Bodybuilding: The 'Drying Out' Process, Strategies, and Health Risks

How do bodybuilders dry out before a show?

Bodybuilders "dry out" before a show through a meticulously planned, multi-faceted strategy involving precise manipulation of diet (carbohydrates, sodium), water intake, and training in the final days and hours leading up to competition, aiming to minimize subcutaneous water retention and maximize muscle definition and vascularity.

Introduction to "Drying Out"

The term "drying out" in competitive bodybuilding refers to the process of achieving an extreme state of leanness and vascularity by shedding as much subcutaneous (under-the-skin) water as possible. This highly specialized, short-term strategy is employed in the final week or days before a competition to reveal the intricate detail and striations of muscle that would otherwise be obscured by even a thin layer of fluid. It's crucial to understand that this is an extreme physiological manipulation, not a sustainable or healthy long-term practice, and carries significant health risks if not managed expertly.

The Multi-Faceted Approach

Achieving the "dry" look is a complex interplay of several physiological mechanisms, primarily involving the body's fluid and electrolyte balance, and glycogen stores. The strategies employed are designed to manipulate these systems to draw water out from under the skin and into the muscles, making them appear fuller and more defined. The main components include:

• Dietary Manipulation: Carbohydrate and fat cycling.
• Water Intake Adjustment: Strategic hydration and dehydration.
• Sodium Manipulation: Balancing electrolytes.
• Training Adjustments: Glycogen depletion and rest.
• Other Factors: Potassium, tanning, and posing.

Dietary Strategies: Carbohydrate and Fat Manipulation

The manipulation of macronutrients, particularly carbohydrates, is a cornerstone of the drying-out process, often referred to as "carb depletion and loading."

• Carbohydrate Depletion:
  • In the initial days of peak week (typically 5-7 days out), carbohydrate intake is drastically reduced, sometimes to fewer than 50 grams per day.
  • This, combined with high-volume, glycogen-depleting workouts, aims to fully exhaust muscle glycogen stores.
  • The body responds by upregulating enzymes involved in glycogen synthesis, priming the muscles for supercompensation.
• Carbohydrate Loading (Carb-Up):
  • Following depletion, carbohydrate intake is sharply increased (e.g., 500-1000+ grams per day) for 1-3 days immediately before the show.
  • With the upregulated enzymes, muscles rapidly absorb and store glycogen. Each gram of glycogen stored in muscle pulls approximately 2.7-3 grams of water with it. This draws water into the muscle cells, making them appear fuller and harder, and simultaneously draws water away from the subcutaneous space, enhancing definition.
  • Sources are typically complex carbohydrates (e.g., rice, potatoes) to avoid digestive issues and rapid insulin spikes that could lead to spillover (water retention outside muscle).
• Protein Intake: High protein intake is maintained throughout peak week to preserve muscle mass, especially during the depletion phase.
• Fat Intake: Fat intake is generally kept low during peak week to prioritize carbohydrate loading and prevent excess calorie intake, but essential fatty acids are often maintained to support hormonal function.

Water Manipulation: The Delicate Balance

Water manipulation is perhaps the most critical and risky aspect of drying out. The goal is to strategically manipulate antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and aldosterone to reduce extracellular water while maintaining intracellular hydration.

• Initial High Water Intake (Water Loading):
  • Beginning approximately 7-5 days out, bodybuilders often dramatically increase their water intake (e.g., 2-3 gallons per day).
  • This signals to the kidneys that there's an abundance of fluid, downregulating the production of ADH and aldosterone, which are hormones responsible for water and sodium retention, respectively. The body becomes accustomed to excreting large volumes of water.
• Gradual Reduction (Water Cutting):
  • Around 24-12 hours before the show, water intake is sharply reduced or completely cut.
  • Because the body's hormonal systems (ADH, aldosterone) have been downregulated from the prior water loading, they don't immediately "switch on" to retain water. This creates a temporary window where the body continues to excrete water even as intake drops, leading to a net loss of subcutaneous fluid.
• No Water Day (Extreme):
  • In the final 12-0 hours, some bodybuilders will cease water intake entirely. This is extremely risky and can lead to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The timing and duration are critical and highly individualized.

Sodium Manipulation: Impact on Fluid Balance

Sodium plays a crucial role in regulating extracellular fluid volume. Its manipulation is closely coordinated with water intake.

• Initial High Sodium Intake (Sodium Loading):
  • Similar to water loading, some protocols involve increasing sodium intake during the early part of peak week (e.g., 7-5 days out).
  • This is believed to further downregulate aldosterone, the hormone that promotes sodium and water retention.
• Gradual Reduction (Sodium Cutting):
  • As the show approaches (e.g., 2-1 day out), sodium intake is drastically reduced or eliminated.
  • With aldosterone levels suppressed from the initial loading phase, the body continues to excrete sodium and, by extension, water, contributing to the "dry" look.
• Strategic Reintroduction:
  • Sometimes, a small amount of sodium (e.g., a pinch of salt) might be strategically introduced a few hours before stepping on stage. This can help pull water back into the muscles (if carb-loaded correctly) and enhance fullness and vascularity, but precision is key to avoid spillover.

Training Adjustments

Training also shifts during peak week to support the drying-out process.

• Glycogen Depletion Workouts:
  • In the early part of peak week, high-volume, moderate-intensity resistance training is used to deplete muscle glycogen stores, preparing for the carb-loading phase.
• Rest and Light Activity:
  • During the carb-loading phase and in the final 24-48 hours, training intensity and volume are significantly reduced or stopped altogether. This allows muscles to fully absorb and store glycogen without expending it, and minimizes muscle damage and inflammation that could cause water retention. Light posing practice is often the only physical activity.

Other Considerations

• Potassium: Some bodybuilders might strategically increase potassium intake (e.g., from potatoes, bananas) during carb loading. Potassium is an intracellular electrolyte, and increasing its levels can help draw water into muscle cells, aiding in fullness. However, excessive potassium can be dangerous, especially with compromised kidney function or electrolyte imbalances.
• Diuretics: While prescription diuretics are banned in most natural bodybuilding federations and are extremely dangerous due to the risk of severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and cardiac arrest, some bodybuilders may use "natural" diuretics (e.g., dandelion root, caffeine). These should still be approached with extreme caution due to their potential to disrupt electrolyte balance.
• Tanning: Competitive bodybuilders apply dark tanning solutions to enhance muscle definition and contrast under harsh stage lighting, further accentuating the "dry" look.
• Posing: Expert posing is crucial to showcase the physique, and bodybuilders practice extensively to contract and display muscles effectively, further enhancing the appearance of dryness and definition.

Risks and Health Implications

The drying-out process is an acute, extreme physiological stressor that carries significant health risks. These include:

• Severe Dehydration: Can lead to dizziness, fatigue, headaches, reduced cognitive function, and organ strain.
• Electrolyte Imbalances: Disruptions in sodium and potassium levels can cause muscle cramps, weakness, cardiac arrhythmias, and even death.
• Kidney Strain: Extreme dehydration and electrolyte shifts can put immense stress on the kidneys.
• Cardiac Issues: Dehydration and electrolyte imbalances can affect heart rhythm and function.
• Heat Stroke: Reduced fluid volume impairs the body's ability to regulate temperature.
• Loss of Performance: While not the goal, severe dehydration and glycogen depletion negatively impact strength and endurance.

Conclusion: A Precision-Based, Risky Endeavor

The process of "drying out" for a bodybuilding show is a highly refined, yet inherently risky, endeavor. It demands an intricate understanding of human physiology, meticulous planning, and precise execution in the final days and hours leading up to competition. It is a testament to the dedication of competitive bodybuilders but is emphatically not a sustainable or healthy practice for the general population. Due to the significant health risks involved, anyone considering such an extreme protocol should do so only under the strict supervision of experienced coaches, medical professionals, and ideally, within the guidelines of a drug-tested federation.