The training of competitive athletes is different from the amateur one. Find out how to build a training process if you are competing in bodybuilding competitions. In this article, we will try to provide practical guidelines for athletes who have a certain level of fitness. Here is collected information received from pro-athletes, and we hope that with its help you will be able to reach a qualitatively new level of your physical development, and learn to overcome the plateau. If you are not already happy with your progress from basic training, then these guidelines will allow you to continue to grow.
Before proceeding directly to the training recommendations, the main differences between a professional athlete and an amateur should be highlighted:
- Understanding the physiological processes and mechanisms that cause muscle growth.
- Knowledge of the basics of sports dietetics and pharmaceutical support of the training process.
- The ability to choose the right sports nutritional supplements.
- Full compliance with the technique of performing movements.
- Work experience is at least three years.
- Lack of progress using basic training.
Many amateurs underestimate knowledge of the theory of bodybuilding. However, this allows you to correctly draw up a training program even in the absence of experienced trainers.
Training guidelines for competitors
Super intense workouts
The main reason for stopping muscle growth, or, more simply, a plateau, is the adaptation of muscles to existing loads. Most often, basic training involves working at medium intensity in a continuous mode. It is this fact that leads to the adaptation of the body, which ceases to experience stress during exercise.
Today there are many special techniques and techniques for increasing the intensity and creating overloads. Also, pumping should be distinguished separately. Here are three tips to help you increase your intensity:
- Perform one or two movements with high intensity, using, among other things, a pumping effect for each muscle group.
- Use high intensity movements every third or fourth session to prevent the muscles from adapting.
- Vary the high intensity movements in each session.
The principle of overloading in training
Overload is usually called an increase in any indicator of physical readiness, say, strength or endurance. When an athlete uses this principle in his training program, the muscles are forced to constantly work in new conditions, which makes it impossible for them to adapt.
To gain mass, it is necessary to constantly increase the working weight, and to increase muscular endurance, reduce the rest time between sets or increase the number of repetitions. You must remember that the principle of overload is fundamental to bodybuilding and powerlifting.
Variable intensity training
It is also a great way to combat muscle adaptation. The essence of this method is to use three types of training intensity: heavy (90 of the maximum possible intensity), medium (70 percent) and light (50 percent). Under the concept of intensity, you should first of all mean working weights. As for the number of sets, repetitions and the pace of the movements, these indicators can remain constant. These types of training should be alternated in the following sequence: light training - medium - heavy - light, etc.
Isolation movements and split system in bodybuilding
You have to start or increase the number of isolated movements. Do them first when working on lagging muscles. On average, the percentage of isolated exercise should be between 70 and 50 percent.
You should also use a split system. Most athletes today use three-day split workouts. This will give you the ability to work well on all muscle groups and provide ample recovery time.
Priority training principle
It is important to remember that the weakest parts of the body should be trained every session. In addition, it is necessary to perform appropriate exercises at the initial stage of training, when you have high energy reserves. This will allow you to achieve the highest possible intensity.
Recovery of athletes after class
Since you are now going to increase the intensity of the exercises, the restoration of the body becomes very important for constant progress. According to scientific studies, the body takes an average of three days to do this. Growth mechanisms are activated only after this period of time. Try to design your program so that each muscle group can rest for 5 to 7 days.
Nutrition for competing athletes
Nutrition is as important to progress as training itself. You need to maintain the correct balance of nutrients to eliminate the possibility of fat gain. To reduce the rate of catabolic reactions, amino acid compounds should be additionally consumed, creatine phosphate will increase the body's energy storage, and vitamins and minerals will maintain a high level of health.
Watch in this video how bodybuilders train before the tournament:
