Peak earlier and cruise into show

[Dancho]

Hi fellas,

been thinking the following... You diet for a contest. The contest approaches and you get leaner and leaner etc. The show comes and you are very lean, but not shredded lol. You say to yourself, if i had 2 more weeks with the progress i was making i would have looked much better.

So trying to avoid such situation has anyone tried to peak early for a show. Lets say a month out he is ready. Then stay there and cruise into the show. Maybe decrease a bit the cardio and/or up the cals a tad but nothing major. What were your results with this approach or you prefer the regular diet till show date?

 

[asteelz]

I know a good handful of guys that do this , and it seems to work very well. These men are also much older than I, with more knowledge of how to maintain that condition without losing lean tissue.

 

[bonacris]

Its hard to maintain that level of conditioning for so long. Sure some can do it but most will mess up

 

[Queefer]

You should always peak a few weeks early.........if not, 9 times out of 10 you will not be at your best..........I always try and look shredded a few weeks bf a contest so that I can be even more shredded for the show.

 

[mytreefiddy]

Exactly what I'm doing this time.... I'm gonna be 2 weeks out by 5 weeks out.... just maintain and cruise into it..... the only variable that's changed for me is GH.. I'm watching closely to see whether to pull it out at 2 weeks

 

[flexdurden]

IMO, you can never be ready too early. I've done "dry runs" of peak week a few weeks out of shows just to test strategies and refine things.

As long as you don't overdiet yourself, for example, achieving the look you've been shooting for but further reducing kcals and upping cardio, only to come in looking stringy.

This is where it helps to have a good coach in your corner. They will make sure you are where you need to be and come in looking your best, not overdieted, not soft, not stringy, but full, dry and shredded.

 

[warlock]

IMO, you can never be ready too early. I've done "dry runs" of peak week a few weeks out of shows just to test strategies and refine things.

As long as you don't overdiet yourself, for example, achieving the look you've been shooting for but further reducing kcals and upping cardio, only to come in looking stringy.

This is where it helps to have a good coach in your corner. They will make sure you are where you need to be and come in looking your best, not overdieted, not soft, not stringy, but full, dry and shredded.

That's an excellent point. I totally agree with you. The key is to find someone good that can help you through this process. Doing "dry runs" sounds like a great idea.

I know you have a lot of experience as far as coaches go. Who would you recommend as a coach that will certainly bring you 100% at your best (if you follow the plan)?

 

[Cortisol]

Pros from So Cal did this back in the nineties:

Totally dieted down and flat 10 days out. Gradually carb up (eat a bit more fat to) over 10 days.

Let diuretics do their magic.

I was not a pro, but this program worked very well for me. Depleting and loading is a crap shoot, sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.

 

[Cortisol]

IMO, you can never be ready too early. I've done "dry runs" of peak week a few weeks out of shows just to test strategies and refine things.

As long as you don't overdiet yourself, for example, achieving the look you've been shooting for but further reducing kcals and upping cardio, only to come in looking stringy.

This is where it helps to have a good coach in your corner. They will make sure you are where you need to be and come in looking your best, not overdieted, not soft, not stringy, but full, dry and shredded.

How are you doing, Brother?

Any updates?

 

[flexdurden]

That's an excellent point. I totally agree with you. The key is to find someone good that can help you through this process. Doing "dry runs" sounds like a great idea.

I know you have a lot of experience as far as coaches go. Who would you recommend as a coach that will certainly bring you 100% at your best (if you follow the plan)?

I will PM you... The coaches I've used, although members here, are not sponsors on the website.

In response to the above poster, diuretics aren't needed... you can get bone dry without them (using natural diuretics)

 

[flexdurden]

How are you doing, Brother?

Any updates?

Getting married on Saturday

 

[Cortisol]

Getting married on Saturday

I take you did not read the marriage joke I posted on your other thread?

 

[Cortisol]

I will PM you... The coaches I've used, although members here, are not sponsors on the website.

In response to the above poster, diuretics aren't needed... you can get bone dry without them (using natural diuretics)

In my experience, for every person who depletes and loads, and comes in dry, at least 1 or 2 do not.

