Stage prep coaching
Don’t just train like one. Become a bodybuilder.
All levels of competitors welcome, first timers included. I compete myself, and I prep clients for OCB, WNBF, NPC, INBA, PCA and other federations.
What a stage prep can do to you
Team Red clients on stage. Tap the button under each one to see where they started.
Logan at the Portland Reign Natural Classic, prepped by Team Red. One 1st place, one 2nd place and two 3rd places.
Clarence “Milton” J. at the NPC Ultimate Physique & Pennsylvania State Championships, prepped by Team Red. Four 1st places and one 3rd place.
Brandon (left) at the OCB Stone Classic, prepped by Team Red. Two 4th places.
See Brandon’s transformation →
“This dude is genuinely the best, most respectable coach out there. He will tell you the honest truth and keep you accountable, all while adapting to your needs!”
“I couldn’t be happier with the package we brought and the level of condition we achieved.”
“During peak week he was on top of check ins and helping me carb up. I really appreciate all of the knowledge he gave me about bodybuilding and posing. It really helped a lot.”
Currently in prep
Kevin and Brayden are in the middle of their stage preps right now.
Kevin · currently in stage prep
Brayden · currently in stage prep
Brayden · currently in stage prep
The 5 most popular federations for first time competitors
OCB, WNBF, NPC, INBA and PCA are where most first time competitors start, in no particular order. Each one is natural, untested, or both, and that decides which stage fits you.
Fully natural and it tests like it. Every competitor is screened, and you can win a pro card at a regional show rather than a national.
The biggest amateur stage in the country, and the only road to an IFBB Pro League card. It runs untested shows and drug-tested Natural contests side by side.
The strictest natural standard in the sport, with polygraph plus WADA-code urine testing and random blood tests in and out of season.
INBA / PNBA. A natural federation with amateur (INBA) and pro (PNBA) shows around the world. Athletes are tested to the WADA anti-doping code.
Physical Culture Association. An untested federation founded in the UK, open to competitors of every experience level, with amateur shows and a pro division.
Official sites for rules and show schedules: OCB · WNBF · NPC · INBA / PNBA · PCA
Competing somewhere else?
Prep is run online, so I can prep you for a show in any federation, in the United States or abroad. That includes NABBA shows. Tap a federation to open its official site and look up its rules and show schedule.
- NABBAworldwide
- IFBBworldwide
- IFBB Pro Leagueworldwide
- NPC Worldwideworldwide
- INBFUnited States, natural
- IFPAUnited States, natural pro
- NANBF and IPEUnited States, natural
- ANBFUnited States, natural
- NGAUnited States, natural
- DFACUnited States, natural
- CPACanada
- UKBFFUnited Kingdom
- BNBFUnited Kingdom, natural
- UKDFBAUnited Kingdom, natural
- 2BrosUnited Kingdom
- WABBAworldwide
- WFFworldwide
- ICNAustralia and worldwide, natural
- ANBAustralia, natural
- GBOworldwide
How a prep runs
Five stages, usually 16 to 24 weeks.
Pick your time of year
Find a time of year you want to compete. Never sign up for a show before knowing you will be ready.
The diet
Calories and training adjusted every week from your check in, not a fixed plan.
Posing
Coached from week one. Judges score what they see.
Peak week
Water, sodium, carbs and training tapered to the day.
Show day
Check in, tan, pump-up and food timing handled, so you only think about posing.
Before you commit
How long does contest prep take?
Most athletes need 16 to 24 weeks, and the leaner you start the shorter it is. I would rather add four weeks at the front than rush the last four, because the final weeks are where a rushed prep costs you muscle. We work backward from your show date and I will tell you honestly if the timeline does not work.
Can I compete if I have never done a show?
Yes. First time bodybuilders are welcome, and most of the people I prep are first timers. Every federation on this page runs Novice and Debut classes for exactly that. Posing is coached from the ground up, and we walk through check-in, tanning, backstage and show day so none of it is a surprise.
Which federation should I compete in?
It comes down to three things: whether you want a drug-tested stage, which divisions you fit, and which pro card you are chasing. The OCB and WNBF are fully natural. The NPC runs untested and Natural shows side by side and is the only route to an IFBB Pro League card. Each federation page below lays out the testing, the divisions and the real costs.
What does a show actually cost?
Budget roughly $750 to $950 all in for a first show with one class, which covers entry, tanning, two hotel nights, photos and a suit or trunks, plus federation membership. Each federation page has the current figures read off 2026 entry forms rather than estimates.
Do you prep for federations other than OCB, WNBF and NPC?
Yes. Prep is run online, so I can prep you for a show in any federation, in the United States or abroad. That includes IFBB, IFBB Pro League, NPC Worldwide, INBA / PNBA, INBF, IFPA, NANBF and IPE, ANBF, NGA, DFAC, CPA, UKBFF, PCA, BNBF, UKDFBA, 2Bros, NABBA, WABBA, WFF, ICN, ANB, GBO. The rules, divisions and drug testing differ between them, so the first thing we do is read your federation’s current rulebook together and build the timeline around it.
Do you coach natural and enhanced athletes?
Both. If you are competing in a tested federation, every supplement you take becomes my problem too, so we go through the whole list before prep starts and check it against that federation’s banned list.
Ready to pick a show?
Tell me where you are now and what you want to step on stage for. If the timeline does not work I will say so.