The Ins and Outs of Creating a Top Fitness Routine
by Kristi Wills

Month after month you’ve been dieting, posing, weight training, and doing cardio to get your physique in competition shape so you can stand on stage in a two-piece and 5 inch heels, knowing you look the best you ever could. However, the physique round is only part of the battle. In addition to all of the above, a fitness competitor also has to have put in many hours of practicing a fitness routine that will need to be performed flawlessly in front of a panel of judges and a crowd awaiting to be wowed. You only have two minutes to express your talent and prove that you have what it takes to be a top fitness competitor. Today the routines are being scrutinized with many people saying that they are not as good as they use to be. If you want to have a top scoring routine, there’s a lot that needs to go on behind the scenes well before the competition.

The following are necessities for performing a fitness routine:

1. Wrist guards and kneepads
2. Sneakers which should be lightweight or a dance shoe such as BLOCH
3. A professional DJ who can mix some great music. Most DJs have a turnaround time of about a month. Music can be no longer than 2 minutes. Make sure you have at least 2 CDs and a tape of your music and bring all copies to your show!
4. Choreographer-once you have your music, call so you can start putting your routine together. Three months before a show is not early!
5. Costume designer-most need 3-6 months. If you are tight on funds, buy one from another competitor!
6. A place to practice your routine, such as your fitness club, a dance studio, or a school gym.

Putting Together Your Routine

Once you have all of the above, you are ready to start putting together an entertaining
routine. It’s always a great idea to watch fitness routines from past national or pro shows. Either by being at the shows or by buying videos, you will get a better idea of what the judges are looking for and also learn some moves to include in your own routine. There are six mandatory moves that must be incorporated into fitness routines and they are the 1-arm push-up, leg extension hold, high kick, straddle hold, full split front, and full split side. In addition to these mandatory moves, the rest of your routine should emphasize your talent, such as your strength, dance, gymnastics, and /or flexibility. You need to make the routine fit you, otherwise you’ll look very awkward during your performance.
It is highly suggested that you have some sort of a theme for your routine and that your costume fits this theme. My past routine was a devil theme, so my costume was red and black with flames. All of my songs were devil related, such as “Devil went Down to Georgia” and “Devil in Disguise.” When talking to your D.J, you want to tell them to add sound effects, include fast music, and maybe have voice overs. From my past experiences with talking to NPC judges after my shows, I was told that slow music and the use of props are not what they enjoy. Right from the start you need to come out with a lot of energy and make smooth transitions from one move to the next. As you practice your routine and you get closer to your competition, it’s a great idea to videotape your routine so you can see how it would look from the judges’ and audience’s point of view. You and your choreographer can then make any necessary changes. It’s also a great idea to practice your routine in blocks. When you first get your routine, do not expect to make it through the whole thing! It takes weeks of practice to learn your routine and build up your strength and stamina! You may be able to section off your routine into 4 blocks. Practice each block individually and then when you are ready, join the blocks together. If you give yourself 2-3 months before the show to practice, you will be ready by competition time! I suggest having a day during the week where you just practice individual skills, such as your strength moves and gymnastic skills. Depending on your time frame, a couple of other days during the week should be dedicated to practicing with your music. Before I go to bed, I always close my eyes and picture myself doing my routine perfectly. An old gymnastics coach taught me this and it has paid off considerably!

A Few Last Pointers

We all know that when we perform a fitness routine, our bodies take a beating! It is very helpful to engage in daily stretches before and after workouts and to get massages as frequently as you can. You might also want to enroll in yoga, pilates, or coreboard classes to increase your flexibility. Gymnastic classes can also help you learn some new skills. In addition, always practice your high kicks and splits. When practicing your routine, make sure your working area is at least 32 ft. wide by 12 ft. deep. This is the working area of most national stages. When I practice, I always tape off the distance, so when I get on stage I know exactly how much room I have. There is nothing worse than getting on stage, knowing you do not have enough room for your routine, and so, you have to alter it. Once you feel comfortable with your routine, don’t be afraid to practice it in front of a crowd. A small crowd at your gym can help you tremendously prepare for the judges and audience you are about to perform for. If you are planning on doing a new routine for a national show, you may want to do a small local show first to get your bearings and see how it appears to the audience. Then, you can make any necessary changes for the national show, and you’ll feel a lot more at ease, knowing it’s not the first time you have done the routine.

As a final note, while waiting to perform your routine, listen to your music backstage on your CD player or walkman and go through the routine in your head. Remember, you always picture a flawless routine! Then, when it’s your turn to perform, make sure you play up to the audience, make the hard look easy, smile, and most of all have fun!!

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