The Last Week of Competition Preparation...
 
By this time there is no question that the diet and preparation for your competition is taking its toll. No matter how great your preparation may be with diet and training. When being as ripped and cut has a competitor is expected to be your muscles cells will shrink and your energy levels will be low because you may have lost muscle glycogen.

There are so many different theories of the right and wrong way to carb deplete, carb load, water load, water deplete, salt load, salt deplete and so on... I really believe watching the hundreds of people I have seen get up on stage that it may take a few competitions to get it right and then even when you think it’s right you can have a competition preparation experience that isn’t quite to plan. I have seen people that their diet and training is exactly the same but wham... a few days out from competition some extra life tests are thrown at the competitor, the stress levels go up including cordisol levels and bang the competitor is holding more fluid, hence a different result up on stage...

The last thing you want to do is get up on stage tired and looking unhealthy. Competitors getting upon stage looking two dimensional - meaning to me that the muscle isn’t nice and full. If you have competed before you will understand this but why is it a few days after competition after you have had a few big meals (Usually carb laden) you can look better than on competition day. I know Arnold would stop dieting a week before his competition day and prepare his prep has if he was competing a week earlier than he actually was for this reason. Most physiques look better because the extra food has helped repair and rebuild the body.
It’s important to note also that if you are under guidance to a coach or trainer that it is best to trust the process and to not make any decisions about changing diet or their training methods or even trainers until after the competition. It always comes together at the end and sometimes stressing if what you are doing is right will only make matters worse. Listen to your trainer and coach and remember why you went to see them in the first place. You will find that good willing people will have their opinion on what to do but at this stage you don’t want to complicate the situation at all!

Hers a bit more information to empower yourself and to understand what your trainer or coach may be asking you to do. Again there is really no right or wrong and it can take a few competitions to get what’s right for you...

So what is Carb-Depletion?

Carb-Depletion refers to emptying reserves of carbohydrates by avoiding or limiting their consumption. The underlying reason for carbing-up is to increase your bodies’ affinity for carbohydrates during the carbing-up phase. The typical method of contest prep carb depletion used in the final week involves going on a zero carb diet a couple days before starting the carbing-up phase. As carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source, once depleted the body must resort to fat-burning to provide energy. Fat is actually a much more efficient source of energy than carbohydrates anyway. You're precontest diet should've already left you very low on fat as it is. Because it takes a little time for the carb-depletion to take effect, bodybuilders should not wait until the last minute or it will be a case of "too little, too late." There must be adequate time available to carb-up before the big day. Nevertheless, if your diet was strict enough (and usually it was), you will already be fairly carb-depleted at the one-week until contest point. This being the case, carb-depletion would be pointless and unnecessary. You should, however, continue to gradually increase your food intake during the start of the week prior to competition. This will give your body and muscles time to regain glycogen stores and recuperate from your depleting diet. Then, carb-up no later than three days before the competition. For example, if your competition is Saturday, start carbing-up on Wednesday at the latest.

What is Carbing-up?

Carbing-up is the process of saturating your muscles with glycogen by increasing your carbohydrate and fat intake drastically as well before the contest to make them fuller. Carbing-up works so well because you go from a depleted state to a saturated state so quickly. Don't worry; your body won't have time to make fat stores out of what you give it. Instead, your muscles will get larger, you will have more energy, and the volume of water within the cells will increase (what you want), while the water volume between the muscle and skin (what you don't want) will decrease making you look more shredded.

The best way to carb load is with many small meals rich in complex carbs like yams, whole wheat bread, brown rice, pasta, yogurt, fruit and lots of veggies. Throw in a few healthy fats for good measure. You want essential fatty acids (EFAs) like salmon, avocados, canola oil, sesame oil, or safflower oil, not saturated fats like margarine, butter, or shortening. At any rate, the body takes a certain amount of time to assimilate and absorb the carbs you're loading, so try to eat smaller meals six or more times throughout the final three days rather than two to three large, overloaded meals. If the meals you eat are too large, it could cause your blood-sugar to rise because you won't be able to metabolize it all. This may result in water-retention and flat muscles...so load up on those carbs, but keep your portions small, numerous, and consistent, and you will look shredded and hugely muscular!

Competition Day
Keep your muscles hard by flexing and squeezing them in a mirror two to three days prior to the contest. This won't deplete your glycogen stores you've gained by carbing up and will keep your muscles defined and in practice for the show.

The night before your contest you've got to watch your water intake. At this point, you don't want to risk looking flat, so cut back a little on your water by sipping rather than drinking glasses of water. If you feel over-dehydrated then don't hesitate to drink a good amount of water though! Your health and safety is important, and being properly hydrated will help you avoid cramping up and will keep your electrolytes high. In fact, you should continue to drink a normal amount of water right up until the night prior to the contest. Don't restrict your fluids too severely beforehand. Try cutting down your water intake to about half of normal that night. This should avoid your body going into a water-retention state and your body should continue to expel additional H2O from your body as normal.

The morning of the show continue to sip water to avoid dehydration. Considering your muscles are about three-quarters water, you don't want to lose too much or your size will suffer. The glycogen in your muscles from carb-loading previously will attract water into the muscles at about a three to one ratio. This represents quite a bit of mass. Getting as much water into the cells and as little between muscle and skin safely is the goal here. You're essentially shrink-wrapping your skin around your super-striated muscles to look as cut and ripped as possible. So, getting rid of water the wrong way...with strong diuretics or severe dehydration for too long, will only cause you to be smaller...not the best way to win the judges favor.

What about sodium?

It's true that sodium in too high of amounts prior to the contest can lead to increased water retention in the wrong places. However, if you are completely hydrated, then your body will have no reason to retain water and will expel the additional sodium out with the excess water. Basically, the ones who were having problems with sodium were the same ones who were too dehydrated. That's why the sodium affected them so much.

Actually, proper levels of sodium and potassium are essential to muscle contractions, nerve impulses, and chemical balance in the body.  Some bodybuilders restrict sodium-containing foods, table salt, and even drink distilled water weeks before a contest. This severe depletion can be the cause painful muscle cramps. Instead, take a more moderate approach to controlling your precontest sodium intake. Avoid foods with excessive amounts of sodium and drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. As long as you're not pigging out on Salt & Vinegar chips with Fast Food Fried Chicken and drinking a normal amount of regular water you should be okay.

Tips to Keep Water Retention Under Your Control:

• Spending a little time in the sun will help your skin tone as well as bake away some of the excess water. Drink a fair amount of water to replenish your supply.
• Keep your blood sugar under control by controlling your diet. Don't get too hungry and don't get too full. It's better to eat six small meals throughout the day than to go without or pig out.
• Stay away from excessively-sodium-filled-foods.
• Check the side effects of any drug or chemical that you may take before you take it. Medication can sometimes hold onto fluid (Also check with Asada to make sure that the drug you are taking is not a banned substance.)
• Practicing posing is a good way to squeeze out extra water from your body.
• Training and exercising can help you sweat out a lot of water, just remember to put some back in to avoid retaining water.
• A good multivitamin also can help you metabolize foods and keep your energy up and your body more balanced. (I am not a big fan of diuretics even the natural ones if your diet is good then there will be no need to try a natural diuretic but celery and Juniper are tow you can look into)
• Don't cut down on your fluid intake until the night before the contest and then only cut it about in half. Remember to sip water that night and the next day to keep hydrated.
• Remember being stress can also be the cause of holding onto fluid has it is upsetting the cortisol levels and the balance of your body.
• Remember if you dont drink thinking this will help fluid retention the opposite is actually true has your body will hold onto the fluid if not enough is going in.

Brief information on Tanning:

If your comp is say Sunday wax or shave on the Thursday. (Yes wax all over) After shaving, use an exfoliating cleanser. I would wait until the next day for your skin to settle before putting on the base coat.  It is important to not moisturize before putting on your base coat (We recommend Contest Colour)  Using a small paint roller or paintbrush start putting on a layer of base coat on the Friday and I would pretty much encourage you to put on a layer morning and night until the competition. Wearing loose clothing and using old bedding (Some will come off naturally) you can shower in-between layers lightly. I then would apply a chosen top coat such as Dream Tan or Body Shimmer the morning of the show let it dry and then apply another coat for a touch up before going on stage.

Models generally would not apply a top coat but may use a few layers of contest base coat or get some spray tanning on for a base.
 

Remember this is a guide only and information here is based on tried and tested competitors and science based. Empowering yourself with information is important but if you have a coach or trainer  believe in them that the plan will all come together how it should.