I didn’t want to put too much faith in using a diuretic for my prep, but did use “shrink wrap” by eclipse the Friday before the show (one capsule with my 1st morning meal, and 1 capsule at about 4pm when I cut my water).
To be honest, I don’t know if it really did anything, but I seemed so tight just from the water manipulation, that it really was just an attempt to cover all my bases (I eliminated all condiments because of their sodium content the last week as well). I remember Christian informing me that the effects of a diuretic were really short lived, and that making use of it the day before was a better idea than the way some of my friends who have competed at non-tested shows do, where they pop diuretics every day the last week (which seemed a little odd to me, considering that I was drinking 3 gallons of water a day -lol).
Wish I had more to offer, but certain things just seemed a little weird, so I kept things as simple as I could (no sodium loading, no fat loading…).
i’ve never competed so therefore everything i’m saying is research not experience. i just wanted to put it out there…diuretics often hurt more than they help, e.g. coming in flattened out.
research and be careful, water manipulation is the best route. as stu mentioned the more variables involved (sodium manipulation, diuretics, crazy carb tricks) the higher likelihood of the wheels falling off.
a buddy of mine drank a bunch of wine the night prior, he looked better conditioned for the show…he thinks it was the wine, i think he got lucky and overall his diet was better this time around. unfortunately now he’s fixated on the wine acting as a diuretic.
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I didn’t want to put too much faith in using a diuretic for my prep, but did use “shrink wrap” by eclipse the Friday before the show (one capsule with my 1st morning meal, and 1 capsule at about 4pm when I cut my water).
To be honest, I don’t know if it really did anything, but I seemed so tight just from the water manipulation, that it really was just an attempt to cover all my bases (I eliminated all condiments because of their sodium content the last week as well). I remember Christian informing me that the effects of a diuretic were really short lived, and that making use of it the day before was a better idea than the way some of my friends who have competed at non-tested shows do, where they pop diuretics every day the last week (which seemed a little odd to me, considering that I was drinking 3 gallons of water a day -lol).
Wish I had more to offer, but certain things just seemed a little weird, so I kept things as simple as I could (no sodium loading, no fat loading…).
S
[/quote]
Thank you very much. I just read the “shredded in 6 days” article and think I’ll just take 3 servings of Taraxatone on Friday. If it doesn’t help, I’m sure it wont hurt…
It’s not my first contests, but I’ve never used diurtics before. Water manipulation worked just well for me. Just wonder if I can come in a notch harder with the help of a diuretic.
I don’t do sodium loading either. The guys I know rather messed up their shape trying to do so.
One more thing: How much water did you consume the on Friday before 4 pm? Did you somehow restrict water intake before 4 pm? In the past, I drank 10 liters of water Monday-Thursday and then only one liter on Friday before 4 pm.
[quote]cyruseven75 wrote:
i’ve never competed so therefore everything i’m saying is research not experience. i just wanted to put it out there…diuretics often hurt more than they help, e.g. coming in flattened out.
research and be careful, water manipulation is the best route. as stu mentioned the more variables involved (sodium manipulation, diuretics, crazy carb tricks) the higher likelihood of the wheels falling off.
a buddy of mine drank a bunch of wine the night prior, he looked better conditioned for the show…he thinks it was the wine, i think he got lucky and overall his diet was better this time around. unfortunately now he’s fixated on the wine acting as a diuretic.
good luck w/ your show![/quote]
Thank you for your reply!
I never did things like sodium manipulation and the like. Just water manipulation.
In my early bb-times I did that wine-thing, too. I mixed something like 8oz red wine with 50-70ml of glycerol and drnak it 4 pm the day before the show. Later I dropped the wine and just went with the glycerol. Didn’t notice any difference.
I still have some kind of alcoholic beverage 15 minutes before stepping on stage while pumping. Feel like it increases my vascularity.
I probably drank 1/2 - 1 gallon of water Friday before 4pm, which doesn’t seem like a lot when you realize that I was downing 3 gallons a day the previous 4 days. The whole point is to suddenly stop so that your system keeps flushing. I never understand how some competitors slowly lower their intake.
Never tried the alcohol thing, but I do recall Mentzer writing about it. The glycerol thing works great though. Did that Friday and then again Sat before prejudging.
