My intent within this article is not to belittle or discourage questions being asked but rather help the younger generation of physique athletes coming up. This is also for those who might not be so young but a group of individuals who I am seeing get caught up in paralysis by analysis and are missing the bigger picture.

Physique development in a lot of ways is so basic once you understand a few fundamentals, but to some that simple understanding is not enough and this is where I see things starting to head in the wrong direction in terms of the thought processes and overall focus/direction of athletes aiming to build their physiques.

I feel like I am very equipped to write this because I once like many of you was there myself. My focus was on the wrong things, details that were so minute that really did not matter and these details were in my head going to help me get better but in all reality they were actually a distraction for me and I was loosing sight of what I really should have been focusing on.

I cannot tell you guys how many times within a given month I am asked questions over and over like the following:

• What is the best ratio of DHA to EPA when it comes to proper omega supplementation?
• How long after training should I consume a post workout shake or post workout meal? OR If I have a shake post workout how long should I wait to have my post workout meal?
• If I am eating every 2.5 hours normally and something comes up and I cannot get a meal in for 3 hours is that to much time between meals and will I go catabolic?
  
• Are artificial sweeteners bad and how much is to much?
  
• How many grams of leucine is needed to start muscle protein synthesis?
  
• If I my workout goes longer than 90 minutes am I going to really blunt my natural GH levels?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with these questions but the concern to me is the frequency they are being asked by a lot of individuals and the lack of emphasis within their questions about things that are truly important and are going to yield real quantifiable progress over time. To put it simply when I get these questions I typically assume they are a beginner or just needing some guidance so the first thing I do is try to ease their mind, get them to relax and let them know that there are very few rules in bodybuilding. Which I touched on here as well The 3 Rules of Physique Development and then I go into answering their question but often times that answer is left open to show them its more about to what is best for them within.

The truth of the matter is we can address these commonly asked questions over and over but I do not believe anything above is the make or break between a successful and non successful bodybuilder.

We need to be asking and answering more questions like the following:

• How can I improve open my training on a daily basis?
  
• What is the caloric intake I should be aiming for in order to be able to truly make some progress in terms of adding lean body mass?
  
• How can I better execute my form within a given movement in order to get the most out of it?
  
• If my progress comes to a halt and I am not gaining any fat either what should I do next?

Consistency trumps most in this game, it’s about consistently doing the right things over and over. The big picture stuff is what makes a difference. Bodybuilding is not about living your life chained to a cooler 24 hours a day and not being able to leave your home in fear you miss a meal at the exact time it is needed rather what is about really boils down to who is the most consistent and thorough at the important details that really matter. Get your meals in, stay on a somewhat set schedule but be flexible within it, keep and emphasis on your health and don’t be negligent of it, train like your life depends on it and aim to improve in some way every time you step into the gym.

Whether that be increasing reps at a same given weight that you did last week, increasing weight and matching reps from the previous week, seeking to improve your movement patterns every time you step into the gym and making sure you are placing an emphasis on recovery daily. That is what is going to help you improve the most, having your omega intake down to a science at the end of the day is not going to be the difference between you winning or loosing a show nor will it keep you from becoming a top tier pro one day so just keep that in mind!

Until next time!

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With the rise of social media, the ability to have a voice and get that voice heard I see a lot of people making blanket statements about the ways that progress needs to be made or the best way to approach physique development.

I really think that these thought processes are very mentally handicapping as progress is not a clear-cut road and very few reach the end destination in the same way. Now that is not to say that there are not some similar variables that you will see is common dominators for successful individuals but saying you MUST do this or HAVE to do that in order to be making progress is very closed minded.

If we look at the great Olympian Champions of the sport they all have their way of going about things and none of them are wrong in their approach. If there are any blanket statements within the sport I believe these are the three that need to be considered, outside of these you do what works best for you which very well might not be what works best for me or the man or woman standing next to you on stage.

You MUST Train
How you train is not one size fits all or rarely do we see this amongst champions as there are some very successful yet unique training styles being implemented currently. Just because Dallas and I train a certain way and I believe it’s the best approach for us it does not mean it is the best approach for every Olympia competitor.

You MUST Recover
The recovery process for top athletes is very individualistic. Some seem to recover and keep performance very high on as little as 4 hours of sleep and others seem to reach and or maintain peak performance getting 7 or more hours of sleep daily. Proper recovery is extremely necessary but that does not mean we all need to go about it the same way

You MUST Eat

Nutrition is probably one of if not the most debated topics within the industry. Low carb, low fat, high carb, high fat, intermittent fasting, carb cycle, iifym…the list goes on and on. Most of these methods if not all have produced respectable physiques. Is one method of dieting possibly better for you than it is for another individual, possibly but this does not mean that there are not several ways to skin the cat so to speak in terms of your approach to getting in shape.

