In light of the upcoming competitions that I will be attending, I
thought it would be fun to write a post about how to prepare for a competition.
It is common for athletes to open up about their training secrets before major
competitions, but I would like to focus on a subject that is a little lighter. As
a former pole vaulter and gymnast, I can attest to the effort that women put in
to looking their best in competitions. It may sound like a silly topic, but it
is one that high-level athletes in many different sports take into account when
they are getting ready to compete. If you look back at the last Olympics the
proof is there, because the majority of the women made it a point to not only
perform at their best, but also look their best.
Alyia Mustafina looking fierce and focused!
Make-up may seem like a superfluous thing to worry about while
competing, but the majority of female athletes wear it when they compete. Aliya
Mustafina of Russia was full of sparkles with her eye-popping eye shadow, which
made her even more noticeable as she prepared to salute the judges before each
of her events. In my opinion she looked amazing, but when it comes to eye make
up I prefer to go a little simpler. If you are going to go for a dramatic look
on your face it is important to choose only one area to make a statement with.
Mustafina was spot on when she chose to focus on her eyes, and went for the
simple and natural look on her cheeks and her lips. This made her face look flawless
and not too overdone. For climbing I like to put on a little mascara and some Maybelline
baby lips Chap Stick, that is my go to look, but every now and then it is nice
to go for a more dramatic look.
Rebecca Adlington's creative nail designs are perfect for any competition.
Nail polish is probably one of my favorite things when it comes to
beauty supplies. Today it is common to see not only bright and crazy colors, but
also really cool designs. I always paint my nails before a competition, not
only does it relax me, but it also takes my mind off the stress that comes with
thinking about a competition. It is also a great way to express your
creativity, or even represent your country. Great Britain’s Rebecca Adlington
chose to put the British flag on her nails during the Olympics and she totally
nailed it! As long as your nails are too intense to distract you from the task
at hand I say the more creative the better.
I am extremely partial to Hello Kitty, but 3D nail designs are best to avoid when it comes to competitions.
When it comes to hair, the most important thing to consider is how to
keep it out of your way. The last thing you want to happen is to have your hair
keep you from doing what you need to do, because after all you are there to do
the best that you can do. I am personally a big fan of braids; they look nice
and they seem to stay put. Ponytail braids happen to work best for me,
especially if I am sport climbing. It is important to take into account how
long your hair is, because if it is too long there are certain hairstyles that
won’t work if you are wearing a chalk bag, because your hair can literally end
up in the bag when you look up at the holds on the route or problem. Braids
seem to be a trend amongst most athletes as well, for example, Jennifer Kessy
and April Ross rocked the ponytail braids while they were kicking some tails on
the court.
Jennifer Kessy and April Ross celebrate while sporting the classic ponytail braid.
When it comes down to it doing your best in a competition is obviously
the most important thing, but it doesn’t hurt to look your best too!
I chose to wear a ponytail braid during qualifiers at SCS Nationals. I loved the way it looked, and it never got in my way!
