CHAPTER 58

Looking Your Best Onstage

“People see pictures of competitive bodybuilders shaved down, oiled up, wearing tiny posing suits, and form their own opinion. They don’t understand how the sport works or how it’s judged.”

– Ron Harris, regular MuscleMag International contributor, on why you should follow your dreams and not worry about other people.

No doubt many readers wear eyeglasses. If you are one, then you’ve probably discovered how annoying it is to keep having to adjust them during your workouts. No matter how well they fit, glasses will invariably start sliding down your face as the sweat begins to flow. The bodybuilding stage offers no reprieve. The combination of posing and hot lights will have your glasses resting on the tip of your nose like a crusty old librarian in no time. Since you really don’t want to have to adjust your glasses while you’re standing in the lineup, and since it’s virtually impossible to do so during your free-posing routine, you’re going to have to do something about them.

The simplest option is to ditch the glasses and go onstage half blind. While feasible for some people whose eyesight isn’t too terrible, this solution does have its drawbacks. You run the risk of tripping on the stairs, or banging into stage equipment or other competitors. But even if you can manage to get around all that, not being able to see properly will affect your performance. With the exception of the free-posing round, the bulk of a bodybuilding contest is interactive with the judges and the other competitors. You’ll need to be able to see both if you hope to look your best and offer some real personality to the performance. How do you make eye contact with the judges and match the other competitors pose for pose if you can’t see them? Ditch the glasses and opt for contact lenses. Yes they’ll set you back a few dollars (on average $50 to $100 for a three-month supply), but the results will be worth it. You’ll have perfect vision with no blurred edges, and you won’t have any of the annoyances associated with glasses including slipping off during workouts, drying off during rain showers, fogging up in the cold and having to keep cleaning off smudges and dirt.

If money is no object, you have the option of going all the way and getting laser surgery. Laser surgery is one of the great advances in corrective eye care and you’ll have your vision restored to its pre-glasses state. Without going into the technical details, suffice it to say that laser surgery involves using a laser to reshape the lenses in your eye so they produce a sharp image. If laser surgery has a downside, it’s cost. The ads might say “from $499!” but the average procedure costs $2,000 to $3,000. Still, once it’s over you’ll have great vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses.

A HAIRY SITUATION

Up until Arnold came on the scene, most Hollywood hunks had copious amounts of hair on their chests. It seems men were supposed to sport the shaggy look to emphasize their masculinity. This is one of the reasons bodybuilding took so long to become accepted. Any sport that involved men with smooth skin must be for sissies, right? Yeah, just try telling that to Toney Freeman as he’s pressing 150-pound dumbells, or Ronnie Coleman as he squats 800 pounds.

Despite being associated with masculinity for all those years, hair is a big disadvantage for competitive bodybuilders. You’ve spent months, if not years, building a great body and don’t want it obscured by a layer of coarse hair. And I don’t think I need to tell you just what a sight you’ll make with inch-long body hair soaked with posing oil!

So the hair has to go. The first time you remove it you’ll see your body in a whole new light and odds are you’ll want to keep it that way.

HAIR TODAY GONE TODAY!

There are numerous options for removing hair, and each has pros and cons. My advice is to experiment and find the method that works best for you.

Hair removal is an important factor in competitive bodybuilding – you don’t want your hard-earned body masked by a thick layer of hair.
Photo of Brad Baker by Irvin Gelb

SHAVING

By far the most popular method for removing body hair is simply shaving with razor blades or an electric shaver – usually a combination of both. Now a few words of caution are in order. Your facial skin may be used to shaving but if this is your first time shaving your body hair you’ll need to go easy. The skin on your body is likely not used to having a sharp piece of metal dragged across it. You may also want to avoid using shaving cream. While you’re used to the unique curves of your face, you’ll be less familiar with the curves and bumps that characterize your muscles, and the shaving cream will serve to obscure these areas. Also, extremely long body hair plus shaving cream makes for a cloggy situation. Glycerine soap is a good choice. You’ll get the best, and safest, results in a warm shower or bath. If you try to shave your body without enough soapy water you’ll scrape your skin, and if you get too cold you will get goosebumps. This will cause a bad shave at best, and scraped up skin is again likely.

The other popular form of shaving is to use an electric shaver. Most electric shavers have a side attachment used for trimming beards and moustaches. This also does a great job of removing body hair. Don’t use the regular shaving attachment (usually three circular heads). These small blades are not designed for cutting thick body hair. You also run the risk of getting the long hair caught in the revolving heads and may end up yanking more hair out than cutting it. Besides, you may burn out the motor.

Electric shavers offer numerous advantages over blades. For one thing they’re much faster. It may take you an hour or more to shave down with a blade but 10 or 15 minutes should do it with the electric shaver. Shavers are also safer. It’s virtually impossible to cut yourself with an electric shaver but you’re bound to get a cut or two shaving with a razor – especially in bony locations such as your shins.

