CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE MAY || ISSUE 34 | Seite 68

19
WEIGHT TRAINING
We are all bodybuilders and weight training is
the one thing that must remain constant.
Without it, we do not feel complete and many
cannot have a good day without it. I know that
statement may sound extreme, but I am
confident that most of you will agree.
However, too much of a good thing for too
long can start working against us.
Similar to cardio, weight training cannot
remain at peak levels after the show has come
and gone. During the post-contest phase, your
weight training must be gradually reduced in
both volume and intensity to help recharge
both your body and mind. I know we need to
keep doing something, so what are you to do?
Above all activities, your weight training
workouts tax your central nervous system
(CNS) to the max. In an effort to help you
rejuvenate yourself but still get some good
workouts in, I recommend that you
immediately implement deload protocols for
Too
much of
a good
thing
for too
long can
start
working
against
us.
your workouts. These can include a 10-15% reduction of load or total volume per workout,
replacing plyometric exercises with static or less dynamic versions of those exercises,
and/or using more machine-based exercises.
The last thing you should do is start a powerlifting, Olympic lifting, or CrossFit program
post-contest just because you “want to do something different”. Trust me when I say this:
you may feel your strongest ever after eating more food post-contest and want to have an
opportunity to display this new strength, but I promise that you will be in a deeper hole
than ever.
Post-contest is a time for repair, recharge, and getting excited about your next time on
stage. Use this time to work with your body to manage stress and prepare your mind and
body for a productive of-season. I hope that after reading the information I’ve provided,
you can now use diet, cardio, and weight training to your advantage while using
competition as a stepping stone to your next big stride forward.