What do bodybuilders do a month out?

[Bulldog13]

I know bodybuilders do extra diet / supplement manipulation at intervals before a competition. Now don't get me wrong, I know I won't be a bodybuilder this summer (maybe next?) but I would like to utilize some of their advanced techniques for my first "competition" (Memorial Day Weekend @ the pool / beach).

I am already doing a strict low carb / paleo. I have dropped from 283 -> 250 as of the time of this writing, since New Years. ( http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2131647&highlight= ). I feel like if I was stricter with my diet I would be 240 now, but alas, those "carb refeeds" become more frequent once the firewater hits me.

I am 6'3" and have been steady lifting for about 15 years (probably since 7th grade). Though, of course, not all of those years were spent doing it the "right way". My ideal weight is 215, as my younger brother, who has a very similar build, at that weight has a 4 pack and starts to look emaciated if he goes lower. He is about an inch shorter, but miles ahead as far discipline over the years.

Anyways, is there anything I can do besides my steady low carb / paleo once I am 30 days out from Memorial Day Weekend? Special water/salt/supplement tricks?

As far as my workout routine, I lift 3x a week with 10 min of HIIT afterwards, and do 30 min of steady state "running" @ 5.6 mph 2x a week (for my heart). Don't laugh! When I first started doing steady state like October? of last year using Couch to 5K I couldn't "run" @ 4.0 mph more than 90 seconds.

Well? Let's hear it.

 

[Howard]

Don't sweat it.

 

[wheresmybacon]

*Dons Flame Suit*

I would look into IF. Intermittent Fasting. Martin Berkhan (http://www.leangains.com) advocates a 16/8 fast-to-feed protocol that I've been using with very good success. I'm not a body builder, just a guy who's been training a while who hasn't had much luck with the oft-preached 6 meals a day thing. Not only was it impracticle, I never felt satisfied.

I'm down about 17 pounds in a little over a month, going from 220 to 203. My goal weight is 185. I haven't lost any strength at all; in fact, with the lower volume routine Martin advocates, I've actually gotten stronger.

While IF doesn't give you a free pass to eat whatever the hell you want, I know that my diet - while protein-heavy - definitely isn't "clean" and I'm still getting results.

I'm a big advocate of whatever-works-for-you. After many years of trying silly diets and routines, I think I've found something that works for me.

edit: in particular, this article is what convinced me to give this protocol a go http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html.

 

[Whisper]

While I've never gotten much into bodybuilding myself, I've had friends who've competed. Some of their tips and tricks included ultra low-fat, low-carb, and low-cal diets. Starting a few days before shows, they would also often put themselves on some pretty hefty water restrictions to essentially dry out their skin and increase vascularity and visibility of striations. Some would go so far as to drink a shot or two of water, at most, for the day or two before the competition. Definitely wouldn't recommend that if you're going to be out in the sun and at a pool, though.

In terms of lifting routines, most will usually switch from a more strength-based, basic routine (i.e., lower reps, compound movements) in the off-season to a more isolationist routine (with higher reps, lower weight, and fewer compound exercises) a couple months out from competition.

 

[OptimumSlinky]

*Dons Flame Suit*

I would look into IF. Intermittent Fasting. Martin Berkhan (http://www.leangains.com) advocates a 16/8 fast-to-feed protocol that I've been using with very good success. I'm not a body builder, just a guy who's been training a while who hasn't had much luck with the oft-preached 6 meals a day thing. Not only was it impracticle, I never felt satisfied.

I'm down about 17 pounds in a little over a month, going from 220 to 203. My goal weight is 185. I haven't lost any strength at all; in fact, with the lower volume routine Martin advocates, I've actually gotten stronger.

While IF doesn't give you a free pass to eat whatever the hell you want, I know that my diet - while protein-heavy - definitely isn't "clean" and I'm still getting results.

I'm a big advocate of whatever-works-for-you. After many years of trying silly diets and routines, I think I've found something that works for me.

edit: in particular, this article is what convinced me to give this protocol a go http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html.

How does the 16/8 protocol work? I'm interested in this after reading is 10 myths.

 

[wheresmybacon]

How does the 16/8 protocol work? I'm interested in this after reading is 10 myths.

He does a much better job at explaining it than I could, so I'll direct you to the guide: http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

...but I'll also tell you what I do. It's a little different than what he suggests, but not totally. I just delay my largest meal of the day from 2PM to 4:30PM.

7-11:30 AM - @ Work. No food, but lots of black coffee.
11:15 AM - Drink 10g BCAA
11:30 AM - 12:15 - in the gym training time.
12:30 AM - back at work, drink the last half of my bottle of nasty aka 10g BCAA (Purple Wraath)
2 PM - Protein Shake: 2 scoops Syntha 6 + varying amount of skim or 1% Milk.
4:30 PM - At home from work, time to grub. I usually eat a very large protein-heavy meal. One that I do most often is a 2-patty burger on whole wheat bun with sweet potatoe fries.
9 PM - Meal #3. This one varies quite a bit but again I try to keep the protein very high.

Like I said before, IF doesn't give you a license to eat whatever the hell you want, there's certainly a lot more wiggle room with regard to having treats like cookies or pizza and such. My diet isn't clean by any stretch of the imagination, with the only hard and fast rules being eat for only 8 hours from 2-10 and eat lots of protein.

I'd be down even more weight if I could stay away from my wife's cookies and chips and salsa...lol

 

[OptimumSlinky]

I usually don't eat lunch till like 1PM anyways, so I am going to try a 1pm-9pm 16/8. Trick is getting back from the gym before 9pm to get my shake in. Going to have to order some BCAAs as well...