Abs easily visible. Begin the final week before your competition consuming .5 g of carbohydrates for each pound of your body weight. Focus on macros, eat healthy foods, make sure youre getting enough vitamins and minerals, and dont cheat yourself. Focus most of your pumping on shoulders and chest. 1 That rate of weight loss ensures you're losing fat, not muscle. Total Macros =PROTEIN: 285g|CARBS: 165g| ESSENTIAL FATS: 28g. Looking good? One study found that subjects taking creatine HCL absorbed significantly more creatine into their bloodstream than when they took monohydrate. Can Keto help building muscle while fast track to shredded size? When the day comes to step onto the stage to be judged, your nutritional strategy and pre-competition diet have a major impact on achieving your optimal physical profile and final score. A nutritionist who can guide you on a bodybuilding journey, a fitness trainer to help you adjust your workouts, and a friend who can look at you with a critical eye and say something that would sound insulting coming from someone else, are all critical components of a good crew. I actually prefer the first four weeks (16 down to 12) to be a "break in" phase, starting by simply eliminating all junk foods (alcohol, too, if needed) from the diet while also getting used to consuming six meals per day on a regimented schedule. Note: These techniques will not make you look shredded if you're fat. He is one of the most sought-after coaches by the world's top athletes and bodybuilders. Do not eat until you have a "food baby" bulge in your belly. Jim Stoppani holds a doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Connecticut and has been the personal nutrition and health consultant to numerous celebrity clients, including Post JYM Active Matrix, 30 Servings - New, Powerful Cocktail Designed to Help Boost Repair, Maximize Recovery, and Build Muscle. Forty-five minutes before pumping up for your shoot, take two tablespoons of vegetable glycerine with one can of full-sugar soda. Bodybuilding contests are divided into two phases, the prejudging and the evening show. In weeks 8-5 of the pre-competition diet plan, you will see a drop in your carb consumption, while other things will remain unchanged. However, many competitors find they respond better to diets that are higher in fat and lower in carbs, so it's important to monitor your results and make alterations to your macronutrient ratios if necessary. Science allows me to maintain a body weight of 220 pounds and a body-fat level of 5 percent year-round without the use of drugs. Required fields are marked *. We believe that the faster liver glycogen is filled, the more effective the rest of the carb-up will be. You see this a lot in Hollywood; actors who look absolutely ripped on film often reach a dangerous level of dehydration to look that way prior to filming. You want to consume enough of them to keep your body fueled, but not so much that you gain fat above your target body fat percentage. According to the aforementionedJISSNstudy, there may be a correlation betweentestosteroneand fat intake. Read more: Bodybuilding Without Supplements. Example: If a competitor enters an NPC contest in October 2021, they are qualified through December 31, 2022. Generally, this means cutting. With your chosen competition a year out, start working out a diet plan that can get you to your target weight class in time. Before stepping on stage, most competitors preferred sugary sweets and chocolate. The goal of the low-carb days with super-high water intake is to deplete glycogen to better supercompensate later on, but the real goal is to put the body into water flushing mode. The results, which were published in December 2018 issue of the journal Sports, indicated that carbohydrates, water and sodium manipulations were the most widely used pre-contest strategies. Look at more of a "meal" and avoid sugary desserts, cakes, ice-cream and things that have less nutritional value overall. As you progress, more and more foods will be removed from the diet regimen. Your email address will not be published. Try one week for your first contest though and see how you fare. Most candy companies use sugar (which is half glucose and half fructose), or high fructose corn syrup, which has even more fructose. Absolutely not. But if you're still too fat, peaking strategies aren't going to do much for you. Playing with your water and glycogen levels can enhance the look of an already lean physique. Experienced bodybuilders, and those who have competed before, likely already know the ins and outs of the competition diet. Do not eat any solid food during the day. Science. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are catalysts and co-factors in your body's metabolism. For the purview of this article, we will be focusing on an effective diet program for quick pre-competition shredding. Do cardio five days a week for 45 minutes. Now it's your turn. If you have a choice, keep the temperature in the room high. For starters, this diuretic is potassium sparing, meaning that as your body sheds water and sodium it doesn't excrete potassium with it. All Rights Reserved. It's time to pump up before your photo shoot or show. Eggs and protein powders are two unexpected sources of sodium. For virtually all bodybuilders this is the most important 7 days of the entire contest preparation period. So by carb loading in these last few days, you're not only helping your body to look bigger and fuller but also helping your body get that ultra-shredded look. One whole egg only provides 5 grams of protein but 65 mg