Back to Back Peak Weeks: What to expect & bodybuilding advice
Have you ever done a back to back peak week? How did you find the experience mentally and physically? Listen to this honest experience & find out to expect and prepare for in a back to back peak week OR read on below for what you should be prepared for and could expect!
Tiredness & Immune System
Just one peak week can be taxing enough on your body, but two peak weeks one straight after the other can mean that the day after, your body might feel like it’s been hit by a bus…. literally! So make sure during this time and after you focus on recovery, getting plenty of sleep and not hitting anything to failure in the gym.
Your immune system will be low at this point, so don’t dig yourself a deeper hole and exhaust yourself! Self love is key here.
Hunger Hormones & Levels
Expect in the second peak week that your hunger hormones and body will feel like it is going into overdrive. After your body has eaten more food than it’s used to (adding in the post show meal if you had one), your body is now primed to expect this food to stay high. Things like getting enough sleep and also intermittent fasting can help to reduce these urges and manage those hunger levels. Also keeping fluid intake high will be important for you as a competitor too.
Mental Fatigue, Mood & General Wellbeing
Depending on the placing from your first peak week/show, you might be feeling low or unsure of yourself and your physique. But trust the process, trust your coach and remember every time you compete you get better, you learn more about your body and you as a person, which is what matters the most. Surround yourself with positive and like minded people who will be able to support you and understand what you are going through.
Take time to relax, hot bath with candles and music. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference, and you will thank yourself!
Remove or reduce social media if needed. Don’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself to everyone on Instagram. Focus on YOU.
Daily / Weekly Fluctuations
During your peak week you can be manipulating A LOT of different things… such as water, food, electrolytes, cardio. Therefore do not expect your physique or the scales to always be looking the same throughout the week. It’s natural for your body and body weight to fluctuate even more throughout the week. But ensure you stay calm & focused, place more emphasis on how you feel and how you look in the mirror, because remember the judges don’t care how much you weigh!
Hair Removal & Waxing
If you have waxed for your first show, then by the time you are heading into your next show, your hair might be starting to come back through the skin…nightmare!
Lightly shave any areas where the hair is fully through, wait to shave the areas that are just about to come through until the day before your next coat of tan.
Tea tree oil and exfoliating can help to prevent any ingrown hairs during this time.
Use a tweezer if the hair is too short to shave, again the day before your tan.
Removing Your First Show Day Tan: PRIORITY
Make sure you are doing all you can to get your skin ready for the next coat of tan!
Morning and evening you should be exfoliating your skin and moisturising your skin as soon as you get out of the shower.
The more you do the above, the greater chance your tan will come off evenly and your skin/tan won’t start to ‘crack’.
Money Budgeting
Especially if you weren’t planning on doing a back to back show, make sure you are aware of the additional costs relating to this i.e. hotel fee, entry fees.
Beauty Logistics
Again, if this was not planned to do another show straight after the last, the first thing you should be doing Monday/Tuesday is calling up your salon to book nail infills and/or lash infills if you need them doing!