Training for Natural bodybuilding competition: two case

studies
appliedmetabolics.com/training-natural-bodybulding-competition-two-case-studies

Jerry Brainum

In the previous article about how to prepare

for competing in a natural bodybuilding
competition, I provided an overview related
to relevant nutritional and supplementation
factors. In order to see how all this fits
together in actual practice, let’s follow two
natural bodybuilders as they prepare for
competition. These case studies will show
precisely what these men did to get in peak
condition, and both were successful in their
endeavors.

The first bodybuilder was a 26-year-old man

who had achieved professional status two
years earlier. His entire preparations for a
contest were closely documented for one
year, six months prior to the contest, and for
another six months after the contest. He Eugene Sandow, 1867-1925, the archetypical
consumed 5 meals a day, spaced 4 to 4.5 natural bodybuilder. He can never be accused of
hours apart. While preparing for the contest, using anabolic steroids, since testosterone wasn’t
isolated until 10 years after his death.
he consumed 25% of his total carbohydrate
intake prior to his workout, and another 25%
after his workout. Thus, most of his carb intake occurred when he was more likely to oxidize
the carbs, thus not impeding his fat-loss efforts. In addition, the strategically placed carb
intake also maximized his glycogen stores, thus assuring maximal energy output for his
workouts. This type of scheduled carb intake also likely provides a muscle-sparing action, an
important consideration for a natural bodybuilder. For five days of the week, his diet
composition consisted of 36% protein, 36% carbs, and 28% fat. On two of the days, he

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changed the proportion of macronutrients to this: 30% protein, 48% carbs, 22% fat. This
change was ostensibly made to top off his muscle and liver glycogen stores since the main
nutrient that was increased was his carb intake. He stayed at about the same level of total
calorie intake throughout his preparation but raised or lowered his carb intake by 5 to 10
grams depending on how his fat loss was progressing. Right up to the contest, he increased
his intake of protein to 46%, with 29% carbs and 25% fat. This was done to preserve muscle
as he got leaner since there is a greater chance of muscle loss when most of the body fat
stores are exhausted. The only food supplements he used were creatine and whey protein.

In relation to training, he trained 4 days a week with weights, and also did 40 minutes of
high-intensity interval training, once a week. On another day, he did 30 minutes of low
intensity, steady-state aerobics. he trained each muscle group twice weekly. He also
practiced his posing routine for 15-30 minutes, starting once a week, increasing to 3-4 times
a week as the contest drew closer.

This bodybuilder underwent physiological testing procedures that revealed some surprising
effects. During his preparation for the contest, his resting heart rate dropped from 53 to only
27 beats per minute. After the contest, his resting heart rate was up to 46 beats per
minute.His blood pressure dropped from 132/69 to 104/56 during the pre-contest training,
returning to 116/64 six months after the contest. His body fat percentage dropped from
14.8% to 4.8% while training for the contest, and went back up to 14.6% in the six months
following the contest. His strength levels dropped significantly during contest prep and did
not recover even six months after the contest. His testosterone level also showed a
significant drop during the contest prep, going from 9.22 down to 2.27 ng/ml. By six months
after the contest, his testosterone level was back up to 9.91 mg/dl. These findings, along with
elevated cortisol levels, reduced immune function, lowered heart rate, and negative mood
changes are all indicative of overtraining. As noted, natural bodybuilders need to be careful
of this, since not having the crutch of anabolic drugs can easily allow you to slip into
overtraining, especially if calories or protein isn’t consumed in larger amounts. His mood
improved a month after the contest, while his strength got back to normal at the 2-month
post-contest mark. His hormonal profile didn’t return to precontest values until 3 months after
the contest.

His weight-loss efforts did succeed, as he lost only 3.9% lean mass during his prep. The
average amount of lean mass lost during most diets is 5%. His weight training and high
protein intake likely accounted for the lean mass retention. His body fat levels took four
months to return to baseline (before contest prep) levels. The bodybuilder was careful not to
gain too much fat after the contest. The best way to avoid that from happening is a gradual
reintroduction of calories back into the diet, a practice known as reverse dieting. Not only
does this method prevent excess fat deposition, but it allows your metabolism, which may
have been depressed by the low-calorie intake during contest prep, to also return to normal,
which adds to the better body composition effect. The practice of some bodybuilders to
gorge on food after a contest is a mistake, since if you get too fat you may add new fat cells,

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which will make future efforts to get in contest shape more difficult. It’s also important to note
that while resting metabolism usually declines with caloric restriction, this rarely happens in
bodybuilders to any great extent because of the combination of a higher protein diet and
resistance exercise.

As noted, his strength did drop during his contest prep, which is to be expected considering
his lowered caloric intake. Thus, his one-rep strength in the squat declined 31.8%; bench
press, 8.4%; deadlift,7%. As noted earlier, his strength took several months to return to
baseline readings, which may have coincided with the lowered anabolic hormones, i.e,
testosterone, that also took time to return to baseline levels. While he did show elevated
cortisol levels, this was more reflective of cortisol’s lesser-known function of helping to
mobilize body fat, especially after exercise. The amount of lean mass that he lost was not
reflective of any catabolic effect of cortisol.

The extreme drop in his heart rate, from 53 to only 27 beats per minute is consistent with
following a low-calorie or even a starvation diet. In men who underwent experimental
starvation procedures during World War 2, their heartbeats likewise dropped to 27 beats per
minute. In short, all of the changes in hormone levels and strength were directly related to his
extended low-calorie intake. But it got the job done, as he succeeded his accomplishing his
body composition changes to get in maximum contest condition.

