Prep Diary of a Masters Bodybuilder: Episode 2 – Learning to let go

Masters Bodybuilder Prep Diary – Episode 2: "The Look," CPAP and the best bog in Thurrock

Episode 2 of Gary Chappell's prep diary picks up in the final stretch before his return to the stage – peak week loading, a reflection on a life-changing CPAP diagnosis and the ordinary chaos of parenting, work and stress that doesn't pause just because show day is close.

Monday, September 14, 2026

I pad downstairs in my shimmering posing trunks. Let the dogs out. Return to the kitchen. Weigh myself. Set up my phone against my daughter's pink Stanley Cup and go through my mandatory poses for updated pics. Then I go outside and do the same in natural lights. A few minutes pass and my phone lights up. Plans for the day drop from Nathan. More food. The final week loading phase begins. We are going to do it slowly for more control over the look. I hear a lot of this phrase recently and it finally starts to resonate. Weight? To a degree, you can forget it. Strength? Irrelevant. The look? Everything matters. How do you look? Big? In proportion? Ripped? Dry [no extracellular water that blurs the lines]. The look is everything. A banging look can beat a monster bodybuilder who lacks condition. Food is high today. Not as high as the high days we have had over the past couple of days, but high enough to shed the zombie feeling and start breathing some life back into this once human being. Was promised I'd hear about that job today. Silence.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

The morning routine begins again. Pad downstairs in posing trunks. Dogs out. Weight. Pics inside. Pics outside. One litre of water. 22 health tablets. Greens drink. All before Meal 1 - a meal I have no idea of until plans drop for the day based on this morning's look. More food going in. Perfect. Pics wanted post workout too. The accessible toilet in my gym is my new favourite haunt. The pics of my most muscular are starting to impress me – me of all people. An eternally grumpy 50 year old cynic who can find faults in almost anything. I feel more like a human being than I have in weeks. Busy night. Football training earlier than normal for my youngest. Dinner needs doing for daughter beforehand, dogs need taking out. I hate rushing. Still not heard about the job. I get home roughly 8pm to an overwhelmingly positive email that says I'm ready for the new role and my interview was superb. But they have given the job to someone else. Back to square one.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

I'm going to start referring to sections of my life as 'BC' – before CPAP. Been treated since October 2025. At this point in time – BC – I was constantly tired. I'd wake feeling rough, drop kids at school, crash on sofa in darkness. Now I can wake at 6.15am perfectly fine. I could never dream of doing that in my life BC. It really is a biblical change. Morning routine takes place. Plans drop. More food. What a week! I am a fully paid up member of the human race again. Cardio - which was not high anyway – now coming down to 10mins. Pics in the best bog in Thurrock just keep getting better; I am skinned but bursting full. Son has second school football trial after getting through the first hurdle. He's upset coming out. Said it didn't go well and wasn't called over. I calm him down and say they already know your name so why would they call you over to ask it again. He's good enough to get in and that's not just because I'm his dad. He finds out Friday but as a parent it's another thing to worry about on top of everything else.

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Two days out. I now fully appreciate the phrase 'the look'. My bog pic today is banging. It is arguably the best version of me I have seen since I started competing as a Masters seven years ago. I look enormous; full, ripped, veins running across my body like an AA route planner. I'm happy. I reflect on the past 11 weeks. Taking on a coach was difficult at first. I'd coached myself for the last eight or so shows. 14 in total self-coached from 20 outings. But I finally learned to hand over the reigns. I realise now its merits; he worries about the fine details of what to do with my physique, leaving me to stress over other things! I'm not sitting here two days out wondering how much water I should drink or not drink, whether I should push more food or pull back. Nathan does the thinking and the worrying. I just execute. It is working well. I am more relaxed. And I look good.

Friday, September 18, 2026

One day out. Up earlier than normal because I start work early. Nathan is happy with morning pics. He posts before and after on his socials showing the 12-week difference from when I first reached out. I cannot remember looking that bad. We pull back slightly on food just a touch for the final day but it remains high in comparison to baseline diet. I feel washed out today though. Excessively tired. Today is also the day my son finds out whether he's in the school football team. I'm stressing more about that than anything else. Then it occurs to me that I brought in a coach so I would not have to stress about my own decisions surrounding my physique – leaving me free to stress about any other subject I choose! I collect the kids from school and it turns out the teachers have not put up the final list as they promised they would. So we have to wait until Monday at least to find out. We drive to Wolverhampton and the urge to urinate extends the journey time as I need to stop at a services. We arrive at the Airbnb about 8pm. I need to relax. I'm clearly not as comfortable as I need to be. Not sure why. With tanning at 9am tomorrow I put clear nail varnish on to avoid that brown staining which makes me look like I've been smoking 40 a day all my life...

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Drying out: Why bodybuilding’s favourite phrase is mostly a myth

“DRYING OUT ” is one of the most commonly used phrases in bodybuilding, especially during peak week. But the idea that you can simply remove water from under the skin to improve condition is largely a myth — and often misunderstood.

You spend 16 or more weeks getting all the fat off your body, so where is the water now holding in those final few days? If a full, hard, hydrated muscle is 70 per cent water, what are you drying out, exactly? Or do you mean flattening out?

You see, true “drying out” the way most competitors imagine it – selectively pulling water from under the skin while keeping muscles full – is not really possible in the way it is often described.

Muscle is mostly water – and you need it

Skeletal muscle is about 70 per cent water, most of it stored inside the muscle cell along with glycogen. That intracellular water is what gives muscles their hard, round, stage-ready look. Strip it away and you lose fullness fast. That makes you look out of condition.

When competitors aggressively dehydrate, they are not just draining “water under the skin”, they are also flattening the very muscle volume they worked months to build. That is why a truly “dry” muscle (in the literal sense) looks soft and depleted, not granite-hard.

You cannot tell the body to only lose water from beneath the skin. Fluid balance is systemic; dehydrate and you will pull water from everywhere – including inside the muscle cells. In fact, the body's complex monitoring system maintains a 70/30 balance of intracellular/extracellular water all the time. You really cannot cheat the system.

The goal of peak week is not to lower total body water, it is to shift water into the muscle cell. That means:

Fully loading glycogen (each gram pulls 3 g of water into the cell)
Keeping sodium and potassium balanced
Avoiding last-minute inflammation or digestive bloating

The only real reason to “dry out”

There is one scenario where pulling a little water can help – if you have “filled to spill” during carb loading. Spillover means excess carbs and water end up outside the muscle cell, softening your look. In that case, strategic fluid or electrolyte manipulation might help move it back.

But here is the truth: in a perfectly executed prep, you could walk into show day drinking normally and still look shredded, vascular, and “dry” – because the water is exactly where it should be.

Peak week should be about managing water distribution, not chasing dehydration. The fuller the muscle cell, the drier you will look – and that comes from smart glycogen loading and electrolyte balance, not from cutting water to a trickle.

PCA Pro and judge Neil Andrews published a social media post on this very subject, which is definitely worth watching HERE.

Dryness is not about how little water you have in your body. It is about how much of it you have got in the right place.

REFERENCES:

Costill DL, et al. "Muscle water and electrolytes following varied levels of dehydration in man." J Appl Physiol. 1976;40(1):6-11.
Fitts RH. "Cellular mechanisms of muscle fatigue." Physiol Rev. 1994;74(1):49-94.
Schoenfeld BJ. "The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training." J Strength Cond Res. 2010;24(10):2857-2872.
Shirreffs SM, Maughan RJ. "Restoration of fluid balance after exercise-induced dehydration." J Appl Physiol. 1998;84(6):1889-1895.
Olsson KE, Saltin B. "Variation in total body water with muscle glycogen changes in man." Acta Physiol Scand. 1970;80(1):11-18.

This article forms part of FrontDouble’s health and education coverage, focusing on real-world hormone management in bodybuilding. Visit our Health and Education Hub HERE

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“Bodybuilders rely too much on drugs,” says WFF head judge Paul Knight

WFF judge Paul Knight warns athletes are not working hard enough, relying on drugs and overcomplicating peak week instead of focusing on conditioning

By Gary Chappell

WFF head judge Paul Knight says bodybuilders rely too much on drugs and are not working hard enough to achieve true contest condition, warning that modern prep has become overcomplicated.

Knight was announced as WFF President Kelley Szostak's choice for the top job on the judging panel early this month. He brings a wealth of judging experience and is also a coach and owner of Crayford Weights and Fitness in Kent.

Knight liked what he saw from the WFF and sees his new role as a good opportunity to help athletes. But he also knows exactly what he wants to see from competitors this season. And where some of them are going wrong.

Paul Knight: Bodybuilders rely too much on drugs

"Just to come in shredded," said Knight, when asked what he wanted to see from athletes this season. "People just don't seem to work hard enough these days. They're relying too much on the drugs and they mess about with their peak week. I just want to see them nail their condition. Most people tend to overcomplicate things these days. People think they can get drier than what they are. They use a diuretic and then wonder why they're flat. And a lot of coaches now don't understand, obviously if they're using diuretics, how they work, with potassium sparing or sodium sparing.

KNIGHT TO REMEMBER: Paul Knight (left) during a seminar with Tom Platz at Crayford Weights

Knight says the WFF – and him in particular – will be offering feedback to athletes in order to help them improve. He said: "I like giving feedback. I like to be able to give feedback on everything; training, weak body parts. I'm not just going to say someone is weak on the chest, I want to go into detail. That's why I like judging, because I can make a difference to the athletes.

"I always make notes at shows. I see an athlete up there and I know what they've got wrong and I'll go and find them. I'll actually pull them to one side and say, 'look, you've got to do this'. It's annoying because you know they've got it [what it takes], but they're not opening their lats properly, or they're doing something when they're posing. You only can judge what you can see, that's the trouble, not what you know is there. You can't judge on what you can't see, which is annoying because when they doing something wrong it puts them out of the running."

Bodybuilding Peak Week: Full and Dry Explained

How Strom's Peak Max could be the answer to the Holy Grail – coming in bursting full and dry as a bone

By Gary Chappell

Bodybuilding peak week is all about achieving the perfect balance – full muscles and dry conditioning.

First of all, let's talk about pharmaceutical diuretics. Some people mistake water under the skin for fat. In those cases, a person just needs to diet for longer or harder.

But if you are fat free, the last thing you want is for water to be trapped under the skin. This will blur all the muscle definition you have worked hard to attain.

To avoid that and flush it out, some turn to pharmaceutical diuretics.

How diuretics work

Diuretics work by flushing out water from the body, reducing subcutaneous water retention and making muscles appear more defined. However, this method can be dangerously deceptive.

First, diuretics do not differentiate between water inside the muscle cells and water outside them. This means you can end up flattening your muscles instead of enhancing their fullness. What starts as a quest for sharpness can backfire, leaving you looking smaller and less impressive on stage.

More critically, diuretics can throw your electrolyte balance into chaos. This can lead to dehydration, cramping and even life-threatening conditions such as heart arrhythmias. We have all seen the spate of deaths in bodybuilding recently. While many are quick to say "steroids", the use of diuretics is certainly another cause to consider. The body's delicate balance of sodium and potassium is crucial for muscle contraction and overall health. Disrupting this balance can have dire effects.

Safer strategies such as controlled carbohydrate loading and natural water reduction can help you achieve that dry, defined look without endangering your health.

Where supplements like Strom Peak Max fit

Strom Peak Max is considered better than traditional diuretics for flushing water from under the skin for reasons related to effectiveness, safety and the balance of electrolytes and hydration. It also claims to improve vascularity and allows you to drink more water pre-show than you ordinarily might. At the bottom of this article is a video from Strom director Rick Foster, who says some unnamed IFBB pros have likened its effects to the diuretic Dyazide – without the risks associated with such a drug.

1. Balanced water reduction without severe dehydration

Targeted Action: Strom Peak Max is designed specifically to help bodybuilders reduce subcutaneous water (the water held just under the skin) without significantly impacting the water balance within the muscles. This ensures that muscles remain full and defined, rather than appearing flat, which is a common issue with diuretics.
Reduced Risk of Dehydration: Diuretics can lead to excessive water loss, causing severe dehydration and negatively impacting muscle fullness, endurance and overall appearance on stage. Strom Peak Max, on the other hand, is formulated to prevent extreme dehydration, which helps maintain muscle fullness and vascularity.

2. Electrolyte Balance

Preserving Electrolytes: Traditional diuretics often cause an imbalance in electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium, leading to muscle cramps, weakness and, as mentioned, even more severe health risks such as heart arrhythmias. Strom Peak Max typically includes ingredients that support the maintenance of electrolyte balance, reducing the risk of these negative side effects.
Minimising Cramping: By preserving electrolytes and avoiding the extreme shifts caused by diuretics, Strom Peak Max helps minimise the risk of muscle cramping, which is crucial for performance and presentation during a bodybuilding competition.

3. Formulated for bodybuilders

Specific Ingredients: Strom Peak Max is specifically formulated with ingredients that are commonly used in the bodybuilding community to manage water retention, such as dandelion root, juniper berry and uva ursi. These natural diuretics are milder than pharmaceutical diuretics but effective in reducing water under the skin without compromising muscle volume.
Less Harsh on the Body: The formulation of Strom Peak Max is intended to be less harsh on the body compared to pharmaceutical diuretics, making it a safer option for bodybuilders who need to fine-tune their physique just before a show.

4. Avoiding "Rebound" Effects

Stabilised Water Levels: One of the issues with traditional diuretics is the potential for a "rebound" effect, where the body rapidly retains water after stopping the diuretic. This can cause the physique to lose its hard, dry look quickly. Strom Peak Max is designed to help avoid this rebound effect, ensuring that the peak condition is maintained longer.
Consistent Results: Due to its balanced approach to water management, bodybuilders can achieve more consistent and predictable results with Strom Peak Max, reducing the stress and uncertainty associated with diuretic use.

5. Safety and Health Considerations

Lower Risk of Severe Side Effects: Diuretics can have severe side effects, including electrolyte imbalances, kidney damage and increased heart strain. Strom Peak Max, being a supplement rather than a pharmaceutical diuretic, is generally considered safer and less likely to cause these issues when used as directed.

Watch the video below from Strom's Rick Foster:

Peak week bodybuilding: a myth that ruins your physique?

Bodybuilder Ryan Mackins explains why overcomplicating peak week can destroy months of hard work – and why doing less might actually bring your best physique.

BODYBUILDER and online coach Ryan Mackins says when it comes to peak week before a show "less is more" for most people.

Mackins took to instagram recently to explain why he believes most of peak week is just not "worth the reward".

And this week he recorded a short video exclusively for frontdouble.com to explain his thoughts. You can view that at the bottom of this article.

In his social media post, Mackins explained that many of us work hard for months and look great leading up to the show. Then because history says peaking should be done a certain way, we change things and end up looking worse.

He said: "Peaking – the risk is very often not worth the reward. Speak to bodybuilders and they will very often have a story of how they “fucked it” whilst trying something to make their physique “peak”. Usually involving something wacky involving carbs and/or diuretics at the 11th hour.

"I did fuck all for my last show [above]. Is it perfect? Far from it. But taking away the hassle of overthinking that side of things and the worry of having to keep checking if you’ve ruined it or whatever (constantly checking to see if you’ve smoothed over) was a brilliant thing.

"I treated the day like normal. No carb load at all. I just knew that on any given day I looked like this and without trying anything out the ordinary, I had a look that was predictable.

"Every bodybuilder I know and every one you know talks about the carb load into a show, convincing themselves that is going to be the secret to making them look invincible on stage. More often than not it is NOT the case. For a lot of people, less is more."

Watch Ryan Mackins' video explanation below:

Ryan Mackins can be contacted for online coaching by clicking here.

Masters Bodybuilder Prep Diary – Episode 2: "The Look," CPAP and the best bog in Thurrock

Monday, September 14, 2026

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Thursday, September 17, 2026

Friday, September 18, 2026

MORE FROM FRONTDOUBLE:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Muscle is mostly water – and you need it

The only real reason to “dry out”

REFERENCES:

WFF judge Paul Knight warns athletes are not working hard enough, relying on drugs and overcomplicating peak week instead of focusing on conditioning

Paul Knight: Bodybuilders rely too much on drugs

MORE FROM FRONTDOUBLE:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

How Strom's Peak Max could be the answer to the Holy Grail – coming in bursting full and dry as a bone

How diuretics work

Where supplements like Strom Peak Max fit

1. Balanced water reduction without severe dehydration

2. Electrolyte Balance

3. Formulated for bodybuilders

4. Avoiding "Rebound" Effects

5. Safety and Health Considerations

MORE FROM FRONTDOUBLE:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Bodybuilder Ryan Mackins explains why overcomplicating peak week can destroy months of hard work – and why doing less might actually bring your best physique.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply