Natural Bodybuilder Paul Becker, Owner of Truly Huge Supplements Competing at 58 Years Old
Preparing for a bodybuilding competition is about much more than simply losing weight. The real challenge is getting lean enough to reveal muscular definition while preserving as much of your hard-earned muscle, strength and fullness as possible.
A successful bodybuilding contest prep requires a combination of resistance training, cardio, nutrition, supplementation, recovery and posing practice. Every part of the preparation has a purpose, and the closer you get to competition day, the more important it becomes to manage your training and diet carefully.
The primary objective is simple: lose body fat while maintaining muscle mass. Accomplishing that goal requires a carefully controlled calorie deficit rather than simply starving yourself or performing endless cardio.
How to Prepare for a Bodybuilding Competition
Bodybuilding competition preparation typically begins several weeks or months before stepping on stage. The exact length of a contest prep depends on your starting body-fat level, the amount of fat you need to lose and your individual rate of weight loss.
A complete bodybuilding contest preparation program can include:
- Progressive resistance training
- Calorie and macronutrient control
- High protein intake
- Cardiovascular exercise
- Strategic supplementation
- Adequate sleep and recovery
- Regular posing practice
- Monitoring body weight and body composition
- Competition posing and presentation
- Skin preparation and tanning
- Final-week adjustments under appropriate guidance
Contest preparation is both physically and mentally demanding. As body fat gets lower, hunger, fatigue and training stress can increase. This makes it especially important to avoid unnecessarily aggressive dieting that can compromise training performance and muscle retention.
The Main Goal of Contest Prep: Preserve Muscle While Losing Fat
When you’re dieting for a bodybuilding competition, the scale isn’t the only thing that matters. Losing weight too quickly can increase the risk of losing lean tissue along with body fat.
The objective is therefore to create a calorie deficit large enough to produce consistent fat loss while providing your body with enough protein, resistance-training stimulus and recovery to help preserve muscle.
This is why a contest diet should not simply be a starvation diet combined with hours of cardio.
The goal isn’t to become as light as possible. The goal is to become as lean as possible while retaining as much muscle as possible.
Bodybuilding Contest Prep Workout Plan
One of the biggest mistakes some competitors make during contest preparation is dramatically reducing the amount of weight they lift.
There is a common misconception that using extremely light weights for very high repetitions will burn more fat from the muscles being trained. However, you cannot selectively spot-reduce body fat by performing high repetitions for a particular body part.
Resistance training provides an important mechanical stimulus for maintaining muscle while you’re consuming fewer calories.
Keep Training Hard
During contest prep, your workouts should continue to provide a meaningful training stimulus. While training volume may need to be adjusted as recovery becomes more difficult, there is generally no reason to intentionally turn every workout into a lightweight endurance session simply because you’re dieting.
Exercises such as:
- Squats and leg presses
- Deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts
- Bench presses
- Rows
- Pull-ups and pulldowns
- Overhead presses
- Curls
- Triceps extensions and presses
- Calf raises
can remain valuable components of a contest-prep training program.
The exact exercises, sets and repetitions should be adjusted to the individual. The important principle is to continue giving the muscles a strong reason to remain while body weight is decreasing.
Should You Lift Heavy Weights During Contest Prep?
In most cases, yes. Contest preparation isn’t the time to abandon resistance training and replace it with endless high-repetition workouts.
Maintaining reasonable loads and training intensity can help preserve the strength and mechanical tension associated with your normal training. However, “heavy” doesn’t mean you need to constantly test one-rep maximums.
A better approach is to continue training hard with controlled technique and use loads that allow you to maintain productive training while managing fatigue.
As the calorie deficit becomes more aggressive, recovery may decline. At that point, reducing unnecessary training volume can be more appropriate than simply reducing every weight in the gym.
Bodybuilding Contest Prep Cardio
Cardio is another important tool during contest preparation. The purpose of cardio is to increase energy expenditure and help create the calorie deficit required for fat loss.
