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This review demonstrates that literature describing the dietary intake practices of competitive bodybuilders is dated and often of poor quality. Intake reporting required better specificity and details of the rationale underpinning the use. The review suggests that high-quality contemporary research is needed in this area, with the potential to uncover dietary strategies worthy of scientific exploration.

Bodybuilding involves performing a series of poses on stage where the competitor is judged on aesthetic muscular appearance. The purpose of this study was to describe training practices and ergogenic aids used by competitive bodybuilders and to determine whether training practices comply with current recommendations for muscular hypertrophy. A web-based survey was completed by 127 competitive male bodybuilders. The results showed that during the off-season phase of training (OFF), the majority of respondents performed 3-6 sets per exercise (95.3%), 7-12 repetition maximum (RM) per set (77.0%), and 61- to 120-seconds recovery between sets and exercises (68.6%). However, training practices changed 6 weeks before competition (PRE), where there was an increased number of respondents who reported undertaking 3-4 sets per exercise at the expense of 5-6 sets per exercise (p < 0.001), an increase in the number reporting 10-15RM per set from 7-9RM per set (p < 0.001), and an increase in the number reporting 30-60 seconds vs. 61-180 seconds recovery between sets and exercises (p < 0.001). Anabolic steroid use was high among respondents competing in amateur competitions (56 of 73 respondents), whereas dietary supplementation was used by all respondents. The findings of this study demonstrate that competitive bodybuilders comply with current resistance exercise recommendations for muscular hypertrophy; however, these changed before competition during which there is a reduction resistance training volume and intensity. This alteration, in addition to an increase in aerobic exercise volume, is purportedly used to increase muscle definition. However, these practices may increase the risk of muscle mass loss in natural compared with amateur bodybuilders who reportedly use drugs known to preserve muscle mass.

MD symptomatology was greater in BBs than in NBBRTs. Anxiety and social physique anxiety, depression, neuroticism, and perfectionism were positively associated with MD, while self-concept and self-esteem were negatively associated. It remains unclear whether these characteristics are exacerbated by bodybuilding, or whether individuals with these characteristics are attracted to the bodybuilding context.

Hackett, DA, Cobley, SP, Davies, TB, Michael, SW, and Halaki, M. Accuracy in estimating repetitions to failure during resistance exercise. J Strength Cond Res 31(8): 2162-2168, 2017-The primary aim of this study was to assess the accuracy in estimation of repetitions to failure (ERF) during resistance exercise. Furthermore, this investigation examined whether the accuracy in ERF was affected by training status, sex, or exercise type. Eighty-one adults (men, n = 53 and women, n = 28) with broad range of resistance training experience participated in this study. Subjects performed up to 10 sets of 10 repetitions at 70% 1 repetition maximum (1RM) and 80% 1RM for the chest press and leg press, respectively. At the completion of each set, subjects reported their ERF and then continued repetitions to failure to determine actual repetitions to failure (ARF). The accuracy (amount of error) of ERF was determined over an ARF 0-10. Significant differences were found for error of ERF among ARF (p < 0.001), with the error of ERF ∼1 repetition at ARF 0-5 compared with >2 repetitions at ARF 7-10. Greater accuracy was found for the chest press compared with leg press, with the error of ERF ≤1 repetition for ARF 0-5 and ARF 0-3, respectively (p = 0.012). Men were found to be more accurate than women at specific ARFs for the leg press (p = 0.008), whereas no interaction was found for the chest press. Resistance training experience did not affect the accuracy in ERF. These results suggest that resistance trainers can accurately estimate repetitions to failure when close to failure and that ERF could importantly be practically used for prescription and monitoring of resistance exercise.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of regular exercise training on insulin sensitivity in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using the pooled data available from randomised controlled trials. In addition, we sought to determine whether short-term periods of physical inactivity diminish the exercise-induced improvement in insulin sensitivity. Eligible trials included exercise interventions that involved ≥3 exercise sessions, and reported a dynamic measurement of insulin sensitivity. There was a significant pooled effect size (ES) for the effect of exercise on insulin sensitivity (ES, –0.588; 95% confidence interval [CI], –0.816 to –0.359; P<0.001). Of the 14 studies included for meta-analyses, nine studies reported the time of data collection from the last exercise bout. There was a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity in favour of exercise versus control between 48 and 72 hours after exercise (ES, –0.702; 95% CI, –1.392 to –0.012; P=0.046); and this persisted when insulin sensitivity was measured more than 72 hours after the last exercise session (ES, –0.890; 95% CI, –1.675 to –0.105; P=0.026). Regular exercise has a significant benefit on insulin sensitivity in adults with T2DM and this may persist beyond 72 hours after the last exercise session.

In this study, we examined the validity of a novel subjective scale for assessing resistance-exercise effort. Seventeen male bodybuilders performed five sets of 10 repetitions at 70% of one-repetition maximum, for the bench press and squat. At the completion of each set, participants quantified their effort via the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and novel estimated-repetitions-to-failure scales, and continued repetitions to volitional exhaustion to determine actual-repetitions-to-failure. There were high correlations between estimated- and actual-repetitions-to-failure across sets for the bench press and squat (r ≥ 0.93; P < 0.05). During sets 3, 4, and 5, estimated-repetitions-to-failure predicted the number of repetitions to failure for the bench press and squat, as indicated by smaller effect sizes for differences (ES = 0.37-0.0). The estimated-repetitions-to-failure scale was reliable as indicated by high intraclass correlation coefficients (≥0.92) and narrow 95% limits of agreement (≤0.63 repetitions) for both the bench press and squat. Despite high correlations between RPE and actual-repetitions-to-failure (P < 0.05), RPE at volitional fatigue was less than maximal for both exercises. Our results suggest that the estimated-repetitions-to-failure scale is valid for predicting onset of muscular failure, and can be used for the assessment and prescription of resistance exercise.