Training Practices Among Spanish Natural Elite Bodybuilders in the Pre-Contest Phase.

ABSTRACT: Natural bodybuilders optimize their body composition by combining training and nutrition strategies. This study compared the resistance training practices of amateur and professional natural bodybuilders, during the pre-contest phase and in general. Fifty-six drug-tested Spanish bodybuilders (27 amateurs, 29 professionals) completed a 34-item survey assessing training and competing experience, training frequency, exercise selection, weekly sets per muscle group, repetition ranges, and contest-preparation characteristics. Participants trained ≈5 days·week^-1 (Amateur: 4.74 ± 0.45; Professional: 4.83 ± 0.47) and most muscle groups were trained >1 and <3 times·week^-1. Weekly direct sets per muscle group averaged ~8-17, with the highest volumes for back (Amateur: mean 15.3

SUBMITTER: Baz-Valle E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12846200 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature