How many days out should cardio be stopped before a show?

[DOOGIE DOG]

How many days out do you guys recommend cutting out all cardio before a show?

 

[hemipower]

4 to 6 I usually say...diet/water dependent

If you are not ready to step on stage 6 to 10 days out then you are not ready and more cardio won't do it...

The final week is ALL diet and water...sodium manipulation too...

Have fun!

 

[Phidias]

I understand what hemipower said, but if you've been used to doing cardio since the beginning of your prep, it might be a better idea to go on till 3 or 2 days out... just for peace of mind. The last week is often a time when u freak out and second guess yourself about every 10 min ... so the last thing you need is to radically change your schedule.

Keep doing what you've been doing for as long as you can till you step on stage... those "last minute" changes are unfortunately the main reason why too many guys mess up their whole prep and show up looking horrible, whereas they were spot on at the one week out mark.

 

[DOOGIE DOG]

Thank you my friends. If I were do do a glycgen depletion workout on Monday and Tuesday...and carb up earlier in the week on monday and tuesday.. show being on saturday...cardio should be stopped on wednesday or it would rob my glycoven storage i believe..am i going in the right direction here?

 

[hemipower]

Thank you my friends. If I were do do a glycgen depletion workout on Monday and Tuesday...and carb up earlier in the week on monday and tuesday.. show being on saturday...cardio should be stopped on wednesday or it would rob my glycoven storage i believe..am i going in the right direction here?

Carb UP starting Monday and Tuesday? Not sure what you intended there but:

To comment on the above...in the final days before the show diet/water/Na are really important but he is absolutely correct! In the last few days a pretty visible difference can be made mainly dependent upon the factors I have above...not much change can be made with cardio but if it keeps you MENTALLY in the game then it won't harm you to do cardio in the glycogen depletion stages...but once you begin carbing up (most likely sometimes Wed) I personally would NOT do anything but some posing practice...

Just my 3cc's...

 

[Marshal-1]

I start tapering it down a week out but like to leave some in at least through Wednesday and maybe even a short session thursday morning.

 

[DOOGIE DOG]

Carb UP starting Monday and Tuesday? Not sure what you intended there but:
Just my 3cc's...

I was contemplating on carbing-up earlier in the week monday n tuesday on my last weight training/cardio days then sail into show on less carbs fully hydrated. This is similar to what Hill, Norton, and Rowland preaches What says you guys? Would that work great? I really need to pinpoint this thing down as I am only 6 week away..

 

[Shelby]

I was contemplating on carbing-up earlier in the week monday n tuesday on my last weight training/cardio days then sail into show on less carbs fully hydrated. This is similar to what Hill, Norton, and Rowland preaches What says you guys? Would that work great? I really need to pinpoint this thing down as I am only 6 week away..

Why don't you do a test run?
I take it this is your first time competing?

 

[hemipower]

I was contemplating on carbing-up earlier in the week monday n tuesday on my last weight training/cardio days then sail into show on less carbs fully hydrated. This is similar to what Hill, Norton, and Rowland preaches What says you guys? Would that work great? I really need to pinpoint this thing down as I am only 6 week away..

Never tried it personally...everyone is different. Give it a try

 

[DOOGIE DOG]

Why don't you do a test run?
I take it this is your first time competing?

i have done two trial runs and I fill out employing both early and late weekly carb ups for 2 days at a shot. Just not sure which is best but with early carb up i can make adjustments and with late carb up you only get once chance and have no room for errors so I think I will carb load on monday and tuesday alogn with lifting and cardio then cruise into show with less carbs, less salt but some salt and cut water out only night before show as dehydration cause me to go flat and puffy. Am I crazy or does this work well for a lot of competitiors? I am under the impression most guys carb up 2-3 days before a show but they often use diurectics which I am scared to take.

Any comments are very much appreciated. It makes me feel at ease getting advice from professionals.

 

[Johnny Smiles]

i have done two trial runs and I fill out employing both early and late weekly carb ups for 2 days at a shot. Just not sure which is best but with early carb up i can make adjustments and with late carb up you only get once chance and have no room for errors so I think I will carb load on monday and tuesday alogn with lifting and cardio then cruise into show with less carbs, less salt but some salt and cut water out only night before show as dehydration cause me to go flat and puffy. Am I crazy or does this work well for a lot of competitiors? I am under the impression most guys carb up 2-3 days before a show but they often use diurectics which I am scared to take.

Any comments are very much appreciated. It makes me feel at ease getting advice from professionals.

i personally don't think thats a good idea.
if you will be on low carbs AFTER that carb up then you will slowly deflate due to glycogen stores dwindling after the load up. its too far out from the actual show.
hire a trainer, thats actually a better answer. phil is good...
-JS

 

[roddy]

I understand what hemipower said, but if you've been used to doing cardio since the beginning of your prep, it might be a better idea to go on till 3 or 2 days out... just for peace of mind. The last week is often a time when u freak out and second guess yourself about every 10 min ... so the last thing you need is to radically change your schedule.

Keep doing what you've been doing for as long as you can till you step on stage... those "last minute" changes are unfortunately the main reason why too many guys mess up their whole prep and show up looking horrible, whereas they were spot on at the one week out mark.

this is the best advice given period.

 

[DOOGIE DOG]

i personally don't think thats a good idea.
if you will be on low carbs AFTER that carb up then you will slowly deflate due to glycogen stores dwindling after the load up. its too far out from the actual show.
hire a trainer, thats actually a better answer. phil is good...
-JS

I understand where you are coming from. I was told that by loading carbs during a time of lifting wegihts earlier in the week you will increase glycogen retention as opposed to chancing some of the glycogen being stored as fat but Dave Palumbo is against the early week carb load like Phil I suppose!? Phil sounds like a knowlegable guy. He looks amazing! It would be next year before I could afford Phil. In the mean time, just looking for opinions from experienced competitors.

 

[DOOGIE DOG]

this is the best advice given period.

Hmm. This sounds like the advice Emeric was handing out. This could be the best idea yet. Don't early carb load and do small carb loading at end if my memory seves me correctly. I think this approach is going to be best for my body type. Much appreciated roddy.

 

[LBJK88981]

How many days out do you guys recommend cutting out all cardio before a show?

I usually base it on a few things:

1-condition
2-amount (if any) of depleting days
3- how far out carbing up starts

If I am on point and not depleting, I will continue the cardio until I begin carbing up

If I am a little behind and need to deplete, I will also continue the cardio until carbing up.

If I am on point but holding fluids or find it wise to deplete, then I will likely either eliminate or cut back 50% on the cardio and then cut it out 100% during carb-up days.

-Alex