Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: Resistance and Cardiovascular training.
Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: Resistance and Cardiovascular training.
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Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: Resistance and Cardiovascular training.
Who is the lead author or research group?
Eric Helms from the Sport Performance Research in New Zealand (SPRINZ) at AUT Millennium Institute is the lead author. Eric is a power house in the world a natural body building. Alan Aragon from California State University is equally well respected in the field of strength training. John Cronin from Edit Cowan University, Australia and Brad Schoenfeld from CUNY Lehman College, New York, are both internationally well respected authorities when it comes to strength training. This well rounded author combination makes this article a must read for anyone interested in improving their physique.
Type of Research:
Review of all pertinent research papers in the main electronic search databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, SPORT Discuss and CINAHL.
Rigour of research (pros and cons)
Cons
A narrative review style had to be employed because the available literature was very limited. This means the usual systematic review or meta-analysis process was not possible.
The recommendations are based on the expert opinion of the authors, rather than being backed up by pooled data from multiple studies. This increases the risk of bias in the recommendations.
Pros
That being said, these authors are real experts in the field and have a history of conducting quality research. Therefore, the risk of bias is likely to be low.
Reviewer Code
PG – Phil Graham
JP – John Pemberton
Key Findings
- The anabolic effect of resistance training is the best way to prevent muscle loss during periods of caloric restriction, such as contest preparation.
- JP: This is not restricted to “Body Builders”. This means any individual wanting to lose body fat and maintain muscle mass should be following a resistance training program. Note two important points:
- Energy restriction achieved by following a well crafted nutritional plan drives fat loss.
- Resistance training is the BEST method of training to preserve lean muscle mass.
- PG: Strength training is a great tool for preventing muscle loss. However, there are other important factors that need to be considered including appropriate calorie intake, protein intake, rest and sound blood glucose control. Strength training won’t protect your muscle if all of the above factors are not respected.
- JP: This is not restricted to “Body Builders”. This means any individual wanting to lose body fat and maintain muscle mass should be following a resistance training program. Note two important points:
- A periodized training program that has progressive overload and built in de-load periods is the most effective anabolic stimulus.
- JP: If you are going to the gym and just “lifting weights”, your progress will be slow. Follow a program that has been designed to push YOUR body, but also has de-load periods to maximise recovery and growth. This is one of the best investments you can make. An individualised program designed by a professional will encompass all of the below program design elements.
- PG: Progressive resistance is the name of the game. Give your body a reason to grow. A good training partner or professional accountability from an experienced coach is a wise investment.
- It is unclear what type of periodisation is the most effective. The research points to using an undulating system that modifies both intensity and volume to allow greater progressive overload and recovery.
- JP: A good program should vary both intensity and volume over a 12-week period, not just focus on one variable.
- PG: Muscle growth can occur across a range of rep schemes. It’s important to switch things up from time to time instead of using the same reps and sets all the time. This provides a different training stimulus and also keeps training fresh –preventing psychological burnout.
- For maximum anabolic effect muscle groups should be trained two to three times per week.
- Between 40 to 70 repetitions per muscle group per session.
- Usually 4-7 exercises in the 6-12 repetition range per session.
- If training volume is high, it is advisable to do more frequent sessions to prevent excessive work on a single session.
- JP: If planning 70 repetitions per muscle group two to three times a week, a six to eight session per week schedule is advisable. If planning a lower volume of 40-50 repetitions per muscle group, two times per week, a three to four session per week would be adequate.
- PG: Make sure your training is sustainable. There is nothing worse than starting a training plan with good intentions only to find out it’s too much. While training is important there are other aspects of life you need to consider, especially if you run your own business or have a family. Be realistic and build your training around your social, family and work life.
- A wide repetition range is effective for anabolic stimulus, anywhere from 3-15. But most sets should be 6-12 repetitions in the 70-80% Repetition Maximum range.
- JP: If a person has a 1Repetition Maximum of 100kg on the bench press:
- 3 repetitions at 90kg (90%) would be effective.
- 15 repetitions at 60kg (60%) would be effective.
- 6-12 reps at 70-80kg (70-80%) is the intensity most of the repetitions should be performed for maximum anabolic stimulus.
- JP: If a person has a 1Repetition Maximum of 100kg on the bench press:
- Rest intervals between sets should be 1-3 minutes:
- 3 minutes for compound exercises using multiple-joints and large muscles such as squats and deadlifts.
- 2 minutes for compound exercises using multiple-joints medium muscle groups such as pull-ups and bench press.
- 1 minute for isolation exercises using single-joints and muscle groups such as bicep curls and leg extensions.
- Tempo should allow muscular control of the load.
- Typically, 1-2 seconds on the concentric phase. This would be pushing the bar for the bench press, or pulling to the bar for the pull-up.