Most of the OTC diuretics aren’t really much more than dandelion root, so I wouldn’t really worry too much about negative effects. Believe me, I read the ingredient list in every product I could find, and went with the one that sounded the most ‘harmless’ -lol
Don’t take a diuretic just keep dieting hard! Don’t do anything drastic keep with what got you to the point that your at. Try and relax and enjoy yourself and don’t stress out about these things that in the end won’t make a difference, worry more about your presentation and posing. good luck.
[quote]LilDaDDyDreW wrote:
Don’t take a diuretic just keep dieting hard! Don’t do anything drastic keep with what got you to the point that your at. Try and relax and enjoy yourself and don’t stress out about these things that in the end won’t make a difference, worry more about your presentation and posing. good luck. [/quote]
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
LilDaDDyDreW wrote:
Don’t take a diuretic just keep dieting hard! Don’t do anything drastic keep with what got you to the point that your at. Try and relax and enjoy yourself and don’t stress out about these things that in the end won’t make a difference, worry more about your presentation and posing. good luck.
Wow, spoken like a newb who read too much -lol.
S[/quote]
? My advice is sound. Experimenting with diuretics pre-contest isn’t the best time to do it. Next time try your diuretic protocl in the offseason and implement pre-contest when you KNOW how your body will react. Why would you want to blow your hard dieting and follow a procedure not knowing exactly how your body will respond? Many people have blown their placing in a contest because of trying last minute drastic measures, few have won because of it… Stu if you feel like your a veteran conduct yourself like one.
[quote]LilDaDDyDreW wrote:
The Mighty Stu wrote:
LilDaDDyDreW wrote:
Don’t take a diuretic just keep dieting hard! Don’t do anything drastic keep with what got you to the point that your at. Try and relax and enjoy yourself and don’t stress out about these things that in the end won’t make a difference, worry more about your presentation and posing. good luck.
Wow, spoken like a newb who read too much -lol.
S
? My advice is sound. Experimenting with diuretics pre-contest isn’t the best time to do it. Next time try your diuretic protocl in the offseason and implement pre-contest when you KNOW how your body will react. Why would you want to blow your hard dieting and follow a procedure not knowing exactly how your body will respond? Many people have blown their placing in a contest because of trying last minute drastic measures, few have won because of it… Stu if you feel like your a veteran conduct yourself like one.
[/quote]
You take steroids and look like that, and you want to give advice??? HA!
[quote]Detroitlionsbaby wrote:
LilDaDDyDreW wrote:
The Mighty Stu wrote:
LilDaDDyDreW wrote:
Don’t take a diuretic just keep dieting hard! Don’t do anything drastic keep with what got you to the point that your at. Try and relax and enjoy yourself and don’t stress out about these things that in the end won’t make a difference, worry more about your presentation and posing. good luck.
Wow, spoken like a newb who read too much -lol.
S
? My advice is sound. Experimenting with diuretics pre-contest isn’t the best time to do it. Next time try your diuretic protocl in the offseason and implement pre-contest when you KNOW how your body will react. Why would you want to blow your hard dieting and follow a procedure not knowing exactly how your body will respond? Many people have blown their placing in a contest because of trying last minute drastic measures, few have won because of it… Stu if you feel like your a veteran conduct yourself like one.
You take steroids and look like that, and you want to give advice??? HA!
Asshole comment whoever said he was going to stop lifting and not get bigger?
IMO, People who seem to screw up are the people who count on their ‘assistance’ to get them into their final contest condition. Paragon is doing a tested show, and already plans to manipulate his water the way CT recommended way back in his ‘6 days’ article.
My providing my own experience (which mirrors his exact conditions) is meant to be helpful. Your comment of “don’t do anything drastic”, and “worry about your presentation” is the same BS you hear in every article written about competing, and is not very useful as far as suggestions, or experiences.
My comment is my advice to him and I recommend it twice as much since he’s a natural bodybuilder doing a tested show. Diuretic methods are more useful for people on anabolics who may have excess water retention due to that. I have done two shows one show I tried something drastic (WHICH I DID NOT NEED) and ended up looking bloated.
The other show I went through and kept dieting hard and changed nothing up to the contest and looked alot better and placed higher. Detroit Lions stop crying I know its hard being ugly and having your lions be 2-9.