1:55 PM
Anthony DiMuro
Training for a contest doesn't begin 12 weeks before a show. It begins the minute you walk off the stage of your last contest (hopefully holding a nice trophy). My off-season contest preparation consists of numerous aspects of physique training: nutrition, cardiovascular training, toning, research, and psychological recuperation. Here I will talk about nutrition and psychological recuperation and why they are so important to your off-season training.
Nutrition
Most off-season competitors see post contest as a time to
hit the Drive Thru and put on the fat. I’ve
found that putting on fat, however, is not the way to go. I recommend keeping within 10-20 pounds of
your contest weight because:
- If you did well enough in the show, you may get offers for photo sessions, modeling, etc. If you stay close to your contest weight, it will be a lot easier to get back into shape than if you are not.
- Unwanted fat puts unwanted stress on your cardiovascular system. I’ve done this before and noticed myself breathing heavily when I was working out. Breathing hard isn’t the only problem. If you put on too much weight you will have elevated blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and elevated cholesterol. If you stay within 10-20 pounds of your contest weight, you will avoid this problem.
- You avoid putting added stress to your joints—especially your knees. When I used to gain weight in the off season, I would weigh up to 150 pounds However, I once weighed 185 pounds! At that weight, I found that my knees were constantly sore. As I dropped the extra weight and got closer to my contest weight, I found that my knees didn’t hurt as much. My workouts and even my daily activities became a lot easier.
You should keep a sound, fit diet—one that maintains
adequate levels of protein and carbohydrates to keep your muscles growing. Here’s an example of my off-season diet:
- First thing: I start my day with a warm cup of lemon water
- Breakfast: Egg whites (5) and Oatmeal (with almonds, Stevia, and a tsp. of pumpkin butter)
- Snack: Hand full of pecans (I love pecans) and maybe a fruit small
- Lunch: Chicken, broccoli, and a sweet potato
- Snack: Nuts mixture
- Dinner: Mostly some type of salad or Chicken/Fish and a vegetable of choice (no carbs)
Psychological Recuperation
Recovering mentally is just as important as recovering
physically after a contest. I typically
take at least a week off from the gym to give my mind and body a rest. Some people take more time but I find that
after about a week I’m ready to get back to training. How much time you take off, though, will be
something your mind will tell you.
Besides staying out of the gym, you should:
- Relax on your diet. Go out and have a good meal after the competition; however, be careful about spiking your insulin and making yourself sick. If you do this, instead of spending your time celebrating you will find yourself spending time on the porcelain princess. Do this in moderation and you will be fine.
- Return to the hobbies you had before the contest season began. I like to get on my motorcycle and go spinning through the mud.
- Spend more time with your family and friends as you probably haven’t seen much of them in the last 12 weeks.
If you have any questions about off-season contest
preparation, feel free to contact me.
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3 comments:
This is an incredibly crafted blog post with so much valuable information and great tips as well! Whether you are a man or a woman who trains and competes, all of the things that you shared can be applied across the boards and should definitely be taken into consideration as a means to stay fresh and stay fit.
Thank you so much Marcus for stopping by! I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Don't forget to subscribe to get new content sent straight to your inbox.
What's one piece of valuable information you've learned while on your fitness journey?
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