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Welcome to the deep dive. We're jumping straight into a pretty big topic in the bodybuilding world today. Water manipulation during peak week. Yeah, definitely a hot one. Something, you know, almost every competitor thinks about or at least hears about getting ready for a show. Absolutely. If you're around the sport, you hear competitors talking about tweaking their water, their sodium, all that stuff in the final days, trying to get that super dry, chiseled look. Exactly. That's the goal. Now, you'd think with something so common, there'd be tons of like solid scientific studies backing it up. You would think so. Yeah. But honestly, when we looked into the research papers on peak week stuff, general physiology, the striking thing is how little direct research there is on bodybuilders specifically manipulating water for competition.
00:00:48
Right. That's key. Lots of talk, lots of anecdotal stuff. But those rigorous, controlled studies looking just at this, not so much. Precisely. It's surprisingly thin. So our goal today, really, for you listening, is to kind of sift through what we do know from related areas, pull out the key ideas, and hopefully make this whole thing a bit clearer without getting lost in overly technical stuff. Okay, let's do it. So starting with the why. Why do bodybuilders even mess with their water intake? What's the theory? Well, based on what competitors feel works like, some subjective findings suggest these strategies do seem practically meaningful on competition day. A big part of the theory revolves around muscle fullness, specifically intramuscular triglycerides, or IMT. Okay, IMT, fat inside the muscle. Yeah, exactly.
00:01:35
The idea is that if you can go from a state where those stores are a bit depleted to one where they're, let's say, loaded, you might actually increase muscle volume, potentially by like over 1%. Hmm. 1% doesn't sound huge, but for a bodybuilder. Right. For someone carrying a lot of muscle, say 60 kilos of it, that could maybe add up to over half a kilogram of fat-free mass visually. That extra pop or fullness could definitely make a difference on stage. Okay, that makes sense visually. So how would they even try to boost those IMT levels? Well, there was an interesting study, though it was in rodents, not humans. They found giving a high-fat diet followed by a high-carbohydrate diet actually led to a supercompensation, like an overshoot of both IMT and glycogen in the muscles.
00:02:20
Both. So, fat first, then carbs. That's what that study suggested, yeah. It was different from just doing a high-carb diet alone, which, you know, is great for loading glycogen, but didn't seem to push IMT levels much beyond their normal baseline in that specific experiment. Huh. But isn't that kind of counterintuitive? Bodybuilders are usually cutting fat way down as they get close to a show. Exactly. That's the tension here. And in humans, some research suggests high-carb, low-fat diets might actually reduce IMT stores. The thinking is that maybe after training, the body uses those IMTs for energy or to help replenish glycogen. So it's complicated. You might need both. It seems plausible, especially for bodybuilders with large muscle mass who can really deplete their fuel stores through training.
00:03:04
They might need significant amounts of both dietary fat and carbohydrates to maximize that fullness effect. It's likely a really delicate balance. OK, so we're juggling fat, carbs. How does water manipulation fit in? You mentioned it interacts with other peak week strategies like the carb load. Precisely. Carb manipulation, you know, the classic deplete then load approach is super common. There was a case study on a natural bodybuilder, for instance. He cut carbs way down, under 50 grams a day for three days, then loaded up to over 450 grams for two days. And what happened? They saw increases in muscle thickness measured by ultrasound. About 5% in the upper body, maybe 2% in the lower body. Why the difference? We don't fully know. But it shows the carb load has a physical effect.
00:03:47
Okay, so carbs clearly influence size. But where does the water strategy come in? The deliberate water loading or cutting? Well, that's where it gets murky research-wise. Everyone talks about water manipulation strategies, you know, loading up, then cutting back, maybe adjusting sodium. But we don't have good studies directly testing how these water strategies interact with, say, glycogen supercompensation in a bodybuilder during peak week. Ah, OK. So we know carbs pull water into muscles. That's established. But the extra manipulation of water intake on top of that, less clear. Exactly. It's like we have these different knobs, carbs, maybe fats for IMT, water intake, sodium, and we're not entirely sure how turning the water knob specifically affects the outcome when the other knobs are also being turned right before a show.
00:04:34
So it sounds like a lot of it is based on tradition and maybe some educated guesswork about how it all fits together. In many respects, yeah. And training itself adds another layer. We know resistance exercise significantly depletes both glycogen and those IMT stores. Right. Workouts use up fuel. Definitely. Studies have shown, like, a tough leg workout can drop glycogen and IMT in the thigh muscle by around 30%. Even just a few sets of arm curls can cause a noticeable glycogen dip, maybe 24% in the biceps. It happens pretty quickly. Wow, 30% from one workout. That's significant. What about recovery? How fast do those stores come back? Well, glycogen starts replenishing quite fast. Research suggests you might recover about half of what you lost within just two hours of resting after exercise, even without eating immediately.