CASE STUDY #2

The second natural bodybuilder we will look at is 26 years old and has been training for 10
years. He had previously competed in seven contests over the last eight years. For the
purposes of this case study, his training, diet, and physiological reactions were monitored for
26 weeks up to the competition. He wound up winning the contest, which qualified him for
professional status. This bodybuilder tracked his training and diet in a diary and was
meticulous enough to also concisely weigh all of his food intake. I witnessed an earlier
natural bodybuilder who competed in the 1990s, Mike Ashley, also cook and weighs all of his
food. When he traveled to contests, Mike brought along his pre-cooked food in Tupperware
containers. Ashley refused to eat restaurant food since “you don’t know what they put in the
food.” He was concerned in this sense about added salt, which he felt would cause water
retention. Interestingly, Mike’s training and diet preparations were the first case study of a
bodybuilder preparing for a contest that was published in a professional journal about 25
years ago.

Concerning the present bodybuilder, at the start of his preparation, he consumed 250 grams
of protein a day; 240 grams of carbohydrate; and 70 grams of fat, five days a week. On two
days, he consumed very high carb days. On those days, his diet consisted of 225 grams of
protein;400 grams of carbs; 65 grams of fat. The purpose of such high-carb days is twofold.

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It stimulates a higher release of insulin, which in turn, helps preserve muscle mass–an
important consideration for a drug-free bodybuilder. The higher carb intake also tops off
muscle and liver glycogen stores, which permits more efficient recovery between workouts,
as well as being the primary source of energy for resistance exercise. The added carbs also
likely sparked his metabolism, which would serve to help prevent fat-loss plateaus.

If he found that the rate of his weight loss slowed, he would modify his diet by reducing fat or
carbs by 5-10 grams. At the end of his contest prep, his macronutrient intake looked like this:
protein, 250 grams; carbs, 140 grams; fat, 51 grams. On his high carb days twice a week, he
would consume 225 grams of protein;255 grams of carb; and 46 grams of fat. As for
supplements, throughout the contest prep, he ingested the following: 30 grams of branched-
chain amino acids; 3 grams of HMB; 5 grams creatine; 2 grams fish oil;6 grams beta-alanine;
and a multi-vitamin, all taken daily.

He trained 5 days a week, with each workout taking 1- 1 1/2 hours. Each muscle was trained
twice weekly. On one workout, he would do a repetition range of 3-8, and during the next
workout for the same muscle group, he would average 8-15 reps per set. This is known as
undulating periodization and serves to help prevent injuries, as well as work different aspects
of the muscle. Varying the weights used is a good method to use for natural bodybuilders
since it helps to prevent injuries and promotes rapid recovery. When he began his contest
prep, he did two 40-minute sessions of high-intensity interval aerobic training (HIIT). This
consisted of a 30-second all-out sprint, followed by 4 1/2 minutes of slow jogging. At the end
of his contest prep, he was doing four 60-minute sessions of HIIT, along with two sessions of
steady-state aerobics for 30 minutes, twice a week.

In the course of his 26-week contest prep, the bodybuilder lost nearly 34 pounds, of which
8.8% was lean mass. This minimal lean mass loss likely was due to his higher protein and
moderate carb intake. The bodybuilder also showed an unexpected increase in both bone
mass and density. This is surprising because bone mass usually declines during low caloric
conditions. The authors who wrote this case study in a science journal think that his aerobic
sessions are largely responsible for the boost in bone mass. I, however, would suggest that
this resulted from his “heavy day” training since higher weight resistance is an established
booster of bone mass. In addition, recent studies have shown that, contrary to warnings
about high protein diets promoting bone loss, a higher protein diet increases bone mass. The
mechanism is thought to be an increase in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), from the
protein intake. IGF-1 helps maintain bone mass.

The fact that natural bodybuilding is a very healthy activity is reflected in the findings of some
beneficial cardiovascular effects in this bodybuilder. He showed reduced blood pressure,
reduced arterial stiffness, and increased maximal oxygen intake. He also showed a reduced
cardiac output (reflected in a lower resting pulse, indicative of more efficient heart-pumping
action). He showed improved cardiac perfusion or the level of blood circulation in his heart.
This is the opposite of what happens in bodybuilders who use large doses of anabolic

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steroids–they show reduced blood circulation within the heart. There were no indications of
either higher blood lipid, or cholesterol levels, or any sign of excess inflammation, also linked
to cardiovascular disease. The bodybuilder showed parasympathetic dominance, which
reflects a greater activity of the part of the autonomic nervous system that slows the heart
rate. This is linked to greater electrical stability of the heart. In turn, this means a lower
chance of potentially fatal heart rhythm disturbances. The improved autonomic function was
also reflected in a greater variation of his pulse pressure, which is related to blood pressure.
In bodybuilders who abuse anabolic steroids, there is sympathetic dominance. the reverse of
what is seen in drug-free bodybuilders. This sympathetic dominance sets up drug-using
bodybuilders for possibly serious heart rhythm disturbances.

References
Rossow, LM, et al. Natural Bodybuilding Competition Preparation and recovery: A 12-month
case study.Int J Sports Physiol Perf 2013;8:582-592.

Kistler, BM, et al.Case Study: Natural Bodybuilding contest preparation. Int J Sports Nutr
Exerc Metab 2014: in press.

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