The forums do not make this clear for the following reason: Someone comes in 100% sharp, does well, and then posts up about thei win and good performance.

Someone else who depleted and loaded, coms in with spillage and does poorly is not going to post up on the forums. You will not see "Hey everyone, I was holding water and didn't make the night show."

I was working with 2 competitors from the Phil Heath show, a boyfriend and girlfriend duo. I ran their gear program, I did not do their last 10 days. A local deplete and load Guru did.

It was her second show, and she came in sharp. 2nd place out of 30 girls, and the gal who beat her won the overall.

He did physique and came in watery. They used the same prep coach and similar deplete and load protocols.

Worked for her, not for him. In the last year I have seen deplete and load not work for 4 out of 5 guys. YMMV.

 

[flexdurden]

I take you did not read the marriage joke I posted on your other thread?

I just saw it...

In my experience, for every person who depletes and loads, and comes in dry, at least 1 or 2 do not.

The forums do not make this clear for the following reason: Someone comes in 100% sharp, does well, and then posts up about thei win and good performance.

Someone else who depleted and loaded, coms in with spillage and does poorly is not going to post up on the forums. You will not see "Hey everyone, I was holding water and didn't make the night show."

I was working with 2 competitors from the Phil Heath show, a boyfriend and girlfriend duo. I ran their gear program, I did not do their last 10 days. A local deplete and load Guru did.

It was her second show, and she came in sharp. 2nd place out of 30 girls, and the gal who beat her won the overall.

He did physique and came in watery. They used the same prep coach and similar deplete and load protocols.

Worked for her, not for him. In the last year I have seen deplete and load not work for 4 out of 5 guys. YMMV.

I never mentioned deplete and load strategies, I simply said you can come in dry without diuretics.

One particular coach I've worked with has a pretty solid track record doing what he does WITHOUT diuretics. He is also probably one of the smartest people in bodybuilding...

I do not believe in drastic changes at the end of prep... a good coach will adjust the dry out strategy based on what they see works best with the client.

 

[Latson]

Be ready a couple weeks out and make MINOR changes...nothing crazy...this is not rocket science

 

[Dancho]

I just saw it...




I never mentioned deplete and load strategies, I simply said you can come in dry without diuretics.

One particular coach I've worked with has a pretty solid track record doing what he does WITHOUT diuretics. He is also probably one of the smartest people in bodybuilding...

I do not believe in drastic changes at the end of prep... a good coach will adjust the dry out strategy based on what they see works best with the client.

does it include drinking insane amounts of water and then stop it? i would rather take diuretic. imo it is healthier to pop a pill or 2 and feel normal than forcedrinking and feel like drawn.

 

[Dancho]

back to the topic. has anyone tried be 5-6%bf 2-3 months out and then increase cals very slowly like 100cals a week along with increase in cardio and gear, thus growing into the show?

 

[Cortisol]

does it include drinking insane amounts of water and then stop it? i would rather take diuretic. imo it is healthier to pop a pill or 2 and feel normal than forcedrinking and feel like drawn.

There is a very, very specific formula for diuretic use. You use the 3 different types of diuretics (only using a very small amount of Lasix the night before the show). Aldosterone blocker, then thiazide in very carefully monitored and titrated amounts.

Do not mess with diuretics unless you 100% know what you are doing.

 

[Cortisol]

back to the topic. has anyone tried be 5-6%bf 2-3 months out and then increase cals very slowly like 100cals a week along with increase in cardio and gear, thus growing into the show?

No. I have people completely dieted down at the 14 day mark. Carbs are dropped low, 200 grams for a 200 lb BBer. Hold for 4 days, then very gradually increased for 10 days. Wednessday before the show carbs (adjusted for the individual) are @ around 500 grams.

We may bump up a bit Thursday and Friday, depending how you look.

Cardio is cut back, but you are doing lots of posing, holding mandatories for 60seconds each.

 

[warlock]

There is a very, very specific formula for diuretic use. You use the 3 different types of diuretics (only using a very small amount of Lasix the night before the show). Aldosterone blocker, then thiazide in very carefully monitored and titrated amounts.

Do not mess with diuretics unless you 100% know what you are doing.

Could you list the protocol?