Cut water or not cut water?

[TheNaturalBodybuilder]

I am competing in my second show in 11 days. Last time I cut water the last week to where on the Friday I was just sipping. On stage I felt a bit flat.

I am reading more and more how naturals dont really need to cut much water maybe just a bit but not drastic. What about taking a diuretic on the friday with a couple liters of water?

Here is a pic of my abs as they are now

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/bbronswyk2000/Western%20Naturals/20090615_31.jpg

To me I dont think I am holding much water as it is. Any thoughts?

[O-Train]

Don't take a diuretic, don't manipulate water. Just leave everything alone. Muscles are something like 70% water, it has to come from somewhere. TRUST!

[TheNaturalBodybuilder]

I just read this article:

http://www.californianaturalmuscle.org/Only%20One%20Peak.htm

Seems to make allot of sense. Currently I am doing low carb for 3 days and than a re carb day on the 4th day. I am thinking of just keeping this schedule right to show day. I look better now than when I stepped on stage last year so why would I risk anything by doing anything drastic right? My last carb up day would fall 2 days before the show, the Thursday. I am thinking if on Friday night I look a bit flat I might just eat some sweet potato. Not much just enough. Also about 45 mins before the pre judging in the morning I would also eat some sweet potato if looking a bit flat. Does this make sense? I will not add or deplete my sodium, I will continue to just take the same amount of water in everyday. I will also workout on the Friday before the show. I mean why not its what I have been doing all along and seems to be working. On the last week I would just keep it lighter to not overpump the muscles.

Does this sound right?

[O-Train]

Everyone is different so I won't be the judge of what's right or isn't. It should be fairly instinctual. One suggestion that I found helpful is don't train your legs the week leading up to the show. Or at least give them 3-4 days. Otherwise it seems to effect conditioning.

[TheNaturalBodybuilder]

Everyone is different so I won't be the judge of what's right or isn't. It should be fairly instinctual. One suggestion that I found helpful is don't train your legs the week leading up to the show. Or at least give them 3-4 days. Otherwise it seems to effect conditioning.

Ya I am thinking my last leg workout will be Monday. I know that after a leg workout your legs are so full and not cut so they need more time to settle down. That one is a pretty common practice by all BB'ers. I will just be very vigilant in watching my body. If I feel I need a bit more carbs I will eat them. The last two days will be critical.

[JonnyO]

I wouldnt workout on Friday after carbing up your just going to deplete the muscle glycogen you just filled up.

What would be your reasoning of carbing up and finishing 2 days before contest day?

[TheNaturalBodybuilder]

I wouldnt workout on Friday after carbing up your just going to deplete the muscle glycogen you just filled up.

What would be your reasoning of carbing up and finishing 2 days before contest day?

Good point. Last time I did the water depletion so I am just working on a new plan that will not include any of those drastic measures. I think you make a great point about depleting the glycogen levels. I will include this in my plan thanks for the tip.

[Praetorian]

I am competing in my second show in 11 days. Last time I cut water the last week to where on the Friday I was just sipping. On stage I felt a bit flat.

I am reading more and more how naturals dont really need to cut much water maybe just a bit but not drastic. What about taking a diuretic on the friday with a couple liters of water?

Here is a pic of my abs as they are now

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/bbronswyk2000/Western%20Naturals/20090615_31.jpg

To me I dont think I am holding much water as it is. Any thoughts?

You look very dry. As a natural competitor you will retain much less water than an enhanced competitor. For this reason do not use a pharm diuretic it will pull much too much water and you will be flat come saturday morning. Keep drinking water friday like usual just stop drinking at 8 pm. You also have to watch how much carbs you intake if you plan on carbing up...you do not want to pill over so i would suggest keeping carb intake to thursday and friday only approx 30g per meal. Keep sodium normal until Friday then eliminate any additional sodium...whatever is naturally present in food ie eggs etc is fine.
Make sure if/when you carb up thursday and friday you also eat fats....you cannot carb correctly without them.

As for training your last leg workout shoudl be saturday or sunday a week out...just a regular leg workout ie squats etc. Then train the entire upper body split over mon-tues-wed....thursday and friday you rest, no cardio, no training. You cannot load if you are training...and you will blur your lines if you do.
P

[baldsamson]

If you have cut to make a weight class, i wouldn`t carb load until after weigh in. at weigh in i`ll be under 154, by 9am the next morning i`ll be 160 garanteed to be a big light weight

[TheNaturalBodybuilder]

If you have cut to make a weight class, i wouldn`t carb load until after weigh in. at weigh in i`ll be under 154, by 9am the next morning i`ll be 160 garanteed to be a big light weight

Ya thats what I plan on doing. Weigh ins on Friday are at 6pm and I will be bringing some sweet potato with me to eat after the weigh in as well as some chicken. The drive home is an hour so I can munch on that while I drive.

