What is a carbohydrate rebound?
In the field of bodybuilding and more particularly of competition in this environment, you have already heard of “carbohydrate rebound” or carbohydrate discharge during dry periods, without necessarily knowing what it really is. In this article we will define what is a carbohydrate rebound which can be likened to increasing glycogen stores in order to obtain a better visual rendering on stage. It’s a simple phenomenon to understand but difficult to implement to be truly effective. Well controlled, the carbohydrate rebound can allow you to gain a few places in your future competition.
To best explain the carbohydrate rebound, it’s important to understand the role of carbohydrates. These provide energy to our body to perform daily tasks and perform well in the gym. Remember, however, that 1g of carbohydrates provides 4kcal in your diet and is used mainly to adjust your total calories to allow you to either achieve a cut or a mass gain. Indeed, when you want to gain weight, you gradually add carbohydrates to your diet and vice versa during dry periods. By reducing carbohydrates, we necessarily decrease our glycogen reserves (carbohydrates stored in the muscles).
So this is a technique that only applies during dry periods, hence the name “rebound” which means that you will suddenly incorporate carbohydrates into your diet.
How to do a carbohydrate rebound?
Glycogen is present in the liver (30% hepatic) and in the muscles (70% muscle) and is the body’s form of sugar reserves. When these muscle reserves decrease, the muscles appear flat visually. This means that the athlete has achieved a significant level of lean and may be improved during a stage performance to appear more “bloated” with more noticeable and larger muscles while losing your fat.
To precede that, we will therefore use the carbohydrate rebound which will be set up about 1 to 3 days before the competition, with a diet rich in carbohydrates. This sudden increase in carbohydrates after removing them during the preparation phase for competition will allow mass glycogen reserves to be stored to give a more inflated appearance to the muscles and restart the metabolism. Thus, you will be able to increase your muscle volume for a more massive appearance in front of the judges during your competition.
This action is due to the stored water since 1g of glycogen helps retain 3g of water. It is a technique tested and approved by competitors who use this method when their glycogen stores are at their lowest and who wish to display a more massive physique on stage. Be aware, however, that the visual rendering is temporary and that it is not good for your health to do this if you do not prepare for a competition.
A carbohydrate rebound is not like a “cheat meal” as it is all about increasing carbohydrates and not fat to jump-start metabolism and increase glycogen stores.
The risks of carbohydrate rebound
If the carbohydrate rebound is left unchecked, you are exposed to two major risks that can ruin your goals. Indeed, it is not recommended to use this technique if you are a beginner or if you do not have the necessary knowledge. Thus, you are exposed:
- Feeling unwell: your body will undergo a sudden change that may cause uneasiness. Indeed, it is about knowing your body well and applying this technique by adjusting the carbohydrate calculations on a case-by-case basis so that it can be effective.
- Gain Fat: If you mismanage this method, you risk regaining fat and thus ruining your hard-prepared hair. It is therefore advisable to be followed by a professional to apply such a technique.
In summary
The carbohydrate rebound can be useful as you approach a competition to look fuller on stage or to jump-start your metabolism. However, the hormonal system does not like such sudden changes too much so this technique should be used sparingly! This type of bounce is very dangerous to your health when left unchecked, so use this technique only if necessary!