NPC Pre Contest Strategy. 16 weeks out to Show.

Diet Training & Steroid Cycle Info

THE PRECONTEST STRATEGY

by capinatl 

NPC SHOW BASICS

Often the weigh-in occurs on the Friday before the Saturday competition. Sometimes both
options are offered; an early weigh-in on Friday and one Saturday before pre-judging that
takes place in the morning, sometime around 10am. The competition and placings all occur
during pre-judging. If you are in a line of 9 guys and you are on the inside doing your
quarter turns for the judges and they ask you to switch places with someone on the outside
- that's a bad sign. If you are anywhere off dead center and they ask you to move inside to
the middle, that means you are in the top of your class, this is termed a "callout". So, with
9 guys, if you are on the outside after the quarter turns you can bet you took 8th, or 9th.
Look into dead center and you will know the top three. The winner is usually kept in the
middle with second and third on either side (those two can be a guess). Cumpulsory poses
are called out by the head judge; double-back-bi, front lat spread, etc. Some shows have
individual posing routines that are 60 seconds with no music, bigger shows may leave that
out to speed up the process. 

Once you leave the stage the hard work is done. Pre-judging backstage is often tense, while
I've experienced much looser environments at night. The night show is all for the crowd,
time to show off and get cocky on stage. It's all about having fun at night. After your music
routine lasting 60-90 seconds their will be some quarter turns and compulsories for the
crowd to make it look like the competition is actually happening at this time. However, if
you look at the judges they are up walking around, getting coffee, etc. The winner of each
class finally returns to the stage for the overall. There are six weight classes in the Men's
Open division:

BW = Bantamweight...........143 1/4 lbs and lower 

LW = Lightweight................143 1/4 lbs - 154 1/4 lbs.
MW = Middleweight.............154 1/4 lbs - 176 1/4 lbs.
LH = Light heavyweight........176 1/4 lbs - 198 1/4 lbs.
HW = Heavyweight..............198 1/4 lbs - 225 1/4 lbs.
SHW = Super Heavyweight...225 1/4 lbs and higher

Quarter turns are called, compulsories, and finally a pose-down to music. The overall winner
of the class winners gets the overall trophy, and the show is over. Time to eat.
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GOLDEN RULE #1: Find someone you trust and ONLY listen to them. 
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GOLDEN RULE #2: If it tastes good you can't eat it.
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GOLDEN RULE #3: If it tastes good you can't eat it.
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WEEKS OUT OVERVIEW

Chronologically detailed by "weeks out" from the show date. All shows take place on
Saturday. 

DRUG OVERVIEW
The compounds listed here can differ greatly. Anavar, masteron and primobolan are also
quality cutting enhancers. This is not the exact regimen I followed but I attempted to follow
this stack. I actually left out the EQ and skipped a lot of injections particularly from 3-4 wks
out. There was no strategy in skipping injections - I was just sick of them. My GH dose is
higher than many use, but for most the ED dose is financially related. The primary scheme
followed is bulking drugs from 16-9wks while dieting, then cutting drugs at 9wks, and finally
short ester cutters from 4wks out. I did not use insulin, although I assume most serious
competitors use the short acting insulin for filling out. For those who think using drugs will
make or break you - you are mistaken. I did half the doses this year then last year and
came in 5 times more vascular, hard and lean. It's all about the food - whole foods.

ED (QID) = Every Day / EOD = Every Other Day / BID = Bi-daily / E3D = Every 3 days

TRAINING OVERVIEW
Expect to be in the gym 3-4hrs per day. The low carbs and high intensity training will offer
no "extra" energy for other interests; girlfriends, work, family, friends, etc. During
precontest training I accomplish little else than just making it to the gym and getting
through my routine. The closer the show gets the more reps I complete, and around 7-8wks
out I hit my weaker body parts twice a wk, once heavy and the other day with light with
high reps. Legs are also hit hard twice a wk at 6wks out - this does not include the 20
minutes of straight no weight lunges that occur once per week. Next year I will only do
weighted lunges with about 80lbs on my back, aka, "country-mile lunges". Striated glutes I
hope to be the result of the use of heavy weight.

DIET OVERVIEW
When I'm asked what diet can be followed to lose weight my simple answer is the backbone
of a precontest diet (save carb cycling and depletion). 6-8 meals per day of varied protein
sources that include chicken, fish and lean beef. Protein shakes don't cut it - whole foods
are crucial in retaining your lean body mass. Carbohydrates at 300 grams a day from
potatoes, rice and oatmeal offer a low glycemic index and just enough value for muscles to
stay full and have energy for training. Sweet potatoes, brown rice and oatmeal are
preferred over the white potato and white rice options for competitors. Mashed, overcooked
potaotes and instant oatmeal are unacceptable as the GI is raised. Throw in two 40 minute
intese cardio sessions a day and anyone will average a 3lb wk fat loss.

GI = glycemic index (http://www.glycemicindex.com/)

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16 WEEKS OUT
The "eat clean" mentality starts here. The last of the cheat days. I'm listening to every song
I hear for a good posing count. 

DRUGS
Test-E 875mg wk
Tren-E 600mg wk
GH 6iu ED

TRAINING
Heavy weight, low reps, still thinking mass. One cardio session per day 30-40 minutes.

DIET
Bulking diet, continue protein shakes, high calorie, eliminate sugars and reduce other high
GI carbs.

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13 WEEKS OUT

DRUGS
Test-E 875mg wk
Tren-E 600mg wk
GH 6iu ED
Anadrol 50mg ED (4wks)
ECA Stack, 2 caps BID

TRAINING
Heavy weight, yet the 10-8-6 rep sets turn to 12-10-8's. Seriously speed up the routines
here and include supersets for all muscle groups after the first exercise which is a
compound movement. This will help burn calories. Lunges start at twice per wk. One lunge
session is 20 minutes of straight lunges, the other is with 60lbs of weight on a leg day
supersetted with extensions, curls and leg presses. Cardio doubles start now with two 45-50
minute sessions ED. Some cardio on Stairmaster, the rest typically on treadmill at a 7-7.5
incline at a 3.7-3.8 speed. Long strides at an incline will burn hams and glutes. This is
important.

DIET
Protein shakes continued, 3-4 carb meals per day, attempting to comsume more whole
foods. Daily carbs do not exceed 300 per day. The only carb sources acceptable at this time
are: Oatmeal, Sweet Potatoes & Brown Rice. All are eaten plain. Dairy products are
removed, excluding the occaisional slice of cheese. Whole food protein sources include
mostly chicken, then lean beef and fish. Fat intake is low.

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9 WEEKS OUT
The metabolism really starts to kick around this time with weight dropping at 3 solid lbs per
wk. GH doubled to BID administrations. Taurine 1500mg BID is added to defeat clen & tren
cramping. Attitude starts to get volatile at this time.

DRUGS
Test-E 875mg wk
Tren-E 500mg wk
GH 6iu ED BID
EQ 600mg wk
ECA Stack, 2 caps BID
Clenbuterol 120mg BID (2wks on / 2wks off > 9-8, 6-5, 2-1)

TRAINING
Supersets continued, volume increased. Legs are hit 2x per wk, once light with very high
reps (25-50) the other remains heavy with reps staying 12-15 per exercise. Weak muscle
groups are hit 2x per wk. Abs are done 5x per wk, calves 3x per wk. Cardio remains two
sessions 45-50 minutes, yet the first 39 minutes are done on the Stairmaster, and the
remianing time can be completed on a bike, or preferrably treadmill. Posing practice begins
and I attempt to get in 3 sessions a week.

DIET
Protein shakes discontinued. Only whole foods eaten. Attempt to consume 450g of protein
per day. Carb cycling begins;
Day 1: 250g in three meals
Day 2: 250g in three meals
Day 3: 75g in one meal midday
...and repeat the 250/250/75g carb cycling until 2wks out.

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6-4 WEEKS OUT

Make it or break it time! Short esters are preferred 6-4wks out. EQ is discontinued at 4wks.
T3 starts at 4wks, clen is upped to 160mcg BID at 4wks as well. It's also at this time that
everyone who thinks they know something start offering unrequested advice for my
remaning contest prep - but, that's OK, because I remember Golden Rule #1. I have little
tollerance at this time so I've found a simple head nod and a, "Yeah, I think I'll give that a
try" gets me out most conversations quickly. At 4wks I'm leaning out pretty well and
started to turn heads and get frequent comments in the gym. By now I've dropped about
30lbs, averaging 3.3lb losses weekly. I sweat profusely at night and the AC is kept at 60 so
that it runs 24/7. I never get more than 4-5 hours of sleep at night. Waking for urination
occurs at least 4 times a night. My metabolism is screaming and my body is hot all day and
night. I'm lucky to get 5-6 hours of sleep per night at this time and afternoon naps are
frequent. Intimate relationships start to suffer here. Getting angry is easy, and cooling off
takes an eternity. 

DRUGS
Test-E 875mg wk (move to Test-P, 150mg EOD)
Tren-A 100mg EOD
GH 6iu ED BID
EQ 600mg wk
ECA Stack, 2 caps BID
Clenbuterol 120mg BID (2wks on/2wks off > 9-8, 6-5, 2-1)
T3 50mcg BID, and at 4wks out 75mcg BID
Winstrol injectable at 50mg ED or doubled for an oral dose.

TRAINING
Supersets, high volume, strength dropping rapidly. Finding someone else to work out with is
a must for me at this time as I just can't harness the mental fortitude to really push it, but
with someone I will never let myself get punked. Posing practice begins daily - at least 30
minute sessions of compulsories and quarter turns. I free-style my music routines so I don't
practice for the night show posing.

DIET
High protein and continued carb cylcling with a 250/250/75g scheme. High GI carbs are
starting to call my name now, and diet breakdown intervention protocols are implimented.
I've found that if I never skip my meal frequency of 2 1/2-3hrs I stay on my diet. It's when
I'm sick of chicken and don't eat for 5 or 6 hours is when I break down and start
rummaging through the cupboards like a heroin addict. Last year my story was 17 poptarts
3wks out at 2am. This year I found some very old, very stale vanilla cookies. I ate three
and tossed the rest of the pack loosly into the trash as a preventative measure. 5 minutes
later I was circling for the trash looking for any cookies that may have not touched any
other discarded materials in the container. I managed to find 4 cookies to eat that met my
standards of sterilization. The mind game is really on now.

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3-2 WEEKS OUT

The mind starts offering it's own physique criticism here; "I'm way too fat - I'm so far
behind, I'm flat as a pancake, etc..." At 3wks out a third eye is needed for accurate
criticism. I can't stand anyone, I don't want people near me, the way my girlfriend drives
****es me off, and I have sudden urges to yank people out of their cars and strangle
helpless puppies. 
DRUGS
Test-P 150mg EOD
Tren-A 100mg EOD
GH 6iu ED BID
ECA Stack, 2 caps BID
Clenbuterol 160mg BID
T3 75mcg BID
Winstrol injectable at 50mg ED or doubled for an oral dose.
Halotestin 20mg ED 2wks out / 40mg ED 1wk out

TRAINING
I'm weak, so it's all heavy to me at this point. 15-20 reps, supersets, long workouts, and
cardio doubles using the Stairmaster for the first 30 minutes twice a day. One day per week
my leg routine consits of presses with a 20-30-40-50 rep count.

DIET
My diet guy will be looking at me regularly and tweaking my carbs. Around 3wks out I was
cycling carbs lower with a 150/150/50 rotation. At 2wks out I carb depleted on Sat and
Sun, then returned to the 150/150/50 rotation. Restaurant food is no longer allowed at this
time. I start smelling obscure foods, like grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup only to
find it's a steak someone is eating at the table next to me. Multi-minerals added at twice
label suggestions to prevent cramping. I also added Fiber Con fiber tablets to keep my
gastrointestinal tract moving along. 

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THE LAST TEN DAYS

All injections of AAS & GH are discontinued. They hold water, and it's too close to get
unlucky with a bad shot and have a lump in your deltoid on stage. Orals continued through
Friday, excluding clenbuterol which causes cramping, so I've stopped that on Thursday. My
girlfriend keeps telling everyone we know I'm and asshole right in front of me - and for
some reason it's the only time I smile anymore. At this point I just want it all to end.
Regular posing occurs daily for about 15 minutes at a time. This will help pull glycogen into
the muscle tissue. For the same reason, R-ALA is taken 200mg 20 minutes before each 60g
carb meal. 

SODIUM LOADING, DIURETICS & DISTILLED WATER

On Thursday, 10 days out I sodium load consuming as much salt as I can for six days. I've
been told only Sea Salt will accomplish this, but table salt seemed to work very well for me.

WEDNESDAY: Aldactone 50mg BID

THURSDAY: Aldactone 50mg 8AM / Aldactone 25mg 8PM / Aldactizide 25mg 8PM
FRIDAY: Aldactone 25mg 8AM / Aldactizide 25mg 8AM / Aldactone 25mg 8PM / Aldactizide
25mg 8PM
SATURDAY: Aldactone 25mg 8AM / Aldactizide 25mg 8AM / Aldactizide 25mg 3pm
Tuesday I drink 2.5 gallons of distilled water, Wednesday 2 gallons, Thursday 1.5 gallons
and from Friday morning to about 2pm I drink 1.5 gallons of water and stop. From that
point on I only consume enough water to swallow pills. When I become obsessed with
water, about midday, I chew on ice in attempt to quench my thirst. 

At this time ice is the best thing I've ever had. People talk about how they cannot wait to
eat pizza, but the reality is water is what we all want to consume (unless you didn't get
dry). 

CARBOHYDRATE DEPLETETING & LOADING

Saturday and Sunday I carb depleted, and started the infamous carb loading phase on
Monday. A third eye is crucial at this time so I know how many carbs to eat as my cerebral
function is running at about 15%. Mon-Thur carbs are all sweet potatoes, only sweet
potatoes.

