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Understanding just how depleted you might be going in your show week

gotclen

gotclen

VIP Member
Oct 20, 2011
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I'm starting this thread for the guys that really get their body fat down to the low single digits.
We are talking 3 or 4% body fat. From my own experience I found that longer diets got me into crazy low body fat %. At the same time it would get me mental about just how depleted I was.
My wife would see I was losing most focus for just about everything. She would almost demand I have a pizza. Home made and fairly clean. None the less very good and not fish or green beans.
I have been down the dieting road with her for many years. She became very good at letting me know time to refeed.

We all know we dont think right when we are depleted. It is good to have a one go to person to help us see the light at times. In my case the wife.

This brings me to what I titled this thread. SHOW week. If our ass is still very depleted it really takes longer then 24 hours to really fill out. With all the shows under my belt I would experiment with when to start reloading and with how many carbs and what carbs. IMO ok this is what I think. The body needs to start filling back out Tuesday of Show week. Yep, If you are truly depleted. Starting to ramp up carbs, Tues, Wed, Thurs and then level back down Friday is not the end of the world. In fact you should not spill if you just watch and learn your body. Not a easy task by any stretch. All while pushing gallons and gallons of water. Crazy low body fat levels permits this to work really well.

How many times do you hear guys say just how incredible they looked Sunday and Monday post show? We have all heard it and seen it. I just wanted to bring the topic up. So, often guys are just too fearful of losing conditioning. When in fact if the muscle can fill out more the conditioning will look better and the muscles harder.

My last time out I dieted for 24 weeks going into my goal show. 2 shows before the goal show. I know for a fact I looked my best at the 2nd show. The last show I had 600 carbs Tues, 600 carbs Wed and 400 carbs Thurs. Friday 200 (should have had more Friday) First thing Saturday am I could tell I was still depleted. Shit I was still dropping weight while doing nothing but sitting and laying down. You wonder what my scale wt was that day? 170#. Yes, my tiny ass took in that many carbs. Pushing water high 3 gallon through Thur, 2 gallon by 5pm Friday.

I still placed top 3 at this national show. No way I would ever beat the 2 short ass thick dudes in my class regardless of carbs on Friday. I just know I could have looked better. Might have been too my body was Screaming UNCLE. Enough be done.

Ok, just wanted to put this thought in guys minds.
GC
 
jhotsauce7

jhotsauce7

TID Board Of Directors
Jan 18, 2011
2,805
684
Great post as always brother .. You are a wealth of competitive knowledge
 
1bigun11

1bigun11

MuscleHead
Oct 23, 2010
2,142
1,832
Valuable information. Thanks for sharing. Lots of us here benefit from your experience, and it is much appreciated
 
RAIDEN

RAIDEN

VIP Member
Feb 22, 2012
4,385
1,345
GC, you need a "badge" under your name for being a competitive BBer.

Good read btw.
 
gotclen

gotclen

VIP Member
Oct 20, 2011
1,098
409
Thanks Guys,
All of you that have replied to this post I can only assume must agree to some of the points I was trying to share. How do you all deal with the topic: Knowing just how depleted you are going into a show?. None of you all are newbie to the stage. Or many share how you viewed your look 2 days post show vers day of show?

GC

GC, you need a "badge" under your name for being a competitive BBer.

Good read btw.
 
Mike_RN

Mike_RN

Senior Moderators
Staff Member
Aug 13, 2013
2,643
2,919
I agree with your assertion that 24-48hrs isn't enough time to replenish. I have made the mistake of trying to make weight (176lbs for MW) instead of getting in top condition and letting the chips fall where they may. This year I'm gonna do the 35+ and or 40+ and not worry about the scale at all. For those that don't know already, the Masters categories are open weights with age being the restriction.

My game plan is to deplete right up until Monday of show week. The refilling will be T/W/Th/F with a little water manipulation Friday night into Sat morning. NPC Northeast still does same day weigh-ins for local shows. NPC PA/DE/MD does the Friday night check-ins which works well if you are concentrating on making a weight.
 
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Bullmuscle7

Bullmuscle7

MuscleHead
Jun 11, 2014
8,847
2,439
GC you are just phenomenal and our board is very blessed to have someone of your knowledge and experience.
I've never done a show before but I think I shared with you I have a great coach running my program.
The thing is he tells me what to do "now". I have no clue what is to come and that is a little scary. So your post really helps me.

I really appreciate your wisdom and your willingness to share with us.

Thanks brother
 
silntrunin

silntrunin

MuscleHead
Aug 30, 2011
759
162
Good stuff! You commented on my show last year and you were right on the money. My problem was I was filled in too soon and then ****ed up by trying to deplete instead going in thick and full. We live and learn, I won't make that mistake this year.

Funny thing, you mentioned how your wife knows you and last year my wife told me I was ****ing up but I didn't listen to her. Your absolutely right, when you've been dieting and depleting for so long your own mind ****s with you. You need that one person that knows you and you need to listen to them. I like this new section, I think we'll all learn a lot from it.
 
P

pumpingiron22

Senior Member
Mar 2, 2014
221
39
Thanks for passing knowledge down. I will be down this road very soon. I have been pre experimenting to see what works for me.
 
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