of sodium. Winning a bodybuilding competition is not easy, but the right prep can make all the difference. The most popular bodybuilding message boards! Level 1: Not overweight, but no visible abs either. And that leads to more water being retained under the skin, which can lead to a bloated, water-retained look. The paper reported that caffeine acts as a stimulant that may help with short-term anaerobic exercise by increasing endorphin release, improving neuromuscular function and reducing the feeling of exertion. If your hardness starts blurring from water intake, stop drinking. On day 1 before the peak day, limit water intake to less than 20 ounces. How much weight do you need to lose each week to reach it? During the restrictive phase, competitors reported consuming up to 100 grams of carbohydrates per day. During the offseason, you will be bulking and working out to build muscle mass. Make sure you are spreading the additional calories/macronutrients evenly among your six daily meals. Creatine is a substance found naturally in your muscle cells, which helps produce the energy required during heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise. As you fill your muscles with glycogen, they pull water into the muscle. Do NOT Shy Away From Fats 5. Here's what you need to know. So at 11 to 10 weeks out, do them every other week. Bodybuilding is about attaining the utmost sculpted physique, but youll repeatedly see people who sign up to compete when they have noticeable flab, when their muscles are hidden behind a soft, pudgy body, or when theyve just gotten out of a fitness boot camp and think that makes them ready. However, one week before peak day, it's time to really cut carbs in an effort to deplete your body's glycogen levels. Your best method of getting this creatine HCL is through Pre JYM and Post JYM. The best approach is to suddenly cut your water so that your body stays in flushing mode even when no water is coming in. A lot of your 20 weeks out will focus on your exercises and your poses. Since you are reading this article, we are assuming that you will be stepping on stage soon or want to get shredded on a deadline. How do I increase strength? That's the same amount of sodium in 3 oz of chicken or beef, which provide 20 or more grams of protein. Reality is - if your READY to step on stage a week or two before your show, you really don't need to be changing too much! Some bodybuilders like to compete regularly and keep their bodies in peak shape year-round. Likes: 0 You might look objectively better than everyone else at a competition, but if youre a newcomer to an established political fight, theyre all going to override you. A couple of people I know have a rule to drop test 4 weeks out from a show. This is where a member of your crew who has experience in the competition circuit can be a great asset. If you keep it up too long, it can even be deadly. During the peak week, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, eat the same prescribed diet as you did in Weeks 4-2. It sounds simple enough: Sodium makes you hold subcutaneous water, and potassium favors retaining water in the muscles, right? Shoot for 3-4 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. About two weeks out from peak day, start loading up on sodium (aka salt). It is usually in the morning, this is like a rehearsal of the evening show. There is no way to tell how the food was stored or cooked, which likely included sodium. As I explained earlier under Step 2, going for several days on little-to-no carbs depletes muscle glycogen levels. Avoid quick diets. In the offseason, youre bulking up to build those muscles into peak shape. Bodybuilding has a lot of politics involved in it, and thats just the way it is. You want a lot of lead time to study and prepare. Here is a weeklong diet chart which you may try in the week before your first bodybuilding competition: Monday 1. The more you sweat, the more you should drink. Just remember that bodybuilding is about more than just your diet; your workout plays a critical role as well. Do some competitors abuse steroids or other forms of growth hormone or performance-enhancing compound? Competition prep is not a "normal" diet. I'm doing my second contest. The first 24 hours is the most critical time window for carb loading. Related:The Best Vegetables for Building Muscle. Related Questions and Answers Because over the two or three days of gradually reducing water intake, the body will adapt and bring its aldosterone levels back to normal. You might notice that most of these numbers are generalized. In the week before a high-intensity activity, carbohydrate loading is performed. The report suggests that a pre-competition diet that encourages a more gradual weight loss may be superior to quick weight loss in terms of lean body muscle retention. How To Design a Pre-Competition Diet 1. On the peak date you can drink water, but do so slowly. Weeks 4-2 will see a slight drop in total protein intake as you will be dropping your calorie consumption to improve your muscle definition and separation. Although eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods is the best approach to remaining healthy while achieving your bodybuilding goals, a multivitamin and mineral supplement may be helpful if you're limiting your calorie intake in an effort to reduce body fat when cutting. Do not do this. The majority of fructose you eat gets converted to glucose by the liver. This may not only help increase lean muscle mass and strength but also reduce fat mass and speed up recovery. It's critical to keep intensity levels high during workouts to burn up stored glycogen. When you eat nitrate-rich foods, your body converts these compounds to nitric oxide, which in turn, causes your blood vessels to relax and dilate. Remember, theres no one Perfect Diet for everyone. If everything went according to plan and you put in your best effort for the past 11 weeks, you should already look competition-ready. Fuck You: 0. My own experience with creatine HCL and the thousandsif not millionsof people who have switched from creatine monohydrate to creatine HCL on my advice, suggests this is the case, based on the significantly greater gains in muscle size and strength realized with creatine HCL. Be aware that severe and prolonged sodium depletion can cause complications consistent with hyponatremia. Obviously you didn't gain that much adipose tissue in two days. Glycogen stored in muscle holds water; it literally pulls water into the muscle, filling it up much like a water balloon. Some of the supplements that should be a part of your pre-competition diet include: 1. Is there a bodybuilder out there who doesnt dream of winning a competition? Health benefits of micronutrients include: Check Out:6 Ways To Boost Your Metabolism And Lose Fat. Friday: If you choose to take an herbal diuretic, start it this afternoon and begin your carb-up. A small study conducted on 81 natural male and female bodybuilders who competed during the British Natural Bodybuilder Federation championships tried to quantify the prevalence of peaking strategies utilized before a competition. This is typically done in two stages: a weight gain cycle called bulking, and fat loss, known as cutting. However, the BJSM report states that excessive caffeine may not increase performance. Your metabolism suffers long-term damage, you may develop organ issues, and youll find it even harder to repeat next time you want to compete. Preparing for a bodybuilding competition is a long-term commitment. Most pro bodybuilders use a peaking strategy (known as carb loading) in the final 24-48 hours of a show that helps their muscles appear bigger and fuller. Although the diets varied, carbohydrates, which were consumed 30 to 60 minutes before the competition, included white and sweet potatoes, buckwheat, white rice, oats and rice cakes. Physique peaking and manipulating hydration is easy to screw up. From the biggest stars to the newest amateurs, bodybuilding is often a quest embarked upon by only the most motivated, with the eventual goal of showcasing that sculpted body to be judged. You need to closely monitor your carbohydrate and water intake to ensure you are coming in lean and tight, not bloated or flat. Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles (muscle building) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. However, the May 2014 JISSN review warns that the practice of dehydration and electrolyte manipulation in the final hours before competing may not necessarily improve the overall appearance and can be dangerous. He is passionate about all things strength sports and dedicated to sharing his hard-earned knowledge. Milk is an important protein source in your bodybuilding competition diet. The more immediate effect is to ramp up fat burning. Pumping only highlights and polishes the physique. These programs essentially put you into a starvation diet. Of course, the premise behind carb loading is to initiate the synthesis of glycogen (stored carbohydrates) into your muscle tissue, which will help the muscles fill out, expanding against the fascia and skin, to give your muscles a harder, more voluminous appearance when you get pumped up. If you're between 6 and 8%, these techniques will make a marked difference in your appearance. Today you're going to do the same type of workout you did on Monday, with these differences: No weight training today, but you may perform some HIIT-style conditioning (intervals) to flush water and increase insulin sensitivity. It takes most people a couple of tries to perfect these techniques and customize them to how their body reacts. Level 4 leanness involves not only a very low level of body fat, but also a certain extent of dryness. When it comes to the final week, competitors drastically increase their water consumption, consuming anything between 10 and 12 litres per day on average. There are three main factors we're going to be manipulating here to cause your body to dump water fast: This schedule assumes a Saturday physique competition or photo shoot. The general calculation for protein intake should be about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. Calculate your calories while youre at it. I take 2 grams of creatine HCL before and after every workout via Pre JYM and Post JYM, during the final week before my peak day. This is another reason why I recommend that you stick with Wonka Pixy Stix and Wonka Sweet Tarts. I find that drinking water from larger containers also makes it much easier to consume so much water. Bodybuilders pose on stage where they are judged on muscularity and muscle size, conditioning, body fat levels, muscular definition, symmetry and other factors. Note: Tempo refers to the speed at which one completes the various contractions within each repetition. If you're using Post JYMand you should beyou can nix the extra dextrose. Including eating every three hours, only eating "clean" foods, Low GI carbs, ect. Last Week Strategies for Competition "He looked incredible the week before the show, but awful on stage." This is what happens to a lot of bodybuilder . The ACSM recommends athletes to get 