Tweet
Bodybuilding Contest Prep - The 3 Biggest Mistakes
Contest Prep Mistake #1 - Time
You must give yourself enough of the above. Most people underestimate how long it takes to get in competition/photoshoot shape. I was about 8 weeks out in the first photo and already pretty lean.
As a general rule, if you don't have abs at the start of the diet, plan for 16-20 weeks. Otherwise you'll have to crash diet, which will cause muscle loss and you'll end up looking smooth and flat (in addition to becoming a public menace).
So, at first you must decide how many pounds you need to loose in order to get to the bodyfat level that your little heart desires. From there on, plan your diet with a reasonable caloric deficit so that you will drop about 1-2 lbs of fat a week (it won't be all fat, but that's another article).
Keep training as you did before. I still go as heavy as I can, in order to keep as much muscle as possible. Higher reps with lower weights do not burn more fat, but will put you at risk for muscle loss. As for cardio, start adding it gradually as you go along.
It is also preferable to be in shape 2-3 weeks before the event. This will allow you to properly taper off from training. Someone with rested muscles will simply look fuller and better than the guy who was doing two hours of cardio until a day ago. At same time, being in shape early will give you a chance to post as many Facebook updates as your friends can handle.
Contest Prep Mistake #2 - Over-Reliance on Supplements, Especially Fat Burners
Here is how the typical contest prep starts: calories are being cut, cardio added or increased and a fat burner is being thrown in the mix. Low and behold, the athlete loses weight, at least for a while. The problem with that is:
My approach is to keep some arrows in the quiver. At first you cut your calories by 500 a day. Your diet is responsible for 80+% of what you will look like, so it pays off to be meticulous in that department.
After two to three weeks of reduced calories, I start adding cardio for about 2x30 minutes per week. If you keep getting leaner while keeping your strength, stick with that approach. If not, I suggest cutting the calories further by 200/daily and adding a third cardio session. If your strength drops more than 15%, bump your calories (especially carbohydrates) by 40% for two to three days in order to upregulate the metabolism.
Finally, for the last 6 weeks you can use a fat burner to eliminate stubborn fat deposits. This will also help provide that extra boost of energy so you can make it through your workouts.I recommend to lay off the fat burner the last two or three days before your event since most of these substances can interfere with the carb load.
Contest Prep Mistake #1 - Time
You must give yourself enough of the above. Most people underestimate how long it takes to get in competition/photoshoot shape. I was about 8 weeks out in the first photo and already pretty lean.
As a general rule, if you don't have abs at the start of the diet, plan for 16-20 weeks. Otherwise you'll have to crash diet, which will cause muscle loss and you'll end up looking smooth and flat (in addition to becoming a public menace).
So, at first you must decide how many pounds you need to loose in order to get to the bodyfat level that your little heart desires. From there on, plan your diet with a reasonable caloric deficit so that you will drop about 1-2 lbs of fat a week (it won't be all fat, but that's another article).
Keep training as you did before. I still go as heavy as I can, in order to keep as much muscle as possible. Higher reps with lower weights do not burn more fat, but will put you at risk for muscle loss. As for cardio, start adding it gradually as you go along.
It is also preferable to be in shape 2-3 weeks before the event. This will allow you to properly taper off from training. Someone with rested muscles will simply look fuller and better than the guy who was doing two hours of cardio until a day ago. At same time, being in shape early will give you a chance to post as many Facebook updates as your friends can handle.
Contest Prep Mistake #2 - Over-Reliance on Supplements, Especially Fat Burners
Here is how the typical contest prep starts: calories are being cut, cardio added or increased and a fat burner is being thrown in the mix. Low and behold, the athlete loses weight, at least for a while. The problem with that is:
- You don't know what works.
- Where do you go from here if you reach a plateau?
My approach is to keep some arrows in the quiver. At first you cut your calories by 500 a day. Your diet is responsible for 80+% of what you will look like, so it pays off to be meticulous in that department.
After two to three weeks of reduced calories, I start adding cardio for about 2x30 minutes per week. If you keep getting leaner while keeping your strength, stick with that approach. If not, I suggest cutting the calories further by 200/daily and adding a third cardio session. If your strength drops more than 15%, bump your calories (especially carbohydrates) by 40% for two to three days in order to upregulate the metabolism.
Finally, for the last 6 weeks you can use a fat burner to eliminate stubborn fat deposits. This will also help provide that extra boost of energy so you can make it through your workouts.I recommend to lay off the fat burner the last two or three days before your event since most of these substances can interfere with the carb load.
Comment