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Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
- 51 -
Nutrition, pharmacological and training strategies adopted by six
bodybuilders: case report and critical review
Paulo Gentil (1), Claudio Andre Barbosa de Lira (1), Antonio Paoli (2), José
Alexandre Barbosa dos Santos (3), Roberto Deivide Teixeira da Silva (3), José
Romulo Pereira Junior (3), Edson Pereira da Silva (3), Rodrigo Ferro Magosso (4)
(1) College of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil;
(2) Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; (3) ENAF
Desenvolvimento Serviços Educacionais, Boa Vista, Brazil; (4) Post Graduation Program in
Movement Sciences, UNESP – Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, Brazil.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License (CC BY-NC 4.0) which permits
any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to report and analyze the practices adopted by bodybuilders in
light of scientific evidence and to propose evidence-based alternatives. Six (four male and two
female) bodybuilders and their coaches were directly interviewed. According to the reports, the
quantity of anabolic steroids used by the men was 500–750 mg/week during the bulking phase
and 720–1160 mg during the cutting phase. The values for women were 400 and 740 mg,
respectively. The participants also used ephedrine and hydrochlorothiazide during the cutting
phase. Resistance training was designed to train each muscle once per week and all participants
performed aerobic exercise in the fasted state in order to reduce body fat. During the bulking
phase, bodybuilders ingested ~2.5 g of protein/kg of body weight. During the cutting phase,
protein ingestion increased to ~3 g/kg and carbohydrate ingestion decreased by 10–20%.
During all phases, fat ingestion corresponded to ~15% of the calories ingested. The
supplements used were whey protein, chromium picolinate, omega 3 fatty acids, branched
chain amino acids, poly-vitamins, glutamine and caffeine. The men also used creatine in the
bulking phase. In general, the participants gained large amounts of fat-free mass during the
bulking phase; however, much of that fat-free mass was lost during the cutting phase along
with fat mass. Based on our analysis, we recommend an evidence-based approach by people
involved in bodybuilding, with the adoption of a more balanced and less artificial diet. One
important alert should be given for the combined use of anabolic steroids and stimulants, since
both are independently associated with serious cardiovascular events. A special focus should
be given to revisiting resistance training and avoiding fasted cardio in order to decrease the
reliance on drugs and thus preserve bodybuilders’ health and integrity.
Key Words: steroids, skeletal muscle hypertrophy, bodybuilding, resistance training
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
Bodybuilding differs from most sports because the
participant’s physique, rather than athletic performance,
is judged. The ultimate goal of bodybuilders is to
achieve a large muscle mass that is defined and
symmetrical. Often their training periods are divided
into bulking and cutting phases. The latter is
emphasized in the weeks before the competition and is
oriented for a decrease in body fat, while the first
comprises the noncompetitive phase and is oriented for
increasing muscle mass. To achieve their purposes,
bodybuilders utilize a combination of resistance
training, extreme diets, nutritional supplements and
drugs.1-3. However, many of these strategies are based
on common sense, rather than on scientific evidence,
which may impose considerable health risks with no
proven benefits.4 Many bodybuilding practices came to
light due to reported cases of deaths, injuries and/or
serious health problems occurring in bodybuilders.5-10
However, analysis of individual cases in clinical settings
usually lacks important details. It is interesting to note
that it has been reported that bodybuilders refuse to be
treated and/or do not comply with medical
recommendations, even in the presence of diagnosed
health problems,5,6 probably because they are convinced
that their current practices are vital for their success.
However, many practices may not be necessary or can
Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
- 52 -
be even counterproductive. Therefore, employing a
critical view of these practices and proposing an
evidence-based approach may help bodybuilders to
preserve their health while still achieving the desired
results. The purpose of this study is to report and
analyze the practices adopted by six bodybuilders (two
male Bodybuilders, two Men’s Physique competitors
and two women competing in the Wellness category) in
the light of scientific evidence in order to offer a critical
view and propose evidence-based alternatives for people
involved or willing to be involved with bodybuilding.
Material and Methods
Experimental procedures
Since this is an observational study, the researchers
were not responsible for the interventions. All data were
provided by the participants and their coaches after the
competition. Bodybuilders and their coaches were
requested to describe in detail all their practices
(training, diet, nutritional supplements and
pharmacological agents). When any doubt arose,
competitors/coaches were directly contacted to give
further details. This procedure was facilitated by the fact
that some authors of the present study were involved
with bodybuilding, either as coaches or athletes.
Participants
All participants were amateur bodybuilders competing
according to the standards of the International
Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB). The
participants were two male Bodybuilders in the same
category (MB1 and MB2), two Men’s Physique
competitors belonging to the same category (MP1 and
MP2) and two women competing in different Wellness
categories (W1 and W2). MB1 was 26 years old, had 10
years of experience with resistance training and was in
his second competition. The other participants were in
their first competitions; MB2 was 28 years old and had
10 years of experience with resistance training; MP1
and MP2 had 22 and 19 years, respectively, and both
had 2 years of experience with resistance training. W1
was 24 years old and had 4 years of experience with
resistance training. W2 was 35 years old with 11 years
of resistance training experience. All participants were
among the best of their categories in the competition
analyzed. MB1 won his category and was overall
champion. MB2 was second place. W1 placed second in
her category and W2 placed third. MP1 and MP2 were
fifth and third, respectively. Participants were fully
informed of the study aims and read and signed an
informed consent form authorizing the use of their data.
The study was approved by an Institutional Ethics
Committee and conformed to the principles outlined in
the Declaration of Helsinki.
Anthropometry and body composition
Body weight was determined with an electronic scale to
the nearest 0.1 kg with subjects barefoot and wearing
swim suits. Barefoot standing height was measured to
the nearest 0.1 cm with a stadiometer. Participants were
evaluated for body composition before and after the
bulking and cutting phases. Body composition was
assessed by an experienced examiner using a whole-
body tetrapolar bioimpedance analyzer (Inbody230,
Biospace, Seoul, Korea) with an eight-point tetrapolar
electrode system. The participants were oriented to
stand upright and to grasp the handles of the analyzer,
thereby providing contact with eight electrodes (two for
each foot and hand). Five segments (right and left arm,
trunk, right and left leg) were independently analyzed
using two different frequencies (20 and 100 kHz). The
input variables included the patients’ age, sex, height
and actual body weight. The percentage body fat was
computed through the proprietary algorithms, displayed
on the analyzer’s control panel and recorded.
All tests were performed in the morning (~8 a.m.).
Before anthropometric analysis, resting blood pressure
was measured via auscultation by an experienced
examiner after the participants had rested for 20 minutes
in a sitting position. Heart rate was measured using a
Polar A360 (Polar Electro Oy, Oulu, Finland).
Results
Participants were evaluated for body composition before
and after the bulking and cutting phases. For each
volunteer, the first date refers to the beginning of the
bulking phase, the second date is the end of the bulking
and beginning of the cutting phase and the third date
represents the end of the cutting phase (Table 1). During
the bulking phase, participants generally increased fat-
free mass without altering fat mass, with the exception
of MP2 whose fat-free mass did not change. The most
notable increase was in W2, who showed a 20%
increase in fat-free mass in only one month. All
participants lost large amounts of body fat during the
cutting phase, with a larger relative loss being achieved
by MB2 and MP1 who dropped their body fat
percentage by less than half during this period.
However, during the cutting phase, all competitors
besides MP1 lost fat-free mass, with the highest loss in
MB1 and W1, who lost almost 10% of his fat-free mass.
Their training routines are shown in Tables 2, 3 and, 4.
The participants aimed to train each muscle group once
a week with multiple sets of multi- and single-joint
exercises performed to volitional fatigue. During the
bulking phase, the male Bodybuilders and Wellness
competitors performed sets of 8–12 repetitions with 2–3
minutes of rest between sets. During the cutting phase,
the number of repetitions increased to 12–15 and the
rest intervals dropped to 45–60 seconds. The
participants also increased the time spent in fasted
cardio during the cutting phase. Men’s Physique
competitors trained with 8–15 repetitions and 50–70
seconds of rest during both the bulking and cutting
phases. Regarding pharmacological agents, MB1 and
MB2 used 500 mg/week of testosterone enanthate, 200
Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
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mg/week of boldenone and 150 mg/week of trenbolone
acetate during the bulking phase. During the cutting
phase, MB2 used 400 mg/week of testosterone
propionate, 200 mg/week of stanozolol and 160
mg/week of oxandrolone during the cutting phase. MB1
used the same combination as MB2 during the cutting
phase, but also added 400 mg/week of drostanolone
propionate. During the cutting phase there was also the
introduction of ephedrine (15–45 mg/day) and
hydrochlorothiazide (50–300 mg/day). Both MP1 and
MP2 used 500 mg/week of testosterone propionate
during the bulking phase. During the cutting phase, they
changed to 320 mg/week of testosterone enanthate, 420
mg/week of oxandrolone, 250 mg/day of caffeine, 15
mg/day of ephedrine and 120 mg/day of theophylline.
W1 and W2 used 200 mg/week of stanozolol and 200
mg/week of nandrolone decanoate in the bulking phase
and 200 mg/week of stanozolol, 100 mg/week of
testosterone propionate, 140 mg/week of oxandrolone
and 300 mg/week of drostanolone propionate during the
cutting phase. They also added ephedrine (15–45
mg/day) and hydrochlorothiazide (50–300 mg/day)
during the cutting phase. Nutritional supplements used
in the bulking phase were whey protein concentrate,
chromium picolinate, omega 3 fatty acids, branched
chain amino acids (BCAA), vitamin C, poly-vitamins,
glutamine and caffeine for both male Bodybuilders and
Wellness participants. Male participants also ingested
creatine monohydrate.
Discussion
This manuscript aimed to describe and analyze the
practices adopted by six bodybuilders of both sexes in
the light of scientific evidence. Data will be discussed
separately for pharmacological agents, training,
nutrition and supplements, as follows.
Pharmacological agents
MB1 and MB2 used 750 mg/week of anabolic steroids
during the bulking phase. During the cutting phase the
amount increased to 760 mg/week in MB2 and 1160
mg/week in MB1, which resulted in more than 105–165
mg/day. Considering that the normal testosterone
production in men is 4–11 mg/day,11-14 the dosage is 9–
Table 1. Characteristics of the subjects.
Date
(month-
day)
Height (cm)
Body
Weight (kg)
Fat free
mass (kg)
Body fat
(%)
Rest systolic
blood pressure
(mmHg)
Rest diastolic
blood pressure
(mmHg)
Rest heart
rate (bpm)
Male
bodybuilder 1
08-11
168.1
82.1
65.9
19.7
140
75
80
09-30
89.3
73.7
17.5
116
62
76
11-14
72.6
66.8
8.0
123
79
81
Male
bodybuilder 2
08-11
171.5
87.4
71.7
18.0
141
83
70
09-30
92
73.4
20.2
165
81
59
11-14
75.5
69.5
7.9
111
81
102
Wellness 1
08-11
148.3
51.4
39.5
23.2
137
77
76
09-30
57.6
45.8
20.4
138
76
86
11-14
53.7
46.4
13.5
130
80
89
Wellness 2
08-30
169.1
63
48.2
23.4
126
69
86
09-30
71.5
58.0
18.9
132
77
74
11-14
65.2
55.0
15.7
133
79
82
Men’s
Physique 1
08-18
190.0
94.3
80.5
14.6
136
72
74
09-26
99.9
87.7
12.2
136
65
84
11-14
92.2
87.6
5.0
120
72
62
Men’s
Physique 2
06-27
180.5
90.6
81.3
10.2
151
81
82
08-21
89.8
81.2
9.6
166
75
82
11-14
81.5
76.6
6.0
124
82
104
The first date is the beginning of the bulking phase, the second date is the end of the bulking and beginning of the cutting phase and the third
date is the last measurement made before the competition in the end of the cutting phase.
Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
- 54 -
41 times higher than the natural androgen production.
Although MP1 and MP2 were taller and heavier, the
amount of hormone used by them was lower than MB1
and MB2 during the bulking phase (500 mg/week), but
increased to 720 mg/week during the cutting phase. This
is probably due to the characteristics of their categories,
since Men’s Physique requires a less muscular body
than Bodybuilding. W1 and W2 used 400 mg/week of
steroids during the bulking phase and 740 mg/week
during the cutting phase, resulting in 57 and 105
Table 2. Resistance training during the bulking and cutting phases of men bodybuilders competitors
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Bulking
Chest (3 exercises,
with 10 sets in
total, 8-12 reps and
2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Anterior and
middle deltoids (3
exercises, with 8
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 2-3
minutes intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Back (3 exercises,
with 10 sets in
total, 8-12 reps and
2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Trapezius (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 2-3
minutes intervals
between sets)
Posterior deltoids
(1 exercise, with 4
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 2-3
minutes intervals
between sets)
45-60 minutes of
cardio
(bicycle/treadmill)
at moderate
intensity in the
fasted state
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Quadriceps (3
exercises, with 10
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 2-3
minutes intervals
between sets)
Hamstrings (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 2-3
minutes intervals
between sets)
Calves (2 exercises,
with 7 sets in total,
15-20 reps and 2-3
minutes intervals
between sets)
Biceps (3 exercises,
with 10 sets in
total, 8-12 reps and
2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Triceps (3
exercises, with 10
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 2-3
minutes intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
45-60 minutes of
cardio
(bicycle/treadmill)
at moderate
intensity in the
fasted state
Calves (2 exercises,
with 7 sets in total,
15-20 reps and 2-3
minutes intervals
between sets)
Cutting
Back (3 exercises,
with 10 sets in
total, 12-15 reps
and 45-60''
intervals between
sets)
Trapezius (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45-60''
intervals between
sets)
Posterior deltoids
(2 exercises, with 6
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45-60''
intervals between
sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 45-60''
intervals between
sets)
Chest (4 exercises,
with 10 sets in
total, 12-15 reps
and 45-60''
intervals between
sets)
Anterior and midle
deltoids (3
exercises, with 9
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45-60''
intervals between
sets)
Calves (2 exercises,
with 8 sets in total,
15-20 reps and 45-
60'' intervals
between sets)
2 hours of cardio in
the fasted state
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 45-60'' intervals
between sets
Quadriceps (3
exercises, with 11
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45-
60''intervals
between sets)
Hamstrings (2
exercises, with 8
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45-60''
intervals between
sets)
Hip adductors (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 12-15 reps
and 45-60''
intervals between
sets)
Calves (2 exercises,
with 8 sets in total,
15-20 reps and 45-
60'' intervals
between sets)
Biceps (3 exercises,
with 10 sets in
total, 8-12 reps and
45-60'' intervals
between sets)
Triceps (3
exercises, with 10
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 45-60''
between sets)
2 hours of cardio in
the fasted state
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 45-60'' intervals
between sets)
Calves (2 exercises,
with 7 sets in total,
15-20 reps and 45-
60'' intervals
between sets)
Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
- 55 -
mg/day, respectively. Considering that women produce
0.2–0.4 mg testosterone/day,11,12,14,15 the amount of
androgen used was 142–285 and 264–528 times their
natural androgen production during the bulking and
cutting phases, respectively. The amount of androgen
used by the studied bodybuilders in both phases was
extremely high when compared with endogenous
production. This high dosage has already been reported
Table 3. Resistance training during the bulking and cutting phases of women wellness competitors
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Bulking
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 4
sets, 15-20 reps and
1-2 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Quadriceps (3
exercises, with 10
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 1-2
minutes intervals
between sets)
Hip adductors (1
exercise, with 3 sets
in total, 8-12 reps
and 1-2 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Calves (1 exercise,
with 4 sets in total,
8-12 reps and 1-2
minutes intervals
between sets)
Chest (2 exercises,
with 7 sets in total,
8-12 reps and 1-2
minutes intervals
between sets)
Anterior and midle
deltoids (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 1- 2
minutes intervals
between sets)
Triceps (2
exercises, with 5
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 1-2
minutes intervals
between sets)
60 minutes of cardio
(bicycle/treadmill)
at moderate
intensity in the
fasted state
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Hamstrings (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 1-2 minute
intervals between
sets)
Gluteus (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 8-12
reps and 1-2 minute
intervals between
sets)
Calves (2 exercises,
with 6 sets in total,
15-20 reps and 1-2
minute intervals
between sets)
Back (2 exercises,
with 6 sets in total,
8-12 reps and 1-2
minute intervals
between sets)
Trapezius (1
exercise, with 3 sets
in total, 8-12 reps
and 1-2 minute
intervals between
sets)
Biceps (2 exercises,
with 6 sets in total,
8-12 reps and 1-2
minute intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
60 minutes of cardio
(bicycle/treadmill)
at moderate
intensity in the
fasted state
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 2-3 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Cutting
Quadriceps (4
exercises, with 12
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45"-60”
intervals between
sets)
Hip adductors (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 12-15 reps
and 45"-60”
intervals between
sets)
Calves (1 exercise,
with 8 sets in total,
15-20 reps and 45"-
60” intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (2
exercises, with 8
sets in total, 15-20
reps and 45"-60”
intervals between
sets)
Chest (2 exercises,
with 7 sets in total,
12-15 reps and 45"-
60” intervals
between sets)
Anterior and
middle deltoids (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45"-60”
intervals between
sets)
Triceps (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45"-60”
between sets)
2 hours of cardio
(bicycle/treadmill)
at moderate
intensity in the
fasted state
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 12-15 reps
and 45"-60”
intervals between
sets)
Gluteus (3
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 12-15
reps and 45"-60”
intervals between
sets)
Hamstrings (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 15-20
reps and 45"-60”
intervals between
sets)
Calves (2 exercises,
with 6 sets in total,
15-20 reps and 45"-
60” intervals
between sets)
Back (2 exercises,
with 7 sets in total,
12-15 reps and 1-2
minute intervals
between sets)
Trapezius (1
exercise, with 3 sets
in total, 12-15 reps
and 1-2 minute
intervals between
sets)
Biceps (2 exercises,
with 6 sets in total,
12-15 reps and 1-2
minute intervals
between sets)
Abdomen (2
exercises, with 8
sets in total, 15-20
reps and 1-2 minute
intervals between
sets)
2 hours of cardio
(bicycle/treadmill)
at moderate
intensity in the
fasted state
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 1-2 minutes
intervals between
sets)
Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
- 56 -
in the literature.16 The hormone dosage during the
cutting phase increased in all competitors, except for
MB2. This might be related to the alleged effects of
testosterone in promoting fat loss17-19 and also to
counteract muscle catabolism that usually accompanies
extreme fat loss strategies. However, this strategy did
Table 4. Resistance training during the bulking and cutting phases of men’s physique competitors
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Bulking
Chest (3 exercises,
with 9 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Anterior and medial
deltoids (2
exercises, with 4
sets in total, 8-15
reps and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Calves (1 exercise,
with 4 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Quadriceps (3
exercises, with 9
sets in total, 8-15
reps and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Hamstrings (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 8-15 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Back (3 exercises,
with 9 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Rest
Biceps (2 exercises,
with 6 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Triceps (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 8-15
reps and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Calves (1 exercise,
with 4 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Quadriceps (3
exercises, with 9
sets in total, 8-15
reps and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Hamstrings (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 8-15 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Cutting
Chest (3 exercises,
with 9 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Anterior and medial
deltoids (2
exercises, with 4
sets in total, 8-15
reps and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Calves (1 exercise,
with 4 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Quadriceps (3
exercises, with 9
sets in total, 8-15
reps and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Hamstrings (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 8-15 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Back (3 exercises,
with 9 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Rest
Biceps (2 exercises,
with 6 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Triceps (2
exercises, with 6
sets in total, 8-15
reps and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Calves (1 exercise,
with 4 sets in total,
8-15 reps and 50"-
70' intervals
between sets)
Abdominals (1
exercise, with 8 sets
in total, 15-20 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Quadriceps (3
exercises, with 9
sets in total, 8-15
reps and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Hamstrings (1
exercise, with 4 sets
in total, 8-15 reps
and 50"-70'
intervals between
sets)
Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
- 57 -
not seem to be effective, since most of the participants,
lost fat-free mass during the cutting phase, which is in
accordance with other studies that also demonstrated
that use of anabolic steroids was not able to generate
positive changes in body composition.20,21 The
participants also changed the type of anabolic steroid
used from the bulking to cutting phases. In the bulking
phase, the participants commonly used testosterone
enanthate, boldenone, nandrolone undecanoate and
trenbolone. In the cutting phase, the drugs of choice
were propionate, stanozolol, propionate drostanolone
and oxandrolone. However, there was an exception for
the Men’s Physique participants who used testosterone
propionate during the bulking phase and enanthate
during the cutting phase. Indeed, it has been
demonstrated that athletes typically use anabolic
steroids in a “stacking” regimen, which means the use
of different drugs simultaneously in order to increase
the potency of each drug.22 Drug choice was based on
the belief that some drugs would result in greater fat
loss than others. However, this practice is not supported
by the literature. Previous studies have shown that
endogenous testosterone per se may be associated with
fat loss.17,18 However, some studies reported no
reduction in body fat with anabolic steroid use20,21 while
others reported reductions in body fat in healthy
people19, 23, 24, the obese25 and clinical settings,26-28
irrespective of the drugs used. If we consider that
testosterone acts in the adipose tissue through androgen
receptors,29-31 it is not plausible to believe that different
drugs would result in different effects in body fat or
muscle accretion, since they will act on the same
receptor.30 Additionally, the use of large amounts of
anabolic steroids may increase its conversion to
estrogen, which may have a negative impact on fat loss.
Although recent studies reported that testosterone
aromatization may not influence body composition at
therapeutic doses,32 its effects at higher doses are
unkonwn. The effects of androgens on the
cardiovascular system are widely studied and
recognized. Briefly, misuse of androgens can cause
myocardial infarctions, alterations in serum lipids
(decreased HDL and increased LDL), elevation in blood
pressure and increased risk of thrombosis (for review
see Hoffman et al.22). In the present study, all
participants showed resting systolic blood pressure
values higher than optimal in at least one of the three
measurements performed. MB1, MB2 and MP2 showed
blood pressure values that characterized hypertension at
some time.33 Although blood exams were not available,
all participants reported that their HDL values were
suboptimal in previous exams. It is important to stress
that both higher blood pressure and low HDL are
associated with cardiovascular events caused by
anabolic steroids.34 Even though no participant had
reported any serious cardiovascular events in the past,
these altered values could expose them to an increased
risk. Moreover, the literature provides many cases of
serious cardiovascular events associated with anabolic
steroid abuse in bodybuilders.6,35-37 The increased
cardiovascular risk associated with steroid use seems to
be undeniable.6,38 Additionally, many studies confirm
that the abuse of anabolic substances produces profound
and partly irreversible changes in various organs and
systems, and that these changes tend to be related to the
type, duration and amount of anabolic steroids used.
The effects of major concern are those on the liver,
cardiovascular and reproductive systems, and on the
psychological status of anabolic-androgenic steroid
users.20,39-42 Certainly not all effects occur in all persons,
nor are the effects necessarily obvious.22 In addition to
dosage, one must consider the duration of use to arrive
at a total exposure. In this sense, the use in bodybuilding
seems to be particularly alarming since it combines
large doses and long periods of use.38,42 Although it is
recommended to not exaggerate the medical risks
associated with anabolic steroids,22 it is important to
emphasize that an attitude of personal invulnerability to
their adverse effects is certainly misguided.41
Bodybuilders usually rely on individual cases of steroid
users that did not develop health problems to suggest
that steroid use may be safe; however, one must know
the difference between increased risk and certainty of
the occurrence of an event. The use of ephedrine and
diuretics in the cutting phase may also impose an
imminent risk to the bodybuilders’ health. Ephedrine
misuse has been associated with serious cardiovascular
events43,44 and diuretics have been anecdotally
associated with the death of some bodybuilders and
their misuse is associated with health problems.45,46
Dehydration could have a negative impact on muscle
metabolism without positively affecting fat metabolism,
since there seems to be a close relationship between
cellular hydration and nitrogen balance.47 In addition,
previous studies have reported that hypo-osmolality is
associated with increased lipolysis and decreased
protein breakdown.48,49 Therefore, diuretic use may not
be only hazardous to the bodybuilders’ health, but also
counterproductive to their objectives.
Training
Resistance training
All participants split training sessions in order to train
each muscle group every week. Although a recent
review suggests that a higher training frequency may
result in higher muscle hypertrophy,50 there are studies
in which trained participants obtained significant results
with this type of routine.51 Moreover, Ahtiainen et al.52
reported that trained men were only able to repeat a
training session 6-7 days after performing nine sets of
lower body exercise. Therefore, training one muscle
group every week seems to be supported by the current
literature. One criticism regarding the splitting routine
involves exercise choice, since it did not consider that
shoulder and upper limb muscles are highly involved in
multi-joint upper body exercise.53-56 Additionally,
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Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
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previous studies have shown that gains in elbow flexor
muscle size and strength were similar for subjects that
performed elbow flexions or lat pull-downs.57
Moreover, other studies showed that the addition of
single-joint exercises did not increase the gains in
muscle size and strength in untrained58 or trained
subjects.59 A counterpoint to this argument can be made
with the study of Soares et al.60 in which upper limb
muscles recovered faster after seated rows than during
isolated elbow flexions. Probably, the difference may be
related to the exercise used, since the ratio of activation
of latissimus dorsi to biceps during seated rows is
higher than during lat pull-downs,61 which could have
led to lower elbow flexor damage in the study of Soares
et al.60 Considering that testosterone increases muscle
recovery,62 protein synthesis63 and satellite cell
activity,64, 65 the accretion of isolated exercises would
have difficulty in inducing a state of overtraining in
bodybuilders using anabolic steroids. However,
testosterone may impair tendon adaptation to resistance
training66 and anabolic steroids users showed a
markedly increased risk of tendon ruptures, particularly
in the upper-body.67 This is particularly interesting,
because upper body tendon rupture are not common
among people that do not have a history of anabolic
steroid use. In a cross-sectional cohort study, Kanayama
et al.67 reported that the hazard ratio for a first ruptured
tendon in anabolic steroid users versus nonusers was
9.0, and upper body tendon ruptures occurred in 17% of
the anabolic steroid users, while none occurred in
nonusers. The unnecessary and excessive use of isolated
exercises may cause excessive strain in upper body
tendons, thus aggravating the problem. The empirical
evidence is that all participants of our study had a
history of joint pains and one participant had a severe
shoulder injury prior to the preparation period.
Therefore, considering that isolated exercises bring
little, if any, benefit for muscle size and strength and
that upper body tendons are particularly vulnerable in
anabolic steroid users, it would be advisable to decrease
the volume of upper body isolated exercise. During the
cutting phase, male Bodybuilder and Wellness
competitors increased the number of repetitions
performed and decreased the time intervals between
sets. Men’s Physique participants kept their training
routines with high repetitions and short rest intervals
between sets during the whole period, since their
purpose was not to promote large increases in muscle
mass. Although the use of high repetition and low
workloads for acquiring muscle definition is a common
practice,3 previous studies have shown that exercises
performed with a lower number of repetitions and
higher workloads are more efficient than high repetition,
high volume training in elevating metabolism68 and
promoting fat loss69,70 Additionally, considering that low
carbohydrate ingestion during the cutting phase may
compromise exercise performance,71 using low
repetition with high load and long rest intervals during
this phase may be advantageous, since this type of
training rely less on the glycolytic system.72,73 We noted
with caution the use of isolated knee adductions for
women. According to the participants, the exercise was
included to induce specific hypertrophy of the hip
adductors and modify the shape of the thighs. Although
there is evidence that a training program composed only
of leg press and knee extension promotes significant
hypertrophy of the hip adductors,74 the use of isolated
exercises may be granted if there is a need to bring
specific adaptations for this muscle group. However, it
is important to note that women are more prone to
develop patellofemoral problems than men and this
incidence may be related to weakness of the
posterolateral complex.75,76 Therefore, the use of
isolated knee adductions may create an imbalance in the
hip joint and increase the probability of developing knee
injuries. Therefore, our suggestion is to avoid isolated
hip adduction or, if it is necessary for aesthetical
reasons, it is recommended to introduce exercises for
hip abductors and external hip rotators to prevent
patellofemoral problems, as previously used in the
studies of Fukuda et al.77,78
Aerobic training
Male Bodybuilders and Wellness competitors
performed 45–60 minutes of aerobic exercise in the
fasted state 2 days per week in the bulking phase. In the
cutting phase weekly frequency was kept constant but
the duration of each session increased to 2 hours. Men’s
Physique competitors did not perform aerobic exercise
in the bulking phase, but added 40 minutes of fasted
aerobic exercise in the cutting phase. Although the
participants reported that performing exercise in the
fasted stated is a common practice among bodybuilders,
a previous study showed that it brings no benefit in
terms of fat loss79 and can even negatively impact
energy expenditure and fat metabolism.80 Probably, this
negative effect on metabolism was offset by the use of
large doses of ephedrine and caffeine, which have been
shown to increase metabolism and fat oxidation.81, 82
Based on the current body of scientific evidence, it is
highly advisable to discourage the performance of
fasted aerobic exercise in order to prevent negative
alterations in metabolism and reduce the need for
thermogenic ingestion. Thus, the participants could have
equivalent results while decreasing the amount of drugs
used. Additionally, the performance of high volumes of
aerobic exercise has a negative impact on muscle
hypertrophy.83 The loss of fat-free mass even with an
increase in anabolic steroid use during the cutting phase
may be evidence for that phenomenon. Considering that
the higher the exercise intensity, the higher the fat
loss83,84 and that some studies suggest that the effect of
regular low-intensity aerobic exercise on body fat is
negligible,85 it would be recommended to reduce the
volume of aerobic exercise and increase its intensity.
Another strategy to prevent muscle loss would be to
Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
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prefer cycling to running, since the latter may have a
more negative interaction with resistance training83, 85
Taken together, high intensity interval training on the
cycle ergometer would be preferable to long duration
and low-intensity running for both losing fat and
preserving fat-free mass.
Nutrition
Unfortunately, it was not possible to retrieve detailed
nutritional plans because the participants’ diets
constantly changed according to their perceptions; i.e.
carbohydrate ingestion increased if they felt that they
were losing too much fat-free mass and decreased in
order to reduce body fat. In general, their bulking diets
were hypercaloric, high protein (2.5 g of protein per kg
of body mass, with each meal containing 0.33 to 0.55 g
of protein per kg of body weight) and low fat (~15% of
calories coming from fat). The major sources of
carbohydrate were rice, potatoes, bread and oatmeal.
Dietary protein usually came from chicken, lean red
meat, egg whites and whey protein concentrate. As
competition approached, the competitors increased their
protein ingestion to ~3 g/kg of body weight and
decreased carbohydrate ingestion by 10–20%. Their
fruit and vegetable ingestion was extremely low and
their sources of vitamins and minerals seemed to be
mainly nutritional supplements. The combination of
high protein, low fiber and high vitamin ingestion seems
to be common among bodybuilders, and has been
previously linked to health problems, especially in the
gastrointestinal system.5 It is important to note that the
literature recommends the ingestion of 1.2 to 2 g of
protein per kg of body weight for strength athletes86-88
and there seems to be no benefit in increasing ingestion
above this level.82 Moreover, previous studies suggested
that the maximum amount of protein needed to increase
muscle anabolism is around 0.25 g/kg,89, 90 which is less
than the actual amount ingested by the participants. This
extra amount of protein is probably oxidized or
eliminated by urea, as suggested by Witard et al.90
Recent research shows that a higher protein intake (1.8
vs. 0.85 g/kg) seems to add no benefit in novice
athletes.91 Therefore, the practice of increased protein
intake, also popular in commercial gyms,92, 93 is not
substantiated by the current literature. During the
cutting phase, participants increased their protein intake,
as previously reported 1,2, 94 The benefits of high-protein
diets on weight loss have been highlighted by Leidy et
al.95 Phillips & Van Loon71 recommended increasing
protein intake to 1.8 to 2.7 g/kg in order to optimize the
ratio of fat-to-lean tissue mass loss during
hypoenergetic periods. Additionally, Helms et al.96
suggested that 2.3-3.1 g/kg FFM is appropriate for lean,
resistance-trained athletes in hypoenergetic conditions.
However, it is important to note that, among the studies
used to support high-protein diets in the mentioned
reviews, only two used protein intakes over 2 g/kg97,98
and only one compared the effects of different protein
intakes.98 However, in this study the low protein group
ingested only 1 g/kg of protein, which is below the
recommended values. The results of meta-analyses
indicate that the quantity of protein necessary to
promote weight management and preserve lean mass
lies somewhere between 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg.99-101
Therefore, it is important that people involved with
bodybuilding become aware that high protein intakes
are not obligatory to preserve lean mass while losing fat.
This can be particularly valuable for people who do not
tolerate severe restrictions in carbohydrate or fat.
Nutritional supplements
Supplements most frequently used for participants of
both sexes were concentrated whey protein, chromium
picolinate, omega 3 fatty acids, BCAA, poly-vitamins,
glutamine and caffeine. Regarding protein
supplementation almost all subjects used whey protein.
This is not a surprise considering that the most studied
type of protein supplementation during resistance
training is whey protein in its various forms. On the
other hand, the greater part of the data available till now
seems to suggest that there is no advantage in assuming
whey protein compared to other types of protein.102 As
suggested by a recent meta-analysis the use of whey
protein supplementation concomitant with resistance
training results in no benefit when compared to other
types of protein.103 In general, studies comparing protein
from different sources have found no significant
differences or conflicting results. Thus, even though
body builders seem to prefer whey protein as a protein
source for supplementation, there is no convincing data
at the moment that could support the hypothesis of a
greater muscle mass growth using whey protein over
another high-quality source.102 The male bodybuilders
analyzed, but not the women, also used creatine in the
bulking phase. Several studies have suggested a positive
effect of creatine supplementation on muscle strength,
power and lean body mass.104-106 Specifically for
bodybuilders, the benefits of creatine may be related to
the increased capacity for repeating high intensity
efforts,106 which can increase training performance and
result in muscle size gains. Creatine supplementation
has also been associated with increased anabolic
signaling107,108 reduced myostastin levels,109 increased
satellite cell activity, augmented myonuclei number110
and increased IGF mRNA111 which can be related to
greater increases in muscle size as compared to
placebo.107,112 However, creatine supplementation is
associated with body water retention,113 which may be
counterproductive during the cutting phase. This
explains why the bodybuilders suspended its use in the
weeks before competition and why it was not used by
the women. Caffeine was used in order to increase fat
loss, due to its supposedly thermogenic effect. However,
previous studies reported that caffeine alone offers no
benefits over a placebo in thermogenesis114,115 and fat
loss.116,117 The only evidence for a positive effect of
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Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
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caffeine on body composition seems to be when
combined with ephedrine. Ephedrine’s thermogenic
effects are probably mediated by an increase in
intracellular concentrations of cAMP. However, cAMP
is broken down by the enzyme phosphodiesterase, and
there is also some evidence that adenosine released from
the cells in response to sympathetic stimulation can
inhibit the release of beta-receptor agonists and/or act
on specific receptors to inhibit the accumulation of
cAMP.118 Methylxanthines, in particular caffeine, have
the ability to inhibit both the effects of adenosine and
phosphodiesterase resulting in an increased thermogenic
effect when caffeine is combined with ephedrine as
compared to ephedrine alone.116-118 On the other hand,
previous studies suggested that the concomitant
ingestion of caffeine and creatine may counteract the
beneficial effects of creatine in muscle
performance.119,120 Therefore, due to the poor evidence
for a positive effect of caffeine on body composition
and the negative interaction with creatine, as well as the
side effects associated with caffeine abuse,121
bodybuilders should be conscious about its use,
particularly because its effect seems to be relevant only
when combined with ephedrine, which is also
potentially hazardous to health. Although chromium
picolinate was used with the purpose to induce fat loss
and decrease carbohydrate craving, previous studies
found no benefits of chromium picolinate
supplementation in inducing fat loss108,122,123 and
appetite control.123 However, a previous study suggested
that chromium picolinate was beneficial in a
subpopulation of patients with high carbohydrate
craving, suggesting it may be beneficial for patients
with atypical depression who also have severe
carbohydrate craving,124 which may be the case in some
bodybuilders. It is important to note that the safe dose of
chromium was not established and the amount used by
the participants was significantly above the
recommended upper limit, which could have a negative
health impact.108,122,123 BCAA are commonly used to
increase muscle anabolism, increase recovery and
prevent catabolism. Previous studies have shown that
BCAA may improve anabolic profile after resistance
training when compared to a placebo,125,126 however, its
effects were only seen when BCAA intake was
compared to fasting. Considering that the participants
already had high protein ingestion coming from animal
sources and whey protein supplementation, BCAA
would hardly bring any benefit for bodybuilders, as
shown in previous studies evaluating anabolic
signaling127,128 and changes in fat free mass in response
to resistance training.129 Moreover, its effect in
preserving fat free mass is also questionable.130
Glutamine, reported to be used for avoiding catabolism
and increasing recovery, is another supplement of
questionable applicability in bodybuilding. A previous
study reported no advantages in muscle performance,
body composition or protein degradation when
glutamine was combined with resistance training,131 and
a recent review concluded that glutamine was associated
with an improvement in the perception of muscle
weakness, but did not improve muscle strength
recovery.132 Bodybuilders reported using omega 3 fatty
acids for cardiovascular protection. Although there is
evidence that ingestion of food rich in omega 3 may
bring health benefits, the evidence for its
supplementation is controversial.133-135 However,
considering that there is no evidence for adverse events
associated with omega 3 supplementation and that the
participants’ diets were poor in omega 3,
supplementation may be warranted.
Overall analysis
It is important to highlight the body composition results
obtained in the present study. Although the competitors
used large amounts of anabolic steroids and nutritional
supplements in order to improve body composition
during all the periods analyzed, their fat-free mass did
not change substantially from the beginning to the end
of the study. Even in the presence of supra-
physiological doses of testosterone, most of them lost
fat-free mass during the cutting phase, which suggests a
state of overtraining and/or undernutrition derived from
mistakes in training, nutrition and/or recovery.
Bodybuilders seem to risk their health in order to
increase fat-free mass and then risk their health again to
lose fat, but end up losing most of the fat-free mass
previously acquired. Maybe it would be more
reasonable to gain smaller amounts of muscle mass
while minimizing fat gain and then adopt strategies to
lose body fat while preserving lean mass. This would
virtually extinguish the traditional bulking and cutting
phases and promote less aggressive variations in body
composition, in addition to decreasing reliance on
anabolic steroids and stimulants. The analysis of
bodybuilding practices in light of the scientific body of
evidence allowed us to find many practices that could
negatively impact bodybuilders’ health and/or have no
potential benefits. With regard to joint problems, the
combination of high volumes of upper limb exercises
with anabolic steroid abuse may predispose
bodybuilders to tendon ruptures. As for cardiovascular
risks, the combination of anabolic steroids and
stimulants is particularly alarming, since both are
independently associated with serious cardiovascular
events. In the case of the women, the massive doses of
anabolic steroids were surprising. The bodybuilders
analyzed relied on a monotonous diet, poor in fiber,
vitamins and minerals, associated with the massive use
of supplements that have no potential benefits, which
may result in health problems and elevated costs. Based
on these findings, we recommend the adoption of an
evidence-based approach by bodybuilders with a more
balanced and less artificial diet. With regard to training,
special focus should be given to decreasing training
volume, revisiting exercise choice and avoiding fasted
Strategies adopted by six bodybuilders: a case report
Eur J Transl Myol 27 (1): 51-66
- 61 -
cardio in order to decrease the reliance on drugs and
thus preserve bodybuilders’ health and integrity.
The present study has some important limitations. The
small number of subjects does not allow generalization,
so we cannot confirm if the procedures described here
are adopted by the majority of bodybuilders. However,
due to the experience of the researchers as coaches
and/or athletes along with the reports of the participants,
we have strong empirical evidence to believe that many
competitors, as well as the general public that take
bodybuilders as models, adopt many of the procedures
described here. We opted to analyze a small number of
subjects in order to gain more detail and retrieve reliable
data. Another limitation is that, because of the
retrospective characteristic of the study, we were not
able to ask for complementary exams or perform
specific assessments that would help to clarify many
issues, especially regarding health risks. Finally, it is
undeniable that the practices adopted by the participants
of the study were somehow successful, as they were
well ranked in their categories. This apparent success
may lead to the fallacy known as “cum hoc ergo propter
hoc”, and attribute their success to some of their
practices. However, there are many intervenient factors,
such as drug abuse and genetics, that have to be
considered and, more importantly, one must question if
their results could have been better if adopting
alternative practices. The question that remains is:
would they have better results if they adopted a
scientific-based approach? Or would they have the same
results, but with fewer health risks? Answering these
questions is beyond the scope of this study; however,
based on a critical analysis and the available literature,
we suggest that many practices described here should be
avoided or even abolished. Future research aiming to
test the use of evidence-based alternatives in
bodybuilding preparation is granted.
Author’s contributions
each author contributed in equal part to the manuscript.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank all the participants of the study
and their coaches for consenting to provide the data.
Conflict of Interest
The authors submit no conflict of interest regarding the
publication of this article.
Corresponding Author
Paulo Gentil, Faculdade de Educação Física e Dança,
Universidade Federal de Goiás – Avenida Esperança
s/n, Campus Samambaia – Goiânia, 74690-900, Brazil.
Phone: +59 62 35211085.
E-mail: paulogentil@hotmail.com
E-mails of coAuthors
Claudio Andre Barbosa de Lira:
andre.claudio@gmail.com
Antonio Paoli: antonio.paoli@unipd.it
José Alexandre Barbosa dos Santos:
xandre2.0@hotmail.com
Roberto Deivide Teixeira da Silva:
roberto_silvabm@hotmail.com
José Romulo Pereira Junior:
educadorfisico_2010@yahoo.com.br
Edson Pereira da Silva: mister_edi@hotmail.com
Rodrigo Ferro Magosso: rmagosso@hotmail.com
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