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A workout may
last an hour or two but dieting is 24 hours a day. You must have
willpower if you intend to be successful at this. It is also
expensive. Quality food, protein powders, MRP's (meal
replacements) and supplements add up quickly so be prepared. The
ultimate goal of the Competition Diet is to loose the maximum
amount of body fat while maintaining the maximum amount of lean
muscle mass. Be prepared however to loose some muscle during this
process. Proper supplementation my decrease muscle
loss and this will be addressed in another
section.
When do you start the diet? This depends largely
on your body composition and the date of the competition. It is
always a good idea to have your body fat level checked, the most
accurate results are obtained from water-immersion however
fat-callipers are fairly accurate when done properly.
Alternatively and post popularly, get someone who has competition
experience to assess your physique and take guidance from them to
ensure your diet is on course.
Most
bodybuilders will begin dieting around 12 weeks out from the
competition date. Others will find 8 weeks to be sufficient. It is
important to monitor your progress daily, especially in the final
weeks and to have someone whose judgement you can trust as towards
the end your self appraisal abilities will disappear.
If you are
not losing fat at an acceptable pace then increase your cardio. If
possible, do your cardio in the morning on an empty stomach, as
this will force your body to burn stored calories. This
practice alone can yield dramatic results. As a rule
however, try to let the diet do the cutting and do not rely too
much on cardio.
The last week
of the diet is a field of landmines and many competitors
experiment at this stage. Fat loading, carb loading, sodium
loading and depletion are all tricks of the trade. Each of these
is intended to increase muscle density and fullness while offering
maximum vascularity.
Peak
condition can only be maintained for a very short period of time,
therefore it is critical that peak condition be reached for the
day of the competition (ideally the morning show, which is known
as Pre-Judging). Any miscalculations and you may peak
the day before or after the show. It is a tragic to
see a bodybuilder who has trained and dieted consistently in a
ripped and vascular condition on Friday only to have the same
competitor come in flat and smooth on Saturday. You will need to
experiment with what works for you.
Monday:
Food: A minimum of 6 small meals. All meals should
contain protein from a variety of sources (chicken, steak, salmon,
white fish, turkey). Complex, higher fibre carbs before 1pm
(oats), protein and fibrous carbs from then on. . Absolutely no
refined flour, rice, sugar, etc. Good sources of carbs at this
stage are cucumber, mushroom, onion, beansprouts, red and green
peppers, celery, carrots, leafy green lettuce and similar
vegetables.
Try to eat every 2.5 hours.
Water: 1
to 2 gallons of low sodium water.
Supplement: 5
grams of L-Glutamine 4 times daily. Vitamin C 6 x 500mg throughout
the day.
Tuesday: Same as
above.
Wednesday
Food:
Meals
should be 6 or 7 of protein and starchy carbs. I personally advise
(subject to muscularity and sex) for men 700 grams of carbs today
spread across your 6 or 7 meals. For a woman 400 –
500g.
Water: Take in up to 3 gallons of
water.
Supplement: Potassium tablet 4 times daily. 5
grams of L-Glutamine 4 times daily. Vitamin C 6 x 500mg throughout
the day.
Thursday
Food:
Any
sodium should be cut dramatically. Read labels, nearly everything
contains sodium. Do your shopping in advance to be ready for this
time. It also is time to start carb loading, I personally advise
(subject to muscularity and sex) 500 grams of carbs today spread
across your 6 or 7 meals.
Water: Take in 2 gallons
of water today.
Supplement: Potassium tablet 4 times
daily. 5 grams of L-Glutamine 4 times daily. Vitamin C 10 x 500mg
throughout the day.
Friday
Food:
Same
as Thursday with extra careful attention to sodium and 300g of
carbs, 75g with meals 1-3 then the other 75g should be oats eaten
dry for supper, this acts like a diuretic in soaking up fluid so
your body can process the oats, thus helping you dry out.
Water:
Reduce water to 1.5 litres today mainly taken between morning and
6:00 PM. Sip sparingly and only as needed from 6:00 PM
on.
Supplement: Potassium tablet 4 times daily. 5
grams of L-Glutamine 4 times daily. Vitamin C 10 x 500mg
throughout the day.
