Layne Norton's Peak Week Official Q&A Thread

[TannerBS]

Got a quick question for you layne. I got a buddy whose currently trying to lose weigh, gain muscle, get stronger. pretty much the whole shabang. hes 20 years old and he is taking tribulus. that is a test booster correct? he told me yesterday he takes 6 pills every meal. i know he eats atleast 3 meals a day. so my question is.... is that safe? any replies from you other knowledgeable guys is also appreciated.

[str8flexed]

well considering trib doesn't do anything... it's probably safe

[DiamondMaker]

Layne typically my workout routine falls as so:
Sunday- hyper
monday- lower hyper
tues- hyper
wed- off
thrus-power
friday- power lower
sat- off

In your prep video you outline for the final week that you should rest both sat/sun , do the 3 hyper days mon/tues/wed and then the circuit training without taking a day off thrus/fri. Should I change my routine to what you suggested, or would this be okay (considering the proximity of the wednesday off day to the show, and not taking two days off in a row)?

Friday- power legs
Sat- off
Sun-hyper
mon- hyper lower (front load)
tues- hyper
wed- off
thrus- circuit 40m
fri- circuit 20m
sat- show

[seanamoayer]

Hello Layne i will be competing in my first physique show and i wanted to know if people usually water out before a physique competition, where being "too shredded" will cause negative points. also if i have to cut water should i do the sodium thing or only play with carbs or both? i normally drink 1 gallon of water a day im 165 5 foot 6. i will continue to drink 1.5 gallons till 4 am where until pre judging ill have 8 oz between meals.. i normally have 450 grams of carbs a day around 3500 calories.. but im very ecto and if i dont eat at least 3000 i shrink :\ so should i still cut the carbs(cleanest carbs no cheats) from 450g to 430g 410g 390g 370g then 40 grams at breakfast after 3 pm every 2 hours 40 grams until i sleep ?and then wake up at 4 am and eat potatoes until 2 hours before where i will eat a pan pizza!! thank you for your help layne it is greatly appreciated.

[str8flexed]

so you want to cut water so you don't look 'too shredded'? what? Why not... just not get too shredded? this is weird logic

[str8flexed]

Layne typically my workout routine falls as so:
Sunday- hyper
monday- lower hyper
tues- hyper
wed- off
thrus-power
friday- power lower
sat- off

In your prep video you outline for the final week that you should rest both sat/sun , do the 3 hyper days mon/tues/wed and then the circuit training without taking a day off thrus/fri. Should I change my routine to what you suggested, or would this be okay (considering the proximity of the wednesday off day to the show, and not taking two days off in a row)?

Friday- power legs
Sat- off
Sun-hyper
mon- hyper lower (front load)
tues- hyper
wed- off
thrus- circuit 40m
fri- circuit 20m
sat- show

that'd work

[seanamoayer]

so you want to cut water so you don't look 'too shredded'? what? Why not... just not get too shredded? this is weird logic

i know but the physique category judges penalizes for being too cut.. i dont know why it doesnt look like a physique people would want in general apparently.. whats your advice man i will take it upon me i really want to win this show.. i really waant a career in fitness.. also do you count carbs from juice such as (naked juice) smoothies

[soccerdad5]

Layne, I am done with my 12 week transformation contest and would like to stay as "cut" as I can for the rest of the summer. I went down to a crazy 1750-2000 calories and 90-100 carbs for the journey. How do I maintain low bodyfat (8-9%)? Would you suggest introducing "5-20g of carbs per week and 0-5g fat per week just depending upon how your body responds?"

[Lucusp]

Hi layne do you still believe in intrawork workout shakes ? or post or none ?

I was thinking of putting 25g wpi and 30g of dextrose into a serving of xtend and consume during the workout.......

does it need to be minimum 1ltr of water to avoid taking the blood out of the muscles you are working or is that bro science ?

do you do this for bulking and cutting ?

[DiamondMaker]

Layne in your peak week article you give an outline of what to eat on show day up until prejudging, what type of meal (or none?) would you consume between the prejudging and the actual final show if there was about a 2-4 hour gap.

[91TurboNguyen]

Layne, I just want to say thank you for posting your videos of peak week.

Looking forward to shaking your hand one day.

Thank you again for taking time out your busy schedule to help other bodybuilders.

Do you have any videos for post prejudging?

Are you competing anymore?

[str8flexed]

well after prejudging you should basically continue to eat the same foods and have another salty/fatty/carb meal about 2 hours before you step onstage at finals. Though you need to pay attention to your condition, if you start to spill, then back off on intake

[DeeElAre]

Layne, In the article your wrote back in 05'(?) you outline a verrrrry different peak week volume of carb intake than you do in the "nutrition" section of the video series. In the article you outline depleting down to almost nothing on thursday and friday and then carbing up on show day. I know the videos were made later, so I assume thats your stance now, but why the change? Just trial and error?

And heres my plan if you dont mind critiquing...
normal macros are around 280p, 100c, 65f, currently at about 186 lbs and ~5% bf.

Sunday- Off lifting, normal cardio, 250p, 150c, 65f
Monday-normal lifting, less cardio, 270p, 125c, 65f
Tuesday-normal lifting , less cardio, 280p, 100c, 65f
Wednesday-normal lifting , less cardio, 280p, 75c, 75f
Thursday-circuit lifting, little cardio, 280p, 50c, 75f
Friday-circuit lifting, very little cardio, 240p, 240c, 60f, carbs consumed every two hours starting at noon

[spanishricer]

Layne,

First off, thanks for all the great information you're providing to the forum. I've read your comprehensive pre-contest articles, and your video series. Very informative pieces.