- Typically, 2-3 seconds for the eccentric phase. This would be the lowering of the bar to the chest for the bench press, or lowering the body back down for the pull-up.
- Training to failure:
- Large compound movements with heavy loads should not frequently be trained to failure, leave 1-2 reps on the tank. This is for exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull-ups. Emphasis should be on completing the full-range of motion and movement quality.
- Single jointed movements using the 15 repetition range can be trained to failure. This includes exercises such as leg extensions, bicep curls, and tricep extensions
- Exercise selection:
- Each session be made up of mostly multi-joint exercises using full range of motion for that specific muscle group:
- Legs: Squats, deadlifts, leg press, lunges
- Chest, Shoulders, Triceps: Chest press, shoulder press, dips.
- Back and Biceps: Pull-ups, bent over row, Seated row, lat pull-down.
- Each session be made up of mostly multi-joint exercises using full range of motion for that specific muscle group:
- Each session can include some single-joint exercises to target a weak area:
- Legs: Leg extensions, leg curls,
- Chest, Shoulders, Triceps: bicep curls, triceps extensions, front raises.
- Back and Biceps: bicep curls.
- Cardiovascular training:
- Can be used to enhance fat loss.
- Too much interferes with strength training and increases the risk of muscle loss.
- JP: Prioritise your resistance training sessions and focus on nutrition to drive the fat loss.
- PG: Think of weight training as your stimulus for muscle growth. Consider diet, physical activity and planned cardio as your main fat loss (deficit) tools
- Aim for the lowest frequency of the shortest duration that enhances fat loss.
- Use full body modalities to prevent excessive work on one muscle group. Activities such as walking, cross trainer or cycling.
- HITT (High intensity interval training) will help fat loss but requires much longer recovery and therefore has a bigger impact on resistance training sessions.
- JB: HITT is very fashionable and is very effectively for improving all-round fitness in a short amount of time. However, if your goal is preserving maximum lean muscle tissue whilst losing body fat, HITT sessions will impact on your ability to perform quality resistance training and recover between sessions
- PG: HIIT training is great. However, treat it like a mini weight training session. You need adequate time, and rest to recover from it. Doing too much will increase your risk of overreaching, immune stress and burning out. Less is definitely more when it comes to incorporating HIIT with bodybuilding style training
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- Fasted cardio is no more beneficial than in the fed state and cause greater muscle loss.
- JP: Old dogma used to suggest fasted cardio increased the amount of fat burned. But now the science shows an increase risk of lean muscle loss. Remember it is the energy deficit created mainly by nutrition that drives fat loss, and resistance training that preserves muscle mass.
- PG: Perform your cardio routine at a time that suits you. There is no major difference between doing cardio fasted or fed. Getting up first thing in the morning to complete a cardio session may dig into your sleep (recovery) time. One of the best strategies for doing cardio is completing a set step count across the day. This simply encourages you to move more and a highly efficient way of expending more energy.
- Fasted cardio is no more beneficial than in the fed state and cause greater muscle loss.
Reviewers insight into how the research can be applied to people with Diabetes:
All of the recommendations are valid for people with diabetes who want to compete in bodybuilding, or just want to improve body composition. The special consideration is how to maintain good diabetes control.
Outlined below are some important points to take into account:
- When planning how to manage blood glucose level during resistance training, you must account for:
- The last time you gave insulin for a meal prior to training. If within 90 minutes you may need to adjust your insulin dose at the meal before.
- The rep range and intensity you are going to work at.
- You will likely experience a rise in glucose if you are going to lift at 80% 1 repetition max for 6-8 reps and push yourself hard.
- If you are working in the 15-20 rep range at a lower intensity, you may experience a drop in blood glucose.
- Monitoring and taking notes will allow you identify how training impacts on your glucose control.
- Duration of training session.
- Shorter sessions of 30-45 minutes will have less impact on glucose levels than longer sessions of 60-75 minutes.
All of these variables and more are covered in the “Managing Exercise with Diabetes” course that is available on in the Training Lab.
You might also find benefit watching the video presentation on Training Purpose, which highlights the importance of training specificity.
- If you are planning on completing two sessions per day, take into consideration your body will not respond as effectively to a low glucose level. This is because your stress hormone response is depleted from the first session. You may need more hypo treatment than you normally require.
- Completing intense sessions can produce similar subjective feelings of hypoglycemia; shakiness, sweating and being disoriented. Be sure to check your glucose level every 30 minutes and inform training partners or gym staff you have diabetes.
- If you want to get great results in terms of body composition, you would be advised to get a program designed by a professional who applies these principles in their program design. But if you also want great diabetes control, you would be advised to make sure that professional knows diabetes inside out.