, my turn comes in 20 minutes! How can I do it!? I really wanted to escape from here and go home not to show up on the stage.
Men’s Sport Physique up to 175 cm
My previous class group show time almost came to end. Our group, 9 fighters are called at the back of stage. I was still panic, but try to calm down myself then do practice as much as possible to do posing on the stage learning from previous contestants on the stage.
I talked with other contestant behind the stage and he got also surprised that I didn’t prepare for free posing. He kindly tried to teach me some posing. I really appreciate his care but I felt that well, if somebody teaches me something in a very last minute, I definitely cannot do it on the stage. Therefore I decided to do basic 4 posing on the stage and some additional posing as much as possible.
My turn came finally, after 7 persons performed. I greeted to judges and audience in Thai way, then moved to the front of the stage.
On stage you have one minute to show the result of your hard work. There are three spots on the stage. First, you go on the right side then do some Physique posing around 2-3. Then moves to left side for another several performances. Finally you come forward to the center point then show around 3 -5 poses.
I was very nervous obviously but actually I really enjoyed showing my performance. It might not be good but I felt accomplished somehow, it was my one of goal this year to join the competition. In a sense, I achieved my goal!
Me on the stage. My performance might be terrible but it was really fun and liked it!
After free posing for each person, every 5 persons’ number will be called to come up to the front side to show 4 basic poses. All announcement will be conducted by Thai language only but the routine is very simple. You will start from front side then turn right side by 90 degree to complete 4 sides.
Once 4 posing judgment is done, only 5 persons will be called again to the front as first call. They are more likely to be selected for top 5 finalist of the class. I was not called. Well actually I didn’t expect to be called because other guys are huge and well performed on the stage. While first call guys did 4 posing again on the front, I tried not to stop posing to appeal to the judges.
At last, every contestant was directed to be lined up then we greeted in Thai way. Finally done, everything. I exhaled deeply and felt relieved. Saying thank you to Narathiwat team and TBPA event staff who supported strange foreigner from Bangkok. I headed fast to Jetts Fitness branch, I really wanted to wash out my oil on the body, hahaha.
Aftermath
After cleaning up my body, I had late lunch in Yayoi, my favorite restaurants in Thailand.
Around 6pm, I came back to the event area just to see final round stage of each class to enjoy the show as one of audience. The show was really nice, I enjoyed a lot to see the masterpiece body of each top 5 contenders. One day, I will be on that stage again. I will work out harder and harder in 2022 then wish to get awarded! That will be my New year’s resolution!
This time, as mentioned, I just wanted to join to know how I needed to prepare for the bodybuilding event and what I should do. Now I understand all complete process so I am sure that I can do it much much better next time. I plan to join Thailand Master’s game in January 2022. With short time new year holiday, I will restart diet to become leaner for next battle.
Thank you so much for reading my experience of bodybuilding competition in Thailand. I hope readers can feel the atmosphere of event and this post will help when you join!.
Below is some photos that I took for final stage. See ya!
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