Lifting heavy close to bodybuilding competition?

[Ruben777]

In the last month leading up to a bodybuilding competition, do you recommend lifting any heavy weights with low reps, at all? Or should it be all light weight and high reps?

[TrainBeastMode]

In the last month leading up to a bodybuilding competition, do you recommend lifting any heavy weights with low reps, at all? Or should it be all light weight and high reps?

I'd say continue lifting how you normally would until the week leading up to the show. I typically back off the heavy lifting then and just go into a maintenance period of lower weight, high reps 4-5 days before the show. I wouldn't recommend a heavy leg workout the week leading up to the show either. If you are in the bodybuilding or classic physique category, you'll be flexing your legs a lot standing on stage and you don't want any fatigue remaining from a leg day.

[smokinal]

I'd say continue lifting how you normally would until the week leading up to the show. I typically back off the heavy lifting then and just go into a maintenance period of lower weight, high reps 4-5 days before the show. I wouldn't recommend a heavy leg workout the week leading up to the show either. If you are in the bodybuilding or classic physique category, you'll be flexing your legs a lot standing on stage and you don't want any fatigue remaining from a leg day.

Bingo!
I continue lifting heavy right up til peak week. I feel this helps keep size for me.
And as Beast said, you want your last true leg workout to be at least 5 days from show day. On Thursday I might do some bar squats or even bodyweight squats just to keep some blood flow but not a true leg session.

[ucsumma]

"Dance with the one that brought you!" - Scott Stevenson

Continue lifting heavy up until a week before the show. Then the week of the show make the Friday or Saturday before your last Leg Day, then Sun-Wed can be more "pump" focused and no training Thu/Fri.

[getbigordie18]

In the last month leading up to a bodybuilding competition, do you recommend lifting any heavy weights with low reps, at all? Or should it be all light weight and high reps?

everyone above beat me to the posts i would've made!

[Garage Rat]

I concur, as heavy as you can without form break down.
Some lighter pumping the week of the show M-T-W and most important IMO lots of posing will help harden you up even more if your in good shape already.

[marinevet63031]

Everyone has said it. Up till peak weak i pyramid 15,12,10,8,6 for chest and back 3x10 for shoulders and biceps 15,12,12,10 for triceps legs are crazy and i have a weird protocol that works for me. But always stay “heavy” to work effectively. Posing practice is for hardening