CHAPTER 59

Tanning and Oiling

“They often look more stupid than muscular. Not applying under the chin gives them the ‘white strap around the neck’ look. Not rubbing color into the hairline or eye sockets, behind the ears, or under the arms can also distract from the physique big time.”

– Nelson Montana, regular MuscleMag International contributor, commenting on the tanning mistakes some novice bodybuilders make.

Everyone these days seems to be after the California Golden look, whether a competitive bodybuilder or a sedentary accountant. Those living in northern climates spend thousands of dollars on trips down south, tanning beds and creams. Kind of ironic, given that just over 100 years ago tanned skin was the sign of the lower classes and anyone with money was expected to remain lily white.

“He starts tanning in a tanning bed four times a week for 20 minutes, 10 weeks before a contest. He stops tanning one week before the show. On the Thursday night before prejudging, he applies three coats of Pro Tan. On Friday, with one last application of Pro Tan to his face, he is ready to go.”

– Larry Pepe, MuscleMag International contributor, commenting on the skin darkening preparations of IFBB pro, Will Harris.

For bodybuilders tanning has two purposes. Regular suntanning helps tighten the skin, making it hug the muscles. The end result is a more striated and ripped appearance. This is why most African American bodybuilders spend as much time tanning as their Caucasian counterparts.

The second and most important reason is that all things being equal the darker bodybuilder will invariably place higher than a lighter opponent. The bright stage lights that flood down on the competitors tend to wash out and blur muscle definition and separation, and a light skin emphasizes this. Under any circumstances a bodybuilder with fairer skin will look smoother than one with darker skin. During bodybuilding’s early days of the 1940s and early 1950s it was discovered that those bodybuilders from California (and to a lesser extent Florida), with their dark tans, looked better onstage than their northern rivals. It wasn’t long before tanning – either natural or through artificial means – became as much a part of the bodybuilder’s pre-contest preparations as dieting, posing and increased cardio.

Things were going along quite nicely until scientists spoiled the party by announcing that sunbathing leads to skin cancer.

Besides the risk of skin cancer, excessive exposure to sunlight destroys the skin’s elasticity, leaving it wrinkled and old looking (again I remind readers of the dried out leather analogy). You can see this with laborers who spend most of their day outside in the sun. Their skin has a dark leathery look often covered with moles.

THANK YOUR ANCESTORS

When humans first evolved in the equatorial regions of Africa, the intense sunlight necessitated protection in the form of dark skin pigmentation. As humans migrated northward the reduced sunlight caused the evolution of lighter, thinner skin to aid in the development of vitamin D in sun-scarce winters. Increased sunlight causes fairer skin to darken as a form of protection. We call this temporary darkening tanning, and while most people view it in social terms (i.e. it looks healthier and more attractive) it’s really a defensive measure against solar radiation.

For most people, true tanning takes a week to 10 days. For light-skinned individuals (i.e. Nordic ancestry) it could take two weeks or more to develop what could be considered a dark tan. For extremely fair red and light blond hair it can take months to get even a moderate tan. Given this, it doesn’t make sense to spend three or four hours in the sun a couple of days before a contest. All you’ll end up with is a severe sunburn and look like an overripe, probably peeling, tomato. You also run the risk of developing 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd degree burns, which will leave you puffy, swollen, and in all probability bandaged.

The best procedure for developing a natural-looking tan is to start weeks in advance. How early depends on your skin type. If you tan easily then you might start only two or three weeks out. Light to fair-skinned individuals may need a month or more. Also keep in mind that you want to tan the whole body. I have often seen competitors standing onstage sporting a great tan only to ruin the effect when they raise their arms for their first pose, revealing two brilliant white armpits. Every inch of your body except for what lies behind a skimpy suit will be displayed during the contest, so you must tan every part of your body. This won’t happen if you lie on your back all the time. You’ll need to lie at awkward angles to let the sun’s rays reach every part of your skin.

SUNSCREEN

“Scientists have determined that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) is the major cause of melanoma. This is an invading type of cancer that develops deep in the skin, arising from cells that produce the skin-coloring pigment called melanin.”