MONDAY: 150 grams

TUESDAY: 150 grams
WEDNESDAY: 250 grams
THURSDAY: 400 grams 

FRIDAY the real carb loading begins. One unsalted white potato every 2 hours and not a
minute longer. I was right on at about 1:45 between each potato. R-ALA was used all day
on Friday and Saturday, 200mg twenty minutes before each carb meal. The function of the
carbs filling up my muscle tissue and pulling water out of my subutaneous tisse is the goal
of carb loading. Some water is needed for this to occur. Starting white potatoes at such
frequency any earlier than Friday could put me at risk of "spill over", or when I've taken in
so many carbs the water returns to subcutaneous tissue. Protein was also comsumed but
not feverishly. If I was super flat from the low carbs and diuretics I would have skipped to
protein intake to save room for more carbs. Remember, no water after 2pm, and in
conjuction I consumed 1 cup of dried oats. At 4pm I had a T bone with a plain side of pasta,
more white potatoes, and repeated the steak and pasta again at 8pm. Before bed I ate
another cup of dried oats. I slept 2 hours which is 30 minutes more than last year so I
guess I was pretty relaxed. Upon getting up in the night I may eat some pototoes or dried
oats again.

SATURDAY is a great day for all the bodybuilders. The classic morning meal is 3 pancakes,
syrup and eggs. Still no water. Between breakfast and pre-judging I ate blended
peanutbutter and honey spread over rice cakes. Well, mostly topping and a little rice cake,
LOL. Then it's high and low GI carb time. At this point almost anything is allowed excluding
diary, sodium and water. I consumed some trail mix, 3 bananas, 3 plain burgers with just
lettuce and bread, and anything else people wanted to share with me. A few minutes before
stage time I eat sugar to aid in vascularity. Niacin is also taken throughout the day to aid in
vascularity as well as vasodilation optimizer sprays like Hot Stuff by Pro Tan. A lot of guys
eat chocolate but I don't want to have any gastrointestinal issues at this time so I stray
from chocolate. One of my fellow competitors from my gym was still eating dried oats with
peanut butter backstage. 

Theoretically, sodium could be consumed now but then no water at all could be taken, even
sips. I'm too thirsty to want to make dehydration worse so I didn't test this theory out. I've
also been told that dairy fats (like ice cream) can be consumed as it takes 7 hours for the
fat to affect water subcutaneously. I wasn't willing to test this out either. Multi-Minerals are
taken every few hours to prevent cramping. Some competitors use an enema early in the
morning to flatten out their lower stomach and reduce a constipated feeling, hence my use
of the Fiber Con. I've also heard of many guys using 50mg Anadrol ED to fill out on Friday
and Saturday but I don't have problems filling out. I'd use short acting insulin before I went
the drol route.

It's a very long wait backstage if you are in the Men's Open class as all female, novice and
masters divisions will go out on stage before you. Expect to wait 2-3hrs. This is when I
hang out in the hall and visit with anyone willing to come backstage, of which there are
many. I think it's also my obligation to compliment groups on their way out to the stage
(for prejudging, particularly) that they look great, good luck, etc. This puts me at ease and
give me a boost in confidence. When you are called by the backstage handler/expeditor he
will forewarn you to get oiled up and pumped up. Original Pam is used by most males for oil
- yessir - the spray on kind. Your tan should have been completed Friday night with nothing
more than a touch-up on Saturday am if needed. I use Pro-Tan, many female figure
competitors use Jan Tanna. A lof of guys do a complete workout backstage to pump up, but
what this does is load the muscle full of blood which smooths out the cuts. Sure, you will be
bigger, but you will lose the cuts. I grab the 20lb dbs and do about 15 slow reps of lateral
shoulder raises, curls and kick-backs. About 8 standing lunges on each leg and I'm ready
for the stage. 

After pre-judging the handlers will tell you to stay dialed in as the final placings will come
down to the night show. Going home you have a rough idea of where you have placed, but
the night show really doesn't mean a thing. The judges hand in their cards after prejudging
and judge nothing more at night than the overall when each class winner poses down
against the other. They tell you it will finally come down to the night show so the athletes
don't come back all bloated up. If the night crowd sees a high placement bloated they will
boo the judges as they think placements are incorrect. It's all a scheme to keep themselves
from getting boo-ed!

DIURETIC REBOUND
Finally, there is the horrific post competition time of high GI carbs, salt, no training for a
week, and no intake of diuretics which can lead to the infamous "rebound". The combination
of all of these things can cause the full body adema (holding excess water) causing the
athlete to appear like the stay puff marshmallow man. It's an extreme reversal of the
sodium/water scheme resulting in the opposite effect. Some people will get ankles and
calves that swell up so bad that poking the area with a finger will leave a pitted mark from
the adema. A clean diet, cardio and a mild diuretic can ease this state which is very
unhealthy. After my first show I gained 25lbs in two days, and another 10lbs in the
following five days. This year I only went up 15lbs over my contest weight in one week