- Saturday: Prejudging and the evening show
Between prejudging and the evening show is a nebulous area. Many people involved in
bodybuilding feel that the competitors are placed at prejudging but occasionally an individual will
move up at the evening show if they really tighten up or if another competitor really falls apart
appearance wise.
It’s probably best to continue eating small, easily digested meals with some carbs during
this time period and many competitors use sodium-free carbohydrate drinks. Large meals should
be avoided as this may cause the stomach to distend. The competitor wants just enough carbs to
maintain fullness and vascularity.
Prior to the evening show, consume 25-50 grams of carbs about an hour out and then
pumping up about 20-30’ out. After the evening show, the competitor can finally go eat a real
meal.
Section 6: A final comment
Don’t panic. Many (probably most) competitors, even if they have done many contests,
tend to panic right before their show. Regardless of their adherence to the diet plan or whether or
not they are on schedule, bodybuilders tend to get a little crazy in those last few days, questioning
whether they are truly ready or not. They may try untested methods, or do an extra three hours
of cardio or a last workout before their contest. Invariably, they sabotage themselves and end up
looking worse on stage than if they had left well enough alone.
If a competitor has not shown a given technique (such as sodium loading or glycerol) to
work for them, they should not experiment in the few days before the show. Ideally novice
bodybuilders should find an objective coach who will keep them on track and prevent them from
panicking at the last minute. By the same token, a good coach can give a bodybuilder feedback
on their condition and whether or not they should make changes to their pre-contest preparation.
In contrast, listening to gym buddies can be a disaster. For fear of hurting a competitor’s ego,
many people will not tell them how they truly look. Rather they’ll tell a competitor “You’re looking
ripped” rather than tell them that they are not going to be lean enough for the contest.