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QUESTION:
My first bodybuilding contest
is just four weeks away. What do you think I should focus
on in the gym until then? I know I need to get leaner, but
I’m afraid to lose the muscle I’ve managed to gain
over the past 8 months!
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ANSWER:
You have two major objectives for
competition day— be as "freaky big" as possible,
and be as "freaky lean" as possible. If you have to choose
between the two, go with the latter.
A strength
increase is of no value to you at this stage of the game, and putting
on noticeable mass in the coming weeks would be harder than nailing
Jello to a wall. You need to find a way to retain as
much mass as possible, but accept minor losses in mass in order
to decrease fat to an absolute minimum.
As a rule of thumb, exercises which
produce high levels of lactic acid are most productive for fat loss.
The noticeable burn associated with lactic acid production is a
great indicator that you using a system appropriate for pre-contest.
The "burn," suggesting lactic
acid presence, increases the likelihood of elevating HGH (human
growth hormone), which research shows to be important for facilitating
muscle growth and efficient fat metabolism.
Without a doubt, all your efforts
will be for naught without a disciplined diet. This may be the most
dramatic change of any component of your training regimen. I usually
see less value in high or even moderate carbohydrate diets in preparation
for a bodybuilding contest.
Check out Mesomorphosis columnist
Lyle McDonald’s article entitled "Training on the Cyclical
Ketogenic Diet." I think you’ll find it a insightful and
useful tool for dramatic fat loss.
Remember, bodybuilding is a sport!
No sport, especially bodybuilding,
is synonymous with health. Often bodybuilders question (as they
should) certain practices such as carbohydrate depleting, extreme
protein consumption, drug use, creatine loading, etc...
These methods should be looked at
under the microscope, not so athletes can avoid a practice that
has certain contraindications, but so they can weigh the benefits
and consequences. It is not particularly healthy to run 30 miles
a day, squat 1,000 pounds, or get punched in the face by Evander
Holyfield, or whatever your favorite pastime is.
However, we choose to do these things
because we are born with a certain urge that is satisfied by competition.
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