[baldsamson]

if thats where your going i`ll see you there:popc

[TheNaturalBodybuilder]

if thats where your going i`ll see you there:popc

Are you competing or just coming to watch the show? Whichever it is make sure to say hi

[baldsamson]

I`m competing lightweight and grandmasters. you?:yeah

[TheNaturalBodybuilder]

Middleweight. Good luck to you :yeah

[baldsamson]

GOOD LUCK TO YOU TOO!

[a_ahmed]

holy shit u look dry/hard as hell... i wish to be like u LOL.... sorry for off topic but saw ur pix and damn... some of the guys on this site are unbelivable... surprising.... daymn we have some good bodybuilders in canada. Most of the state-side forums im on dont come close!

[gregdoucette]

Ive competed in a lot of tested shows and also competed in non tested shows. Let me tell u tested shows are alot harder to get dry. U cannot use any diuretics. I have trained many natural competitors to peak come show time using my methods. Ill give a brief summary. Drink tuns of water then cut out all ur water. dont carb up till after u cut water. cut water 17 hours before prejudging. Flat is just not having enough muscle in my oppinion. Of course ull look flat if ur natural and in contest shape. Glycogen levels can only go so high. carb depleting is esential as well as a severe carb load following the cutting of the water. If u dont cut water ull pump up maybe a little more but guess what u wont be as ripped. I always look better at the night show whne I feel liek a complete dehydrated mess but guess what flat looks fine when ur ripped. Its not like ull be injecting lasiz in ur veins so ur not going to be that dehydrated. Good luck man and if u want an exact diet and directions on what to do I am available for hire.

[Andre Gregoire]

I like to diet on low carb, let me re-phrase that I hate dieting but low-carbs is the way I do it.

I do 6-10 days of low carbs with no crazy depletion workouts then I carbup big time on Wed, Thurs and stop carbs 48hrs before prejudging going back to a keto'ish diet. Just doing this leaves me almost there 48hrs later.

I keep water high through the whole prep and cut it out completely 20-24hrs before pre-judging.

You need water and sodium to form glycogen so I always make sure there is plenty of water and sodium when carbing and only cut my water AFTER I am full. You stay full for 3-4 days even with no carbs if not working out.

I no longer mess with sodium or potassium at all, it's a crapshoot and usually ends up making me look worse.

[steve_d]

agreed with praetorian and greg. You have to still get rid of water, natural or not. it will really change the physique. there is another thread on here about sodium and water manipulation that I posted lots on.

like greg said, he looks best when he gets to a dehydrated mess state. you might not feel big, and the scale might have shrunk a couple more pounds, but that's whern you look best under the lights ON STAGE - where it matters.

[steve_d]

If you have cut to make a weight class, i wouldn`t carb load until after weigh in. at weigh in i`ll be under 154, by 9am the next morning i`ll be 160 garanteed to be a big light weight

either you will be severly depleted at 154, or you will not look as good at 160. I think that is a little too much carbing up. But hey, I could be wrong...you might look fuller, but it doesn't seem like 6 pounds can go to the muscle without some staying in your get, or filling out those small cuts that really get you noticed on stage.

[gingerbreadman]

Quote:
Originally Posted by baldsamson http://www.canadabodybuilding.com/forums/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.canadabodybuilding.com/forums/showthread.php?p=210795#post210795)
If you have cut to make a weight class, i wouldn`t carb load until after weigh in. at weigh in i`ll be under 154, by 9am the next morning i`ll be 160 garanteed to be a big light weight



either you will be severly depleted at 154, or you will not look as good at 160. I think that is a little too much carbing up. But hey, I could be wrong...you might look fuller, but it doesn't seem like 6 pounds can go to the muscle without some staying in your get, or filling out those small cuts that really get you noticed on stage.

I don't believe in gaining weight after dropping water. As was said before, you need water & sodium possibly some fat to carb up correctly. If you're dropping water to weigh-in, then expecting to gain 6 lbs in 24 hrs - don;t see how you can do it without adding water water or winding up with belly bloat from all the food. Don't see how it can benefit your stage look IMHO