Saturday (its show
time!)
Food:
Protein only, fillet steak and eggs for
breakfast. Take steak, chicken, turkey with you to eat as the day
goes on. Many competitors will take chocolate, baby food, rice
cakes and rice back stage with them for quick energy and muscle
fullness.
Water: Sip only as needed, not too much
and never gulp. By now you should be dropping water like crazy.
Your abs should be very defined, muscular definition and
vascularity should be very high. This is a very delicate balance.
Do not try anything new at this point to alter this condition.
SUPPLEMENTS:
If
you are at competition level then you have been at this game long
enough to know the truth about bodybuilding supplements. Many
supplements are 90% hype and only 10% results. When you see an
advertisement with a freakishly huge bodybuilder claiming that the
supplement that he is holding in the ad packed 30 lbs of lean
muscle on him in a short time the truth is that he has probably
never even tried that supplement. The guy is on steroids plain and
simple and he is being paid to lie. Therefore, never accept
advertisements or supplement claims at face value.
There are
however, a few supplements that are worth considering while in
contest preparation.
PROTEIN POWDER:. The
protein requirements of a bodybuilder vastly exceed those of the
sedentary public. You are constantly taxing your muscles by diet
and training and must insure that the proper nutrient balance is
available for recovery and growth. Protein Powder is just that.
Protein. No fillers, no carbs, no sugar, no bullshit. As a
competitive bodybuilder I aim for 1 ½ to 2 grams of protein
per pound of bodyweight per day. Others will contend that it is
per pound of "lean body weight" per day. I tend to stay
fairly lean even during the bulking phase. It is not wise to get
more than 15 lbs over what you expect to be your competition
weight. Nevertheless, Protein Powder is a must for any
bodybuilder, especially while in competition mode.
MEAL
REPLACEMENTS POWDERS (MRP): As the name implies, MRP's
are taken instead of a meal, neither with or in between. A typical
meal replacement drink is a balanced meal in itself. They are
nutritionally balanced to meet the nutrient requirements of an
entire meal with heavy emphasis on protein. An MRP is also a great
thing to have immediately after working out. Many people complain
about the cost of MRP's, which are typically bought in a box of 20
packets and will set you back £40.00 to £50.00. When
you consider however that each packet replaces an entire meal for
only £2.00 to £2.50 you see that they are actually
cost effective. Price varies considerably so shop a little and do
your homework. While dieting for competition, never leave home
without a MRP near by. They offer a convenient, high protein/low
fat alternative to fast food. The only exception to this is the
last week of the competition diet, which is dealt with elsewhere
on this page.
FAT
BURNERS: Fat Burners are compounds, often plant derived,
which effect metabolism by increasing thermogenesis (the
production of body heat). Most fat burners on the market are no
longer ephedrine based due to ephedrine being classed as a class C
medication in Europe.
Ephedrine by
itself is an effective thermogenic aid however when combined with
caffeine and L-Tyrosine there is an increase in the effects of the
ingredients compared to their use on their own. In other words,
the combined effect is greater than the sum of the separate
compounds. Taken together, these ingredients work synergistically
to increase metabolism and accelerate fat loss at a substantially
higher rate then when taken separately.
Many
supplement manufacturers market ephedrine free products under a
wide variety of names, some are good examples and work well when
taken as directed. These products can be effective and may be more
easily tolerated by some individuals than the ephedrine-based
supplements. Regardless of the type of thermogenic used however,
always get the advice of your physician. Contest preparation is
difficult enough and the diet is brutal. An effective fat burner
is a highly recommended weapon in the battle for muscular
definition.
L-Glutamine: L-Glutamine is an
essential amino acid which is very important to bodybuilders
because it has a muscle sparing effect after intense physical
stress. Roughly 60% of free-form amino acids floating in skeletal
muscles is L-glutamine. After an intense workout, glutamine levels
in the body are reduced by as much as 50%. Supplementing with
L-Glutamine may help body builders reduce the amount of muscle
deterioration that occurs because other tissues that need
glutamine will not rob the glutamine stored in the muscle cells.
