This article is actually targeting male and female models but it might work better on men than women. Let start by saying one very important thing: if you are a full time model or anyway you take seriously your modeling activities you MUST be in a very decent shape year around, because you can get a phone call just one week away for a photoshoot and you must be able to get your body ready just in that single week. And that’s what this post is about.
If you are booked for a role or a shooting which requires a big bulk you may need several months to get in that shape, eating more you might get some fat in the process so, just in that case, be sure you don’t have any gigs while prepping.
This post is also most likely targeted to fitness models or anyway for a shooting with some level of nudity involved (disclaimer: nudity in modeling can be just a male bare upper body).
How To Peak Week – Perfect Physique for a fitness gig
So: let’s start!
We already said that you are in a good shape but maybe a bit soft, or flat or foggy (meaning that you don’t see much of separation between you muscles).
This means you’re probably not fat but you most likely hold water. The six days prior a fitness photoshoot are paramount to shred the little stubborn fat you still have on, to harden your muscle and to get rid of the water getting your skin thinner. In the last 6 days you will work basically on three points: Carbs Manipulation, Fluid Intake and targeted training.
Carbs (Carbohydrates) are usually holding water but they are able also to fill you muscle out. Water is the biggest component of our body and of our muscle as well, but if you spill over you get what we call water retention. You must training according with the protocol and not to build muscle (there is nothing to build in 6 days) but to deplete your muscle at the right time and to fill out toward the end.
Here’s the theory:
In the first part of the week you high your fluid intake a lot, while having a very low carbs diet high in proteins (which works as diuretic). Meanwhile you train lighter but raising drastically the repetitions of your exercises. Here is needed an isolation training in order to be sure that all the muscles are depleted.
Toward the end you start to take it easy with the training, you low your water intake and you start to raise the carbs. The muscles that are completely depleted work like a sponge and they absorb all the glycogen (carbs) and the water in excess; this process makes the muscle bigger, more separated because of the thinner skin and once you pump up more vascular.
So, let’s make a practical example. Let’s say your photoshoot is on Saturday:
Day 1-2-3: Drink 3 gallons of purified water. All your meals are protein based. Only around the workout have around 60g of liquid quick acting carbs (sugar like). Don’t bother about the salt/sodium intake. Train with low weight high repetitions till failure all the muscles.
Day 4: Drink 4 gallons this day; no solid meals only a hydrolyzed or isolate protein shake every 3 hours. You can have extra Aminos or BCAA with the water between the meals. Train high reps but take it easy: don’t train legs anymore.
Day 5: Is time to start to carb-up and to start to get rid of the extra water. You will have only solid meals: every meal contains 50-60g of carbs. Start with fruit to fill your liver of glycogen and then switch to potatoes or rice. Stick with starchy carbs. With the first 2 meals you will have 8 ounces of water then cut your water completely.From the morning start to take some herbal/natural diuretic. Avoid veggies because fibers make you bloat.
By the hours your look should change because your muscles are getting bigger and the under-skin water is getting away. Around meal 5-6 look at you and decide if it is the case to have another meal. Don’t eat food you know makes you bloated, upset your tummy and don’t eat anymore if you feel stomach tightness. With every meal eat also a table spoon of vegetable glycerine. Prior bed have a very very hot bath (30 mins) better if filled up with Epsom salts. Keep the water hot.
Day 6 – Peaking Day: as you wake up see how you look. If you are flat have another sugar meal; if you look good have a bit of fruit (just a bit) and a source of protein (not protein powder, real food); if you still hold water have only a solid protein meal. In any case take a short espresso with no sugar.
30-45mins prior your photoshoot start to pump up your body, take 2 tablespoons of vegetable glycerine with a can of full-sugar soda.
Have a good photo-shoot!
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Thanks once again to follow me with so passion and dedication.
Love you all
Ivano C.
