Training Practices Among Spanish Natural Elite Bodybuilders in the Pre-Contest Phase

Natural bodybuilders optimize their body composition by combining training and nutrition strategies. This study compared the resistance training practices of amateur and professional natural bodybuilders, during the pre-contest phase and in general. Fifty-six drug-tested Spanish bodybuilders (27 amateurs, 29 professionals) completed a 34-item survey assessing training and competing experience, training frequency, exercise selection, weekly sets per muscle group, repetition ranges, and contest-preparation characteristics. Participants trained ≈5 days·week^-1 (Amateur: 4.74 ± 0.45; Professional: 4.83 ± 0.47) and most muscle groups were trained >1 and <3 times·week^-1. Weekly direct sets per muscle group averaged ~8-17, with the highest volumes for back (Amateur: mean 15.3; Professional: mean 17.0 sets·week^-1) and chest (Amateur: 11.8; Professional: 12.7) and the lowest for hamstrings (Amateur: 8.56; Professional: 8.10). The dominant repetition range was 6-10 reps (Amateur: 74.1%; Professional: 89.7%), with 11-15 reps commonly selected as the secondary range. No statistically significant differences were detected between amateurs and professionals for the main training variables, although professionals showed a trend toward more years competing (p = 0.078, d = 0.49). In conclusion, high-level natural bodybuilders adhere to practices that are generally in line with current scientific recommendations. However, interindividual variability highlights the need for individualized programming.