Secret drying technology from iron sports pros. Thanks to this method, you will burn maximum subcutaneous fat and preserve muscle mass. The dietary programs used by bodybuilders in preparation for a competition are most often terrifying to dietitians. This is understandable, since during preparation for the competition, athletes do not think about a balanced diet. They are faced with one task - to become lean, and thoughts about health fade into the background.
Many people want to lose weight and look fit. In bodybuilding, the goals are somewhat different - the most complete disposal of subcutaneous fat. However, at the same time, it is necessary to preserve all the recruited muscle mass. Only if these rules are followed can you expect high results.
How much fat should remain after drying?
Often, pro-athletes voice completely unattainable numbers. Most often, three percent is mentioned, and sometimes even it comes to zero percent. In the human body, there is a certain minimum reserve of fat, which is located in the region of the kidneys and nerve endings. It is he who makes up three percent.
Surely you know that in addition to subcutaneous fat, there is also visceral fat located inside the body. The body will not use up its emergency reserves of fat, but if the necessary conditions are present, subcutaneous and visceral fats can be easily used up. It is after the elimination of visceral and subcutaneous fat that a person becomes lean.
Scientists have investigated the topic of the minimum body fat in a healthy man and have come to the conclusion that without losing muscle mass, you can achieve a six percent fat content. If weight loss continues, then the mechanism of destruction of muscle tissue for energy is triggered.
Pro-athletes, after a good drying cycle, usually have 4-7 percent body fat in their bodies. The greatest success here was achieved by Andreas Münzer, who had only 5 percent fat in the competition. But bodybuilders achieve this form only before participating in tournaments, and the most important ones. In his conversations with representatives of the media, Muntzer said that he tries to prevent a large increase in fat mass during the off-season. This is precisely where his success lies.
The female body has large reserves of untouched fat, which are 12 percent. It is mainly located in the chest and thighs. Women need a larger safety stock in comparison with men to carry a child. In addition, sex hormones are also synthesized from fats, and if the supply becomes less than 11 percent, then the menstrual cycle will stop. During participation in tournaments, bodybuilders reduce their fat reserves by an average of 7-9 percent.
How to get lean after drying?
To get rid of fat, you first need to reduce the calorie intake. This is a law of physics and no one can get around it. With a combination of low-calorie nutrition programs and exercise, you can slightly increase the calorie intake while simultaneously losing fat stores. It should also be said that when using low-carb nutrition programs in the absence of physical activity, a person loses not only fat, but also muscle.
It is clear that this option is not suitable for athletes. There is also another drawback of this type of diet in the absence of physical activity - a decrease in the rate of metabolic processes at rest. You should be aware that muscles at rest require a lot of energy to maintain them. If a person loses muscle mass, then the metabolism will slow down. Let's take a look at all aspects of proper drying.
Cardio load
No athlete will begin to dry out and stop exercising. We know that strength training uses glycogen as an energy source, and oxygen is needed to oxidize fats. Thus, we need to use cardio loads and the main issue here is their duration.
According to research results, at least four cardio workouts of half an hour each should be done during the week. However, classes should not be high-intensity, so that they do not turn into anaerobic. Today, the problem of cardio training in bodybuilding is often discussed. Many athletes believe that this will lead to a loss of muscle mass. If your aerobic training is going to be long, then this is quite possible, as the secretion of cortisol will accelerate. To avoid this, pro athletes use one of three methods:
- Eliminate cardio loads.
- Use two aerobic sessions of 30 or 45 minutes each.
- Throughout the half-hour cardio, sessions alternate between high and low intensity training.
Food during drying
As we have said, many athletes believe that cardio training will destroy muscle. To avoid this, you need to eat right. This primarily applies to the use of BCAAs. You should take three grams of the supplement approximately 60 minutes before class. You can also advise novice athletes to divide this dosage into three doses.
The use of glutamine is equally important to you. Scientists have found that during the work of the muscles, the concentration of this substance is reduced by a quarter. Through the use of glutamine supplements, you can not only increase the amine concentration, but also provide the body with an efficient source of energy.
Do not consume carbohydrates before cardio training. In response to the intake of this nutrient, the body releases insulin, which leads to a slowdown in fat burning processes. Also, when exercising in the morning on an empty stomach, due to a lack of carbohydrates, the body will be forced to start using fats as fuel.
Another common mistake bodybuilders make when drying is to drastically or excessively reduce the energy value of their diet. This is mainly due to the delayed start of preparation for the competition. To maintain muscle mass, you should start preparing for the tournament no later than three months before it starts.
During the week, you need to lose from half to one kilo of body weight and no more. The best option to achieve your goals is to reduce the energy value of the meal plan by 500–1000 calories compared to the regular diet. Aim to eat about 500 calories at a time and eat at least four times a day.
It is also necessary to drink plenty of water, which accelerates the process of excretion of fat metabolites from the body. In addition, when drinking large amounts of water, it is quickly excreted from the body and, in fact, is the most effective natural diuretic. Well, let's remember that a large amount of toxins that are formed in the body when using a low-calorie nutrition program dissolve in water.
For information on how to dry properly, see this video:
