What is a carbohydrate recovery?
What is a carbohydrate recovery?
In bodybuilding and especially competing in this environment, you've already heard of "carb reflux" or the draining of carbs during a dry spell, without necessarily knowing what it really is. In this article we will define what carbohydrate reflux can be likened to increasing glycogen reserves in order to have a better visual presentation on stage. It is a simple phenomenon to understand but difficult to set up to be truly effective. Carbohydrate rebound is well controlled, and can allow you to get few places in your competition in the future.
To better explain the recovery of carbohydrates, it is important to understand the role of carbohydrates. This provides energy for our bodies to perform daily tasks and performance in the gym. Remember, however, that 1 gram of carbohydrate provides 4 kcal in your diet and is used primarily to adjust your total calorie intake to allow you to either reduce or gain mass. In fact, when you want to gain weight, you gradually add carbohydrates to your diet and vice versa during periods of drought. By reducing carbohydrates, we necessarily reduce our reserves of glycogen (carbs stored in muscle).
So it's a technique that only applies in dry spells, hence the name "rebound" which means you'll suddenly incorporate carbohydrates into your diet.
How do we do a carbohydrate recovery?
Glycogen is found in the liver (30% hepatic) and in the muscles (70% in muscle) and makes up the body's form of sugar reserves. When the reserves of these muscles decrease, the muscles appear visually flat. This means that the athlete has reached a significant level of dehydration and can be improved upon going through the stage to look more "puffed" with bigger, more visible muscles while you lose your fat.
Prior to this, we will use a carbohydrate rebound that will be carried out about 1 to 3 days before the competition, with a diet rich in carbohydrates. This sudden increase in carbohydrates after they are eliminated during the preparation phase of the competition will make it possible to store glycogen in the mass to give a more bloated appearance to the muscles and restart the metabolism. Thus, you will be able to increase the size of your muscles for a more intense appearance in front of the judges during the competition.
This action is due to the stored water because 1 gram of glycogen makes it possible to retain 3 grams of water. It is a technology that has been tested and approved by competitors who use this method when their glycogen stores are at their lowest and who want to display a larger physique on stage. Be aware, however, that the visual presentation is temporary and that it is not good for your health to do so if you are not preparing for a competition.
A carb rebound is not the same as a "cheat meal" as it only involves increasing carbs and not fats to restart metabolism and increase glycogen stores.
Carbohydrate recovery risks
If you leave your carb boom unchecked, you're exposed to two main dangers that can ruin your goals. In fact, it is not recommended to use this technique if you are a beginner or if you do not have the necessary knowledge. Thus exposed:
Discomfort: Your body will undergo a sudden change that can cause discomfort. In fact, it's about getting to know your body well and applying this technique by adjusting your carb counts on a case-by-case basis in order for it to be effective.
Fat recovery: If you mismanage this method, you risk recovering fat and thus damaging the hardly prepared wound. So it is recommended to be followed by a professional to apply such a technique.
in summary
Carbohydrate rebounds can be beneficial in the lead up to a competition to look bigger on stage or to kick-start your metabolism. However, the hormonal system does not like such sudden changes, so it is recommended to use this technique in moderation! This type of bribery is very dangerous to your health when not controlled, so use this technique only when necessary!