Many bodybuilders choose to compete just once per year. They will plan their bulking cycle so that they are granted 6 to 8 months of uninterrupted eating and training in order to add some new muscle to their frame. After that very enjoyable period, they will spend several months dieting down, then enter a bodybuilding show to see how well they can do. After the show, they will return to the cave for another year of improvements before returning to the stage. This process works well for many bodybuilders.

There are some athletes who prefer to compete more often. Even at the top levels of the amateur ranks, most guys attempt to enter two major shows each year. Some guys who love competing and enjoy winning trophies will enter even more shows, perhaps 8 to 10 per year. These shows are clumped together to allow for mini-cycles of bulking and dieting, and can be pretty tough on the body.

When a bodybuilder uses anabolic steroids, as is often the case of the athlete who competed multiple times per year, he needs to be very cautious about the side effect of bloating. Water retention is a common side effect of some of the harsher (and therefore more effective) steroids. This sort of side effect wouldn’t be a huge worry to the off-season bodybuilder. However, for the athlete entering shows while using AAS, water retention is a huge issue which can cloud vascularity and lead to the required use of dangerous diuretics just to display the muscle one possesses. Common stacks such as Testosterone + Deca-Durabolin + Dianabol do lead to bloating which can be uncomfortable and limit vascularity.

Is bloating all that bad? Yes and no. If you can discover a diuretic or process for dropping this subcutaneous layer of water quickly, then water retention won’t be an issue. At the same time, however, one should be alert to the potential long-term health damage that water retention can cause. Hypertension, or elevated blood pressure, occurs with water retention. This can lead to stroke or heart disease.

Water retention can be useful when training. Recovery comes faster, the joints are more impervious to injury, and you are stronger, all around. This “cushion” is desirable in the off-season, but when competing frequently, the bodybuilder wants to be as hard and dry as possible.

Watching sodium intake goes a long way to limiting water retention when using AAS. Dianabol is notorious for helping bodybuilders remain strong and hard before competitions when caloric restriction is a factor. However, it does lead to water retention which is particularly bad when sodium levels are unchecked. Many bodybuilders consider the use of anti-estrogens such as Nolvadex to help eliminate water retention as well.

The bottom line is that if you are a AAS user who competes frequently, then you’re going to have to be particularly aware of the pitfalls and benefits that AAS-induced water retention can bring. Use it to your advantage, but work to learn how to manage it when necessary.

If you like this article, click here to share: