Peak week is the final stretch of a contest prep, where every meal, drink and training session is planned to make you look your best on one day. It does not build a physique. It shows off the one you already built over months of hard work.
The video above follows one of our Enterprise coaches through his first natural bodybuilding show, from the last days of the diet to the moment he walked on stage. He filmed the parts nobody puts on a highlight reel: the 5am runs, the kangaroo mince, the third day with no carbs. Here is what that week looked like, and what you can take from it.
What is peak week?
Peak week is the combination of the entire process. There is a building phase, then a dieting phase, and peak week prepares you for that one day, so you look the best you can with what you have at the time.
Think of it as the last coat of paint on a house. It finishes the job, but it will not fix the foundations. Peak week is nothing without the preparation that came before it, and no clever trick in the final seven days will rescue a prep that was not done properly.
How long does a contest prep take before peak week?
This prep ran for 36 weeks. His coach spent about 12 weeks building his calories up, working out which foods suited him and which did not. Then came about 20 weeks of dieting down.
The scale tells the story. In December 2017 he weighed 100 kilos. On the morning of day four of peak week he weighed 80.1 kilos, the lowest of his life. That is 20 kilos gone, and it did not happen in a week. It happened one meal at a time.
What does a peak week plan look like?
His coach spent a good four hours on the plan, then sat down and walked him through it. Every single meal was specified. He knew what he was eating, what he was drinking and when the food would come back in. There was nothing left to decide, and that is the point. A tired, hungry competitor should not be making decisions.
Here is how his week ran:
- Depletion (days one to three): no carbs at all. His meals were built around lean kangaroo mince and stew, and coffee got him through, about seven cups on day three.
- Day two: five litres of water with no salt.
- Morning cardio: running, because it was the most time efficient option, to burn the last bit of energy heading into the show.
- Day four: the big refeed. About 500 grams of carbs, using cyclic dextrin and a generous serve of rice with his stew, so he could see how full his muscles looked by the end of the day.
- Show day: jam, maple syrup and straight dextrose backstage, just before he stepped out.
Do not copy this plan. His coach wrote it for his body, his prep and his show. After three days without carbs, his own verdict was blunt: he would never recommend it. A peak week is a tool for someone already in stage condition, under a coach who has been watching them for months.
What is the hardest part of contest prep?
You would expect him to say the hunger. He did not. Three things stood out.
The comments. As you lose fluid, your face gets drawn, and people notice. The last thing a bodybuilder wants to hear is “you look so skinny”. Four or five weeks into the cut he felt small, and he came close to quitting. Then a complete stranger at the traffic lights told him he was looking good. That one comment turned his whole prep around. Never underestimate what a kind word does to someone running on empty.
The home front. Prep is a selfish process, and he said so. He got up before his family woke to do his cardio, and he fitted his sessions around the times that affected them least. He called the support network at home the most crucial piece. Explain the process to the people around you before it starts, so an early morning run does not come as a surprise.
The tan. Three days and three coats of the darkest tan possible. He rated it the most annoying part of the entire process, and nothing else came close.
Why do you need a coach for peak week?
Because you cannot see yourself clearly when you are depleted. This competitor saw his coach every day at the studio, so his coach could check how he was going, how he was feeling and how he was looking. That daily contact made the job easier for both of them.
A good coach also knows how to handle you. One day he was complaining that everything was too tough. His coach told him to shut up and get on with it. That was it. No speech, no sympathy, and it became another turning point in his prep. Sometimes support looks like a pat on the back. Sometimes it looks like a shove in the right direction. A coach who knows you can tell which one you need.
What happens on show day?
You register, you check in, you get one more coat of tan and you pump up. Then you wait, and the nerves arrive. He put his down to a mix of jitters and all that sugar.
He competed in a first-timers event at an ICN natural show, which helped. Everyone backstage was just as nervous, so he was not standing next to a line of experienced athletes. He felt like he was shaking like a leaf through his posing routine, and he still placed in both of his events.
What happens after a bodybuilding competition?
You go back to building. His plan was a solid 12 to 18 months of it before stepping on stage again. Too many people jump from show to show without ever getting bigger. Natural athletes in particular need time to add size, so the smart move after a show is patience.
His big takeaway: the day itself was not the prize. The training, the nutrition and the discipline were the best part. Show day ends. The habits stay.
Does this apply if you never plan to compete?
Yes. All competing is, is advanced fat loss. If you want to get leaner or put on size, you are running the same process with a lower level of intensity. Competing simply teaches you the discipline, the time and the thinking that a great result demands.
If you want to step on stage, our comp prep coaches in Melbourne build this kind of plan at our Abbotsford studio, and you can see how our competitors went at ICN Victoria. If you want the same structure without the tan, apply here and we will work out what your plan should look like.
Frequently asked questions
How long is peak week in bodybuilding?
Peak week covers the final stretch before a show, after months of building and dieting. In this prep it sat at the end of a 36-week process. The exact plan depends on the competitor and the coach writing it.
What do you eat during peak week?
In this prep the first three days had no carbs, built around lean kangaroo mince and stew. Day four was a refeed of about 500 grams of carbs from cyclic dextrin and rice. Your coach should set your own numbers.
Should you stop drinking water during peak week?
This competitor did the opposite early in the week, drinking five litres of water with no salt on day two. Do not change your water or salt without a coach. Every step of his plan was written for him.
Can you do peak week without a coach?
We do not recommend it. You cannot judge your own condition when you are depleted, and small mistakes in the last few days show up on stage. This competitor saw his coach every day, and his plan took four hours to write.
What do you do after a bodybuilding show?
You go back to building. This competitor planned 12 to 18 months of it before his next show. Natural athletes need that time to add size, so jumping from show to show holds you back.
