Tweet
When you are in great condition a few weeks before a contest and have done everything in your power to be looking great without any unnecessary manipulations -- you technically should be able to coast into the day of the show.
However --- I still hear people using depletion methods along with sodium and carb manipulations starting 10 days out or so.....REALLY!?!?! You either look good or not at 10 days out and are only asking for trouble if doing this.
I witnessed a guy who could have won an overall this last Saturday lose by doing manipulations that were completely uncalled for.
I will say this --- Diuretics are NOT mandatory and you can be ultra dry without them, but choosing the RIGHT diuretic can definitely be an "insurance policy" in a sense.
I only feel comfortable advocating dyazide (triameterine/HCTZ) which is potassium sparing and acts very fast upon using. 1/2 tabs are all that is needed the evening before show time. It's just icing on the cake.
I still cannot figure out why guru's / competitors insist on using Aldactone for diuretic properties??? It's a friggin ANTI-ANDROGEN that is not a diuretic but an aldosterone blocker that takes 3-4 days to build up in blood.
Yet prep coaches will sometimes throw this in 1-2 days out which is really not adequate time for it to even work properly. Using aldactone is favored because it is considered "safe" and potassium sparing. However -- once this Androgen Blocker builds up in the blood --- chances are you may go very flat. Once aldosterone is blocked --- "shitload" on all the bacon burgers you want because it wont fill you because the aldosterone is now blocked and vascularity from increased blood pressure is non existent.
So use dyazide or nothing at all.
As for Sodium and carbs should REMAIN pretty much the same all during the final week --- and perhaps lowering sodium 1 day out is really as "extreme"as it should get. Carbs by that time are most likely low and you are looking dry and full due to high water and high sodium.
For carb loading --- that is something that can be done 1 day out or the morning of the show. Trust me --- you do not need 3 days of 800g / 1000g/ and 600g of carbs for weds, thurs and fri!!!!
That is asking for trouble! Most people fail to realize that you store anywhere from 175-250g in your liver , and anywhere from 375-500 as muscle glycogen.
Let's give the benefit of the doubt and say you are bigger than average (225lbs ripped) and are "depleted" so you now might be able to store more than that ---so instead if approximately 500-750g of glycogen,,,, you can top out at 1000g.
I would rather be 80% "full" and dry as all hell, then to push the envelope from 3000 grams of yams for 3 days!!!!
Trust me, high water and high sodium will keep you NOT flat.
Summation:
Be in shape 2 weeks out
keep water high and sodium high until friday before show
If using an "insurance policy" (diuretic) opt for dyazide only
Do not load carbs for 3 days to astronomical amounts
Use 1 day or day of show to load carbs and dry out simultaneously.
By Matt Porter - Pre-Contest Nutrition Coach
However --- I still hear people using depletion methods along with sodium and carb manipulations starting 10 days out or so.....REALLY!?!?! You either look good or not at 10 days out and are only asking for trouble if doing this.
I witnessed a guy who could have won an overall this last Saturday lose by doing manipulations that were completely uncalled for.
I will say this --- Diuretics are NOT mandatory and you can be ultra dry without them, but choosing the RIGHT diuretic can definitely be an "insurance policy" in a sense.
I only feel comfortable advocating dyazide (triameterine/HCTZ) which is potassium sparing and acts very fast upon using. 1/2 tabs are all that is needed the evening before show time. It's just icing on the cake.
I still cannot figure out why guru's / competitors insist on using Aldactone for diuretic properties??? It's a friggin ANTI-ANDROGEN that is not a diuretic but an aldosterone blocker that takes 3-4 days to build up in blood.
Yet prep coaches will sometimes throw this in 1-2 days out which is really not adequate time for it to even work properly. Using aldactone is favored because it is considered "safe" and potassium sparing. However -- once this Androgen Blocker builds up in the blood --- chances are you may go very flat. Once aldosterone is blocked --- "shitload" on all the bacon burgers you want because it wont fill you because the aldosterone is now blocked and vascularity from increased blood pressure is non existent.
So use dyazide or nothing at all.
As for Sodium and carbs should REMAIN pretty much the same all during the final week --- and perhaps lowering sodium 1 day out is really as "extreme"as it should get. Carbs by that time are most likely low and you are looking dry and full due to high water and high sodium.
For carb loading --- that is something that can be done 1 day out or the morning of the show. Trust me --- you do not need 3 days of 800g / 1000g/ and 600g of carbs for weds, thurs and fri!!!!
That is asking for trouble! Most people fail to realize that you store anywhere from 175-250g in your liver , and anywhere from 375-500 as muscle glycogen.
Let's give the benefit of the doubt and say you are bigger than average (225lbs ripped) and are "depleted" so you now might be able to store more than that ---so instead if approximately 500-750g of glycogen,,,, you can top out at 1000g.
I would rather be 80% "full" and dry as all hell, then to push the envelope from 3000 grams of yams for 3 days!!!!
Trust me, high water and high sodium will keep you NOT flat.
Summation:
Be in shape 2 weeks out
keep water high and sodium high until friday before show
If using an "insurance policy" (diuretic) opt for dyazide only
Do not load carbs for 3 days to astronomical amounts
Use 1 day or day of show to load carbs and dry out simultaneously.
By Matt Porter - Pre-Contest Nutrition Coach
Comment