Most bodybuilders use a combination. They start about a month before the contest, to have their skin smooth and prepared by contest time. Starting in advance gives any nicks and cuts and rashes a chance to heal.

Finally, and I know this seems common sense, but under no circumstance do you use an electric shaver in the shower or bath! Water and electricity don’t mix – actually they mix far too well – and every now and then you’ll read in the newspaper how someone was electrocuted by a electric shaver or hair dryer falling into the tub. Use the shaver away from water, and make sure to unplug it when you’re done.

HAIR REMOVAL CREAMS

Although they may seem to be the exclusive domain of women, hair removal creams will work just as well on men’s hair. In some respects you can consider this form of hair removal to be external digestion, as the cream contains ingredients that literally break down the protein structure of the hair. Just smear the cream on the area, leave it for five to ten minutes and wipe it off with a cloth or in the shower. Hair removal creams do an excellent job of leaving the skin hairless and smooth. The other option is to use a hair removal cream that’s designed for men. One of the best is called the Lex Hair Removal System. Consisting of three products that remove hair, soften the skin and keep the hair from re-growing, this system is produced by Lex Advanced Skin Technologies of Georgetown, Ontario, Canada.

No matter which product you use, do a little test first before smearing the whole body. Some individuals may be allergic to the cream, so place a small amount on the back of your hand or forearm and leave it for five or ten minutes. Wait for 24 hours. If no rash or redness appears it’s probably safe to use it on the rest of your body. If you do have an allergic reaction, you can try another brand. If you still develop a rash it probably means that you are allergic to the active ingredients in the cream and you’ll probably need to use a razor.

WAXING

Waxing is a hair-removal technique that is getting more and more acceptable with guys. In fact, back waxing is getting very common and many estheticians say men are beginning to come in as often as women. Waxing is a very effective and long-lasting method for shedding the fur coat, but it can be rather painful.

The technique is fairly straightforward. You simply melt the wax, smear it over the area, let it cool, and then rip it off. Now, a word of caution about the last step. If you have long, coarse hair, there is a right way and wrong way to do this. Waxing is not much different than grabbing a handful of grass and pulling it up by its roots. If you try ripping slowly, every single hair is going to add its voice to the collective experience known as intense pain. Ripping fast still hurts, but not as much as ripping slowly. And keep in mind that ripping hair out by its roots may leave a rash and even leave small drops of blood. There is a classic scene in the movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin that may serve to enlighten (or frighten!) you on the joys and tribulations of waxing.

Waxing is a very effective and long-lasting method … getting a professional to do it for you is a wise first step.
Photo by Robert Kennedy

The truth is, getting a professional to do it for you is a wise first step. After you’ve had it done a few times you may want to do it yourself – or you could do the parts of your body that are easy and hire someone to do the parts you can’t reach yourself.

ELECTROLYSIS

As with laser eye surgery, modern science has offered an expensive alternative for hair removal. As the name suggests, electrolysis involves zapping the hair follicle with a blast of electricity. While great in theory, it’s honestly not all it’s cracked up to be. For one thing each hair has to be targeted separately. Take a look at those hairy thighs of yours and do the math. You’re in for a long day. Also, you have to consider the cost – hundreds of dollars for a small area and many thousands for the full body. Finally, despite what advertisers claim, electrolysis is not permanent. There will be some hair re-growth. Given the effectiveness and speed of the cheaper hair removal methods (shaving, creams, etc.) I suggest leaving electrolysis to those with deep pockets trying to shed hair from smaller areas.

SKIN CARE

It only makes sense to follow the topic of hair removal with that of skin care, as there is some overlap. All those days baking in the sun, sweating in the gym, and ravishing it with sharp steel or creams can leave the skin looking years, if not decades, older than it really is. Given that the skin is the body’s first line of defense against invading germs, you have to treat it with care and kindness. Also, keep in mind that you’re involved in a sport that is concerned primarily with looks – especially healthy, youthful looks.

Even if the damage you inflict now is not visible for 10 or 20 years, you’re still accelerating the aging process. The primary culprits that cause wrinkly skin are prolonged exposure to sunlight, facial expressions, and unhealthy habits such as drinking, smoking and eating nutritionally bereft foods.

Weight-training athletes often scrunch their faces up into strange expressions when working on heavy weights, and they also subject their skin to the harsh conditions brought on by excessive sweating. Sweat contains more than just water. It’s loaded with salt and the waste byproducts of exercise – all of which tend to dry out and wrinkle the skin. When you add in the various rashes and acne that often accompanies regular exercise, I think you’ll see why skin care should be a high priority.

The following skin-care techniques will take just four or five minutes to perform in the morning and before bed, but the results will keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. Now, before you skip ahead to the next section, don’t think skin care is a “women-only” issue. If you’ve ever seen the aged and weathered skin of a 50-year-old alcoholic, you’ll understand how unattractive it is to have prematurely aged skin.

Cleansing

The first step in skin care is to clean it with a mild non-detergent lotion. If possible use an unscented brand, as the scented versions often leave an oily clogging residue behind. Also avoid rubbing with a harsh cloth, as this may irritate the skin and spread or cause acne. Most skin-care experts recommend cleansing the skin first thing in the morning and again before bed in the evening.

Toning

The next step to healthy skin care is toning. Toners remove the residue left behind by washing. No matter what type of soap or cleansing solution you use, there’ll always be some residue left behind. The best applicator to use is a small cotton ball or quilted pad, but a light cloth will do just as well. Use circular motions as you apply the toner and avoid getting close to the eyes. You may also want to apply some toner just after your workout to help remove some of the dirt left by sweating. And if your gym buddies razz you when they see the cotton balls, just remember that in 20 or 30 years, while your skin still looks youthful, theirs will begin to look like an old pineapple!

Moisturizing

One of the primary reasons skin begins to look terrible is dehydration. Just imagine two pieces of leather left out in the sun. One is left untreated and the other regularly covered with a thin layer of oil. Which one do you think will dry out and crack the fastest? Well your skin behaves in much the same way.

Although the body continuously tries to keep the skin hydrated with water, much of it evaporates. Sealing the water in with a moisturizer will keep your skin soft and pliable (stretchable). The type of moisturizer you select depends on the type of skin you have. If you have dry skin you can go for a heavier moisturizing cream. Those with normal to slightly oily skin may want to use a light moisturizing lotion.

Exfoliating

Besides the three previous skin-care techniques, which should be performed on a daily basis, it’s also a good idea to exfoliate about once a week. Exfoliation is the process by which old, dead cells are removed. Although your skin does this naturally, and regular shaving also helps remove dead skin cells, a good exfoliant will speed up the process.

There are numerous exfoliant products on the market but some can be very harsh on the skin and actually cause burning, a rash and even skin damage. In some respects exfoliation is like scrapping off old paint before you apply a new coat. You don’t want to scrub so hard that you damage the wood underneath – just remove the old peeled paint. The same applies to skin exfoliation. The goal is to use a product that removes the old dead cells yet does not harm the underlying new cells. Unfortunately some commercial products will do just that. If in doubt check with a licensed cosmetician or dermatologist beforehand.

No matter which exfoliant product you use, don’t scrub too hard and never rub in the same place for more than a few seconds. Keep moving your hand over your entire face and avoid getting the product into your eyes or mouth. After you’ve finished rinse with cold water or, as some experts recommend, run an ice cube over the face.

STRETCH MARKS

The next time you’re in the gym take a close (but discreet!) look at some of the larger bodybuilders. Many will have long purplish streaks along their bodies, particularly around the pec-delt tie-in region (where the chest muscles join the front shoulders). These streaks are called stretch marks and are in fact tears in the skin. They are caused by a number of factors, including rapid weight gain and poor nutrition.

Basically what happens is that the underlying muscles grow faster than the overlying skin. The end result is stretching and eventually tearing of the skin, which leads to that purplish streaking look. The reason the pec-delt tie-in is prone to stretch marks is because it’s the site of the most rapid muscle growth in the body.

Virtually every bodybuilder will develop stretch marks. In fact many bodybuilders welcome them and consider them a rite of passage. If you’d rather not have so many purple streaks in your skin, make sure you are following a diet that is well balanced and fortified with all the essential vitamins and minerals. A diet deficient in nutrients causes the skin to become less elastic and stretchable, so instead of expanding to accommodate the growing muscle, the skin tears.

Another suggestion is to avoid following the old concept of “bulking up” in the off-season. While bulking up will help you gain muscle size, the extra calories will also pack excess fat on your body. The result: stretch marks.

If you’ve already developed stretch marks, a number of over-the-counter products may help. A good place to start is with vitamin E capsules. Break them open and spread the oil on the affected area. Cocoa butter is also supposed to help. Many skin-care companies produce stretch-mark creams that are supposed to help. Also, dark tanning products are not only necessary for competition, but they also help camouflage stretch marks.

STRETCH MARKS

When the natural collagen and elastin fibers within the body are strained due to rapid changes in weight and muscle, the underlying tissue tears and the body responds by forming unsightly scar tissue. Skin structure is genetically determined; we are predisposed to developing stretch marks. The skin has lost much of its original elasticity and will never look quite the same. Stretch marks do not go away entirely; however, you can massage your skin with a massage brush or glove to increase circulation; apply moisturizing cream on a daily basis to keep the skin supple; and eat foods that contribute to the overall health of the skin, such as those high in vitamins C and E, zinc and silica (which helps to form collagen). Treat stretch marks as early as possible to minimize their appearance.