Show day will be filled with lots of adrenaline and you want to make sure you are fully prepared for the event from start to finish before you get there. I have competed at 6 shows and I prefer to start packing my show day bags before peak weak begins to ensure that I am ready for show day! I like to have a few bags with me so I only have to carry the ones I need, but I know the rest are in the car (or hotel). One is my show day/ backstage bag, one with clothes and overnight supplies, and the other with food and food supplies.

Suit, Jewelry, Heels, Pin with your Number: Your suit should fit snugly with 50% glute coverage (for amateurs). I would put your suit in a zip lock bag in case something spills in your bag, and put it with your jewelry (Earrings, 1-2 bracelets, rings, hair pieces, etc ) and heels together in a bag and add your pin when you get it. You will get your pin when you check in, but these four things are the absolute must haves! I recommend checking for these three items every time you change rooms and buildings. The last thing you want is to misplace these items and be in a panic on show day. As long as you have these four items you can get on stage( don't forget the tan)!

Night before show

Check-ins & Polygraph

Suit (sometimes they check for glute coverage)
Federation Registration card (if applicable)

Tanning

Dark loose fitting long sleeve shirt- save the silk robe for show day back stage
Dark loose fitting pants
Hair tie/clip
Dark sheets
Umbrella in case of rain
Flip flops to slide on after your tan
Cups to pee in (if you use these)
Oil/cooking spray ( if your tanner isn’t providing it)
Towel (to sit on in the car or lay on the floor with or to bunch )
Paper towel/ wet wipes/ toilet paper

Cash

$100-120+ for Tan
$50-200+ tip for Hair and/or Makeup
$35-50+ for polygraph (if applicable)
$20-60 for misc. T-shirts, food or other emergencies where cards aren’t accepted

Show day!

Pump - Ask your coach what foods you will use to pump up. Some common items are:

Pre-workout
Honey or candy
Rice cakes or other carbs
Salt
Weights or bands (the venue will likely have some, but it's always nice to have your own in a pinch)
Full length mirror (most venues will have mirrors backstage, but mirror space is valuable and can be hard to come by at times so you can bring your own if you want)
Things to bring
Food Scale
Cooler to hold your food
Phone Charger
Silk robe to put on back stage after you have your suit on
Headphones to get in the zone or listen to your routine music
Extra protein (chicken)
Extra Fats (almond butter, coconut oil )
Extra Carbs (rice cakes, sweet potatoes, or karbolyn)
Shaker bottle
Glucometer to monitor carb absorption (If you and your coach have been using this)

Hair & Makeup

Bobby pins
Hair Spray
Curling iron for touch ups
Dry Shampoo
Comb to get rid of flyaways
Hair extensions (if needed)
Liquid lipstick that will hold your color during the show
Lip gloss to add hydration and shine (The lip color they put on at application at 6am won’t stay on all day...be sure to bring your own or ask for some to take)
LASHES! (If your makeup artist isn’t providing them)
White nail polish in case you or someones forgets about their pedicure

Suit

A small sewing kit or at least safety pins ( In case of a suit malfunction)
Butt Glue or Carpet Tape to keep the suit in place. Talk to your suit maker for what product to use.

Post Show

WATER BOTTLES! This is a huge one that slipped my mind the first time I competed, you might be more thirsty/dehydrated post show
Deodorant - you will smell and your family will be grateful you brought some to put on before dinner
Clothes & shoes to go out after in

If you want to print out a neat and pretty version of this so you can check off the boxes as you pack them you can download the PDF here! Thanks Marina for this great idea! Follow her on IG @marinarosefit