Page 19 - NGA NATURALmag 2018 SPRING-SUMMER Issue
P. 19
Spring-Summer 2018
SUPPLEMENTaTION
The supplement industry barely existed in in in in the the 1970’s During this time and even in in in in the the the early 1980’s competitors relied on on on on the the the consumption of properly prepared food to to meet their nutritional needs The primary available supplements were desiccated
liver tablets multi-vitamins digestive enzymes amino acids and and bee pollen Some protein powders existed which mainly had a a a a a a a a a a very chalky taste and and and pre-workout drinks and and energizers were limited
to to to coffee or or to to to blasting rock n’ roll music to to to get pumped up Amino acid tablets were so large that you had to to pray to to swallow them without suffering asphyxiation and supplement company sponsor- ship was not an an an an option for any any competing athlete CaRBOHYDRaTES
Old school competitors consumed just enough carbohydrates (perceived to to to to be be an enemy to to to to the the bodybuilder’s diet) to to to to keep them fueled because ketogenic diets were more preferred for contest preparation A nutritional dietary plan was com- prised of of proteins like beef turkey fish and chicken with the rule of of of thumb being about 0 8-1 gram per pound of of bodyweight Fats obtained from meat products (previously listed in in in proteins) cottage cheese milk and and butter were the primary energy source source source in in diets Additionally fat sources sources and and carbo- hydrate sources sources were typically found in in vegetables peanut butter milk or white rice TaNNING
The only sources back in in in the the day to darken the the skin were natural sunlight and self-tanning solutions which left many competitors with orange skin coloration Tanning beds were used mainly by those who didn’t live in in in in in sunny environments but when Pro-Tan emerged in in in in the mid-1980’s tanning salons became a a a a a a a a a a a game changer in in in in in contest preparation The tanning schedule would normally begin begin by get- ting sprayed from head to to toe beginning Wednes- day day day day and every day day day day afterwards until Saturday Many competitors wouldn’t shower after after Wednesday for fear of o o of washing off off their tan tan but despite this the the tan tan rubbed off off anyway and and ruined many articles of o o of clothing and and bedding due to Pro-Tan stains SODIUM-RESTRICTION
In order to to get the the best and leanest appearance competitors would restrict their their sodium consump- tion for for the the the entire week before their their contest Any
food that was was consumed was was required to be either low in in sodium sodium content content or have no sodium sodium content content and this this included water which had to to be distilled Some competitors were so so extreme with this this sodium sodium restriction that they wouldn’t brush their teeth with tooth paste because it it contained sodium sodium fluoride Many others would only use use sterilized or or or or new cookware for fear of sodium residue from prior use Potassium supplements were taken every 2 hours to to to avoid cramping and and to to to balance electrolytes and and the the goal of of all of of this was to to to to eliminate excess water from the the skin for muscles to to be made more visible The latest research has shown that this method may not only have been incorrect in in in its reasoning but also quite dangerous for the the health of the competitor LaST MINUTE TRICKS
Competitors resorted to to to to the the most outlandish tricks and and bizarre techniques to to to to put the the the finishing touches on on their physiques Some believed that drinking wine before going on on stage brought out vascular- ity which was hard to tell because of the incredible buzz experienced that would completely derail
an entire posing routine due to to to the the inability to to to maintain bodily composure Other competitors would dress themselves in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a “poor person’s sauna suit” made of garbage bags and and duct tape the the the last few days before a a a a a a a a a a a a a contest and and this they believed would help them to to sweat out more water to to make the the the body’s appearance leaner Although this seems pretty funny now it it wasn’t for the the dehydrated competitors In conclusion despite the vast differences in old school school vs new school school modern contest preparation many of of of the the methods worked regardless of of of the the time period or or quirkiness of of of implementation However it is is is unquestionable that new school contest prepa- ration makes life easier for competitors and this is is is due to to advancements in in in the the supplement industry increased nutritional knowledge the the the emergence
of of of spray tanning tanning and tanning tanning salons as as as well as as as the the the benefits of of of learning from the the experiences of of of those who competed when things weren’t so modern No matter the the method or or or the the time period hard work and dedication will always be required for success n n NGA NATURALmag
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