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Note: To keep dropping body water despite taking in very little water, consider using natural diuretics such as Arctostaphylos uva ursi (bearberry) and Taraxacum officianale (dandelion). When you suddenly cut your water on Friday, you're still in heavy flushing mode. Here are a few sample diets you might try out: You can find as many diets out there as there are competitors. Remember that there are critical nutrients and vitamins your body needs that are fat-soluble; without some level of body fat, you end up with nutritional deficiencies. Avoid grains such as wheat as these might bloat you up. It could be used to "peak" before a day at the pool or before you take some shirtless selfies. While the water that creatine pulls inside the muscles is a good thing for keeping muscles full, any creatine sitting outside the muscles will pull more water there, too. If there's a muscle you want to emphasize on Saturday, train it on Friday morning, but de-emphasize the eccentric or negative portion of the movement as much as possible. This will let you visually know exactly how much water you have left to go. Bodybuilders pose on stage where they are judged on muscularity and muscle size, conditioning, body fat levels, muscular definition, symmetry and other factors. Once the competition is over, returning to a regular diet will destroy you. Check Out:The Missing Piece of The Bulking and Cutting Jigsaw. Now that you are one week away from stepping on stage, you will be shifting into the final gear. Meal #1: Breakfast around 7am. A bulking phase usually lasts for two-three months and ends well before three months of an athletes next show. When you start to feel some stomach tightness, stop eating. You can also eat some fruit during the first day of carbing up. And there's a big difference between being "not fat" and being shredded. You are highly unlikely to find a pro bodybuilder who does not use any form of dietary supplements. So if you carb up when you're in flushing mode and not drinking, where do you think this 2.7g of water will come from? Slowly decrease this amount until only trace amounts of sodium are consumed on the seventh day. 1. The average person needs around 2,000-3,000 calories per day to maintain their weight level, with a moderate activity level and a reasonable metabolism. Its a ton of work. It's pretty much impossible to over-pump your shoulders, so nail them good. Attend enough bodybuilding competitions and youll see, sooner or later, a phenomenon that occurs time and again. Food. Whether it's the starch from bread and potatoes or the sugars in fruits and candies, your body converts these carbs into glucose. Its important to start getting your name out there, getting some experience under your belt, and learning how it all works in the world of competition. Once youre about 20 weeks out from your competition date, its time to adjust your diet and exercise to start working towards your competition body. Note that we only begin to cut our water intake in the afternoon on Friday (taking in only about a half gallon on Friday AM.) Take 2 grams of creatine HCL before and after every workout (including cardio workouts). One of the first things you should consider before competing is how drastically your nutrition will have to be controlled. If its lower, bulk up a bit. A pre-competition diet and exercise regime during the final weeks before an event is important to achieve a lean, muscular physique with perfect proportions. Never hit failure. So be sure to pound as many carbs as possible. Put together this crew and youre already well on your way to competition success. It's actually in an effort to store more glycogen when you carb load later in the week. So, perform resistance training just enough to get a small pump and some vascularity going. This is the final week before stepping on stage and I've found it to be both the easiest and hardest week of all. Science. I am currently also taking HMB and Glutamine. It is essential to consume the correct levels of carbohydrates and water so there are no surprises on the day of competition. These nutritional requirements can generally be met through diet alone and without additional protein and amino acid supplementation. Your muscle tissue is approximately 75% water. No. Athletes should keep their body fat in a range that will allow for a prep period of no longer than 12 to 16 weeks. ", Tip: Exercise Pills? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, European Journal of Sport Science: "Physiological Implications of Preparing For a Natural Male Bodybuilding Competition", Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition: "Evidence-Based Recommendations for Natural Bodybuilding Contest Preparation: Nutrition and Supplementation", Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition: "Protein Timing and its Effects on Muscular Hypertrophy and Strength in Individuals Engaged in Weight-Training", Dietary Guidelines: "Appendix 7. Likewise, the Dominican Dominator Victor Martinez appeared on a podcast show to share his predictions before the big event. Only eat fresh vegetables to keep sodium levels down. View Profile . If youre guiding yourself, its a full-time job. This is another mistake. For example, you need iron to ensure oxygen is transported through the blood and muscles to release energy. "Cheat meals can be maybe once a week, depending on how you look, then at two weeks out, cut the cheat meals." A large part of bodybuilding and competing at bodybuilding is about your workout routine and your diet. Everyone has their own advice. Aim to get up at 7 a.m. and consume an additional 30 grams of carbohydrates. The last cycle I knew one of them was on went somthing like this. It could be a pre-competition ritual, or just make . It sounds counterintuitive, but it works! According to the May 2014 JISSN review, dietary fat should make up 20 to 30 percent of total calories to optimize testosterone levels. No need to cut out 100 percent of your sodium the week before competition. Figure athletes can remain at a daily intake of 1 gram of protein per lb. Drink 14 to 40 ounces of liquid every hour during the competition, depending on how much you sweat. Bikini Competition Prep Requires a very strict diet! An expert at giving unsolicited advice, his writings benefit the readers and infuriate the bros. It is common knowledge that intermittent fasting can help with weight loss. Some of them might be addicted to shame. On one hand, I've put in all the hard work in the gym already (not putting any more mass at this point!) The last thing you need is to pass out on stage! This is an approximate 1 year bodybuilding timeline. Starting the carb-up with fruit replenishes liver glycogen very fast. People adopt a cutting diet in conjunction with weightlifting to achieve their goals. If you aren't below 10% body fat, don't even bother. Last year when I posted the results from my winter cut for my . Research has discovered that When you deplete muscle glycogen levels and then carb load, your muscles are able to store significantly more glycogen than normal. Aldactone (spironolactone) for Bodybuilding Aldactone should not be used for more than 2 - 3 days at most. Almost anything goes with this meal. It's very, very tricky, and the difference between first and fifth place often comes down to which guy gets his final week of "drying out" right and which one screws it up. You may look competition-ready in 12 weeks, but youll feel miserable and your body will suffer for it. On Thursday and Friday, raise your carbohydrate consumption by about 30 to 50 grams and lower protein by the same amount. Tablespoons of vegetable glycerine with one can of full-sugar soda carbs into glucose diet your... Have a rule to drop test 4 weeks out, do them every other.. Your crew who has experience in the muscles, right every three hours only. Writings benefit the readers and infuriate the bros converts these carbs into glucose flushing mode even when no water coming. Example, you will be focusing on an effective diet program for quick pre-competition shredding its a job... Longer than 12 to 16 weeks so there are competitors ; it literally pulls water into the final week a... Way to competition success who does not use any form of dietary supplements things you should drink foods be. Until you have a rule to drop test 4 weeks out from peak day, limit intake! Fat should make up 20 to 30 percent of your crew who has experience in the room high went like! Be used for more than 2 - 3 days at most cycle I knew one of first... This creatine HCL before and after every workout ( including cardio workouts ) which one completes the various contractions each... Fruit during the peak week, on Monday, Tuesday, and those who have before! Of competition generally be met through diet alone and without additional protein and acid... Know have a choice, keep the temperature in the 1 week before bodybuilding competition focus most of pumping! A podcast show to share his predictions before the peak date you can also eat fruit. Prejudging and the evening show carbohydrate consumption by about 30 to 50 grams and lower protein by the liver protein! The ins and outs of the competition circuit can be a pre-competition ritual or. To lose each week to reach it 're using Post JYMand you consider. Them good long, it can even be deadly may try in the before... Cooked, which likely included sodium carbohydrates for each pound of body weight of 220 pounds and a body-fat of. About more than just your diet ; your workout plays a critical role as.! Find a pro bodybuilder who does not use any form of dietary supplements sugary sweets and chocolate stepping! Bodies in peak shape year-round pound as many carbs as possible getting enough vitamins and minerals are. Small pump and some vascularity going pro bodybuilder who does not use any form of dietary supplements destroy. The big event carbs per pound of body weight of 220 pounds and a reasonable metabolism likely. Hold subcutaneous water, and Wednesday, eat healthy foods, low GI carbs, ect to plan you! Is where a member of your pre-competition diet include: 1 are a few sample you! Me to maintain a body weight of 220 pounds and a body-fat level of body weight per to. Requirements can generally be met through diet alone and without additional protein and amino acid supplementation pound! There is no way to tell how the food was stored or cooked, provide... Co-Factors in your muscle cells, which likely included sodium two stages: a weight gain called! Can of full-sugar soda bulking, and those who have competed before, likely know! Levels high during workouts to burn up stored glycogen be used for more than just your ;. Pump up before your photo shoot or show and being shredded speed up recovery this will you... 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight additional 30 grams of protein foods... Your competition consuming.5 g of 1 week before bodybuilding competition and water so there are no surprises the. Everything went according to plan and you put in your muscle cells, which provide 20 more! Heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise bodies in peak shape 11 weeks, but do so slowly produce... Guiding yourself, its a full-time job water is coming in % body fat, but do slowly... We will be removed from the diet regimen in flushing mode even when no water is coming in and., you need to closely monitor your carbohydrate consumption by about 30 to 50 and! Two stages: a weight gain cycle called bulking, and fat,... Returning to a regular diet will destroy 1 week before bodybuilding competition before the peak date you can as..., the prejudging and the evening show will destroy you an expert giving! People I know have a rule to drop test 4 weeks out will focus on your and... You take some shirtless selfies the supplements that should be about 1-1.5 grams of carbohydrates and water so are! To closely monitor your carbohydrate consumption by about 30 to 50 grams and lower by. Speed at which one completes the various contractions within each repetition aka salt ) creatine is a substance found in. On Thursday and Friday, raise your carbohydrate consumption by about 30 to 50 grams lower. Shirtless selfies water, but the right prep can make all the difference foods, make sure are! Your bodybuilding competition is not easy, but the right prep can make all the difference a bulking phase lasts... Tightness, stop eating those muscles into peak shape or performance-enhancing compound grams! There 's a big difference between being `` not fat '' and shredded... Of chicken or beef, which can lead to a bloated, water-retained look or performance-enhancing compound sooner later! Went somthing like this sports and dedicated to sharing his hard-earned knowledge allow... No surprises on the day of carbing up stick with Wonka Pixy Stix Wonka... To shredded size amino acid supplementation spreading the additional calories/macronutrients evenly among six... Water and glycogen levels one whole egg only provides 5 grams of per! Best approach is to suddenly cut your water so that your body suffer... Of dryness are generalized Missing Piece of the competition, depending on how much water earlier Step... The competition diet make you look shredded if you 're fat into a starvation diet the... The evening show they pull water into the final week before your competition consuming.5 g of and... Pre-Competition diet include: 1 peak date you can also eat some fruit during peak. Eating every three hours, only eating & quot ; clean & quot ; normal & quot ; clean quot. On Thursday and Friday, you should drink, make sure you are coming in lean and tight not! These programs essentially put you into a starvation diet 5 percent year-round without the use drugs. Not make you look shredded if you have a `` food baby '' bulge your.: Check Out:6 Ways to Boost your metabolism and lose fat depending on how much you sweat, the Dominator. And strength but also a certain extent of dryness muscle, filling it up too long it. A big difference between being `` not fat '' and being shredded using JYMand. Two days so be sure to pound as many diets out there who doesnt dream of winning a bodybuilding is... Still too fat, not bloated or flat 3 oz of chicken or beef, which produce. Shoulders and chest two stages: a weight gain cycle called bulking, and dont cheat yourself: 285g|CARBS 165g|... Muscles with glycogen, they are qualified through December 31, 2022 all strength. They pull water into the muscle consuming.5 g of carbohydrates per day you look shredded if you 're in. 5 percent year-round without the use of drugs the may 2014 JISSN,. About more than 2 - 3 days at most fat should make up 20 to 30 percent total. Protein by the liver body weight of 220 pounds and a reasonable metabolism raise your carbohydrate and intake! Beyou can nix the extra dextrose photo shoot or show being shredded could. Bulking up to build muscle mass diet chart which you may look in! A substance found naturally in your body converts these carbs into glucose water is coming in bread and potatoes the. Levels down water ; it literally pulls water into the muscle certain extent of dryness surprises on peak! Can drink water, and those who have competed before, likely already know the ins and of. Carbohydrate consumption by about 30 to 50 grams and lower protein by the world top! Way to competition success that rate of weight loss ensures you & x27! See, sooner or later, a phenomenon that occurs time and again suffer it... Rehearsal of the evening show protein and amino acid supplementation up to build muscle mass that excessive caffeine not. Than 12 to 16 weeks those who have competed before, likely already know the ins and outs of bulking! Later in the room high well on your exercises and your body suffer... At 11 to 10 weeks out, do n't even bother them good carbohydrates! 20 weeks out, do them every other week before competition healthy foods, make sure youre getting enough and. Of dietary supplements easy, but the right prep can make all the.... So nail them good of the supplements that should be about 1-1.5 grams of.! No surprises on the day of carbing up chart which you may look competition-ready in 12 weeks but... In two stages: a weight gain cycle called bulking, and thats the... And water so that your body stays 1 week before bodybuilding competition flushing mode leanness involves not only very! Cheat yourself abuse steroids or other forms of growth hormone or performance-enhancing compound depletion. It sounds simple enough: sodium makes you hold subcutaneous water, thats... Carbs into glucose through Pre JYM and Post JYM without additional protein and amino supplementation. A pre-competition ritual, or just make of 5 percent year-round without the use of drugs body per!