Your last week of prep before a show is a crucial time that can have a huge impact on the final package you present onstage!
Here are a few things you should consider:
If you are new to the sport get someone with experience to guide you.
When you first compete you definitely need someone to guide you through the whole pre-contest process from 3-4 months out, not just the last week. Be selective and make sure you choose the right person for you! I personally think they should be:
Suitably qualified
Had competition experience
A resume of clients they have worked with in the past and present with references for you to check.
Have a genuine caring for your well-being and goals.
A motivator
Willing to give you honest feed back on progress and a realistic expectation of how you will go in the competition.
Willing to give you the knowledge to become more independent for your future shows.
Someone you trust and can rely upon to be there when needed!
Staying focused and sticking to your pre-contest nutrition plan
It has been working for you to this point so why change too much?
Remember you have just done all the hard work and dieted for the last 12-16 weeks so stick to the programme! I change very little in relation to my diet the last week before comp day. My main modifications are that I increase my water intake on Monday to around 5 litres and maintain this till Thursday. Friday I drop to around 3-4 litres and drink whenever thirsty on Saturday. I also maintain sodium levels to the same level as the off-season and reduce them slightly on Friday night. Both these strategies allow me to remove any excess water from under my skin while keeping my muscles full. I also use the mirror as a guide; if I look flat or need to tighten up a fraction more I adjust my carbohydrate intake with more or less vegetables like broccoli, pumpkin, green beans and carrots.
Listening to other people’s advice
It is amazing what pearls of wisdom people throw at you right at the last minute before a show. Stay focussed on your plan, but still have an open mind, listen (Even write it down for further consideration for the next show), but try to avoid implementing anything completely new or trying too many different ideas at once as it can play havoc with the mind and the body. (Plus you never know exactly what helped or hindered your physique on stage).
Making sure you adjust your training so you are properly rested for the contest day.
Again this is very specific to the individual and the type of diet they are following. For the nationals I trained my legs the Saturday beforehand and gave them a whole weeks rest while I trained Chest /Back on Monday and Shoulders/Arms on Wednesday. I have noticed that my legs consistently look harder and fuller 4-5 days after training my legs so next competition I will train legs on Monday and upper body workout on Wednesday. I try to train as heavy and intensely as possible in these sessions but with half the workload. This allows me to mentally feel like I have done enough and physically I have recovered for Saturday so I can get stuck in during the pre-stage pump up sessions.
Keeping a log of what you do for training, dieting and how you look.
You need to keep a diary if you want to keep making progress on a regular basis each year. If it is written down you know exactly what’s working and what isn’t. You can analyse the data to see what can be fine tuned to make you a better athlete. In the past I have left it to memory and realised after the show that I hadn’t done something that had helped me look a certain way in previous shows. Here was my last week from my diary:
Training
Saturday 3 October Total workout = 29 minutes Weight: 63.2kg
Legs
Exercise Weight Reps
- RP* Leg curl 8p 9, 4, 3 + x-reps
- RP Stiff dead-lift 90kg 10,10
- RP Leg Press 330kg 21, 10
- RP Hack calf-raise (5) 180kg 15,14,12,11,11
- RP Calf raise stack +40kg 16,13,10
- RP Barbell Forearm curl 60kg 15, 11, 10 + 20 sec hold
RP*=rest-pause / Supplements before training: Plasmajet 5 caps (2 hours before) & 15g glutamine. After training: 24 g whey isolate, Vitamin C, mineral supplement and 5 g glutamine.
Comment: Awesome workout good pump and personal best on leg press!
Mon 5 October Total workout = 26 minutes
Back & Chest
Exercise Weight Reps
- RP* Chins 10kg 10, 4 + x-reps + BW x 8
- RP Pull downs 65kg 10, 6
- SS1* DB incline Bench 35kg 16, 3
- SS1 DB incline fly 20kg 11, 4
- RP Machine Row 150pds 20, 15
- Straight 1-arm pull down 4p 15, 9
- DXO Feet on bench press up 20kg 7 + drop Bodyweight for 5
RP*=rest-pause, SS1 = superset, DXO =1 1/2 reps/ Supplements before & after training: 24g Whey isolate, Vitamin C, mineral supplement & 5 g glutamine, Plasma jet 5 caps (only 2 hours before).
Comment: Awesome workout and another good pump.
Mon 7 October Total workout = 24 minutes
Shoulder & Arms
Exercise Weight Reps
- DB bent raise 20kg 35, 16
- DB pull back 30kg 15
- DB side raise 20kg 16, 3
- DB side row 35kg 12
- Dips BW 35
- DB Curl 20kg 12 + XTD with 30kg for 10
- Cable tri ext 20kg 7 + drop Bodyweight for 5
- Reverse Cable Curls 7p 10 + x reps
- RP Leg press calf raise 175kg 15, 8, 6, 5, 4
XTD= hammer grip curl x-reps / Supplements before & after training: 24g Whey isolate, Vitamin C, mineral supplement & 5 g glutamine, Plasma jet 7caps (2 hours before).
Comment: Felt good!! Good pump!
Nutrition
My diet involves under eating during the day and overeating at night (Yes this diet is not for everyone but it suits me).
Meal 1-5 and 7 are the same all last week.
They are Protein shakes, macadamia nuts and carrots + Vitamin C, fish oil, a mineral supplement, ALA, Detox formula & pro-biotic.
Main meals:
3 OCT: 175g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, beetroot, onions, 2 carrots, 2 rice cakes, 8 macadamia nuts, garlic salt, curry powder.
Comment: Full but not as lean looking as I would like. Cut out beetroot and rice cakes.
4 OCT: 170g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 2 carrots, 6 asparagus, 10 macadamia nuts, garlic salt, and curry powder.
Comment: Look better for cutting beetroot and rice cakes out.
5 OCT: 170g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 2 carrots, 6 asparagus, 10 macadamia nuts, garlic salt, and curry powder.
Comment: Look better again- keep meal the same
6 OCT: 170g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 2 carrots, 6 asparagus, 8 macadamia nuts, garlic salt, and curry powder.
Comment: (look ripped!!-good on track will add courgette and carrot to next meal).
7 OCT: 170g lamb, 1/2kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 3 carrots, 6 asparagus, 8 macadamia nuts, courgette, garlic salt, curry powder.
Comment: Leaner again this morning!
8 OCT: 170g lamb, ½ kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 3 carrots, 6, 10 macadamia nuts, courgette, garlic salt, curry powder.
Comment: on track, cut out asparagus
9 OCT: 170g lamb, ½ kg beans, ½ kg broccoli, pumpkin, onions, garlic, 2 carrots, 10 macadamia nuts, curry powder.
Comment: Cut out garlic salt, 2 carrots, and courgette.
10 OCT:
Woke up this morning looking leaner again but still full!! Meals are based on what I look like in the mirror. I had macadamias with rice cakes covered in ghee as well as carrots. I start with 10 macadamias and 2 rice cakes and go from there. It worked extremely well for the morning show – I went a bit overboard with rice cakes for the night show to see if I could look even fuller. It didn’t work that well and I lost a bit of the crispness from the morning. Will have to either cut back, add more protein or fat or have more vegetables during the break instead (will experiment with this during the week while I am still lean).
My pre-contest diet has changed a lot over the last 11 years and will continue to change as I learn more from reading, talking to other people, and learning about my own unique body. I think the real secrets to success when it comes to pre-contest prep is to start from a sound knowledge base, keep in relatively good shape year round, stick to your nutrition and training plan, keep learning and make small adjustments till you find the right formula for you. Write it all down so you remember exactly what you did and I have no doubt you will continue to improve year after year!!