I'm 2 weeks out from my first contest, and have been utilizing a CKD diet for the past 6 weeks with good results. I do appear to have lots a bit of mass, but a fair trade off for the drop in body fat.

My question is this: Would you recommend I continue on the keto diet for the remaining 2 weeks before the contest? Or should I follow your outlined carbohydrate loading/depleting program? I just finished a refeed day yesterday (700 grams of carbohydrates), and just want to make sure my muscles appear full on stage, but I would also like to try and drop another body fat percentage point or two.

What would you recommend?

[str8flexed]

how often are you refeeding with that carb intake and how do you look the day of and day after the refeed?

[spanishricer]

I refeed once a week (Saturdays). I often look and feel very full and bloated the day of the refeed. But muscles look dense and firm the day after the refeed. Muscle firmness will typically last between 4-5 days, before they start looking flat again.

[naturalSHOE]

With all of your experience, how much of the dream tan do YOU use? Will one 2 oz can be enough for myself, at 205-210 lb and 5'11." I just want to be sure that I have enough for one show.

[ashthorn]

Hi Layne,

I just want to say I am a massive fan and I am inspired by your dedication and your humility.

I finally recieved my layne norton reloaded DVD which was highly informative and inspirational.

Ok enough ass kissing

I am getting ready for my first comp and I wanted to ask how much dream tan you use (same as the previous posters question).

Secondly how many sets/reps and at what % of normal workout weight do you do when you are pumping up? And I noticed you do quite a lot of body weight squats, do you find these improve your definition in your legs much?


Cheers Simon

[str8flexed]

1 dream tan is probably enough, but i'd get 2 for a single show just to be sure.

as for pump up... no set %, I just use whatever is available to get a pump, what will be available will differ from show to show

[ashthorn]

Thanks for the reply. I know my first show has no weights equipment back stage so I got a set of 5 resistance bands going from 10-50lbs of resistance so I figure I will just cycle 12-20 reps for each body part until I am satisfied with the pump.

Still do you find pumping the legs helps? I am hearing so many competitors saying it reduces definition, but I really have no experience to draw upon.

[str8flexed]

unless you are training them very hard it's not going to cause enough inflammation to reduce definition

[partaker777]

Good Day. I'm about 6 weeks out from my first show and I am having a hard time getting my Cardio right. My diet is on point. I'm losing the weight, but I'm not getting ripped like I want to. Any advice on how I should conduct my cardio? I am currently putting in 30 minutes, buring 500+ at my fat burning heart rate. Need help. Thanks a million.

[MortenH]

Hey Layne. Having my first show in about 4 weeks. Loved your article and videos. One thing I'd like to get completely straight is under- overspilling my carbs. If I start to look soft I cut carbs a bit and vice versa? Or have I not understood correctly.

Another thing (and maybe a stupid question): do I remain in caloric deficit in peak weak? A quick estimation of your peak weak calories comes out to about 3900. Considering that your my height and the first peak weak article, that's 1700 calories over prep diet calories. I would've guessed to - assuming I hit my target conditioning - keep calories steady.

Also; prejudging is early in the morning about 9 am. How would go about the carb up and nutrition on show day?
Appreciate it man.

[MortenH]

Another thing (and maybe a stupid question): do I remain in caloric deficit in peak weak? A quick estimation of your peak weak calories comes out to about 3900.

Disregard this - I'm a total baffoon.

[str8flexed]

Good Day. I'm about 6 weeks out from my first show and I am having a hard time getting my Cardio right. My diet is on point. I'm losing the weight, but I'm not getting ripped like I want to. Any advice on how I should conduct my cardio? I am currently putting in 30 minutes, buring 500+ at my fat burning heart rate. Need help. Thanks a million.

that's a pretty general question, it sounds like you probably just didn't give yourself enough time to diet

[MortenH]

Hey Layne. To rephrase my initial question: how do you recommend adjusting sodium on show day? Also I have prejudging at 9 AM and I'm contemplating just getting up at 1 AM and following your protocol to a T. Would this be detrimental or would it be fine, given that I get a good couple hours of sleep?

[752]

Sorry If you already answers this question I looked at a couple of pages and didn't see you answer it,
How much would the max bf% be for you to get up to while offseason? Are you an advocate in minicuts? Thank you

[ADS0913]

Layne,

First off, great article. It has really helped me for my first show (in 3 weeks).

I have 2 different questions:

(1) You said not to consume high-fiber foods the last 16-20 hours before the show, and also not to consume artificial sweeteners the last 24 hours.

Is there anything else that falls into the category of things to avoid?

(2) Weigh in's are at 6pm Friday before the show, and it's a typical 9am prejudging saturday morning. I'm weighing right now at about 166-167 depending on the day, and light weight tops out at 165.25. I hope to compete in lightweight as opposed to middleweight. Hopefully, I shouldn't have to worry about making weight (show is in a little less than 3 weeks), but if it does become a concern, do you recommend anything in particular to make weight, especially since it's in the evening.

[pinchharmonic]

you're really paving the way for all the upcoming natural guys... you've really inspired me with your physique and your willingness to share all this information.

(1). avoid high fiber foods before the show -- i got a bit of a weird problem. if i don't have any high fiber foods, i won't have the urge to use the restroom for #2. I always do my #2 in the morning, been this way for years. any suggestions?

(2). when I read your thoughts on salt intake during peak weak I was surprised, but delighted to see someone go against the grain. So since you don't manipulate your salt, do you do any type of natural diuretics such as asparagus, cranberry, scivation showtime, etc? Using the logic you laid on for salt, it seems like the dieuretic would affect homeostasis temporarily but the body would compensate... should I use one?

and yes, this is a natural bodybuilding show

[YAMBOLAN]

Can creatine be used year round or it should be cycled?