Ever wonder what the best peak week tips are? Today We will explore them and I will go over my personal experience during the grueling week known as “peak week”.
And by the way, if your wondering I fell way behind on doing these updates as I was so focused on training & drained from carb cycling.
No joke I don’t think I could have written this blog during the last 2 weeks lol…
My past posts went over 10 reasons why I decided to do a physique competition and 7 things I did to prepare for a physique competition and 9 things I’m Doing While Training for a physique Competition.
Today I am going to talk about the best peak week tips while training for my physique competition. All of them I believe are equally important and play a role in looking your best on stage.
I can’t sit back and assume that I will always be in the top tier of these competitions unless I find ways to better myself again and again. Thanks to these simple peak week tips I at least had a fighting chance. Every person taking part in a physique competition will benefit from one or more of these tips.
So enjoy!
#1 Watch Your Water Intake
Water compromises more than 60 percent of your body composition. Of the water you take in, approximately 30 percent goes to the skin. When the skin has too much fluid, the physique lacks the detailed definition judges look for at these competitions. They will be unable to see the individual muscle striations thanks to good old h20 covering them, much as a thin layer of body fat would cover them. For this reason, you need to decrease your water intake over peak week.
I know what your thinking… and it sucks.
I drank 2 gallons of water each day for the first two days of the week. After that, I gradually start reducing my intake and, by the last day before the event, I’m only taking in trace amounts. Care must be taken, however, to ensure you don’t negatively affect your potassium and/or sodium levels, as you have taken away the electrolytes that are found in water.
You can also check out how to lose water weight for more information.
It’s important that you gradually reduce your water intake. If you do so suddenly, you will find you do not obtain the awesome results. The reason for this is reducing your water too quickly can lead to water being retained outside of the muscles.
You’ll end up looking like a bloated balloon!
#2 Sodium Intake During Peak Week
People often ignore the link between water retention and sodium, yet it is a proven fact that there is a relationship between the two and not a good one. When people have too much sodium in their body, you retain more water and you don’t want this the week of your competition.
Start the week with your normal sodium intake, typically between 1,750 and 2,000 mg per day. Over the week, decrease the amount of sodium you are taking in until the final day. On the final day, you should be taking in no more than trace amounts.
Don’t do this regularly, however.
Sodium depletion over the long run can lead to many complications. As your body will be depleted of sodium the last two days of competition week, make sure you take in slightly more calcium, magnesium, iron, and Vitamin B6 to compensate.
I personally recommend getting a good multivitamin.
Once the competition is over, it’s time to return to your normal salt intake to ensure you don’t have any ongoing issues.
#3 Potassium Is Your Best Friend
Potassium is another essential nutrient, but many people don’t recognize its importance in normal bodily functions. Potassium works together with sodium to regulate fluid balance in the cells of the body.
Furthermore, it plays an important role in muscle contractions. When both sodium and potassium levels in the body drop, muscle cramps are common. For this reason, you need to increase your potassium intake in conjunction with decreasing your sodium intake.
I personally would consume a banana
At the beginning of the week, you should be taking in approximately 3,000 mg of potassium. As the week progresses, you need to slowly increase this amount until you are taking in 6,000 mg. Once the competition ends, go back to the normal amounts of sodium and potassium.
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#4 Don’t Overtrain Or Go Crazy
Don’t try to do too much the week before the competition. Now is not the time to try a new routine or work out for hours on end each day. Your body needs to be ready for the competition a week in advance, so you can focus on fine-tuning during peak week and making the necessary adjustments to your diet, for example. If you focus on too many things at one time, you’re going to find that you don’t do as well as you hoped. Save the major changes for after the competition and use what is learned from the event to do better next time.
#5 Slowly Reduce Your Workout’s
Watch your workouts the week of the event. Start with a normal workout at the beginning of the week, but DO NOT add anything new, as mentioned above. Reduce the intensity of the workout every day, until you are at about 50 percent of your highest intensity level midweek. This helps to prevent muscle soreness and water retention.
#6 Get Your Pump On
Pump directly before the competition to show off your physique. When you pump right before you go on stage, you increase vascularity. This is due to the muscle fatigue experienced during weight training, and the fatigue leads to the body increasing blood flow to that area to sustain the delivery of oxygen. As a result, the muscles appear both fuller and larger. Make sure the workout covers the entire body, starting either at the shoulders and upper back or the calves and working to the other end of the body.
#7 Red Wine?
Many individuals choose to avoid alcohol when training for an event. If you fall into this category, you’re going to want to break your fast from alcohol 30 minutes before the event. Drink a glass of red wine to further boost vascularity, as the ethanol found in the drink goes straight to the bloodstream, as opposed to being broken down in the digestive tract.
I know who would have thought?
A photo posted by terryasher (@terryasher) on
#8 Carbs, Carbs & Carbs!
If you have read this far, you are probably wondering why I haven’t mentioned carbs yet.
I’ve saved this part of the FUN diet for last lol…
All too often, in their quest for the magic key to winning these competitions, they focus strictly on one aspect of training, such as their carbohydrate intake. You now have more information than they do and this gives you in edge if you decide to embark on a competition yourself.
In order to benefit the most from dietary changes, you need to manipulate the carbohydrates you are taking in. There is no set formula that can be used to determine how and when to manipulate carbohydrates, as each person’s metabolism is different. It depends on the person’s metabolic rate.
For those who have a resting metabolic rate that is slower than average, it’s best to cut carbohydrates back to the bare minimum during peak week. By the end of the week, a person with this body type should only be taking in small amounts of carbohydrates.
In contrast, a person with a high metabolic rate needs to take in more food. Reducing carbohydrates to trace amounts can produce the opposite of the desired effect. For example, a person with a fast metabolic rate who chooses to cut back significantly on their carbohydrates may find they look famished or depleted and their muscles aren’t as full as they would like.
The type of carbohydrates consumed is also of great importance during peak week. Make sure you are avoiding simple carbohydrates and taking in healthy ones, such as healthy grains.
Now is NOT the time to be snacking on your favorite junk food, don’t be an idiot!
Having said that, be sure to pack a simple carbohydrate snack for the day of the event. This snack needs to be consumed just before the competition to obtain the best results. Don’t overlook this simple step, and you’ll see how eating this snack benefits you when the winners are announced. Any foods that may produce gas or lead to bloat need to be avoided. This includes healthy foods, such as cabbage, broccoli, and beans. In addition to altering your appearance, the consumption of these items can lead to you feeling less than your best and this will show during the event.
I screwed up my first show and didn’t pack a simple carbohydrate, thank god my team at 619 muscle hooked me up with some rice cakes. Talk about a life saver!
Conclusion
I have used these tips with great success in my 1st & 2nd physique competition and I am sure they will be of help to you also. Be sure to browse my entire site to obtain additional information on how to succeed in any physique events or other fitness related challenges.
I know how great to just flat out win in a competition and would love to see you be able to do the same.
But remember It’s not the attention that you or I may receive or any funds I that you bring in.
It’s all about bettering yourself at the end of the day. Just to complete a physique competition is a huge accomplishment in it self.
As always I am updating my Instagram page with progress pictures & snap chat.
Be sure to check out my last post 10 things I learned from being in a physique competition.
-Terry Asher
Terry
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