– Jean-Claude Favreaux, MuscleMag International contributor

No matter what your ancestry – from almost black African American to lily-white Nordic – I strongly urge you to wear a sunscreen or sun block. A good sunscreen will help filter out some of he sun’s harmful rays and will allow you to stay out in the sun longer. Suncreen is rated by a system developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) back in the 1970s, called SPF or sun protection factor. The scale ranks lotions based on their effectiveness in blocking UV rays. Initially the scale ranked from 2 to 22, but every year a manufacturer releases a higher number. As of this publication the FDA is re-evaluating the entire SPF scale.

Don’t let the numbers confuse you. They do not correspond to minutes or hours. An SPF of 10 does not mean you can stay out in the sun for 10 hours. It simply means that you can stay out in the sun 10 times longer without burning than if you didn’t wear a lotion. For example if you normally start to burn after 10 minutes, then using a sunscreen with an SPF of 10 will allow you to stay out in the sun for about 100 minutes. However, for these numbers to be accurate you must make sure to slather on enough of the stuff, make sure to cover the tiniest spot of skin, and you can’t swim or sweat it off.

Tanning beds don’t prevent sun damage. Newer beds have much of the harmful radiation filtered out, but the light intensity is more concentrated and you will burn more quickly.
Photo of Tom Platz by Art Zeller

And keep in mind that by the time you start noticing your skin turning red, it’s too late. You’ve already become sunburned and you won’t know the full extent until later in the evening.

The following guidelines can be used for suntanning. Just remember that everyone responds differently so know your limits.

Apply the first layer of sunscreen at least a half-hour before going out in the sun. This gives the lotion time to be absorbed by the skin.

To help reduce the risk of skin cancer, use a suncreen a minimum SPF of 6. Some doctors recommend no less than 15.

No matter how dark your skin, never stay in direct sunlight for more than an hour.

Put multiple coats of suncreen on throughout the day, as much of it will be washed away by sweat.

It takes at least two weeks to develop a good tan, so slowly build your exposure time.

Contrary to what most people believe, water-based sunscreens are better if you’re exercising, as oil-based products interfere with sweating.

For those who are extremely sensitive to the sun, apply a zinc-oxide product to such areas as the nose, ears, lips, and – dare I say – bald spots!

If you live in an area that receives ozone warnings, pay attention. On days that the levels are high, either avoid the sun or use a 15+ suncreen.

To prevent accidentally looking into the sun and damaging your eyes, wear sunglasses when you lie on your back.

ARTIFICAL TANNING

“Tanning alone won’t cut it. You’ll definitely need to use some type of tanning or skin-coloring product.”

– Scott Abey, master trainer and MuscleMag International contributor, commenting on artificial tanning products.

For those of you who live in areas that don’t receive much sun, there are alternatives. Tanning beds are everywhere these days. There are two basic types – the lie down waffle-iron version and the stand-up tanning booth. Both will give you much the same tan as sunlight but have the added benefit of being quicker and available when ever it’s convenient for you. Of course with speed and convenience comes a cost (usually 50 cents to $1 per minute), but most tanning salons will let you buy in bulk for a cheaper fee.

One of the myths about tanning beds is that they won’t cause cancer. While the newer beds do have much of the harmful radiation filtered out, they still carry a risk. Light is a form of radiation and over time will cause skin damage. (Why do you think your body is releasing pigment to protect you from it?!) You should also remember that the intensity of artificial tanning lights is more concentrated than sunlight and will burn you more quickly. Start out with just a couple of minutes and slowly work up to 15 or 20 minutes.

For those who want to avoid any exposure to light sources, there is another option you can use. For the past couple of decades skin-care companies have made available a number of products that will, for want of a better phrase, paint you to perfection. They’re called artificial tanning lotions or dyes, and if used properly will have you looking as dark as if you’d spent three weeks in the Caribbean.

There are two types of artificial tanning products. Some of the products work by interacting with enzymes in the skin. Just spread them on and wait a few hours and before you know it you’re chocolate brown – at least that’s the theory. How dark you become depends heavily on your individual genetics. Some individuals go orange or yellow instead of brown, and every now and then you’ll see some bodybuilder step out onstage looking as if he’s in the final stages of liver disease.

The other type of artificial tanning products can be considered body painting. They’re nothing more than brown dyes that you apply with a brush (or spray bottle). While they’ll probably give you a darker color than the enzyme-reactors, you’ll still need to put on three or four coats. Most bodybuilders put on one coat before the Friday night weigh-in, another after the weigh-in, and then a third early Saturday morning before the prejudging. Depending on how they look onstage Saturday morning, many will add a fourth coat Saturday afternoon. There’s an old saying among competitive bodybuilders that you can never be too dark.

