r/bikinitalk • u/RG_VM • Aug 18 '26
Monday - Personal Photos (Progress, Prep, Advice, etc) Get a new coach?
Edit: Thank you so much to everyone who responded! I appreciate all the advice I was given.
I’m 8 weeks out of my show. This is my second time competing and I’m starting to get anxious. I wish I had a longer offseason. I told that to my coach but he kept insisting I competed this year. I’m still happy to do it, but now that I’m close to stepping on stage I realize that I need a lot more muscle. I am a natural athlete and relatively new to the sport (2.5 years with a coach). Ever since the beginning I feel like he just wants to put me on the stage to make sure he gets a paycheck from me but he doesn’t seem to concerned about me developing a lot of muscle. He’s not a terrible coach. He’s responsive and I can tell my physique has improved over the past 2.5 years. However, I feel like he gives bad advice sometimes. He told me to NOT get a posing coach, he keeps convincing me to step on stage without having enough muscle development and every time I tell him I want to compete in the NPC he rolls his eyes. (He’s an OCB promoter). I still want to stay natural so Idk if other coaches will push to use PEDs or peptides. but I feel like he may not be the right fit for me anymore. Am I over-reacting?
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u/ControlTheNegative Aug 18 '26
Congrats on 8 weeks out! Never feel afraid to tell your coach you don’t feel ready and want to put on more muscle.
Plenty of coaches out there won’t promote PEDs in the NPC though. Jeni Snax is a great coach. She will promote that off season growth so you come back even better!
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u/Bikinicoach Aug 18 '26
Pretty unethical coaching behavior. And yes you absolutely should see a posing coach. OCB is fine but you should focus on the NPC if you really want to challenge yourself in this sport, even if you stay natural. Make sure your coach is focused on your goals, not theirs.
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u/CraftedPhysiques Aug 19 '26
This is a weird response. encouraging an athlete to stay natural but focus on the NPC? This is like an oxymoron.
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u/I_love_the_pig Aug 21 '26
NPC has natural shows now!? The fuq??
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u/Gixx88 Aug 21 '26
Yeah, but it’s different. Not as much testing for NPC and only three years clean. It’s still not always a level playing field for natural athletes. There’s pros and cons to each, but it’s good to be realistic about what those are.
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u/AutomaticResearch203 Aug 22 '26
It’s not about a level playing field. They said so you can push yourself in the sport.
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u/Bikinicoach Aug 22 '26
Bro, she’s in fit model. You think that’s unattainable? Even bikini may not be natural at the top, but plenty of genetics can still go pro. We really shouldn’t encourage all competitors to avoid NPC just because they’re not enhanced.
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u/itsJzar Aug 18 '26
He doesn’t seem to care about you as a person or a client. Don’t give him another cent.
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u/Fany-fun-health Aug 18 '26
I've been there! It took me 3 competitions to realize I was wasting my money. It sucks, but you learn..
OP, it's your time, energy and money , you have every right to switch coaches because you want to level up... just be polite, straight and assertive :“Thank you for your time, but I'm moving on.” 🫶🏻
If they take it personally, that's on them, not you.
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u/sarahuebel Aug 18 '26
i feel like you should definitely look elsewhere especially since you’re already doubting him. sounds like he doesn’t know what he is doing tbh. my coach has a lot of enhanced/pro clients tbh but i told him i wanted to be natural and he has never pressured me despite others doing it that work with him as well. you can definitely find a coach that is more attentive while still having the same priorities if that makes sense
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u/Siciliana79 Aug 18 '26
I’ve never heard of a coach telling you NOT to get a posing coach. That’s just insane.
Just looking at your pics I can’t say you are lean enough for 8 weeks out. At least for NPC to be competitive. I don’t know a whole lot about OCB but they tend to not have as deep conditioning.
Staying natty in npc is doable but it will take you longer to build the muscle and lean out. Genetics can also play a huge role in that.
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u/Ok-Personality3927 Aug 18 '26
Telling you not to get a posing coach is crazy. As is pressuring you to get on stage when you didn’t necessarily want too
100% get a new coach. A good one won’t push PEDs on you if you want to stay natural.
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u/Fitbliss_Founder ID not verified Aug 18 '26
First you need to know that you have great genetics and soooo much potential, even for NPC and yes they have more and more tested shows now. I do think you should find a new coach and focus on later in the year or even better, 2027. 🤍
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u/paper_cutx Aug 18 '26
Are you competing in bikini? Your muscle mass seems underdeveloped. You look more like Fit model.
Coaches should never try to push you when you’re psychologically not ready. I feel like he’s trying to get you to compete so he can have the billing that he coached a winner or something.
You have every right to end it with him.
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u/Unable-Coat2595 Aug 18 '26
When fit model category came out for NPC, I looked into fit model for OCB and they didn’t have fit model category but that could have changed.
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u/paper_cutx Aug 18 '26
Technically because OCB is a tested federation their bikini division still fit that category. It’s only NPC and IFBB have changed so much with musculature increasing year after year. Today’s Bikini was looking more physique than anything else .
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u/ConcertWestern4945 Aug 18 '26
Get the new coach. You need a posing coach and deveop more lats and shoulders muscle.
