Bodybuilding inside world.
 

I see a lot of posts about a bber size, weight or how much he or she weighed at a show.

I will be honest and pull the plug here. Not to start anything just a cold hard fact. Remember I have done 15 shows (only 4 were in a w/c) and preped for 2 guest posing.

I bber don't really care about his weight it is only a tracking tool. Everything is how you look in the mirror.

Show day your weight is nothing unless you are borderline for a weight class. Also your weight will all depend on when and how you carb up and your water intake.
Everyone that don't compete and even some beginers think you cut water a few days out and carb load the night before. This is far from the truth.
It may work for some but not all. Some guy it worked for years ago, got it in a mag with a interview and *BBOOOMMM* its the thing all do. NOT.
Peek week for everyone is diffrent bringing things like your weight and size diffrent each day pre show, diffrent for everyone.

I will blow some minds here. Body manipulation example.
April 2011- Centeral USA on the left, Sep 2011- Cardinal on right.
16" arms day before the Buckeye(left), 15" day before the Cardinal(right).(yes a full inch smaller from a full depleation, were in April when I didn't depleate) (Pic's is un-altered, just a prime example of carb swelling and look over tape or scale)(I know my arms sweld well above 16" show day.)
I only measured for tracking fullness the day before the show. I also use a thumping method. Accusal arm size this measurement would be FALSE and a bogus reading due to how I personally do my show prep.

Fully deplete your muscles of Glycogen for a few days and they will suck up 4X what they will normally hold for a short time. (1 day). Called "Carbing up" but done wrong or not fully depleted you do whats known as spilling over. This comes from to many carbs not water. (The extra carbs spill over between muscle tissue and carbs hold water thats were water got the dirty rap.)

I hope now you all see why asking a bber his show weight or size is like asking what weight and size a sponge is. Makes no sense, to many variables can change size and weight, even though the number of fibers remain the same.

Really interesting post thanks Rich. Do your depletion tactics have any relevance or carryover for when I try to cut weight for a meet? I did a very simple water load/slight carb' and sodium depletion but am now wondering if I could do more without affecting strength...

LtL

This is all done in the Peek week and couple days before. So as far as strength it has NO relevance for bbing. Thats why it is in the "Bbing" section not "power lifting"

I know some bber that P/L and use the same strategy as I will for my first P/L meet. Weigh in at a lower weight class and carb up right after weigh in. It has to be timed right and done with foods your body reacts well with for it to work correctly. This is were logs and tracking things all year and daily comes in. ;)

All depends on your metabolize carbs. I know some bber that don't carb up till after they weigh in for a show or P/L meet because there body metabolizes carbs they found quick and efficiently, so they can pull it off.

If you only deplete and not do a cutting diet if you could deplete into a lower B/W class then fill back out. You would hit better lifts for the lower weight class than you would staying full and going in heavier and trying to set record lifts in that class.

It would boil down to do you like weighing in heavier or would you like to weigh in closer to dry LBM weight and refill and get better true weight to body weight ratio lifts?
When you weigh in full and tight you are 70% water weight. It on average only takes a few hours to fill back up. So I geuss it would also depend on how close together your weigh in and first lift are. ;)

Depleation takes nothing more than heavy @ss lifts with short brake over a set time for each muscle group, it is described in a post I made.
Its buried so I will have to search it.

Great job Rich. Definitely 15" gunz look bigger. But to be honest not just the conditioning, but the angle makes a huge difference. On left you have arms "spread out". On right, they are angled (effectively making the arm length look shorter, thus make the biceps look larger).

But despite all that in the 2nd pic you look much fuller and bigger. Awesome job at creating an illusion.

I can tell you this, they was no way they are only 15" in stage. That was fully depleated the day before at 15". I went from my prep shirt fitting lose the day before (heavy sets for a hour and 0 carbs) to it fitting to tight the day of show. ;)
The day of the show I took in my protein and over 400 carbs before noon. Ya I filled out. lol

Yes you are correct angle and conditioning all make a difference. Thats why I used to pics straight on from back. even though there was a slight bend in on arms in the later pic but I also have a turned head in the later pic that makes the arms look smaller as a general. ;)


LtL this post touches base on the carbing up.
http://muscleandbrawn.com/forums/nut...-you-need.html

Thanks Rich.

LtL

Your welcome. Now you see were I'm coming from on all the Q?'s about a bbers weight or size on show day. ;)

Bbing is as posted "Illusion", show your best and hide the rest. :)

Very interesting. It really shows how important prep can be to the finished product.

What an awesome thread!

Before my first show, i researched for hours and read through tons of stuff to find a post like this. Awesome work Rich!:rockon:

This is great information, Rich! Thanks for sharing!