For many bodybuilders, low-intensity steady-state cardio, or LISS, is a practical option during contest prep.
LISS can include activities such as:
- Walking
- Incline treadmill walking
- Stationary cycling
- Elliptical training
- Other low-intensity cardiovascular activities
Because LISS is relatively low intensity, it can be easier to incorporate into a contest-prep program without adding as much fatigue as frequent high-intensity conditioning sessions.
How Much Cardio Should You Do?
There isn’t one universal amount of cardio that every competitor should perform. Your starting body-fat level, calorie intake, activity outside the gym, rate of weight loss and recovery all influence the appropriate amount.
A sensible strategy is to use the minimum amount of cardio necessary to maintain an appropriate rate of fat loss and increase it gradually if progress stalls.
Adding more and more cardio while simultaneously cutting calories aggressively can eventually create a recovery problem. More isn’t automatically better.
Bodybuilding Contest Diet Plan
Diet is arguably the most important component of getting stage lean. You can have an excellent workout program, but if your calorie intake consistently prevents fat loss, you won’t reach contest condition.
A typical bodybuilding contest diet emphasizes:
- A controlled calorie deficit
- High-quality protein
- Adequate dietary fat
- Carbohydrates adjusted to individual needs
- Plenty of vegetables and nutrient-dense foods
- Consistent hydration
- Careful monitoring of progress
High Protein During Contest Prep
Protein becomes especially important when you’re dieting because preserving lean tissue is a major objective.
Good protein sources can include lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and appropriate protein supplements. Plant-based protein sources can also contribute to total daily protein intake.
Rather than relying on one enormous protein-heavy meal, many competitors find it practical to distribute protein across several meals throughout the day.
What About Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates provide an important source of training fuel. Cutting carbohydrates extremely low isn’t automatically necessary for getting lean.
Many competitors strategically place a significant portion of their carbohydrate intake around their workouts to support training performance and recovery.
The appropriate carbohydrate intake depends on total calories, training demands, individual response and dietary preference.
What About Dietary Fat?
Dietary fat should not necessarily be eliminated during contest prep. Fat provides energy and plays important roles in normal physiological function.
The key is controlling total calorie intake while maintaining a nutritionally adequate diet.
How Fast Should You Lose Weight During Contest Prep?
The ideal rate of weight loss varies from person to person. A competitor carrying more body fat may be able to lose weight somewhat faster than an already-lean competitor.
As you become increasingly lean, preserving muscle becomes more important and aggressive weight loss can become increasingly difficult to tolerate.
Instead of focusing exclusively on the number on the scale, monitor multiple indicators including:
- Weekly average body weight
- Waist measurements
- Progress photographs
- Strength in the gym
- Muscle fullness and appearance
- Energy and recovery
These measurements provide a much better picture of what’s happening than a single day’s weigh-in.
Bodybuilding Contest Prep Supplements
Supplements aren’t a substitute for a properly structured diet and training program. However, certain supplements can be useful for helping a bodybuilder meet nutritional goals, support training performance or make a calorie-restricted diet easier to manage.
Some supplements commonly used by bodybuilders during contest preparation include creatine, amino acids, caffeine-based products and other sports-nutrition products.
Below are several supplements from Truly Huge that many bodybuilders have used during contest preparation.
Andro-Shock Testosterone Booster
Andro-Shock Testosterone Booster is marketed as a dietary supplement designed to support healthy testosterone levels.
Contest preparation involves prolonged calorie restriction, hard training and increased physical stress. Some athletes therefore look for supplements that they believe can support normal hormonal health during dieting.
It’s important to distinguish a testosterone-support supplement from prescription testosterone or anabolic steroids. A dietary supplement should not be assumed to produce the same effects as hormone therapy or anabolic drugs.
Andro-Shock Customer Review
“I’m training and using Andro-shock to help me achieve a bulkier and stronger build. Compared to other bodybuilding supplements, Andro-shock has an effective and safer formula that doesn’t include banned ingredients.”
“It’s completely legal to help support your testosterone levels and I can definitely say that it is a safer and better alternative to steroids. It is definitely worth spending my money on since it makes my gym workouts worth something.”
“Andro-shock also does not give me that jittery feeling compared to other products with illegal steroids in them.”
Customer testimonial provided by Truly Huge Supplements; individual results may vary.
HGH Factors
HGH Factors is marketed as a supplement intended to support the body’s natural growth-hormone-related processes.
Some bodybuilders consider growth-hormone-support supplements during contest preparation because maintaining recovery, sleep and lean mass becomes increasingly important during a calorie deficit.
However, a dietary supplement should not be confused with human growth hormone medication. Supplements cannot be assumed to reproduce the effects of prescription HGH.
HGH Factors Testimonial
“I have lost 10lbs of fat and increased my strength to a maximum bench press of 300lbs. At 176 pounds I feel great. I sleep better and have more energy throughout the day. I will continue to keep you updated on my progress with this product but for now count me as one who is extremely happy.”
Customer testimonial provided by Truly Huge Supplements; individual results vary and this experience should not be considered typical or guaranteed.
Nitrobol Amino Acid Complex
Nitrobol Amino Acid Complex provides amino acids that can complement a high-protein bodybuilding diet.
During contest preparation, calories may become increasingly restricted. A convenient amino acid supplement can be one way for athletes to supplement their overall nutrition, although total daily protein intake remains the foundation of a muscle-preserving diet.
Nitrobol Success Story
“I can see my abs again!”
“This is working pretty damn good. I’ve even had a few people ask me if I’m juicing, which is a compliment at this point.”
“After 6 weeks I have experienced the rare privilege of being reintroduced to some very old friends of mine… MY ABS!”
— Eddie De La Cruz, Bronx, NY
Customer testimonial provided by Truly Huge Supplements. Individual results vary.
Pumped Extreme Kre-Alkalyn Creatine
Pumped Extreme Kre-Alkalyn Creatine is a creatine supplement designed to support high-intensity training performance.
Creatine is particularly interesting during contest preparation because maintaining training quality can become more difficult as calories and body weight decline.
Creatine supplementation has substantial research behind it for supporting high-intensity exercise performance and helping increase or maintain lean mass when combined with resistance training.
One thing competitors should understand is that creatine can increase intracellular water stored within muscle. That is different from gaining body fat, but competitors should consider how any supplement affects their individual appearance as they approach the stage.
Pumped Extreme Customer Success Story
“Being a competitive NATURAL bodybuilder at times it can be difficult to find a supplement that actually does what it claims to do. However, Pumped Extreme actually does what it claims.”
“I discovered Pumped Extreme three months prior to the 2011 Musclemania competition, which was broadcasted live on ESPN 3. For that international competition I cracked into the top 3 spot in my class.”
“Prior to Pumped Extreme I usually had a good or okay training session. However, now that I am using Pumped Extreme I always have a great to excellent training session.”
“While on Pumped Extreme I experienced a rapid skin tight blood flow to the muscles being trained, more focus, and an increase in strength.”
— Dube Rose
Customer testimonial provided by Truly Huge Supplements. Competition results and individual experiences are not guaranteed.
Ecdy-Bolin Ecdysterone
Ecdy-Bolin Ecdysterone is formulated around ecdysterone, a naturally occurring compound that has attracted interest among athletes and bodybuilding enthusiasts.
Bodybuilders use ecdysterone supplements like Ecdy-Bolin as a natural, non-hormonal way to help prevent muscle wasting (catabolism) while under severe caloric restriction.
Ecdy-Bolin Contest Prep Testimonial
“Ecdy Bolin got me down to 4.11% body fat. It got me to my most shredded package that I have ever been able to bring to the stage.”
“This supplement not only kept me strong while cutting, but it also allowed me to retain 85-90% or more of my muscle while doing it.”
“It was interesting because it even felt like my stamina improved and my mental focus was like that of Bruce Lee.”
— Jai Hyler
Customer testimonial provided by Truly Huge Supplements. The reported body-fat measurement and muscle-retention result are an individual’s experience and are not guaranteed results.
Herbal Fat Melter
Herbal Fat Melter is a fat-loss supplement formulated to complement a calorie-controlled diet.
Fat burners can sometimes be useful as an addition to a contest-prep strategy, but they should never be considered the foundation of fat loss. The calorie deficit created through diet and activity remains the primary driver of body-fat reduction.
A product that helps control appetite or provides energy may be useful to some competitors, particularly during the later stages of a diet when hunger becomes increasingly challenging.
Herbal Fat Melter Testimonial
“I’m a fitness competitor (for approximately three years) and while taking the Herbal Fat Melter I did see some thinning out around my mid-section, stomach, legs, etc. and some of those stubborn areas.”
“In an environment where everyone is selling herbal supplements and most don’t do much at all, this product Herbal Fat Melter delivers especially by cutting the cravings.”
“I was pleasantly surprised to see a positive effect on my energy within the first few use and it does provide all of the benefits. I’m seeing great results with this product.”
— CJ Daniels
Customer testimonial provided by Truly Huge Supplements. Individual results vary.
Supplements Are Only Part of Contest Preparation
It’s easy to become distracted by supplements when preparing for a bodybuilding competition. The reality is that supplements cannot compensate for an inadequate diet or inconsistent training.
The foundation of contest preparation remains:
- Resistance training to provide a muscle-retention stimulus.
- Adequate protein to support maintenance of lean tissue.
- A controlled calorie deficit to reduce body fat.
- Cardio and daily activity to increase energy expenditure when needed.
- Sleep and recovery to help manage the demands of preparation.
- Consistent monitoring so adjustments can be made based on actual progress.
Posing Practice for a Bodybuilding Competition
Getting lean is only part of being ready for the stage.
A competitor also needs to know how to present the physique. Posing practice should therefore begin well before competition day rather than being treated as something to learn during the final week.
Regular posing practice can help you improve your ability to display:
- Muscularity
- Symmetry
- Proportion
- Conditioning
- Muscle separation
- Stage presentation
Practicing poses while fatigued can also help you become more comfortable holding positions under competition conditions.
Sleep and Recovery During Contest Prep
Recovery becomes increasingly important as contest preparation progresses. You’re asking your body to train hard while consuming fewer calories and gradually reducing stored body fat.
Getting adequate sleep should therefore be considered part of your contest-prep program rather than an optional extra.
A consistent sleep schedule, appropriate rest days and sensible management of training volume can help you continue progressing without accumulating unnecessary fatigue.
What to Do During the Final Weeks Before a Contest
The final weeks of preparation are usually when discipline matters most. At this point, small inconsistencies in food intake, cardio or training can interfere with the progress you’ve made over months.
Continue monitoring:
- Morning body weight and weekly averages
- Progress photos
- Waist measurements
- Training performance
- Energy levels
- Recovery
- Posing
- Overall stage condition
Avoid making drastic changes simply because you’re getting impatient. Last-minute extreme dieting, dehydration or other aggressive practices can carry health risks and should not be undertaken without qualified professional guidance.
Common Bodybuilding Contest Prep Mistakes
1. Cutting Calories Too Quickly
Crash dieting can make it harder to train, recover and preserve lean mass. A controlled approach is generally more sustainable.
2. Replacing Weight Training With Cardio
Cardio helps increase energy expenditure, but resistance training remains important for providing the muscle-retention stimulus.
3. Using Extremely Light Weights
High repetitions don’t selectively burn fat from the muscles being trained. Maintaining productive resistance training is generally more useful.
4. Depending on Fat Burners
Fat-burning supplements cannot replace a calorie deficit. Diet, activity and consistency remain the foundation of fat loss.
5. Ignoring Recovery
More training isn’t always better. As calories decline, recovery capacity can also decline.
6. Waiting Until the Last Minute to Practice Posing
Posing is a skill. Start practicing early so that presentation becomes second nature before competition day.
7. Making Extreme Last-Minute Changes
Trying an unfamiliar supplement, radically changing your diet or dramatically altering water and electrolyte intake immediately before a competition can create unnecessary problems.
Bodybuilding Contest Prep: Putting It All Together
A successful bodybuilding contest preparation is the result of dozens of small decisions made consistently over time.
Your contest prep workout should provide enough resistance-training stimulus to help preserve muscle. Your contest prep cardio should increase energy expenditure without unnecessarily compromising recovery. Your contest diet should create a manageable calorie deficit while providing adequate protein and nutrition.
Supplements can then be used to complement that foundation.
Products such as Andro-Shock, HGH Factors, Nitrobol Amino Acid Complex, Pumped Extreme Kre-Alkalyn Creatine, Ecdy-Bolin Ecdysterone and Herbal Fat Melter can be incorporated into a bodybuilding nutrition and supplementation strategy according to the individual’s goals, preferences and tolerance.
But remember the fundamental rule of contest preparation: you cannot supplement your way out of a poor diet or poor training program.
The bodybuilder who reaches the stage in the best condition is the one who consistently manages training, nutrition, cardio, recovery and presentation throughout the entire preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bodybuilding Contest Prep
How long does bodybuilding contest prep take?
Contest preparation can take anywhere from several weeks to several months depending on how lean the competitor is at the beginning of the diet and how much body fat needs to be lost. Starting earlier generally provides more opportunity to lose fat without relying on an excessively aggressive calorie deficit.
What should I eat during bodybuilding contest prep?
A contest diet generally emphasizes adequate protein, controlled calories, nutrient-dense foods and carbohydrates and fats adjusted to the individual’s needs. The specific diet should be based on the competitor’s starting condition, rate of progress and training demands.
Should I stop lifting heavy during contest prep?
Not necessarily. Maintaining productive resistance training can help provide the stimulus needed to preserve muscle while dieting. However, training volume and exercise selection may need to be adjusted as recovery becomes more challenging.
What is the best cardio for bodybuilding contest prep?
Low-intensity steady-state cardio is a popular option because it can increase energy expenditure while generally being easier to recover from than frequent high-intensity cardio. The appropriate amount depends on the individual competitor.
What supplements should I take during contest prep?
Common bodybuilding supplements used during contest preparation include protein supplements, creatine, amino acids and other products designed to support training, nutrition or appetite management. The specific supplements should complement—not replace—a well-structured diet and training program.
Can supplements help me get stage lean?
Supplements may complement a fat-loss program, but they do not replace the calorie deficit required to lose body fat. Your diet, resistance training, activity level, cardio and recovery have a much larger role in determining the outcome of contest preparation.
Final Thoughts
Getting ready for a bodybuilding competition is one of the most demanding challenges in the sport. The goal isn’t simply to lose as much weight as possible. It’s to arrive on competition day with as much muscle, strength, definition and presentation quality as possible.
That requires a combination of hard resistance training, intelligent cardio, a high-protein calorie-controlled diet, proper recovery, posing practice and strategic supplementation.
Start your preparation early, track your progress, make gradual adjustments and keep your primary objective in mind: strip away body fat while preserving the muscle you’ve worked so hard to build.
Important: Contest preparation can involve significant calorie restriction and high training demands. The information in this article is educational and isn’t a substitute for individualized advice from a qualified physician, registered dietitian or experienced contest-prep professional. Supplement results vary by individual, and product testimonials represent individual experiences rather than guaranteed outcomes.
Shop Truly Huge Bodybuilding Supplements
Email support@trulyhugebodybuilding.com or call (800) 635-8970 with any questions you have and we’ll be happy to help you find the best supplements for your bodybuilding and fitness goals.