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Exploring “Peaking” in Physique Sport: Background, Current Practices, and Evolving Measurement Techniques

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Thesis(1.88 MB)

Date

2023

Authors

Supervisor

Helms, Eric
Cross, Matthew

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Master of Philosophy

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Volume Title

Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

Physique athletes are subjectively ranked against each other based on their on-stage presentation per the relevant judging criteria. Athletes attempt to display various, division-specific degrees of muscle size, definition, symmetry, and proportionality through posing. To do so, prolonged periods of energy restriction and resistance training (RT) are implemented during contest preparation. Nutrition and training are manipulated further in the final week before competition (“peak week” [PW]) to acutely enhance aesthetic performance. While many physique athletes implement peaking strategies, they are insufficiently detailed in the literature and their efficacy is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to determine the current nutrition and RT practices during PW across a broad range of competitors, provide directions for future research to evaluate these strategies, and offer practical applications for coaches and competitors who implement these strategies. Chapter 1 includes a background of peaking practices, thesis aims, and organisation. Chapter 2 critically examines and appraises the literature relating to carbohydrate (CHO) manipulation during PW, providing direction for future research and practical applications for coaches and competitors. Currently, there is a small but growing body of research related to peaking for physique sport; however, the only experimental design which sought to examine bodybuilding strategy is limited in its methodology. As well as providing broad practical applications, these findings lay the foundation for Chapters 3 and 4 with the objective of ascertaining a greater understanding of competitors’ current peaking practices. Chapter 3 explores the PW nutrition strategies via a competitor survey and how these relate to competitor demographics. While CHO back loading was the most implemented strategy, no demographics predicted the choice of CHO-based strategies. Contrastingly, enhanced (performance enhancing drug [PED]-using) competitors were more likely to restrict water than natural, while males and professionals were more likely to load sodium in comparison to females and amateur competitors, respectively. Finally, males had a greater disparity between the lowest and highest daily CHO intakes during PW than females. The predictive relationship between demographics and PW RT manipulation was similarly explored via survey in Chapter 4. No relationships between competitor characteristics were found; however, competitors reduce training stress during PW by reducing set volume, loads, and proximity-to-failure. Repetition ranges increased for compound exercises while training split changes were prevalent, perhaps in synergy with nutritional PW strategies. Chapter 5 validated a portable ultrasound device, with the aim of facilitating future research participation via increased practicality. Specifically, the agreement between the portable Lumify and stationary Vivid S5 was evaluated for muscle thickness (MT). Across five measurement sites, the devices displayed practically perfect correlations, trivial differences and low systematic bias and random error, showing that the Lumify device is largely interchangeable with the Vivid S5 for MT measurements. Finally, Chapter 6 provides a general summary for the thesis, practical applications for coaches and competitors, and directions for future research. By furthering our understanding of physique sport peaking practices, this thesis provides valuable information enhancing the ecological validity of future research, thereby contributing towards informing the real-world practices of competitors.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/17128

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Masters Theses