Peak Week

Learn what a top competitor goes through in the final days before a contest.

- Mike Carlson 

Most of us have a pretty good idea what a Physique competitor goes through in the 10 weeks before a competition: fasted cardio in the morning; high-protein, low-fat meals; six days a week in the weight room; carb-cycling; posing practice. But what happens that very last week before showtime, when the little tweaks are made that thin the skin and make abs pop and veins bulge?

Welcome to Peak Week. This is where the frosting is put on the cake. A good Peak Week can’t make up for mediocre training and a lazy diet, but a bad Peak Week can ruin months of perfect preparation. Peak Week is more than just micromanaging macronutrients and workouts. Grooming, travel, relationships, diet, sleep—nothing is left untouched by the preparation to get onstage.

To take you on a tour of Peak Week, we enlisted new IFBB pro Jerdani Kraja, who is uniquely qualified to explain the intricacies of the process. Over the summer, Kraja competed in three shows in a single month. That means that Kraja successfully navigated three Peak Weeks in a four-week span. The rampage netted him one division win, two overall wins, and culminated in capturing his pro card at the NPC Universe in New Jersey.

“There were times I was so tired I actually thought that I would rather wear a diaper than get up off the couch and use the bathroom,” Kraja laughs.

Kraja has a few things going for him when it comes to Peak Week. A lifelong multisport athlete, he grew up in a strict household that demanded discipline and accountability. A stint in the US Marines served to strengthen his mental discipline. When he left the military, he joined Ryan Bentson’s Team Zero Gravity. Bentson is an old-school bodybuilder who has a reputation for two things: He is one of the strictest prep coaches in the industry, and he has a knack for bringing his athletes to competition in razor-sharp shape. It’s a good match for the ultra-disciplined Kraja.