Be cautious of those within the industry that make blanket statement recommendations when it comes to the best way to make progress. The beauty of physique development is that we all have a very unique and formidable canvas but we need to be open to finding the best ways for each of us as individuals to continue to make progress and not be confined to the thoughts of others say when it comes to YOUR physique.

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Peak week is a time that can be make or break for so many individuals. It’s a term that has been overly hyped up by mainstream bodybuilding media as a magical period where your physique makes significant changes but the truth is a peak week is not going to make up for any of the work you did not do during your prep. It should be used as a time of refinement, rest and mental preparation and training for the stage carrying in a physique that you have already insured is ready prior to the week even starting. Below I have laid out 5 of the most beneficial points to having your peak week be a week that helps “make” you and not “break” you.

1 – Be Ready Early

I put this one first for a reason because I truly believe this is the number one key variable to a successful showing. Whenever you pick a show reduce two weeks from the show date and that is the day you should truly be ready by. “Peak Week” for all intensive purposes should be a time for fine tuning variables that are already in place not replacing variables and adding entirely different variables instead. Not only is being ready early going to increase your confidence but a body that is truly in shape leaves much less room for error and you will still be just fine if everything does not go perfect.

What many do is try to “peak” like they are ready when in reality they are far from it. You cannot diuretic off fat that has not been burned, you cannot carb load in an environment where fat and water is still present, and trying to play with your electrolytes is another recipe for disaster. Be ready early and you will not have to stress about any of these common mistakes.

2 – Don’t abandon ship

Often times once we arrive to our show destination nerves take over and the ability to think objectively is completely thrown out the window. Stick to the game plan you had before arriving to the hotel and carry it through to completion. Don’t throw a bunch of foods in that are foreign to your body or ones that you have not used your entire prep. Don’t eat every 45 minutes just because everyone else is doing it.

If you look around often times the athletes who are at check ins and back stage that are the calmest and most relaxed are usually the ones who are also the most successful. You have a game plan for a reason carry it through to completion and don’t do what everyone else is doing just because it sounds good in the moment. A lot of things sound good when we are tired, depleted and tension is high but in hindsight it’s a bad idea.

3 – Work smarter, rest harder

Going back to my first point peak week should be a time to refine variables, not play catch up. In order to be able to display and present your body at its best your body needs to be somewhat rejuvenated, rested and fresh once your feet hit the stage. Peak week is not a time for marathon training sessions, extended drop sets, adding multiple intensity techniques or means to extend a set. The goal is to get in the gym, stimulate the muscle through movements that your body is used to training in order to not induce a new stimulus thus creating an environment for soreness and allowing your body to truly recover and rest. The more you can rest, nap, and just shut off mentally the better.

Some of the best looks and feedback that I have heard from athletes come following pre judging after they take a nap. There is nothing magical about pre judging but what I truly believe from a physiological standpoint is occurring is that the stress of the show is over and the body is truly able to rest. The nap just resets your body and you wake up looking crazy. So take this to heart and seek to do your best to do what is needed not overdue and spend the extra time you would often be in the gym resting and recovering both physically and mentally for the stage that is still ahead of you.

4 – Don’t emotionally eat backstage

This is by far one of the biggest mistakes I see during a competition week is the amount of food consumed backstage without merit. You should aim to make it your goal to walk backstage ready to step on stage as is. One of the most common things is to use a lot of simple sugars and fats backstage again two sources that your digestive tract is not accustomed to.

Both of these are very likely to cause gastric distress or in the case of fats there is a rate of digestion/absorption aspect as fats are slow to digest and most are not consuming the fats in enough time to even be processed rather they just remain sitting in your digestive tract and distention is the result not a better look on stage. Trust in the work you have done to this point and while everyone else is throwing down like it’s a buffet and not a physique contest be confident in your physique and look that you walked backstage with.

5 – Be Confident

I purposely chose this point as my last because in my opinion all of the previous points mentioned and how you handle them will show how confident you are or lack there of. Confidence cannot be coached, it can be nourished and encouraged but ultimately confidence has to come from within. Being at your own highest state of readiness means that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have done everything within your power to be at your best. That is what you should be confident in, it does not matter what anyone else is doing. Trust in your work, trust in your approach and game plan and out there know you have done what it takes to be at your best when the lights come on. 

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