Chapter 30:
The pre-contest bodybuilder
Not everyone reading this book is a competitive bodybuilder, nor do they want to be one.
Despite the title of this chapter, the following information applies to anyone trying to get into
their best shape for any special event: family reunion, pool party, best-shape-of-your-life photos,
etc.
The final week of preparation is questionable for individuals who are not competitive
bodybuilders. It involves manipulations of water and electrolytes which are of limited importance
for most dieters. Additionally, manipulating water levels in the body carries some risk and
individuals must make their own choices as to how far they will go to reach a given level of
physical development.
Pre-contest bodybuilders are an entirely different species when it comes to fat loss for a
contest. Their desire to maintain a high level of muscle mass makes dieting more difficult in
terms of their diet and workout schedules. Please note that most of the comments which appear
below apply primarily to natural bodybuilders.
Section 1: Four rules for natural bodybuilders
A huge disservice has been done to natural bodybuilders by training concepts from drug-
assisted competitors. With anabolic steroids and drugs which increase energy while decreasing
recovery time (such as clenbuterol, thyroid, GH, etc) specifics of the diet and training structure
become less critical. Without these drugs, natural bodybuilders risk losing considerable muscle
preparing for a contest. There are several basic rules that should be followed by natural
bodybuilders to avoid excessive muscle loss during a pre-contest diet.
Rule #1: Don’t get too fat in the off season.
The longer a bodybuilder has to diet, the more they risk risk losing muscle. As a general
guideline, male bodybuilders should go no higher than 10-12% body fat during the off season,
women 13-15%. Keeping bodyfat to these levels accomplishes two things. First, it prevents the
bodybuilder from having to diet for months to get ready. Not only does extended dieting increase
the risk of muscle loss, but many bodybuilders seem to disappear from the gym for a month after
their contest, engaging in a full-blown food binge. The less time a person has to diet, the less likely
they are to blow the diet. Additionally, starting a diet from a low enough bodyfat prevents the
bodybuilder from having to cut calories and/or increase aerobics so drastically that they lose too
much muscle.
To accurately measure body composition, dieters must have their body fat measured