Elite Physique

QUEST: What are the most common errors a competitor makes when they are prepping for their first show?

ANSWER:

When I initially work with a competitive athlete I like to see what they’ve done in the past. I try to get a complete picture so that I may put together the best plan of attack. Variables such as what type of diet they used in a previous show, what was their approach to training, what supplements were used etc. are extremely important pieces of data. Their feedback is vital and provides me with facts of what worked and what didn’t work. It provides clues to some of the mistakes that were made during their last prep. Below I wish to discuss the 3 top mistakes that competitors make and I’ll offer suggestions so that you, the loyal Muscle Insider reader, won’t make them when you prepare for your first show.

Believing the Gym Rats

When you drop your body fat levels the average gym goer is going to notice. Don’t be fooled by their well-intentioned complements. Let’s face it…most people in the gym have never seen a competitive athlete in stage shape and most are likely to be impressed with a 20 lbs weight drop on “The Last 10 lbs Bootcamp”. Sure that is a great loss in weight for average Joe but for a competitive athlete is should mean very little. Accept their complement gracefully but understand where it came from. Understand that these complements make many inexperienced competitors comfortable with a false sense of security and also could cause them to slack a bit on their diet or cardio sessions. If you have a coach, listen to their feedback or get honest feedback from an experienced friend who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Their straightforward constructive criticism is what you should be looking for. Save the complements from the gym rats for when you are trimming down for the beach not cutting up for a physique show.

Mixing Diets
Experimentation is good. It’s how you learn your body and fine tune your peaking process. However, mixing different dieting strategies is not going to end well. Try some new ideas after your show when you’re in shape but stick to your original game plan for show day. Adding mac nut oil to Aceto’s diet because Palumbo says mac nut oil is a good fat is crazy. Aceto’s diet is low fat and Palumbo’s diet is ketogenic – they mix together as well as Enth and Winny. When you decide on the method to cut up (ketogenic, carb cycling, low cals, high protein…etc) stick with that one method and follow it through to the show. There is something to be said for sticking it out until the end. You’ll learn if that approach served you well. If a ketogenic diet can get you ripped but you find yourself sneaking peanut butter or even worse a small amount of carbs then that diet may not be for you at this time. By following through with a set diet plan and not deviating by mixing diet approaches you are allowing for more true feedback on the effectiveness on your chosen diet strategy.

Changing the way you train
“Low reps build muscle and high reps will cut you up”. I’m not sure where this came from but I guarantee you that if you switch from heavy weights to lighter weights/high reps to cut up you will lose muscle. The heavy weights provide the stimulus to preserve muscle mass. As soon as you remove that stimulus you can kiss your hard work good-bye. I’m in favour of higher volume routines so if you want to include higher reps then do them after your heavy sets. If a client of mine is squatting 300 lbs at the onset of a diet I want to see them squatting 300 lbs near the conclusion. Sure you may lose a bit of strength but too much is not a good sign. Fight hard to keep the heavy poundages up and you’ll ensure maximum muscle retention.
I could have listed mistakes such as skipping out on cardio or cheating on the diet but we all know them and their negative effects. I wanted to shed some light on mistakes you may not think of or think have little effect on your conditioning. Trust me. The mistakes I discussed above are just as detrimental (if not more) as cheating on your diet. Hopefully, you won’t make them when you hit the stage for the first time.

If you want Dan Kennedy to answer one of your questions, send it to questions@muscle-insider.com or visit www.ElitePhysique.ca

PHOTO CREDIT: JASON BREEZE