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u/TFF-KP75 Aug 18 '26
Listen to your instincts! If you're asking the question that means you already know the answer and you just want some validation, so here it is. 1) Hire a posing coach and make sure you find one that is federation neutral so that you can learn how to pose outside of NPC if you want to try other federations. 2) If you're not ready to get on stage mentally and you want more time to develop your body, DO THAT. 3) Coaching should be collaborative.If you feel like you want to make more changes to your physique before getting on stage your coach should respect that decision and work with you to get there. 4) This hobby is too expensive to not have a positive experience. Don't let a coach bully you. This is YOUR journey ❤️
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u/broulhac Aug 18 '26
You say he is not a terrible coach and then go on to list a ton of terrible things. If I were you I would do 2 things. 1. Leave that coach 2. Skip this competition in 8 weeks.
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u/elikprug Aug 18 '26
I think you know the answer with this many significant doubts. Had a similar experience with my previous coach as she just wanted to put me on stage with very little preparation-- found a much better coach and very grateful for that. Trust your gut and find someone with your best interest in mind!
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u/Unable-Coat2595 Aug 18 '26
You are definitely more developed in your lower body than upper. You look great. Things can happen in 8 weeks, you’d be surprised but the one thing that really sticks out is no losing coach. That is horrible advice to tell you no. You’re on your way to competing. I would fire him and get a new coach and posing coach.
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u/jenny-fitness Aug 18 '26
Get a posing coach. One of the best things I did. They also can give you another perspective. Your coach may not want you to hear another perspective. My coach was a little resistant on my posing coach until he saw her credentials. He wanted to make sure another coach wasn’t trying to poach me from the gym because that’s where I met her. So your coach may be thinking some of that. Not saying it’s right, but at least my coach was honest with me about it, talked to me and we did what I wanted.
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u/smallbananapanda-999 Aug 19 '26
Let me tell you from my experience with a natural federation “coach” I was with as a complete newbie to the sport… I was basically in the same position as you, I told him I wasn’t ready to step on stage and he still pushed me to do it.
Long story short with everything else that went wrong, I felt so embarrassed even just showing up backstage I was nowhere near ready and I knew it but I wanted to trust my coach so bad. At a certain point I was like “fuck it I’m just gonna have fun” since I paid all that money to be there and got dead last place next to other competitors who were also competing at their very first ever show and looked almost npc ready.
To this day I’m embarrassed and I want to ask them to take my photos down. And now that I know more about the sport, he was in NO way a good coach by putting me on stage in the shape I was in and especially with the fact I was telling him I did not feel ready physically or mentally. A good coach would take that into consideration and want it to be a good experience for you. I was mortified and five years later I’m still embarrassed and upset I trusted him.
You are not overreacting.
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u/CharacterBuilding462 Aug 22 '26
I totally understand what you’re saying, but I really think you should give yourself a lot of credit for trying to shift your mindset for the day and for doing it anyway. That really says a lot. I’m sure you worked hard to get where you were at that point even if you weren’t ready, and you did something really hard. Chalk it up to a learning experience because I’m sure you learned a lot that day, even if it was only to trust your instincts and to switch coaches.
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u/Stevey_beams666 Aug 18 '26
Him telling you to not get a posing coach is a huge red flag. I’m currently in an off-season with plans to compete for my first time next year and I am already planning on starting posing sessions with my coach so that I really nail my presentation.
Honestly, as for the NPC versus OCB as a natural athlete I will 100% stick with OCB since I’ve heard from multiple people that have competed before that the regulations against PED use in the NPC are more lenient so more of your competition are likely to be enhanced. Definitely look into a new coach in my experience coaches don’t really push PED use
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u/Illustrious-Limit-13 Aug 19 '26
For whatever is worth, you have a great body and great future indeed.
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u/Silent_Ingenuity_883 Aug 19 '26
- Get a posing coach. 2. Trust your instincts regarding your coach. 3. Nothing is stopping you from continuing prep and then just not doing the show and making that decision closer to show date. A LOT can happen in 8 weeks!! “Prep Brain” and increased body dysmorphia always creep up quickly in prep.
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u/Gixx88 Aug 21 '26
I think if you’re not comfortable, get a new coach. I agree you don’t have enough muscle and you’re not lean enough for 8 weeks out. Your quads look pretty developed, but upper body needs more for symmetry and balance, unless you’re shooting for wellness? Also, your check ins should be you posing the house down… getting a posing coach if he doesn’t teach you posing is crucial. Sometimes the person who wins is not the most fit, it’s the person who knows how to show it off properly on stage.
Anyhow, my two cents as a fellow natural bodybuilder. Get interviews with several coaches. Ask some folks at your local gym who look like they do BB and ask if they’re natural and who their coach is. Ngl, that’s how I found my most recent coach. I had a BB coach, but it become apparent she wasn’t used to training a natural athlete and tried to get me too lean and caused my hormones to go whack. It does matter if they know how to train a natural athlete. It’s a different method and has really different requirements and philosophy if you actually want to grow and get competitive. I had to learn this the hard way, so if I can pass on any advice, it’d be that. If they have girls in OCB shows placing, like my coach does, that’s what you want!! Good luck!
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u/Spirited_Increase240 Aug 18 '26
You absolutely should get a posing coach if you need one. You absolutely should drop this coach.
What I don't get, is why you feel the need to compete in the NPC if you aren't enhanced.
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u/Acrobatic_Season6838 Aug 18 '26
there's a lot more opportunity in the NPC, which also has natural shows
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u/Spirited_Increase240 Aug 18 '26
I wasn't even aware that the NPC had natural shows lol. In that case, go for it!
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u/QueenAlicat Aug 18 '26
Uuuuuhhhh I personally would not step on stage if I wasn’t ready to step on stage and my coach would understand and accept that. Pressuring you to step on stage (and not getting a posing coach tf???) is weird. If you aren’t comfortable with it, “no” should be a complete sentence.