00:05:22
Probably from the body recycling metabolites like lactate. Two hours, that's quick. Yeah, and it really highlights how the timing and type of training during peak week could be strategically used. You know, deplete the glycogen stores to maybe allow for that super compensation effect when you carb load, potentially pulling more water into the muscle. Makes sense. So, training isn't just about looking good. It's actively influencing fuel and water storage right at the end. It seems very likely, yes. Okay. And what about supplements? That's another huge factor in bodybuilding, especially pre-contest. Oh, absolutely. Research shows bodybuilders use a lot of supplements leading up to a competition. And some common ones, like caffeine, are known to potentially influence water balance. It is a diuretic, after all, although the effect might be less pronounced in habitual users.
00:06:07
Right. And probably a lot of other things being taken, too. For sure. But it's worth remembering, as some studies point out, that for many supplements bodybuilders use, the objective scientific evidence for their effectiveness, especially for peaking, is often quite limited. What about something really common, like creatine? We know that affects water. Good point. Creatine supplementation definitely causes acute or short-term changes in body fluid volumes. We know it increases water retention, mostly intracellularly, and can lead to increased muscle volume over time. So if someone is using creatine, that absolutely needs to be factored into any peak week water strategy. Its effects could interact with whatever else they're trying to do. Man, it really feels like a complex puzzle. So many interacting pieces. It really is. Yeah. And underlying all this, we have to remember basic physiology.
00:06:57
Our bodies have incredibly sophisticated systems for tightly regulating fluid balance, the amount of water inside our cells versus outside, electrolyte concentrations. The kidneys are key there, right? Absolutely. The kidneys are constantly adjusting to maintain balance. It's not a simple in and out system we can easily hijack without potential consequences. Flumid shifts are complex. Okay. So let's try and pull this together practically. Given the lack of direct solid evidence specifically on water manipulation for bodybuilding peak week, but understanding these related principles about carbs, fats, training, supplements, and basic fluid balance, what are some things someone might consider doing? With caution, obviously. Right. So potential strategies to consider, and I stress consider, with caution and self-monitoring could include. Really strategic carbohydrate manipulation, timing that load carefully.
00:07:47
Maybe experimenting cognitively with fat intake alongside carbs, seeing if that influences fullness for them. Also, carefully planning the final training sessions, using them to deplete glycogen effectively, perhaps. And definitely being super aware of all supplements being taken and their potential impact on fluid balance. Know what you're putting in your body. Makes sense. Be strategic. Be aware. Now, what about the other side? What should people be really cautious about or maybe just avoid altogether? The big red flags. I'd say be extremely wary of any drastic, extreme or unproven water loading or cutting protocols you might read about online or hear from someone else. The lack of research on safety and effectiveness in this specific context is a real issue. Don't just copy someone else's plan blindly. Exactly.
00:08:36
Relying heavily on anecdotes without understanding your own individual response is risky. Your body might react very differently. And finally, probably the biggest thing is don't ignore the interplay. You can't just focus only on water intake and forget how your diet, your training, your supplements, even your stress levels are all affecting your fluid balance. It's all connected. Yeah, it really sounds like there's no magic formula. It's got to be very personalized and, frankly, somewhat experimental for each person. That's the current reality, I think. Because there are so many interacting variables and individual responses vary so much, giving specific universally applicable recommendations for peak-weak water manipulation just isn't supported by the science right now. So the takeaway really seems to be, bodybuilders need to become like meticulous students of their own bodies, track things, see how they respond to different approaches, and tailor it based on their own circumstances and goals.
00:09:29
Absolutely. That self-knowledge is crucial. And also remember that different bodybuilding divisions might have slightly different aesthetic goals or judging criteria. What works for, say, a men's physique competitor aiming for that beach look might be slightly different than for a super heavy bodybuilder going for maximum grainy mass. Good point. The end goal matters too. This has been super clarifying, even with the lack of definitive answers. So, that final question then. Considering this limited direct evidence, how can bodybuilders best approach water manipulation in a way that's hopefully effective but also safe for them? It feels like it's about careful, informed trial and error. It really does seem that way. So to recap those practical points, things you might cautiously try, strategic carb and maybe fat timing, using training smartly to influence glycogen, being very aware of supplements.
00:10:19
Got it. And things to avoid. Avoid drastic water shifts that aren't well understood or studied. Don't just copy others without thinking. And remember, water is just one piece. Look at the whole picture. Diet, training, supplements, everything. Excellent summary. And for those of you listening who really want to get a deeper understanding of all this, the nutrition science, the training principles, how it all connects, we definitely recommend checking out the resources from IFBB Nordic Academy. Personal Trainer Course provides a great foundation. The Advanced Nutrition Course goes into much more depth on topics like this. And the IFBB Master Coach Program offers really comprehensive coverage of optimizing physique development, including these complex peak week strategies. Great resources for anyone serious about learning more. Thanks for breaking down such a complex topic today. My pleasure. It's important stuff to discuss even when the answers aren't simple.
