Peak Week – Putting the Final Week Before the Competition to the Test – Part 2

In Part 1, I presented the results of a data collection study involving 81 amateur and professional bodybuilders, all of whom provided data on the course of their peak weeks.

The typical preparation week—which, for the vast majority of competitive athletes, differs from the usual “diet week” in terms of nutrition and training—focuses primarily on the targeted manipulation of carbohydrate, fluid, and electrolyte balance.

Today, we’ll critically evaluate these practices and compare them with available scientific data.

 

Peak Week Planning – The Evaluation

As in previous studies on this topic (7, 9, 11, 14), the work by Chappell et al. (53) also reveals that the manipulation of carbohydrate and water balance is the most common practice during peak week, with 93.8% of all athletes reporting this approach.

What scientific evidence is available to us here?

Strategy Number 1 – Carbohydrate Depletion and Loading

Scientifically sound

Many practices follow the classic pattern of 3 days of targeted carbohydrate restriction followed by 3 days of carbohydrate loading (9, 17).

Training methods such as high-volume strength training or high-intensity cardio training aim to deplete muscle glycogen stores.

Since human skeletal muscle lacks the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase, it is unable to release stored glycogen to maintain blood sugar levels (18).

Alternating between depletion and refueling phases promotes greater glycogen synthesis as well as improved glycogen transport, resulting in a higher overall glycogen concentration in the muscle. This process is referred to in technical literature as muscle glycogen supercompensation (19).

Animal studies (20–22) provide evidence of upregulation of the enzyme glycogen synthase, an increased presence of GLUT-4 glucose transporters, and elevated insulin sensitivity lasting over 48 hours in exhausted muscle tissue.

 

Determining the Correct Amount

Muscle glycogen supercompensation has already been demonstrated with a daily intake of 8 to 10.5 g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight (18, 24), though in the context of endurance sports.

For a 75-kg bodybuilder, this would correspond to a daily intake of 600 to 785.5 g of carbohydrates or a total of 1,800 to 2,362.5 g over 3 days. If the intake significantly exceeds this guideline, the risk of “bloating” increases—a term the bodybuilding community uses to describe a watery, puffy appearance (11, 12).

If carbohydrate intake is too low, the likelihood of muscle glycogen supercompensation decreases. A one-day carbohydrate-loading phase, combined with high-intensity sprint training, can also trigger muscle glycogen supercompensation and is therefore considered a possible alternative to the regimen described above. Carbohydrate intake in this case ranges from 10 to 12 g per kilogram of body weight (25, 26).

It is difficult to determine the appropriate amount for bodybuilders based on existing studies, since, on the one hand, bodybuilders differ from endurance athletes in terms of their presumed proportion of muscle mass, and, on the other hand, appearance—rather than performance on competition day—is what matters. From the perspective of appearance, there is a strong case for a slightly longer loading phase. This is underscored by the “conventional wisdom in bodybuilding” that one should stop training the day or a few days before a competition to “free up” the muscles.

Furthermore, sprint training—as a high-intensity measure—would deplete only a portion of the total skeletal musculature, while the upper extremities, in particular, would experience no depletion effect at all. On the other hand, three days of depletion with a high training volume is an extremely taxing endeavor that could be significantly mitigated by the one-day strategy—provided one finds a way to deplete all glycogen stores accordingly.

 

Here’s something else to keep in mind

Since restricting carbohydrates reduces total caloric intake, it is advisable to increase protein intake on these days to compensate for calories and also to provide a certain satiating effect (23). Consuming large amounts of fat during carbohydrate loading appears to be counterproductive.

Although Lambert et al. (27) found no evidence of a genuine performance-impairing effect and although muscle glycogen supercompensation was still possible, the combination nevertheless led to a reduction in the number of insulin and glucose receptors on muscle cells.

 

Conclusion

There is a solid scientific basis for carbohydrate depletion and loading, although this stems more from endurance sports than from bodybuilding. There are several approaches to achieving muscle glycogen supercompensation. Athletes and coaches should take an individualized approach and conduct tests to evaluate which methods work best for each specific athlete.

 

 

Strategy Number 2 – Manipulation of Water and Electrolyte Balance / Vitamin C

Carbohydrates store fluid in the muscles

As carbohydrate intake increases or decreases, fluid intake during peak week is also altered. Initially higher intake levels decreased as the days leading up to competition day passed.

Studies by Balon et al. (9) and Reale et al. (29) have shown that between 2.3 and 7.8 ml of water can be stored in the cell per gram of glycogen. Based on an estimated storage capacity of approximately 462 g of glycogen for a 75 kg bodybuilder, this would correspond to a volume of 1,000 to 3,600 ml. Based on this figure, consuming larger amounts of water to accommodate higher carbohydrate intake is justified.

Targeted “natural” dehydration is only possible to a limited extent

Athletes report consuming amounts ranging from 8 to 12 liters daily (106.6 to 160 mg per kilogram of body weight for a 75 kg athlete). Such high volumes of fluid also promote so-called polyuria—an increased urge to urinate—which, as water intake is subsequently reduced, is intended to ensure that excess water leaves the body (29, 30).

The problem with any dehydration strategy is that muscle tissue also consists largely of water. Insufficient fluid in the body as a whole therefore always impairs the desired muscle fullness (31). Muscle glycogen supercompensation provides some protection against a “flat” appearance, since water stored with glycogen remains there until that glycogen is depleted through muscular exertion.

