Avoid Peak Week Pitfalls with These Necessities

When it comes to competing and getting on stage, one of the most stressful weeks for bodybuilders is peak week. This critical final step in a competitor’s prep can make or break a physique come show day. Unfortunately, there are many peak week pitfalls that competitors find themselves falling into that are avoidable. This final week is a time when stress levels should be kept low, but many find their cortisol levels skyrocketing.

Researchers have looked at many different variables that go into peak week, but the fact still remains that everyone reacts differently, and therefore, a plan that works for one person may not provide the same effect and results on another. 

In this article, we are going to look at the most common peak week pitfalls, what you can do to mitigate issues to help bring your best physique to the stage, and some necessities to help you along the way.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is recommended that you work with an experienced and professional coach during your prep to ensure not only you look your best on stage, but you do things in a healthy manner that helps maintain your health and safety.

The Calm Before the Storm 

For the past 12+ weeks of prep, you’ve been laser-focused on training hard, dieting, and stripping away body fat to unveil a lean, muscular, and striated physique. Your days probably all looked similar for the most part, without a bunch of changes being introduced.

Going into peak week, things probably look to be right on track. Your body fat levels are in the single digits, you’re seeing great definition, you’re still getting great pumps during your workouts, and things are going as planned.

During prep, there are some necessities that can truly help push your physique to the next level and unleash a package that no one has ever seen from you on stage. Some of these supplements include: 

Light & Tight: To look your best, you’re going to want to eliminate waste that your body is holding onto in the digestive tract. Light & Tight is great during prep as it allows your body to cleanse and detox, helping to remove excess waste, reduce bloating, and maintain regularity to keep things moving.

Evozyme: During prep, your body is under immense amounts of stress, and the last thing it should be worrying about is properly breaking down and absorbing the food you consume. Hiccups in digestion can lead to shifts and changes to your physique (and not in a good way). Evozyme utilizes a custom enzyme blend that can help you more easily break down the macros in your meals so that your body can properly use them. 

Evolog: The last thing you want to do during prep is start storing fat. Higher carb meals or even cheat meals (if your plan allows it) during prep can send things in the opposite direction, where you’re not only holding onto body fat but storing more. Evolog not only aids in proper digestion (great when stacking with Evozyme), but it helps shuttle the carbs into the muscles to improve muscle volume and fullness.

Super Dry: Throughout your prep, you’ve been dieting hard, crushing workouts, and giving it your all. Unfortunately, all that hard work could be for nothing if you’re holding onto water under the skin, which is blurring your definition and muscle striations. Utilizing Super Dry during your prep can help you better control water retention and pull water from under the skin to reveal more definition, separation, and detail.

EVP AQ: When dieting hard, many athletes note they can’t achieve a good pump. With EVP AQ, you don’t need to chase a pump, it will find you. EVP AQ is a pure form of liquid glycerol that helps create skin-slitting pumps, insane muscle fullness, and crazy vascularity. Using EVP AQ can prevent you from looking flat or depleted and help you look full not only in the gym but also hours after.

GlycoJect: Utilizing carbohydrates at very specific times can help “carb-load” your muscles. What this does is it not only prepares your muscles for workouts but also plays the role of ensuring your muscles stay full, round, and create that skin-splitting look you’re trying to achieve and maintain. GlycoJect helps amplify muscle pumps and overall muscle hardness. 

Then comes peak week, where people tend to overcomplicate things, toss in too many variables, and inevitably destroy their physique before they even make it to the stage.

Peak Week Pitfalls & How to Prevent Them 

So, peak week is here, and unless you have a gameplan already dialed in from previous preps, more than likely, you’re going to start manipulating things, adding new things into the fold, taking things out, and all you’re left with are what we call peak week pitfalls.

The biggest issue with peak week pitfalls comes down to introducing new things. This final week is where digestion definitely becomes an issue, and adding anything new can absolutely throw an athlete way off.

Related Article: Hany’s Approach to Pre-Contest Carb Loading

The key to avoiding peak week pitfalls is to keep things consistent from several weeks out, all the way up through peak week. Here are some things you need to consider:

1. Digestive Sensitivity 

One of the primary reasons to avoid introducing new things during peak week is the heightened sensitivity of the digestive system. Athletes meticulously plan their nutrition to achieve the desired level of muscle fullness and vascularity while stripping away stubborn body fat all throughout their prep. 

Introducing new foods, supplements, or even changing the timing of meals can lead to digestive disturbances, potentially causing bloating, discomfort, and, most importantly, an undesirable impact on their physique.

To help prevent digestive issues, this is where keeping supplements like Light & Tight, Evozyme, and Evolog in your regimen throughout your prep and peak week is key.

2. Consistency is Key 

The body thrives on routine, especially during peak week. Abrupt changes in diet, training, or supplementation can throw off the carefully orchestrated plan that athletes have adhered to leading up to the competition. What was looking like it was on the right track can quickly come off the rails when new variables are thrown in during peak week.

Consistency is key during this phase, allowing the body to respond predictably to the established workout and nutrition regimen, resulting in the desired peak condition on show day. Keep the train on the tracks without deviations. During peak week, continue using Light & Tight, Evozyme, Evolog, Super Dry, EVP AQ, and GlycoJect.

3. Risk of Dehydration & Electrolyte Imbalance

Manipulating water intake is a common practice during peak week to enhance muscle definition. However, sudden changes to water consumption, sodium levels, or the introduction of new supplements or diuretics can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. 

These imbalances not only jeopardize the athlete’s health but can also have adverse effects on the appearance of muscles, causing them to look flat or less defined. 

To simplify this entire process, maintain the use of Super Dry to minimize peak week pitfalls. While Super Dry will help pull that last bit of water out from under the skin, it also contains a potent blend of electrolytes and specialized herbs to help prevent dehydration and muscle cramps. Best of all, Super Dry won’t cause you to look flat on stage and can help maintain proper hydration levels within the muscles themselves.

4. Psychological Impact & Stress

Beyond the physiological implications, peak week changes can also take a toll on an athlete’s mental state. The stress of adapting to new protocols, uncertainty about the outcome, and the fear of unintended consequences can hinder the athlete’s focus and confidence, causing spikes in cortisol levels and creating a domino effect that can cause your body to hold onto body fat and water — not ideal when you should be peaking.

Sticking to a familiar routine provides a sense of control and reassurance during the crucial days leading up to the competition. Maintain the same plan and continue to use the same supplements you’ve been using throughout your prep (such as the ones mentioned earlier).

No More Peak Week Pitfalls — Only Head-Turning Physiques 

In the world of bodybuilding, peak week is a culmination of discipline, dedication, and strategic planning. While the desire to make last-minute adjustments may be tempting, the consensus among seasoned athletes and coaches is clear — simplicity is the key to success.

The body’s response to carefully crafted training, nutrition, and supplementation should not be jeopardized by introducing unnecessary variables. By maintaining consistency and avoiding the introduction of new elements during peak week, bodybuilders can optimize their chances of presenting their best physique on the stage.

Related Article: Post-Competition Rebound Protocol