by Victor Roffel

Created on: November 02, 2009   Last Updated: November 26, 2009

The sight of ripped and vascular muscles on a proportionate frame can seemingly bring about inspiration and motivation for others to do the same. Bodybuilders step on stage and display muscles with amazing symmetry that is forged through countless hours of training. But what really stands out is the astonishingly low body-fat that bodybuilders have.

How bodybuilders get ripped

Ripped muscles are not the by-product of simply lifting weights. Lifting weights will only hypertrophy the muscles, not "shape" them. The condition of ripped muscles can be achieved only by reducing overall body fat in the body. Bodybuilders often go on very strict diets and perform on stage at less than 7% body fat.

Phases are used in a bodybuilder's yearly routine. During the off-season, many bodybuilders start a bulking phase. In this phase, the bodybuilder is allowed to eat junk and essentially anything desired. The purpose of bulking is to allow maximum growth of muscle while gaining weight. It also serves as a relief from the psychological demand from strict diets.

When the competition the bodybuilder is competing in is nearing, he starts a cutting phase. The time in which a bodybuilder enters a cutting phase can be from anytime between 12 weeks to 8 weeks. A cutting phase is where a bodybuilder goes on an extremely strict diet to reduce the fat gained during the bulking phase.

When entering a cutting phase, the bodybuilder eliminates all junk and reduces the amount of calories from his diet. Starchy carbohydrates and sugar are also avoided. The weightlifting routine changes to suit the occasion as well. Some incorporate supersets, some start lifting heavier weights and some just add more repetitions and sets in their workouts. When the bodybuilder's weight and fat loss have reached a certain level, he enters a more intense cutting phase to ensure continued progress.

Early morning fasted cardio is normally added into the bodybuilder's routine in this phase. The calories consumed daily are also progressively lower. This ensures that weight loss is consistent as time goes by. Water intake is drastically increased to prepare for a "flushing" phase later on.

In the final stretch before the competition, the bodybuilder has probably lost all the fat he can lose and is now standing at around 6% to 8% body-fat percentage. The only factor that can be manipulated in this phase is water. By purging the water inside the body, about 1% to 2% of body-fat can be lost. This is done by introducing

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>