Mixed
Physique competitors utilize carbohydrate back-loading and water manipulation (loading/restriction) as primary nutritional peaking strategies to enhance muscle fullness and definition immediately prior to competition.
If you are competing in a physique sport, expect to use carbohydrate back-loading and water/sodium manipulation in the week before your show. Most competitors start this 7 days prior. Be aware that your strategy may need to differ based on your sex and drug status (if applicable), as enhanced athletes often restrict water more aggressively and males/professionals tend to load sodium more frequently than females/amateurs.
CHO back loading (45%) and water loading (40.6%) were the most popular peaking strategies, while the most prevalent peaking strategy length was 7 days (27.2%).
Why this rating
Cross-sectional survey data; self-reported; no experimental control or objective outcome measures of aesthetic change.
Source
An examination of the associations between nutritional peaking strategies in physique sport and competitor characteristics
Kai A. Homer et al. · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition · 2024
DOI 10.1080/15502783.2024.2377178
More from this paper
- There is no significant association between competitor characteristics (age, sex, drug status, level) and the use of carbohydrate-based peaking strategies or the length of the peaking strategy.Moderate
- Sex is a significant predictor of the disparity (range) between highest and lowest daily carbohydrate intakes during peak week, with males exhibiting a wider range than females.Moderate
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