# water manipulation



## Guest (Sep 1, 2008)

For those of you who compete in bodybuilding whats your preferred way of manipulating your water intake to look dry and full on stage?


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## Geo (Apr 3, 2007)

This year i upped my water intake on the last week. I was drinking at least 8-10 ltrs of water a day. I was peeing nearly every 15mins. I then stopped my water intake on the Thur Night, as my comp was on the Saturday.

I came in the best shaped ever this year, and took 2nd place Novice class.

Geo


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

stopping water this early is dangerouse and can back fire Geo


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## miles2345 (Mar 26, 2008)

i stopped mine on friday for a sunday show last year, and felt so bad the next day it was ridiculous, to the point I went to get checked at the hospital, I also got massive water retention in my ankles that took ages to subside. Wouldn't recommend it at all, I am hoping that this years method will not cause the same sort of rebound


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

i am sure that the method stuart will have you on will be better mate


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## Geo (Apr 3, 2007)

Pscarb said:


> stopping water this early is dangerouse and can back fire Geo


Yeah dude,

I spoke to del regarding this and we went ahead at the time. We said next time i compete we'll do it different.

Geo


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## Delhi (Dec 8, 2005)

Think its worth pointing out that NO diuretics were used in this instance though. we toyed around for two weeks and two shows previous and decided that this protiocol was worth at least trying.........it worked well for GEO. But as Paul says can be dangerous and is NOT recommened for anyone to try.


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## adrian1436114556 (Mar 27, 2008)

i drink 5 litres a day offseason and dietting .

the day before a show i up it to 10 litres.

no duretics used.

i take out protien powder the day before as well .


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## Mike Gelsei (Mar 10, 2008)

Increasing water intake in the final week is not enough. Drink plenty from the start of your diet. Your body needs to be used to taking in and expelling large amounts of water - a week out is too late.

I'm 12 week out from competing and already taking in 8 litres and will get up to around 12 - 14. It's a pain but this strategy works.


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## MXD (Jan 23, 2008)

adrian said:


> i drink 5 litres a day offseason and dietting .
> 
> the day before a show i up it to 10 litres.
> 
> ...


some sense.

Cutting water to soon up regulates your bodys systems to hold onto it.

You should only cut water the night before the comp at about 6 then more simple carb rich meals to draw water out of the sub-q skin.

Following day just sip water and if your looking flat/not full have more simple carbs.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding/shredded_in_6_days


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2008)

MXD said:


> some sense.
> 
> Cutting water to soon up regulates your bodys systems to hold onto it.
> 
> ...


 This is from years of contest experience no doubt....


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## MXD (Jan 23, 2008)

lolz I was just about to edit as I come acros as an arogant [email protected]!

Lolz sorry all..


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## miles2345 (Mar 26, 2008)

problem is if you cut your water completely to early your kidneys produce a chemical called aldosterone which draws up all of the fluid from urine and waste and puts it back into the body which is why competition wise, you need to be so careful, the only way your body stops this once it is in motion is to take in water


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2008)

what about vitamin c use what the general protocol for that? also drinking upto 10litres of water a day don't you run the risk of flushing out vital salts and minerals which are vital? how do you prevent that from happening. its interesting learning the different methods you guys use. i searched for detailed threads on the topic from this site but could not find anything.


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## adrian1436114556 (Mar 27, 2008)

ah sorry mxd you have added what i left off ,but hey its low carbs again today ha.

i actually have got through the 10 litres of water by about 6 ,7 ,ish the day before a comp,i have been guilty of under carbing and coming in dry ,but flat and stringy on my frame.

so i get to work on the carbs early on show day which fills and tighten me up .

there are alot of varables here as any competitor will tell you ,like are duretics being used.

how depleated are you ,and how much carbing should you do ,im only sharing what i do and ive flufed it in the past so hey.


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

there is most definatly not one single approach that works for everyone, i have my own way Tom will have is and so on....

i will say that there is no need to go any higher than 8-10L a day....


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

I regularly drink 7-8 litres a day of water off season and on diet.

I increase my Vit C up to 10g and switch my protein sources over to turkey.

I didnt use any diuretics for the Gravesend show.


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## brickhoused (Mar 12, 2008)

I have 1.5 litre bottle of volvic mineral water everywhere I go, and use up to6 a day sometimes.LOL


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## supercell (Aug 23, 2005)

The body's natural mechanism for shedding water by switching off aldosterone production kicks in generally at around 4-5 litres. Some people it may be more, some less. I find for me it starts to kick in at around 5 litres daily but when i drink more (8+) the drying effect is more dramatic.

How the fcuk you drink 14 litres Mike I'll never know? At my height of drinking, say 8 litres, I am in the bathroom every 10-15 minutes!!!

I remember going up to the British last year and on the M1 there are lots of services (about 15-20 mins apart) I still had to stop on the hard shoulder and pee behind the bushes on 2 occassions and also twice at one services as by the time I had walked back to the car I needed to go again.

I really hate the last 2 days before a show especially if travelling is on the agenda.

I still believe I was born with a bladder the size of a thimble.

J


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## coco (Mar 29, 2007)

quick hijack,

very general question, but is it necessary to drop the water at all?

i found last time that after dropping water from the night before - waking up looking dry, and sipping water by the time it came to get on stage my dryness had gone - im convinced id wouldve looked better if id just kept on guzzling water on show day.

i also have a tiny bladder and pee pretty much every 10 mins when drinking large amounts


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## adrian1436114556 (Mar 27, 2008)

agreed paul any more than 8 to 10 litres for me just flushes to many minerals out of me and cramp is a majior problem .

i only do 2g of vit c you guys go as high as 10 g ,good info thanks for sharing.


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## miles2345 (Mar 26, 2008)

supercell said:


> The body's natural mechanism for shedding water by releasing aldosterone kicks in generally at around 4-5 litres. Some people it may be more, some less. I find for me it starts to kick in at around 5 litres daily but when i drink more (8+) the drying effect is more dramatic.
> 
> J


I dont understand how aldosterone is used in the body's mechanism to shed water, its the hormone your body releases when you are dehydrated to retain as much fluid as possible


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

drinking lots of water suppresses aldosterone.

Aldosterone actually retains sodium I believe which is how the water retention comes on.

Thats why lots of people load up on sodium as this really crashes the aldosterone through the floor then drop it a day out and the increased water flushes everything out.

Very hit and miss though, need to practice it a few times.


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## supercell (Aug 23, 2005)

miles2345 said:


> I dont understand how aldosterone is used in the body's mechanism to shed water, its the hormone your body releases when you are dehydrated to retain as much fluid as possible


My mistake, now edited:whistling:

J


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## pea head (May 28, 2008)

Tinytom said:


> drinking lots of water suppresses aldosterone.
> 
> Aldosterone actually retains sodium I believe which is how the water retention comes on.
> 
> ...


i agree with tom.i purposely kept my sodium in up until 48hrs before getting on stage.

i drop my water at 6pm the night before the show,i also kept in tap water then switch to evian when i drop my sodium.

i never go above 8litres,7g of vit c or i start sh1tting through the eye of a needle.

but first and foremost,its all about trial and error,not many guys get it spot on first time.

theres 100s of methods,its finding what works for the individual.


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