Sodium and Potassium

Targeted manipulation of sodium intake is also intended to help remove subcutaneous water from the body. In this context, sodium is never considered in isolation; potassium is always taken into account as well. As extracellular and intracellular cations, both help regulate the cells’ fluid balance (32). The kidneys also play a role in maintaining osmotic pressure and fluid balance by either excreting more sodium and potassium or retaining more of them, depending on the situation (33). There is general agreement that adding electrolytes to water improves overall hydration, while a loss of electrolytes promotes fluid loss as well as a decrease in blood pressure and plasma volume (29, 34).

The Aceto-Peak-Week (11) calls for a reduction in sodium intake 3 to 4 days before competition. On the other hand, sodium acts as a co-transporter involved in glucose uptake in the small intestine (35). Thus, limiting its availability could inhibit the absorption of larger amounts of carbohydrates. Overall, due to the complexity of the issue, sufficient research results are still lacking to date.

Vitamin C

Ultimately, the use of high doses of vitamin C is intended to promote diuresis and remove excess subcutaneous water (36, 37). However, it is known that excessive intake can cause gastrointestinal problems.

Chronically high intake promotes urinary acidosis and increases the risk of urinary kidney stones (38). Even at doses above 200 mg of vitamin C per day, increased excretion of ascorbic acid in the urine is to be expected, which suggests that the effect sought by bodybuilders can be achieved with significantly lower doses than are often used (39).

On the other hand, there is a risk that a diuretic effect triggered by vitamin C during the carbohydrate-loading phase may interfere with muscle glycogen supercompensation. For the sake of completeness, it should also be noted that high-protein diets are known to cause both acute and chronic increases in the glomerular filtration rate (40).

 

Conclusion

Consuming more fluid on carbohydrate-loading days promotes absorption into the muscles and thus the effect of muscle glycogen supercompensation, and therefore appears to be advisable. Dehydration measures taken during this period work against the main goal. When adjusting sodium intake, potassium balance must always be taken into account as well. Both regulate fluid balance and fluid distribution.

 

 

Strategies for Competition Day

High-Carb Diet for High Muscular Stress During Posing

A large proportion of athletes report consuming high-glycemic carbohydrates specifically on the day of the competition, shortly before their stage appearance. Since the stage presentation requires large numbers of skeletal muscles to perform simultaneous isometric contractions for several minutes—and the glucose demand for this is extremely high—this strategy makes sense (41).

Often, fast-acting carbohydrates are also specifically consumed again during the “pumping up” of the muscles 30 to 60 minutes before the start of the competition (10, 12) (42). However, such a strategy offers no noticeable added benefit when muscle glycogen stores are already full.

High Sodium for “Bulging Veins”

Administering high amounts of sodium acutely increases plasma volume and blood pressure, which theoretically provides an advantage for the aesthetic desired in bodybuilding (43, 44).

Alcohol Dehydrates and Reduces Excitement

Alcohol is generally avoided during competition preparation. On competition day, however, athletes hope it will produce a diuretic effect, as cited in the scientific literature (3, 11, 45). Certainly, alcohol also helps some athletes feel slightly less nervous, thereby providing a psychological effect of reduced self-consciousness on stage.

Avoiding Fiber

Avoiding high-fiber foods to prevent bloating and maintain a slim waist. In fact, when consumed, dietary fiber retains fluid in the digestive tract and, through the formation of short-chain fatty acids, further promotes (29) the absorption of sodium and fluid from the intestines into the bloodstream; therefore, this measure is generally considered sensible at this time (46).

 

Conclusion

Even on competition day, there are several sensible strategies that can have a positive effect on presentation and physical appearance. Especially for this phase, it is also of enormous importance to conduct tests with athletes before competition day to assess how the individual responds to the respective strategy.

 

 

Doping-Free vs. Doping

Peak-week strategies can cause significant stress for athletes. If poorly planned or insufficiently tailored to the individual, they can even have a negative impact on the athlete’s appearance on competition day (6, 8). What has been outlined here for doping-free bodybuilding does not necessarily apply to athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs (47). Both anabolic-androgenic steroids and the use of diuretics can result in noticeable changes. Steroids, in particular, are known to increase fluid retention (48). The use of prescription substances also increases the risk of dangerous shifts in fluid and electrolyte balance, which can even lead to death (49–51).

 

Conclusion

Peak-week plans for athletes who use performance-enhancing drugs typically differ from those of athletes who do not. The use of prescription medications always increases the risk of side effects during such a week (recall the 14.1% figure from Part 1).

 

 

Summary

Based on a review of the available literature and a comparison with standard practices, it can be stated that achieving muscle glycogen supercompensation is one of the most important goals during Peak Week. The intake of carbohydrates, fluids, as well as sodium and diuretics either promotes or inhibits this process and must therefore be carefully coordinated. Carbohydrate availability also plays a role on the day of the competition itself.

In conclusion, it’s worth emphasizing once again how each individual athlete responds differently to the measures outlined for a peak week and how important it is to take an individualized approach. Incorrect parameters—applied at the wrong time and in the wrong combination—can inevitably ruin the athlete’s entire preparation for this week and result in poor performance on competition day.

I hope this article provides all readers with the necessary information to do a good job as a coach and, as an athlete, to critically evaluate the work of their respective coach.

Best regards
, Holger Gugg

www.body-coaches.de

 

 

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