Just Like The Naked Mole Rat

Now what does an East African Naked Mole Rat (Heterocephalus glaber) has to do with bodybuilding? 

No worries, it's not a newly discovered lean source of protein or an alternative to chicken breast that I am trying to pitch, no, the answer is, hairlessness.

You Talkin' to Me?

In order for the physique to really stand out on stage and to see the definition more clearly, bodybuilders have to entirely remove all of their body hair a couple of days before the competition and be as smooth as, well, a naked mole rat.

As funny and strange as it initially sounds, hair removal is actually an important part of the final contest preparation and can make or break your on-stage appearance. Obviously excessive dark body hair will cover up muscle details but even tiny, light colored hair can deteriorate a ripped physique once covered with dark spray tan or in the bright spotlight of the stage. 

There are several different methods and techniques to remove unwanted body hair, so here is a short overview over the three most popular ones.

Shaving

I would imagine everybody is familiar with this method, so I will keep the blah, blah here to a minimum. Shaving is probably the most popular method, since it is easy and, if done correctly without any self-mutilation, pain free. It can be performed virtually everywhere and supplies (shaving creme and razor) are usually on hand or can easily be acquired.

On the downside, shaving can cause rashes and ingrown hairs, especially in "new" areas, and does not keep the hair "off" as long as other methods.

Sprays and Creams

Using  Hair Removal Creams and Sprays is a fast, but also rather expensive way to remove unwanted body hair. The cream is fairly easy to apply and leaves a very smooth surface for days.

I personally "swear by Nair" and used it with very good results for larger areas, such as legs and arms. Even though I had good experiences with it, creams and sprays might be less effective for people with thicker hair and will have to be used with extra care.

The chemicals can cause severe burns on the skin if the cream stays too long on the skin, so exactly following the instructions is key. Sensitive areas such as private parts and face should be avoided for the same reason. 

Waxing

I haven't had the "pleasure" of experiencing this technique yet, so I cannot really comment on it.

Many people prefer this technique, since it is apparently almost irritation free and the hair does not grow back too quickly. However it is supposed to be painful and after watching the scene in the movie " The 40-Year-Old Virgin" in which Andy is getting his chest, or at least part of it, waxed, I have no real desire in trying it out.

In my experience, regardless of the method, I would recommend to initially use an electric razor to shave off the major part of the hair before you "smooth" it out by either wet shaving or using hair removal cream, especially if it is your first time and your body is covered with a "fur". 

I would lie if I said that it didn't take me quite some time to overcome my initial skepticism and that completely removing all body hair wasn't awkward at first, but now that I have done it several times I am more comfortable with it and don't mind it at all.

Personally, I had the best results by using wet shaving for sensitive and hard-to-reach areas (face, arm pits, private area, chest, shoulders and back) and applying hair removal cream to larger areas such as legs and arms. 

The whole process can be very time consuming, so I usually set the Thursday evening before a Saturday show aside and remove all body hair in one "session". On the morning of the competition I only have to shave off my facial stubble and I am ready to go.  

Final piece of advice, don't wait until the last day before your competition, especially if you have never shaved your legs or "manscaped" before. 

Hair removal is not only very time consuming, but it can also cause severe skin irritation or maybe even burns. So give it a try a month before the show and see how your skin will react and just "maintain" your hairlessness up until the competition. 

The past week has been surprisingly exhausting, both mentally and physically. The longer carb depletion period, as well as the back-to-back workout sessions including heavy deadlifts and heavy squats definitely took their toll on me.

As planned I started the carb depletion process on Thursday and have been following a somewhat ketogenic diet for the past four days.

4,000 almost 100% carb-free calories.

My daily food intake during this time consisted of 32 oz of chicken, 12 oz. of lean steak, 12 oz. of lean ground turkey, 8 cups of broccoli and 6 spears of asparagus along with 4 tbs. of extra virgin olive oil and 3 gallons of water. 

As you can see I cut out all the carbs besides a minimal amount found in broccoli and asparagus and have been doing low-weight/high-reps workouts along with High Intensity Interval Training cardio sessions every day to squeeze the last bit of glycogen out of my muscles. 

My energy levels are way down and my cognitive abilities, as well as my mood are also taking one for the team.  

I am tired, exhausted, grumpy and moody. To best describe my current mood, imagine a mix between menopause and "that time of the month" packed in the body of a silverback gorilla with the temper of a world of warcraft playing teenager. Needless to say that any interaction with other humans should be avoided as much as possible.

Well, tomorrow will be the last zero carb day before I will start carb loading on Tuesday. Hopefully along with apple pie filling, oatmeal and yams, my spirits will also return. 

Does Not Play Well With Others During Carb Withdraw