Like hair removers, artificial tanners can cause allergic reactions in some individuals, so you should probably test a small amount of the product on your skin before applying to the whole body. As many of the enzyme-reactors are accelerated by sunlight, you should alternate a few days of tanning lotion application with using natural or artificial light. Most artificial tanning lotions don’t contain a sunscreen, so even if you look tanned you’ll still need to use your normal sunscreen product.

Whatever you use, you should apply all over your body – including your face! Many bodybuilders totally forget to apply the spray or lotion to their face. Also, don’t neglect the hard-to-see areas such as under the armpits and inner thighs.

A word of caution about applying lotion to your face. The area around the eyebrows and hairline tends to stain slightly darker than the surrounding skin, so try to minimize your use of the product on these areas. Don’t make the mistake of applying the lotion with your bare hands, either. Your hands are covered with skin after all and they’ll darken just as much as the rest of your body. In fact your palms will go darker, given that thicker skin seems to soak up the lotion more than thinner skin. Either use a pair of disposable latex gloves or have someone else apply it for you.

The most popular brands these days are Pro Tan, Dream Tan, Quick Tan, and Jan Tana. If your local drug store or health food store doesn’t carry them, check out the ads in MuscleMag International.

TAN IN A PILL?

Before leaving this topic I need to say a word on tanning pills. Like most things these days, if you look hard enough you’ll find manufacturers that offer pills that supposedly speed up the tanning process. As of this publication none of these products are FDA approved. At the very least you’ll be wasting your money, but more important they may be downright dangerous.

Photo of Frank McGrath by Irvin Gelb

While on the topic of tanning pills, you should check with your doctor to see if any medication you might be on makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight. For example, many antibiotics will increase the sensitivity of your skin to sunlight, so check with your doctor or pharmacist before hopping in the tanning booth.

OIL RIGHT THEN!

The bright stage lights used at bodybuilding lighten the body and make it less muscular looking. They also tend to “wash out” the physique, making it look flat. The reason for this is that the skin – whether light or dark – is flat and absorbs most of the light. The old-time strongmen found that by putting a light coat of oil on the skin they could offset the detrimental effects of lights and make their bodies look that much more impressive. Modern bodybuilders have adopted this technique and use oil to emphasize their bodies’ shape and musculature.

TYPES

Like most things associated with competitive bodybuilding there is a right and wrong approach to oiling. For one thing there are two primary types of oil – vegetable and mineral – and they have major differences when it comes to bodybuilding applications. Mineral oils are poorly absorbed by the skin and tend to sit on top of it rather than sink into it. So while you may be tempted to go out and buy baby oil, the end result is a high-gloss finish that makes it look like your body is wrapped in cellophane. Vegetable oils, on the other hand, absorb quite nicely and then are slowly released as you sweat. Instead of the high luster produced by the mineral oil, you’re left with a muscle-highlighting sheen. Olive and almond oils seem to be the most popular, but tons of bodybuilders use Pam cooking spray.

YOUR OILER

One of the most important ships in any navy is the fleet oiler, and backstage at a bodybuilding contest is no different. Most federations allow the competitors to bring an assistant backstage, and on contest day this trusty individual will be worth his or her weight in gold (or protein powder). Some contests have general assistants backstage to help, but do they know how to apply oil correctly? More important, are they friends with other competitors in your weight class? The last thing you want is someone doing a half-assed job of your oiling. The same caution should be considered before you ask another competitor – especially someone in your weight-class. Bodybuilders are very close knit as a group, but competition is competition, and you really don’t want to put too much faith in your opponents on contest day.

Have your assistant practice your oiling one to two weeks before the show. This way you can get the bugs out early. The big thing to watch out for is applying too much oil. Walking onstage looking like an advertisement for Exxon or Mobil will not get you any extra points.

Finally, common courtesy dictates that you should try to clean up after yourself. A pool of oil on the floor is an accident waiting to happen. At the very least, wipe up after you apply the oil. Even better, stand on a towel as you’re being oiled.

Photo of Hidetada Yamagishi by Raymond Cassar