While preparing for a competition, L-Glutamine may tip the balance
of the fat/muscle loss ratio in your favour. Please Note
– free form glutamine does not get to your muscles as it is
absorbed in your gut prior to reaching your bloodstream, so never
makes it to your muscles. Get peptide bonded
glutamine or a blend of both to keep your gut, immune system and
muscles happy.
Creatine:
Creatine has long been a part of many bodybuilders supplementation
but is not suitable for pre contest use – until now!
Kre-Alkalyn is a newly patented form of Creatine which has been pH
buffered to prevent any of the creatine being converted into
creatinine, the bad cousin of creatine which
causes water retention and bloating. This new creatine will be
more effective at lower doses and it does not
convert to creatinine, with no side effects you can use
this up to contest day for its cell volumising effects.
EFA’s:
Essential Fatty Acids are a necessity for human life, they form
the membranes round every cell in your body
POSING:
(Its harder than it looks - get a good mirror and practice - a
lot)
Posing is one of the most neglected elements in a
bodybuilder's arsenal. A good poser will sometimes walk away with
the trophy that would have normally been given to a superior
physique. When the judges evaluate you on stage, they are looking
for
1. Muscular size. Any person who diets
properly can come in ripped however that does not make them a
bodybuilder. By definition a bodybuilder should possess a greater
degree of muscularity then the average person.
.
2.
Muscular definition. An obese person may have a 22-inch
bicep however it will obviously lack definition. A properly
prepared bodybuilder will be hard and tight and exhibit clear
distinctions between adjoining muscle groups.
.
3.
Symmetry. A large and muscular chest will look out of
proportion if the legs are not adequately developed as well.
Similarly, large, well-defined triceps should be balanced by
equally developed biceps. It is difficult to conceal a neglected
body part when you are wearing nothing but posing trunks so give
priority to your weak areas.
.
4. Your ability to
present it. This is where posing is critical. You may
have the best physique on stage but if your posing lacks
confidence and correctness you may be marked down.
Mandatory
and optional poses vary somewhat with the sanctioning organization
so do your homework in advance to know what will be required of
you. It can be extremely embarrassing to have a judge call for a
pose that you are not familiar with. Most competitions will use
posing requirements which will be covered below.
MANDATORY
POSES;
Front Double Biceps
Front Lat Spread
Side
Chest
Side Triceps
Rear Double Biceps
Rear Lat Spread
Abdominal Pose
Most Muscular
The
WPF also include;
Rear Double Triceps
Side Chest
and Triceps from both sides
Side Twist Pose, which is with one
arm overhead to show obliques and intercostals
Posing Guide.
1.
I strongly advise you to first attend a competition as a spectator
in order to know what will be expected of you. Pay particular
attention to the length of time that each pose is held for.
2.
A video guide is a great way to learn and practice various
bodybuilding poses in the privacy of your own home. Getting some
videos of contests will cover the mandatory as well as some the
optional poses. Posing the Extraordinary way by Russ Testo is an
excellent video with emphasis on the more artistic and aesthetic
aspects of posing.
3. Practice, practice, practice. Posing
requires a great deal of strength and endurance. It is extremely
difficult to simultaneously flex everything from your ankles to
your ears while trying to appear relaxed and confident. It is not
uncommon to practice the various poses for ½ an hour a
day.
4. Supplement with potassium. It is embarrassing,
frustrating and painful to have muscle cramps while trying to hit
a pose on stage. I have seen many bodybuilders grimace in pain,
limp and unsuccessfully try to regain their composure. Additional
potassium may help to avoid this.
Tips for your
Individual Posing Routine:
You will be
required to perform an individual posing routing to music for the
evening show. Occasionally this routine will be preformed in the
morning (Pre-Judging) as well. During this routine you will be
allowed up to 90 seconds to emphasize what you consider to be your
strong points.
1. In this portion of the competition there
are no "required" poses. Therefore, put together a
routine that emphasis's your strong points hides your weak areas.
For instance, if you do not have a good lat-spread than leave the
front and rear lat spread poses out of your routine. Similarly, if
you lack calf development than I would not insert a double calf
raise into the routine.
2. Add variety. Do not repeat the
same poses over and over regardless of how good you are at it. I
have seen competitors hit a most muscular at the left of the
stage, again in the middle of the stage, again at the right and
then repeat. The judges will not be impressed with this lack of
variation.
3. Choose music that is tasteful and
inspirational. Music that is too loud and offensive may impress
your friends but will not find the same audience amongst the
judges and the spectators. Give them something that will inspire
and motivate them.
4. Work on transitions between poses.
Try to add style and flair. To hit a pose, stop and then hit
another without setting up the next pose may be boring and
unimpressive. You don't have to be a dancer however it helps if
your poses appear to flow seamlessly from one to the next.
5.
Smile if it fits your music and attitude. If not, a blank or
serious expression may be appropriate as well.
6. Be
Confident. Know what you want and what you are doing. If you are
unsure of yourself you will not portray an attitude of strength
and confidence.
7. Always bring 2 copies of your music. It
is important to have a backup. You only need to have a tape
malfunction once to appreciate the backup copy. Check with the
promoter to see if only tapes or CD are acceptable.
TANNING:
The
darker you are the more defined you will appear on stage. It is
very difficult to be too dark. The common expression is
"apply several coats of tan, when you think that you are
finally dark enough, apply another coat. A good natural base tan
is recommended however you will need to be considerably darker.
The most popular tan applications are:
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This is one of the most popular products used by
competitive bodybuilders to get a great, contest tan. Pro Tan’s
not messy, but does stain the skin for days until it gradually
washed off. Liable to make you look orange for days on end which
isn’t the best in day to day life.
|
Dream Tan is an easy to use emollient-based
tanning cream designed specifically for use by competitive
bodybuilders, must be well applied so you don’t end up
patchy. CAUTION – this stuff gets everywhere! It will smear
over clothes, bed sheets, walls, car seats, anything you can and
WILL touch.
|
An easy to use, water resistant, non-streaking
mousse that goes on dry and provides a great day-of-the-show brown
color, perfect for use on top of the Pro Tan Instant Competition
Color
|
Creates the darkest instant tan! JAN TANA'S dark
bronzer gives an exaggerated deep, dark tan. Perfect for Stage
use! For perfect contest color for any bodybuilding event. Does
not smudge or make a mess of anything you come into contact with
and looks most natural of all
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1.
Pro Tan Instant Competition Colour. This is a liquid
tanning agent that you apply with a sponge applicator. Several
coats are required to achieve maximum colour saturation however
when done correctly, the colour will be very dark, even and remain
fairly stable when applying oil or while sweating on stage. It
does not wash off easily however and will wear off unevenly. Also
it is messy when applying and has an unpleasant scent. Keep in
mind however that your main concern is how you look on stage
during the competition and not after. This is probably the most
popular of all competitions tans.
NOTE: Pro Tan can be
applied with the sponge applicator that comes with the bottle or a
regular, small, household sponge. It is more easily applied if
poured into a bowl rather than sprayed on.
2.
Dream Tan. Dream Tan is a lotion that applies quickly and
evenly. Typically this product is applied in the morning before
going on stage. While one coat may be sufficient, most competitors
will apply 2 coats for maximum darkness. Posing oil is not
necessary as this product already contains oil. This product
washes off completely and easily BUT it is very messy and smears
with the slightest touch.
3.
Pro Tan/Jan Tana Tanning Mousse. An easy to use, water
resistant, non-streaking mousse that goes on dry and provides a
great day-of-the-show brown colour on top of Pro Tan Instant
Competition Colour.
4. Jan Tana Competition
Tan. This is a quick and easy tan to apply product which
smells fruity and pleasant. It is a lotion which applies evenly
and will achieve a dark colour with just 2 or three coats. Jan
Tana also washes off more quickly than Pro Tan however it is may
to smear or run if used with oil or sweating. Jan Tana does
produce a glaze to use in conjunction with this.
NOTE: Apply
this product with your bare hands to get the most even
application. Many people wear rubber gloves however this tends to
drag the product and not allow for an even tan.
POSING
OIL: good posing oil will dramatically enhance your
muscularity while on stage. Most posing oils are acceptable as
long as they are not overly applied. Some competitors go overboard
and come on stage literally dripping oil. A thin, evenly applied
coat is all that is required. Popular posing oils are Pro Tan
Muscle Juice and Jan Tana Posing Oil. The Pro Tan offers more
shine while the Jan Tana Posing Oil is glossier. Pro Tan Hot Stuff
is a menthol-based oil that will warm your skin and enhance
vascularity while on stage. This can be used in place of posing
oil.
TANNING:
The darker you are the
more defined you will appear on stage. It is very difficult to be
too dark. The common expression is "apply several coats of
tan, when you think that you are finally dark enough, apply
another coat. A good natural base tan is recommended however you
will need to be considerably darker. The most popular tan
applications are:
This is one of the most popular
products used by competitive bodybuilders to get a great, contest
tan. Pro Tan’s not messy, but does stain the skin for days
until it gradually washed off. Liable to make you look orange for
days on end which isn’t the best in day to day life.
Dream
Tan is an easy to use emollient-based tanning cream designed
specifically for use by competitive bodybuilders, must be well
applied so you don’t end up patchy. CAUTION – this
stuff gets everywhere! It will smear over clothes, bed sheets,
walls, car seats, anything you can and WILL touch.
An easy
to use, water resistant, non-streaking mousse that goes on dry and
provides a great day-of-the-show brown color, perfect for use on
top of the Pro Tan Instant Competition Color.
Creates the
darkest instant tan! JAN TANA'S dark bronzer gives an exaggerated
deep, dark tan. Perfect for Stage use! For perfect contest color
for any bodybuilding event. Does not smudge or make a mess of
anything you come into contact with and looks most natural of all
1. Pro Tan Instant
Competition Colour. This is a liquid tanning agent that
you apply with a sponge applicator. Several coats are required to
achieve maximum colour saturation however when done correctly, the
colour will be very dark, even and remain fairly stable when
applying oil or while sweating on stage. It does not wash off
easily however and will wear off unevenly. Also it is messy when
applying and has an unpleasant scent. Keep in mind however that
your main concern is how you look on stage during the competition
and not after. This is probably the most popular of all
competitions tans.
NOTE: Pro Tan can be applied with the
sponge applicator that comes with the bottle or a regular, small,
household sponge. It is more easily applied if poured into a bowl
rather than sprayed on.
2. Dream Tan.
Dream Tan is a lotion that applies quickly and evenly. Typically
this product is applied in the morning before going on stage.
While one coat may be sufficient, most competitors will apply 2
coats for maximum darkness. Posing oil is not necessary as this
product already contains oil. This product washes off completely
and easily BUT it is very messy and smears with the slightest
touch.
3. Pro Tan/Jan Tana
Tanning Mousse. An easy to use, water resistant,
non-streaking mousse that goes on dry and provides a great
day-of-the-show brown colour on top of Pro Tan Instant Competition
Colour.
4. Jan Tana Competition
Tan. This is a quick and easy tan to apply product which
smells fruity and pleasant. It is a lotion which applies evenly
and will achieve a dark colour with just 2 or three coats. Jan
Tana also washes off more quickly than Pro Tan however it is may
to smear or run if used with oil or sweating. Jan Tana does
produce a glaze to use in conjunction with this.
NOTE: Apply
this product with your bare hands to get the most even
application. Many people wear rubber gloves however this tends to
drag the product and not allow for an even tan.
POSING
OIL: good posing oil will dramatically enhance your
muscularity while on stage. Most posing oils are acceptable as
long as they are not overly applied. Some competitors go overboard
and come on stage literally dripping oil. A thin, evenly applied
coat is all that is required. Popular posing oils are Pro Tan
Muscle Juice and Jan Tana Posing Oil. The Pro Tan offers more
shine while the Jan Tana Posing Oil is glossier. Pro Tan Hot Stuff
is a menthol-based oil that will warm your skin and enhance
vascularity while on stage. This can be used in place of posing
oil.
Jan Tana Posing Gel makes your body look bigger and more
defined. It highlights your muscularity, vascularity and hardness,
which is crucial for winning a competition.
The ultimate
physique presentation and total muscular definition posing oil
that will leave your competition in the pump-up room.
Buff
your muscular appearance with a smooth, sleek, and sheen look that
will blow your competition way. Muscle sheen is used by world
class bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts around the world.
Tan
anywhere, anytime with this dark immediate bronzer and sunless
tanner in one!
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