Bodybuilding is a sport that has been around since the beginning of the 20th century. The competitors train for months, or even years, to refine every muscle in their body as they strive for perfection. It’s all about creating that defined look. So it may be no surprise they have some rigorous routines to go through, even in the days before the big competition.
No More Salt
This doesn’t just go for the added salt on those bags of chips or a dash on some fries either. Bodybuilders will remove all extra salt from their diet, period. This goes for the cans of tuna as well as the added sodium that can be found in products such as eggs. This all starts seven days before the bodybuilder is set to head out onto the stage to help get that perfectly defined physique they have been working so hard to achieve.
Rice Cake Diet
One thing that makes it onto the list of accepted food is rice cakes. In fact, these are the only carbohydrates that bodybuilders will eat in the 24 hours leading up to a competition. Rice cakes are made using brown rice meaning they keep the body dry and help keep bloating to a minimum. However, other carbohydrates can retain water in the body. This means rather than the toned and defined look bodybuilders are after; they could be left with a rather puffier appearance.
Magnesium Supplements
These may not be the only supplements that a bodybuilder takes on their journey to perfection, but magnesium is one that is vital in the days leading up to a big competition. Magnesium is proved to help relieve any cramping that may occur in the muscles. That’s definitely something these competitors want to avoid while pulling their poses on stage. That’s why in the week leading up to the big day, bodybuilders will load up on their magnesium supply.
A Big Glass of Wine
Wine? WINE?! Yup, you read that right. In the hours leading up to the competition, it is common for many bodybuilders to pop the cork on a bottle of wine and have a glass. Although you may be thinking it’s to calm any last minute nerves, you would be mistaken. In fact, these competitors have a drink to make their veins pop out from underneath their skin. That way, they could end up looking more muscular than they really are – what a sneaky trick!
Cut Down on Water
Water may be the one thing we should be drinking every day, but when it comes to looking good on stage, these bodybuilders will stop at nothing to achieve perfection. The week before heading on stage, bodybuilders will often purposefully dehydrate themselves, but why? Being dehydrated means their skin is pulled tight across the muscles. In turn, this then makes every millimeter of perfection pop while on stage. Although it may not be the safest option, it gets the look many are after.
It looks as though there is so much more to being a bodybuilder than hitting it hard at the gym. All the preparation that goes into creating these bodies can have incredible payoffs if they walk away with first place, but are some of these tips and tricks worth the risk?