If you've read my blog when I'm in rant mode about the practices of some, or rather, apparently many, contest prep coaches, you already know that it's not just that I'm not impressed; it's also that some of these recommended program practices are just ... out to lunch.

I've ranted and raved about the insane amounts of cardio so common in contest prep circles today more than once ... and there's another one coming, but not today. We've all seen and heard that kind of thing already. No, today, I'm going to talk about something I've never heard before ... until a recent conversation with a client of mine. And I bet many of you haven't either ...

What nonsense am I talking about this time? The use of 'full body wraps' as I've been told they're called. What? Are you as perplexed as I am?

Well, 'supposedly' if you wear one of these 'corset-type' full body wraps to sleep every night and for many hours during the day, it will help create the much-sought-after V-taper, by pulling your waist in, thus getting your lats to appear as if they 'pop' more.

Let's stop for a minute and let that sink in for a minute ...

And no, I'm not kidding either.

Is it just me, or does this sound absolutely ridiculous? Never mind boiling chicken breast, drinking distilled water, eating four different foods on a pre-contest diet, eating only orange roughy and tilapia or some other white fish in lieu of chicken because it' has too much fat or cutting sodium two years out. I think this is the most nonsensical thing I've ever come across.

This is the solution to a lack of a good shoulder-to-waist taper? Corsets? What happened to building a bigger back next off season? Most contest ready people that lack V-taper don't lack it because they need a smaller waist. That's not going to be the ticket to lats that 'pop' more. Their problem tends to be a lack of good lat development.

Corsets? Come on!!

Waists can only get so small. What happens when you take the corset off? Your waist has permanently shrunk? From the loss of what exactly? More fat? Can 't be that since we're talking contest-ready body fat levels. Loss of ... localized water? No, and even if it were, that'd be a short-term, transitory effect at best. Muscle loss? From the waist? Yes, because that's the problem with your 24 inch waist – you carry too much muscle there. Redistribution of internal organs? That sounds ... wonderful.

How about some possible drawbacks?

"The most notable is Glenard's disease with is caused by prolonged corset use and is characterized by decreased abdominal muscle tone, visceral displacement and atrophy in the abdominal wall. Other risks include compression of the chest cavity that can deform the stomach and liver, decreased lung capacity, intercostal breathing and physical deformities. Downward pressure on the abdomen can result in unsightly bulges or an abdominal skirt - a band of stomach tissue that folds over the top of itself."

It amazes me what people will buy into. So you see a few people that place well at shows and you find out they wear full body wraps to get that taper to pop. That's the ticket. Nah, it couldn't be because they simply had the best physique that day with or without a corset as a secret weapon could it? Couldn't be that they did well and had a nice taper and a tight waist due to diet and training could it? Couldn't be they had the 'look' in spite of this ridiculous idea rather than because of it could it?

I'm going to start wearing a full body wrap. I better look better when I take it off. V-taper here I come.I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I think this is a bit silly.

What are some of the seemingly 'odd' things you've heard people do while prepping for a contest?

Posted Jan 01, 2010 by Erik Ledin.
This entry is filed under Contest Prep, Rants, and Fat Loss.