Key Points - Physique athletes regularly implement "peak week" strategies based on the endurance training research. - At present it appears that carbohydrate (CHO) loading strategies may increase muscle size; however, the effects on overall aesthetic performance are unknown. - Due to a lack of data, it is difficult to make detailed peak week recommendations. Rather, it may be advisable to load with 3-12 g/kg/BM of CHO to increase muscle glycogen content, with this broad range representing different individual and divisional requirements. To optimise the magnitude of CHO load, coaches and competitors could establish an individual response pattern before competition by practicing and trialling peaking strategies in similar physiological conditions to peak week, and by using information from previous competitions. Further, manipulating as few variables at a time as possible could have the greatest physiological and psychological benefits. - Experimental designs which assess visual physique changes while placing participants in ecologically valid physiological conditions are needed to fully elucidate the effects of CHO, water, and electrolyte manipulation peaking strategies.
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